Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. Takes $189.79 Million Position in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. $MRSH

Key Points

• Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group disclosed a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies, buying 1.09 million shares worth about $189.8 million in the first quarter.
• Institutional ownership remains very high, with hedge funds and other investors actively adding to or adjusting stakes; institutions now hold about 87.99% of the company.
• Analysts and the company’s own actions point to continued confidence: several firms raised price targets, Marsh & McLennan boosted its quarterly dividend 10% to $0.99 per share, and the latest earnings beat estimates with revenue up 7.6% year over year.

Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. bought a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MRSH - Free Report) during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund bought 1,094,197 shares of the financial services provider's stock, valued at approximately $189,788,000. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. owned about 0.23% of Marsh & McLennan Companies as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Numerai GP LLC increased its holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 966.2% in the third quarter. Numerai GP LLC now owns 37,220 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $7,501,000 after purchasing an additional 33,729 shares during the period. Swiss Life Asset Management Ltd increased its holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 9.5% in the fourth quarter. Swiss Life Asset Management Ltd now owns 134,542 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $24,960,000 after purchasing an additional 11,648 shares in the last quarter. Sarasin & Partners LLP grew its position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies by 0.9% during the 4th quarter. Sarasin & Partners LLP now owns 934,732 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $173,411,000 after buying an additional 8,283 shares during the period. CSM Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the 3rd quarter valued at $1,180,000. Finally, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. lifted its position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies by 26.4% during the 3rd quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 136,179 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $27,444,000 after acquiring an additional 28,419 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.99% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on MRSH shares. Citigroup raised Marsh & McLennan Companies from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $200.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, May 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $226.00 to $206.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Weiss Ratings downgraded Marsh & McLennan Companies from a "hold (c)" rating to a "hold (c-)" rating in a research note on Monday, May 11th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their price target on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $200.00 to $203.00 and gave the stock a "market perform" rating in a report on Friday, April 17th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $203.00 to $178.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have given a Buy rating, ten have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Marsh & McLennan Companies currently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $200.44.

Key Marsh & McLennan Companies News

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

• Positive Sentiment: UBS reiterated its Buy rating and raised its price target on Marsh & McLennan Companies (MRSH) to $212, signaling confidence in further upside. UBS Sticks to Their Buy Rating for Marsh & McLennan Companies (MRSH)
• Positive Sentiment: Cantor Fitzgerald also lifted its price target on MRSH to $218 and kept an Overweight rating, reinforcing the view that the shares still have meaningful upside. Benzinga report on Cantor Fitzgerald price target increase
• Positive Sentiment: Marsh & McLennan raised its quarterly dividend by 10% to $0.99 per share, a sign of strong cash generation and continued commitment to returning capital to shareholders. Marsh Raises Dividend: Is Its Capital Return Story Getting Stronger?
• Neutral Sentiment: Mizuho modestly increased its price target to $197 while keeping a Neutral rating, adding to the overall analyst attention but offering a more balanced view. Benzinga report on Mizuho price target increase
• Neutral Sentiment: The company also formally declared the new quarterly dividend, payable in August, confirming the higher payout and supporting the stock’s income appeal. Dividend declaration details

Marsh & McLennan Companies Trading Down 0.1%

Shares of MRSH opened at $178.81 on Friday. 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 stock has a market cap of $86.38 billion, a PE ratio of 22.35, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.61 and a beta of 0.61. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. has a 12-month low of $156.60 and a 12-month high of $216.32.

Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 16th. The financial services provider reported $3.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $3.21 by $0.08. Marsh & McLennan Companies had a net margin of 14.26% and a return on equity of 31.87%. The company had revenue of $7.30 billion during the quarter. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 7.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts expect that Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. will post 10.37 earnings per share for the current year.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Increases Dividend

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

Insider Transactions at Marsh & McLennan Companies

In other Marsh & McLennan Companies news, CEO John Q. Doyle sold 16,656 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $161.71, for a total transaction of $2,693,441.76. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 116,811 shares in the company, valued at $18,889,506.81. This trade represents a 12.48% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. 0.38% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

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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