Aberdeen Group plc Has $23.39 Million Stock Holdings in Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company $WTW

Key Points

• Aberdeen Group plc increased its stake in Willis Towers Watson by 4.5%, bringing its total holdings to approximately $23.39 million, which represents about 0.08% of the company's shares.
• Willis Towers Watson recently completed a quarterly earnings report, showing earnings per share of $2.86, which exceeded analysts' expectations, along with a slight revenue decline of 0.2% compared to the previous year.
• The company announced a stock buyback program for $1.5 billion, indicating management's belief that the stock is currently undervalued, alongside a declared quarterly dividend of $0.92 per share.

Aberdeen Group plc grew its position in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company (NASDAQ:WTW - Free Report) by 4.5% during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 76,303 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 3,309 shares during the quarter. Aberdeen Group plc owned approximately 0.08% of Willis Towers Watson Public worth $23,387,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Dynamic Advisor Solutions LLC raised its position in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 1.8% during the first quarter. Dynamic Advisor Solutions LLC now owns 2,018 shares of the company's stock worth $682,000 after acquiring an additional 35 shares during the last quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB raised its position in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 10.1% during the second quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 392 shares of the company's stock worth $120,000 after acquiring an additional 36 shares during the last quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. raised its position in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 38.6% during the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 140 shares of the company's stock worth $47,000 after acquiring an additional 39 shares during the last quarter. Brighton Jones LLC raised its position in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 2.9% during the first quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 1,408 shares of the company's stock worth $476,000 after acquiring an additional 40 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mather Group LLC. raised its position in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 6.2% during the first quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 718 shares of the company's stock worth $243,000 after acquiring an additional 42 shares during the last quarter. 93.09% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on WTW shares. Piper Sandler raised their price objective on Willis Towers Watson Public from $369.00 to $387.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday, October 6th. Raymond James Financial restated a "strong-buy" rating and set a $400.00 price objective (up from $380.00) on shares of Willis Towers Watson Public in a research report on Monday, September 22nd. Wolfe Research upgraded Willis Towers Watson Public to a "hold" rating in a research report on Monday, September 15th. Barclays lowered their target price on Willis Towers Watson Public from $316.00 to $305.00 and set an "underweight" rating for the company in a report on Monday, July 7th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald assumed coverage on Willis Towers Watson Public in a report on Wednesday, August 13th. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $355.00 target price for the company. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have assigned a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Willis Towers Watson Public has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $369.42.

Willis Towers Watson Public Trading Down 0.1%

Shares of Willis Towers Watson Public stock opened at $336.62 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.58, a quick ratio of 1.90 and a current ratio of 1.90. Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company has a 52 week low of $287.05 and a 52 week high of $352.79. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $334.91 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $318.60. The stock has a market capitalization of $32.84 billion, a PE ratio of 230.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.68 and a beta of 0.73.

Willis Towers Watson Public (NASDAQ:WTW - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 31st. The company reported $2.86 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.65 by $0.21. Willis Towers Watson Public had a return on equity of 21.60% and a net margin of 1.40%.The firm had revenue of $2.26 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $2.23 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.55 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was down .2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company will post 17.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Willis Towers Watson Public announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock buyback program on Thursday, September 18th that authorizes the company to buyback $1.50 billion in shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the company to reacquire up to 4.6% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are usually a sign that the company's management believes its stock is undervalued.

Willis Towers Watson Public Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, October 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 30th will be issued a dividend of $0.92 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 30th. This represents a $3.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.1%. Willis Towers Watson Public's dividend payout ratio is 252.05%.

Willis Towers Watson Public Profile

Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company operates as an advisory, broking, and solutions company worldwide. It operates through two segments: Health, Wealth & Career and Risk & Broking. The company offers strategy and design consulting, plan management service and support, broking and administration services for health, wellbeing, and other group benefit program, including medical, dental, disability, life, voluntary benefits and other coverages; actuarial support, plan design, and administrative services for pension and retirement savings plans; retirement consulting services and solutions; and integrated solutions that consists of investment discretionary management, pension administration, core actuarial, and communication and change management assistance services.

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