Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) Stock Price Crosses Above Two Hundred Day Moving Average - Here's Why

Shares of Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSE:GWO - Get Free Report) passed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of C$42.40 and traded as high as C$47.49. Great-West Lifeco shares last traded at C$47.32, with a volume of 311,847 shares.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

GWO has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their target price on Great-West Lifeco from C$45.00 to C$47.00 in a research note on Thursday, August 8th. TD Securities lifted their price objective on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$43.00 to C$44.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price objective on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$48.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. Finally, Barclays set a C$43.00 target price on shares of Great-West Lifeco and gave the company an "underweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, September 5th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of C$45.00.

Great-West Lifeco Stock Down 0.7 %

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 29.61, a quick ratio of 22.18 and a current ratio of 37.46. The stock's fifty day simple moving average is C$45.26 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is C$42.44. The company has a market capitalization of C$43.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.83, a P/E/G ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.84.

Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, August 6th. The company reported C$1.11 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of C$1.05 by C$0.06. The business had revenue of C$8.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of C$9.83 billion. Great-West Lifeco had a net margin of 11.32% and a return on equity of 13.21%. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Great-West Lifeco Inc. will post 4.4525194 EPS for the current year.

Great-West Lifeco Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 27th. Investors of record on Friday, September 27th were paid a $0.555 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 30th. This represents a $2.22 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.72%. Great-West Lifeco's dividend payout ratio is currently 55.78%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Great-West Lifeco

In related news, Director Richard Henry Linton sold 35,800 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$46.27, for a total value of C$1,656,344.28. In related news, Director Richard Henry Linton sold 35,800 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Friday, October 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$46.27, for a total transaction of C$1,656,344.28. Also, Director Charles Donald Harvey Henaire sold 25,400 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, September 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$44.72, for a total value of C$1,135,888.00. Insiders own 70.70% of the company's stock.

About Great-West Lifeco

Great-West Lifeco Inc engages in the life and health insurance, retirement and investment services, asset management, and reinsurance businesses in Canada, the United States, and Europe. The company offers life, accidental death and dismemberment, disability, critical illness, health and dental protection, and creditor insurance products; and retirement and wealth savings, income and annuity products, and other specialty products to individuals, families, businesses, and organizations.