Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) Sets New 52-Week High – Here’s What Happened

Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSE:GWO) shares hit a new 52-week high on Monday . The company traded as high as C$50.28 and last traded at C$50.22, with a volume of 3330866 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at C$49.79.

Analyst Ratings Changes

GWO has been the subject of a number of research reports. CIBC increased their price target on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$51.00 to C$55.00 in a research note on Friday, November 8th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on Great-West Lifeco from C$47.00 to C$51.00 in a research report on Friday, November 8th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price target on Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$48.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. Scotiabank increased their price objective on Great-West Lifeco from C$44.00 to C$50.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 30th. Finally, Barclays boosted their target price on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$43.00 to C$45.00 in a report on Friday, November 8th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of C$47.63.

Great-West Lifeco Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 29.61, a current ratio of 37.46 and a quick ratio of 22.18. The business has a 50 day moving average price of C$47.12 and a 200 day moving average price of C$43.55. The stock has a market capitalization of C$46.81 billion, a PE ratio of 12.51, a PEG ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.84.

Great-West Lifeco Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 31st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 3rd will be issued a $0.555 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, December 3rd. This represents a $2.22 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.42%. Great-West Lifeco’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 55.78%.

Insider Transactions at Great-West Lifeco

In other Great-West Lifeco news, Director Charles Donald Harvey Henaire sold 25,400 shares of Great-West Lifeco stock in a transaction that occurred on 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. Also, Senior Officer Colleen Nancy Bailey Moffitt sold 825 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$49.11, for a total transaction of C$40,515.75. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 66 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately C$3,241.26. The trade was a 92.59 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 235,251 shares of company stock worth $11,463,390. Corporate insiders own 70.70% of the company’s stock.

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.