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New York-based MetLife, Inc. (MET) is a financial services company that provides insurance, annuities, employee benefits, and asset management services. Valued at a market cap of $58.1 billion, the company has operations in more than 40 markets globally and holds leading positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
Shares of this insurance company have outpaced the broader market over the past 52 weeks. MET has soared 25.3% over this time frame, while the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has gained 20.6%. On a YTD basis, the stock is up 2.5%, aligning with SPX.
Narrowing the focus, MET has lagged behind the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund’s (XLF) 32.5% return over the past 52 weeks and a 7.2% gain on a YTD basis.
MetLife released its Q4 earnings results on Feb. 5, and shares of MET fell 1.6% on the subsequent day as the company delivered a mixed performance. It reported an adjusted EPS of $2.08 per share, which increased 7.8% from the year-ago quarter but fell short of the Wall Street estimates due to lower non-medical health underwriting margins in the Group Benefits segment. A decline in adjusted earnings in the Retirement and Income Solutions (RIS) segment, fueled by a fall in recurring interest margin and less favorable underwriting, further acted as a headwind. Nonetheless, on the brighter side, MET’s adjusted operating revenues of $19.7 billion increased 5.4% annually and beat the consensus mark by 2.7%.
For the current fiscal year, ending in December 2025, analysts expect MetLife’s EPS to grow 19% year over year to $9.65. The company’s earnings surprise history is mixed. It topped or met the Wall Street estimates in two of the last four quarters while missing on two other occasions.
Among the 18 analysts covering the stock, the consensus rating is a “Strong Buy,” which is based on 12 “Strong Buy,” two “Moderate Buy,” and four “Hold” ratings.
On Jan. 7, JPMorgan maintained an “Overweight” rating on MET and raised its price target to $88, which indicates a 4.9% potential upside from the current levels.
The mean price target of $96.50 represents a 15% upside from MetLife’s current price levels, while the Street-high price target of $110 suggests an upside potential of 31.1%.
