Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky Invests $21.44 Million in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. $MRSH

Key Points

• Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky opened a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies, buying 123,602 shares worth about $21.44 million in the first quarter.
• Several analysts remain constructive on the stock, with Cantor Fitzgerald raising its target to $218 and UBS reiterating a buy rating, even as some firms trimmed targets and the overall consensus stays at Hold.
• Marsh & McLennan boosted its quarterly dividend by 10% to $0.99 per share, and its latest earnings beat estimates with $3.29 EPS on $7.30 billion in revenue.

Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky acquired a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MRSH - Free Report) during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 123,602 shares of the financial services provider's stock, valued at approximately $21,439,000.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the business. State Street Corp bought a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the fourth quarter valued at about $4,057,682,000. Capital International Investors purchased a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the fourth quarter worth $3,482,557,000. Capital World Investors purchased a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies during the 4th quarter valued at $3,140,284,000. Wellington Management Group LLP bought a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the fourth quarter valued at about $2,967,927,000. Finally, Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD bought a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the fourth quarter worth about $1,710,101,000. Institutional investors own 87.99% of the company's stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Marsh & McLennan Companies

In related news, CEO John Q. Doyle sold 16,656 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $161.71, for a total value of $2,693,441.76. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 116,811 shares of the company's stock, valued at $18,889,506.81. This represents a 12.48% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. 0.38% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Key Headlines 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

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $180.00 to $175.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a report on Monday, July 6th. Cantor Fitzgerald boosted their price target on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $210.00 to $218.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday. Weiss Ratings downgraded Marsh & McLennan Companies from a "hold (c)" rating to a "hold (c-)" rating in a research report on Monday, May 11th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their price objective on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $200.00 to $203.00 and gave the stock a "market perform" rating in a research note on Friday, April 17th. Finally, Piper Sandler decreased their price target on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $190.00 to $182.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, May 26th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have issued a Buy rating, ten have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $200.44.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Stock Up 0.1%

MRSH stock opened at $178.52 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.28. The stock has a market capitalization 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, 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 issued its earnings results 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. Marsh & McLennan Companies had a net margin of 14.26% and a return on equity of 31.87%. The business had revenue of $7.30 billion for the quarter. The firm's revenue was up 7.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. will post 10.37 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. Stockholders of record on Thursday, July 23rd will be given a dividend of $0.99 per share. This represents a $3.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend 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 currently 45.00%.

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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