AG2R LA Mondiale Gestion D Actifs Acquires Shares of 553 Markel Group Inc. $MKL

Key Points

• AG2R LA Mondiale Gestion D Actifs has acquired a new stake in Markel Group Inc., purchasing 553 shares valued at approximately $1,074,000.
• Markel Group reported a strong quarterly performance with $25.46 earnings per share, exceeding analysts' estimates, and a revenue increase of 24.3% year-over-year.
• Analysts have upgraded Markel Group's stock from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating, with an average price target set at $1,820.33.

AG2R LA Mondiale Gestion D Actifs purchased a new stake in shares of Markel Group Inc. (NYSE:MKL - Free Report) during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund purchased 553 shares of the insurance provider's stock, valued at approximately $1,074,000.

A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Sierra Ocean LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Markel Group during the first quarter worth about $28,000. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC lifted its position in Markel Group by 183.3% during the first quarter. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 17 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the period. Atlas Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Markel Group in the first quarter worth about $32,000. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. grew its stake in shares of Markel Group by 300.0% during the 1st quarter. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. now owns 20 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $37,000 after purchasing an additional 15 shares during the period. Finally, McIlrath & Eck LLC increased its holdings in Markel Group by 866.7% in the fourth quarter. McIlrath & Eck LLC now owns 29 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $50,000 after buying an additional 26 shares in the last quarter. 77.12% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, Argus upgraded Markel Group from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, May 30th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Markel Group currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $1,820.33.

Markel Group Price Performance

NYSE:MKL traded up $18.97 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $1,946.81. 16,179 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 54,856. The company has a current ratio of 0.59, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25. The firm has a market cap of $24.63 billion, a PE ratio of 11.68 and a beta of 0.82. Markel Group Inc. has a twelve month low of $1,521.25 and a twelve month high of $2,075.92. The stock's 50-day moving average is $1,963.64 and its 200-day moving average is $1,906.96.

Markel Group (NYSE:MKL - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, July 30th. The insurance provider reported $25.46 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $24.74 by $0.72. Markel Group had a net margin of 13.39% and a return on equity of 7.18%. The business had revenue of $4.82 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $3.96 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $18.62 earnings per share. The company's quarterly revenue was up 24.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Markel Group Inc. will post 96.25 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Markel Group Company Profile

Markel Group Inc, a diverse holding company, engages in marketing and underwriting specialty insurance products in the United States, Bermuda, the United Kingdom, and Germany. The company offers general and professional liability, personal lines, marine and energy, specialty programs, and workers' compensation insurance products; and property coverages that include fire, allied lines, and other specialized property coverages, including catastrophe-exposed property risks, such as earthquake and wind.