Anderson Hoagland & Co. Buys 64,222 Shares of Aon plc $AON

Key Points

• Anderson Hoagland & Co. increased its Aon stake by 587.7% in the third quarter, buying 64,222 additional shares and bringing its holdings to 75,149 shares valued at approximately $20.8 million.
• Aon reported quarterly EPS of $3.81, narrowly exceeding estimates, while revenue rose 2.2% year over year to $4.25 billion. The company also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.82 per share, implying a 1.1% annual yield.
• Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating with an average price target of $367.59, though recommendations range from buy to strong sell. Aon shares recently traded near $303.47, below the consensus target.

Anderson Hoagland & Co. grew its stake in Aon plc (NYSE:AON - Free Report) by 587.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 75,149 shares of the financial services provider's stock after buying an additional 64,222 shares during the quarter. AON accounts for about 1.6% of Anderson Hoagland & Co.'s portfolio, making the stock its 21st largest holding. Anderson Hoagland & Co.'s holdings in AON were worth $20,799,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of AON. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. raised its position in AON by 258.3% during the first quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. now owns 129 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $42,000 after acquiring an additional 93 shares in the last quarter. Downshift Financial LLC grew its stake in shares of AON by 15,700.0% during the 3rd quarter. Downshift Financial LLC now owns 158 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $44,000 after purchasing an additional 157 shares during the period. Ashurst Perkins Coie Trust Co acquired a new stake in shares of AON during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $60,000. Cassaday & Co Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of AON during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $61,000. Finally, Maryland Capital Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in shares of AON by 23,400.0% during the 3rd quarter. Maryland Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 235 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $65,000 after purchasing an additional 234 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.14% of the company's stock.

AON Price Performance

Shares of AON stock opened at $303.47 on Friday. Aon plc has a 12 month low of $266.33 and a 12 month high of $382.34. The company has a market capitalization of $64.37 billion, a PE ratio of 16.73, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 0.70. The firm's 50-day moving average is $305.15 and its two-hundred day moving average is $325.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.34, a current ratio of 1.54 and a quick ratio of 1.54.

AON (NYSE:AON - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The financial services provider reported $3.81 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.80 by $0.01. AON had a return on equity of 42.13% and a net margin of 22.27%. The business had revenue of $4.25 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.28 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $3.49 EPS. The company's quarterly revenue was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts predict that Aon plc will post 18.73 earnings per share for the current year.

AON Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 2nd will be issued a $0.82 dividend. This represents a $3.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, November 2nd. AON's dividend payout ratio is currently 18.08%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a "hold" rating on shares of AON in a research note on Tuesday, September 1st. UBS Group reaffirmed a "neutral" rating on shares of AON in a report on Monday, August 31st. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on shares of AON from $383.00 to $323.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, October 12th. Roth Capital set a $380.00 target price on shares of AON and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 1st. Finally, Wolfe Research cut shares of AON from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research note on Friday, September 11th. Twelve research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $367.59.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, General Counsel Darren Zeidel sold 1,900 shares of AON stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $377.76, for a total value of $717,744.00. Following the completion of the sale, the general counsel owned 11,504 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,345,751.04. This trade represents a 14.17% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Lester Knight purchased 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, September 2nd. The shares were purchased at an average price of $327.48 per share, with a total value of $6,549,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 163,000 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $53,379,240. This trade represents a 13.99% increase in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Company insiders own 1.00% of the company's stock.

About AON

Aon plc is a global professional services firm that helps organizations manage risk, make informed decisions and improve workforce outcomes. Its services span commercial risk, health, retirement and investments, and data and analytics.

The company provides insurance brokerage and risk-management services, including coverage placement, claims support, risk transfer and consulting. Through its reinsurance business, Aon also serves insurers and other organizations seeking to manage catastrophe, capital and underwriting risks.

Aon's human capital offerings include employee benefits consulting, retirement advisory services, talent and compensation consulting, and health and workforce solutions.

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