Lecap Asset Management Ltd. Makes New Investment in MetLife, Inc. $MET

Lecap Asset Management Ltd. acquired a new stake in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET – Free Report) in the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund acquired 10,828 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $855,000.

Other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of MetLife by 13.3% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 64,749,521 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $5,333,418,000 after purchasing an additional 7,578,199 shares during the period. AQR Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of MetLife by 105.3% in the third quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 3,305,620 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $271,424,000 after purchasing an additional 1,695,563 shares in the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP increased its position in shares of MetLife by 173.4% during the third quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 1,641,253 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $135,190,000 after acquiring an additional 1,040,894 shares during the period. Man Group plc increased its holdings in MetLife by 325.5% during the 2nd quarter. Man Group plc now owns 1,344,551 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $108,129,000 after purchasing an additional 1,028,554 shares during the period. Finally, Zurich Insurance Group Ltd FI purchased a new stake in shares of MetLife during the third quarter worth approximately $83,779,000. 94.99% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

MetLife Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:MET opened at $78.08 on Monday. The stock has a market cap of $50.91 billion, a PE ratio of 16.61, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.69 and a beta of 0.74. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $73.13 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $76.77. MetLife, Inc. has a one year low of $67.33 and a one year high of $83.85. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52, a quick ratio of 0.20 and a current ratio of 0.20.

MetLife (NYSE:MET – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The financial services provider reported $2.49 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.34 by $0.15. The firm had revenue of $52.44 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $31.43 billion. MetLife had a net margin of 4.38% and a return on equity of 21.81%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 27.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.08 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that MetLife, Inc. will post 9.65 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Key Stories Impacting MetLife

Here are the key news stories impacting MetLife this week:

• Positive Sentiment: MetLife remains an official sponsor of events at the stadium and the World Cup brings global media exposure that can reinforce long‑term brand recognition for the insurer. New York Times: Why MetLife Is Changing Its Name for the World Cup
• Neutral Sentiment: NJ Transit has announced steep special‑event fares (reported as $150 round‑trip rail; buses ~ $80) for World Cup trips to MetLife Stadium, prompting consumer backlash and debate about who should cover the cost. This is primarily a ticketing/transport issue and not a direct revenue impact on MetLife the insurer. Business Insider: World Cup fans to pay train fares of $150 for the round-trip to MetLife Stadium
• Neutral Sentiment: Political friction has followed the fare decision (state officials urging FIFA to cover transit costs). That could prolong negative headlines but is unlikely to affect MetLife’s balance sheet or near‑term earnings. MSN: N.J. governor: FIFA should pay extra train costs to MetLife
• Negative Sentiment: FIFA’s commercial rules require the stadium to be renamed (“New York New Jersey Stadium”) for matches, meaning MetLife’s name and signage won’t appear during the tournament — a short‑term loss of premium event visibility. That’s a reputational/marketing hit rather than a direct financial loss. NYTimes Athletic: MetLife World Cup train tickets confirmed at $150, alternative bus priced at $80
• Negative Sentiment: Operational constraints (no parking, steep transit surcharges, crowding concerns) could depress fan experience/headlines and cause short‑term reputational noise around the stadium partner brands. CBS News: No parking at MetLife Stadium for World Cup matches

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts recently commented on the company. Evercore set a $96.00 target price on MetLife in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on shares of MetLife from $93.00 to $90.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, April 10th. UBS Group boosted their price target on MetLife from $98.00 to $102.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of MetLife from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, April 11th. Finally, Mizuho reduced their price target on MetLife from $100.00 to $93.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 13th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have assigned a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $93.38.

View Our Latest Analysis on MetLife

MetLife Company Profile

(Free Report)

MetLife, Inc is a global provider of insurance, annuities and employee benefit programs. Headquartered in New York City, the company offers a range of risk protection and retirement solutions to individuals, employers and institutional clients. Its core businesses include life insurance, group benefits, retirement products such as annuities, and supplemental health products including dental and disability coverage.

In addition to traditional life and group insurance, MetLife provides workplace benefits and voluntary products distributed through employer-sponsored programs.

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