Markel Group Inc. Invests $132.43 Million in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. $MRSH

Markel Group Inc. acquired a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MRSH - Free Report) during the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor acquired 763,500 shares of the financial services provider's stock, valued at approximately $132,429,000. Marsh & McLennan Companies makes up about 1.1% of Markel Group Inc.'s holdings, making the stock its 29th biggest position. Markel Group Inc. owned 0.16% of Marsh & McLennan Companies at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of MRSH. Solstein Capital LLC bought a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. SHP Wealth Management acquired a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies during the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp bought a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies during the fourth quarter worth approximately $27,000. Golden State Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Finally, Pinnacle Bancorp Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the first quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.99% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have commented on the company. Cantor Fitzgerald raised their price objective on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $210.00 to $218.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on 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. Mizuho raised their price target on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $194.00 to $197.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Thursday. Piper Sandler cut their price objective on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $190.00 to $182.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, May 26th. Finally, Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from a "hold (c)" rating to a "hold (c-)" rating in a report on Monday, May 11th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have assigned a Buy rating, ten have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Marsh & McLennan Companies has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $200.44.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Price Performance

Shares of MRSH stock traded down $0.48 on Friday, hitting $178.52. 1,526,536 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,424,644. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. has a 12 month low of $156.60 and a 12 month high of $216.32. The company has a quick ratio of 1.11, a current ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.28. The company has a market cap of $86.24 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.32, a P/E/G ratio of 2.60 and a beta of 0.61.

Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 16th. The financial services provider reported $3.29 earnings per share for the quarter, beating 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 net margin of 14.26% and a return on equity of 31.87%. The business's quarterly revenue was up 7.6% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. will post 10.37 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 14th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, July 23rd will be paid a dividend of $0.99 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, July 23rd. This is a boost from Marsh & McLennan Companies's previous quarterly dividend of $0.90. This represents a $3.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.2%. Marsh & McLennan Companies's payout ratio is presently 45.00%.

Key Stories Impacting Marsh & McLennan Companies

Here are the key news stories impacting Marsh & McLennan Companies this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Cantor Fitzgerald raised its price target on Marsh & McLennan to $218 and reiterated an overweight rating, signaling strong upside expectations. Marsh & McLennan Companies NYSE: MRSH Given New $218.00 Price Target at Cantor Fitzgerald
• Positive Sentiment: Mizuho also lifted its price target to $197, keeping a neutral rating, which still reflects a more favorable valuation view. Marsh & McLennan Companies NYSE: MRSH Price Target Raised to $197.00 at Mizuho
• Positive Sentiment: UBS maintained its buy rating on Marsh & McLennan, reinforcing a broadly positive analyst stance on the shares. UBS Sticks to Their Buy Rating for Marsh & McLennan Companies (MRSH)
• Positive Sentiment: Marsh & McLennan increased its quarterly dividend by 10% to $0.99 per share, highlighting strong cash generation and shareholder-friendly capital allocation. Marsh Raises Dividend: Is Its Capital Return Story Getting Stronger?
• Neutral Sentiment: The company also declared the dividend formally for shareholders of record on July 23, which confirms the payout timing but is not a new catalyst. Marsh & McLennan Companies dividend announcement

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 value of $2,693,441.76. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly 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 legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Company insiders own 0.38% of the company's stock.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Company 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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