Forsta AP Fonden Takes $24.43 Million Position in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. $MRSH

Key Points

• Forsta AP Fonden opened a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the fourth quarter, buying 131,700 shares worth about $24.43 million.
• Institutional interest in MRSH remains strong, with several large investors adding to stakes and 87.99% of the stock now held by hedge funds and other institutions.
• Analyst sentiment is mixed: the stock carries a Hold consensus rating with a $203.56 average price target, while recent reports included both upgrades and target price cuts.

Forsta AP Fonden acquired a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MRSH - Free Report) during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor acquired 131,700 shares of the financial services provider's stock, valued at approximately $24,433,000.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in MRSH. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the fourth quarter valued at $1,555,869,000. Ninety One UK Ltd lifted its position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies by 163.0% in the fourth quarter. Ninety One UK Ltd now owns 3,542,004 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $657,113,000 after acquiring an additional 2,195,201 shares in the last quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. lifted its position in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 9,455.4% during the fourth quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 1,520,164 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $282,021,000 after buying an additional 1,504,255 shares during the period. Wellington Management Group LLP lifted its position in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 9.1% during the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 15,091,478 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $3,041,386,000 after buying an additional 1,260,434 shares during the period. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership lifted its position in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 654.7% during the third quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 1,419,104 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $285,992,000 after buying an additional 1,231,059 shares during the period. 87.99% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

MRSH has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Piper Sandler reduced their target price on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $190.00 to $182.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, May 26th. Raymond James Financial upgraded Marsh & McLennan Companies from an "outperform" rating to a "strong-buy" rating and set a $225.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Cantor Fitzgerald increased their target price on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $208.00 to $212.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. Bank of America reduced their target price on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $181.00 to $174.00 and set an "underperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 14th. Finally, Barclays reduced their target price on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $209.00 to $206.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 8th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have given a Buy rating, ten have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $203.56.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Stock Performance

Marsh & McLennan Companies stock opened at $159.73 on Friday. The stock's 50-day moving average is $164.87 and its 200-day moving average is $172.02. The company has a market cap of $77.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.97, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.33 and a beta of 0.65. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.28, a current ratio of 1.11 and a quick ratio of 1.11. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. has a 12 month low of $157.74 and a 12 month high of $235.78.

Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 16th. The financial services provider reported $3.29 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $3.21 by $0.08. The company had revenue of $7.30 billion for the quarter. Marsh & McLennan Companies had a return on equity of 31.87% and a net margin of 14.26%.The business's revenue for the quarter was up 7.6% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts anticipate that Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. will post 10.38 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity at Marsh & McLennan Companies

In other news, CEO John Q. Doyle sold 16,655 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $183.30, for a total value of $3,052,861.50. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 116,811 shares in the company, valued at $21,411,456.30. This trade represents a 12.48% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.38% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Profile

Marsh & McLennan Companies NYSE: MMC is a global professional services firm headquartered in New York City that provides advice and solutions in the areas of risk, strategy and people. Founded in 1905, the company has grown into a diversified group of businesses focused on insurance brokerage and risk management, reinsurance, human capital and investment consulting, and management consulting. Its long history and scale position it as a prominent adviser to corporations, governments and other institutions seeking to manage risk and optimize human and financial capital.

The firm operates through several well-known subsidiaries and business units that specialize in distinct services.

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