Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) Given New C$45.00 Price Target at Royal Bank of Canada

Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) had its target price increased by investment analysts at Royal Bank of Canada from C$44.00 to C$45.00 in a report released on Friday, BayStreet.CA reports. The brokerage presently has a “sector perform” rating on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada’s price target would suggest a potential upside of 6.56% from the company’s previous close.

Several other research firms also recently commented on GWO. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price objective on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$44.00 to C$46.00 in a report on Friday. TD Securities dropped their price objective on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$45.00 to C$44.00 in a report on Thursday. Scotiabank upped their price objective on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$44.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 6th. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$44.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a report on Thursday, January 25th. Finally, CIBC upped their price objective on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$44.00 to C$46.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, February 16th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of C$43.60.

Great-West Lifeco Stock Performance

TSE GWO opened at C$42.23 on Friday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of C$41.95 and a 200-day moving average price of C$42.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 32.33, a current ratio of 12.42 and a quick ratio of 22.18. The firm has a market cap of C$39.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.41, a PEG ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.86. Great-West Lifeco has a 1 year low of C$37.06 and a 1 year high of C$45.18.

Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 14th. The company reported C$1.04 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of C$0.99 by C$0.05. The company had revenue of C$20.21 billion for the quarter. Great-West Lifeco had a net margin of 7.95% and a return on equity of 10.28%. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Great-West Lifeco will post 4.137561 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Great-West Lifeco

In other news, Senior Officer Bradley John Fedorchuk sold 2,900 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$42.44, for a total value of C$123,062.08. In related news, Senior Officer Bradley John Fedorchuk sold 2,900 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$42.44, for a total value of C$123,062.08. Also, Senior Officer Linda Kerrigan sold 5,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of C$42.95, for a total transaction of C$214,750.00. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 13,300 shares of company stock valued at $566,402. 70.57% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

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.