Lombard Odier Asset Management Europe Ltd Makes New $14.58 Million Investment in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. $MRSH

Lombard Odier Asset Management Europe Ltd bought a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MRSH - Free Report) in the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm bought 84,056 shares of the financial services provider's stock, valued at approximately $14,580,000.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Solstein Capital LLC purchased a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies in the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. SHP Wealth Management purchased a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp purchased a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Golden State Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the fourth quarter valued at $27,000. Finally, Pinnacle Bancorp Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the first quarter valued at $28,000. 87.99% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

MRSH has been the topic of several analyst reports. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from a "hold (c)" rating to a "hold (c-)" rating in a report on Monday, May 11th. Mizuho upped their price objective on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $197.00 to $201.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Wednesday. Morgan Stanley cut their price target on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $180.00 to $175.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, July 6th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $186.00 to $188.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, Bank of America dropped their price objective on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $181.00 to $174.00 and set an "underperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, April 14th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have issued a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $201.69.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:MRSH opened at $180.66 on Friday. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. has a 52 week low of $156.60 and a 52 week high of $213.80. The company has a market capitalization of $86.21 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.09, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.60 and a beta of 0.61. The company has a quick ratio of 1.11, a current ratio of 1.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.22.

Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 21st. The financial services provider reported $2.96 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.89 by $0.07. Marsh & McLennan Companies had a return on equity of 32.67% and a net margin of 14.24%.The firm had revenue of $7.28 billion during the quarter. The business's quarterly revenue was up 6.2% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts predict that Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. will post 10.41 EPS for the current year.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 14th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, July 23rd will be issued a $0.99 dividend. This is an increase from Marsh & McLennan Companies's previous quarterly dividend of $0.90. This represents a $3.96 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, July 23rd. Marsh & McLennan Companies's dividend payout ratio is presently 48.41%.

Insider Activity

In other news, CEO John Q. Doyle sold 16,656 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $161.71, for a total transaction of $2,693,441.76. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 116,811 shares in the company, valued at approximately $18,889,506.81. This represents a 12.48% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders own 0.38% of the company's stock.

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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