Generate Investment Management Ltd Trims Stake in Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company $WTW

Key Points

• Generate Investment Management Ltd reduced its stake in Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company by 29.3% in the second quarter, holding 31,852 shares valued at $9.76 million after selling 13,185 shares.
• The company initiated a $1.50 billion share buyback plan to repurchase up to 4.6% of its stock, indicating management's belief that the shares are undervalued.
• Willis Towers Watson announced a quarterly dividend of $0.92 per share, with a dividend yield of 1.1% and a payout ratio of 252.05%.

Generate Investment Management Ltd cut its stake in Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company (NASDAQ:WTW - Free Report) by 29.3% in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 31,852 shares of the company's stock after selling 13,185 shares during the quarter. Generate Investment Management Ltd's holdings in Willis Towers Watson Public were worth $9,763,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in WTW. V Square Quantitative Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 2.4% in the 2nd quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC now owns 2,252 shares of the company's stock valued at $690,000 after purchasing an additional 53 shares during the period. Patton Fund Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Willis Towers Watson Public in the 2nd quarter worth $223,000. Maridea Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 67.0% during the second quarter. Maridea Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,348 shares of the company's stock worth $413,000 after purchasing an additional 541 shares in the last quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio boosted its holdings in Willis Towers Watson Public by 1.3% in the 2nd quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 31,412 shares of the company's stock worth $9,628,000 after buying an additional 400 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Park Avenue Securities LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public during the second quarter worth approximately $484,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.09% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Wolfe Research upgraded shares of Willis Towers Watson Public to a "hold" rating in a research report on Monday, September 15th. Citigroup began coverage on shares of Willis Towers Watson Public in a research report on Wednesday, August 13th. They set a "neutral" rating and a $351.00 price target on the stock. Raymond James Financial restated a "strong-buy" rating and issued a $400.00 price objective (up from $380.00) on shares of Willis Towers Watson Public in a report on Monday, September 22nd. Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on shares of Willis Towers Watson Public from $335.00 to $345.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Monday, August 18th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald assumed coverage on Willis Towers Watson Public in a research report on Wednesday, August 13th. They set a "neutral" rating and a $355.00 price objective for the company. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have issued a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $362.92.

Willis Towers Watson Public Stock Performance

Shares of WTW opened at $341.89 on Monday. Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company has a 12-month low of $286.35 and a 12-month high of $345.42. The stock has a market cap of $33.35 billion, a P/E ratio of 234.17, a PEG ratio of 2.72 and a beta of 0.71. The company has a current ratio of 1.90, a quick ratio of 1.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.58. The company has a 50-day moving average of $327.50 and a two-hundred day moving average of $317.92.

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

Willis Towers Watson Public declared that its board has initiated a share buyback plan on Thursday, September 18th that permits the company to repurchase $1.50 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization permits the company to purchase up to 4.6% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are generally an indication that the company's management believes its shares are undervalued.

Willis Towers Watson Public Dividend Announcement

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

About Willis Towers Watson Public

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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