MetLife: The Overhang That Was

Summary Points:

*MetLife recently won a major legal battle with the government, which resulted in the company no longer being designated as a SIFI.

*MetLife reported noisy Q3 2017 results two months ago, but I believe that the company is well-positioned for 2018.

*MetLife is a long-term buy (3-5 years) at today's price.

MetLife ($MET) rarely gets mentioned when investors talk about insurance companies that may be worth investment dollars, and rightfully so, as MET shares have significantly underperformed the broader market over the last year.

The underperformance is a tough pill to swallow, especially when you consider the fact that this company has underperformed the market over the last 3- and 5-year time periods, but I believe that MetLife is finally well-positioned for the future. And, in my opinion, the recent ruling about the systemically important financial institution, or SIFI, de-designation is an extremely bullish development for this company and its shareholders.