Benjamin Edwards Inc. Increases Stock Holdings in Markel Group Inc. (NYSE:MKL)

Key Points

• Benjamin Edwards Inc. increased its holdings in Markel Group Inc. by 16.7% during the 1st quarter, owning 1,013 shares worth approximately $1.89 million at the end of the reporting period.
• Markel Group reported earnings of $25.46 per share for the last quarter, exceeding analysts’ expectations and showing a year-over-year revenue increase of 24.3%.
• Institutional investors control 77.12% of Markel Group's stock, indicating strong institutional interest in the company.

Benjamin Edwards Inc. grew its position in Markel Group Inc. (NYSE:MKL - Free Report) by 16.7% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,013 shares of the insurance provider's stock after acquiring an additional 145 shares during the quarter. Benjamin Edwards Inc.'s holdings in Markel Group were worth $1,894,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Markel Group by 0.7% during the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 1,158,510 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $2,165,962,000 after purchasing an additional 7,914 shares during the period. Davis Selected Advisers lifted its holdings in shares of Markel Group by 0.3% during the first quarter. Davis Selected Advisers now owns 371,469 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $694,502,000 after purchasing an additional 947 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE lifted its holdings in shares of Markel Group by 0.7% during the fourth quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 140,997 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $243,393,000 after purchasing an additional 915 shares during the period. Van Lanschot Kempen Investment Management N.V. lifted its holdings in shares of Markel Group by 19.3% during the fourth quarter. Van Lanschot Kempen Investment Management N.V. now owns 121,589 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $209,891,000 after purchasing an additional 19,657 shares during the period. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its holdings in shares of Markel Group by 1.7% during the fourth quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 116,664 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $201,393,000 after purchasing an additional 1,975 shares during the period. 77.12% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Buying and Selling at Markel Group

In other news, Director Greta J. Harris sold 90 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Friday, May 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,861.44, for a total value of $167,529.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 632 shares in the company, valued at $1,176,430.08. This trade represents a 12.47% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 1.66% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

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. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Markel Group presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $1,820.33.

Markel Group Price Performance

NYSE:MKL traded down $25.69 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $1,928.46. The company's stock had a trading volume of 35,694 shares, compared to its average volume of 45,523. The business's 50-day moving average is $1,973.32 and its two-hundred day moving average is $1,897.45. The company has a market capitalization of $24.40 billion, a PE ratio of 11.57 and a beta of 0.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 0.59. Markel Group Inc. has a 52-week low of $1,494.00 and a 52-week high of $2,075.92.

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

About Markel Group

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.