Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) Reaches New 1-Year High at $45.18

Shares of Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSE:GWO) reached a new 52-week high on Thursday . The company traded as high as C$45.18 and last traded at C$44.85, with a volume of 17316 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$45.04.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

GWO has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their target price on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$46.00 to C$42.00 in a report on Thursday, July 18th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price objective on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$45.00 to C$47.00 in a research note on Thursday, August 8th. TD Securities raised their price objective on Great-West Lifeco from C$43.00 to C$44.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 7th. Finally, Barclays set a C$43.00 target price on Great-West Lifeco and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a report on Thursday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of C$43.78.

Great-West Lifeco Stock Performance

The stock has a market cap of C$41.50 billion, a PE ratio of 11.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.84. The stock has a fifty day moving average of C$41.82 and a 200-day moving average of C$41.71. The company has a quick ratio of 22.18, a current ratio of 37.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 29.61.

Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, August 6th. The company reported C$1.11 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of C$1.05 by C$0.06. The company had revenue of C$8.61 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of C$9.83 billion. Great-West Lifeco had a return on equity of 13.21% and a net margin of 11.32%. On average, equities analysts forecast that Great-West Lifeco Inc. will post 4.2808552 EPS for the current year.

Great-West Lifeco Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 27th will be paid a $0.555 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. This represents a $2.22 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.99%. Great-West Lifeco’s dividend payout ratio is currently 55.92%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Charles Donald Harvey Henaire sold 25,400 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, September 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$44.72, for a total value of C$1,135,888.00. 70.65% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Great-West Lifeco Company Profile

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.