Vanguard Group Inc. Acquires 7,914 Shares of Markel Group Inc. (NYSE:MKL)

Key Points

• Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in Markel Group Inc. by 0.7%, acquiring an additional 7,914 shares to own approximately 1,158,510 shares worth $2.17 billion.
• Markel Group reported a strong performance with earnings per share of $25.46 for the last quarter, exceeding expectations, and a revenue increase of 24.3% year-over-year.
• Institutional investors now control about 77.12% of Markel Group's stock, indicating significant institutional confidence in the company.

Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in Markel Group Inc. (NYSE:MKL - Free Report) by 0.7% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 1,158,510 shares of the insurance provider's stock after buying an additional 7,914 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. owned approximately 9.13% of Markel Group worth $2,165,962,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Brighton Jones LLC bought a new stake in Markel Group in the fourth quarter worth $236,000. Sagespring Wealth Partners LLC bought a new position in Markel Group during the fourth quarter worth about $233,000. Synovus Financial Corp lifted its stake in Markel Group by 115.7% during the fourth quarter. Synovus Financial Corp now owns 932 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $1,609,000 after purchasing an additional 500 shares during the period. Barr E S & Co. raised its stake in shares of Markel Group by 2.5% in the fourth quarter. Barr E S & Co. now owns 80,853 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $139,571,000 after acquiring an additional 1,957 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Giverny Capital Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Markel Group by 1.5% in the fourth quarter. Giverny Capital Inc. now owns 43,331 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $74,799,000 after purchasing an additional 647 shares in the last quarter. 77.12% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Markel Group Trading Up 1.2%

Shares of MKL stock traded up $23.65 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $1,928.35. 37,744 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 45,735. Markel Group Inc. has a 12 month low of $1,494.00 and a 12 month high of $2,075.92. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25. The stock's 50 day simple moving average is $1,973.07 and its 200 day simple moving average is $1,895.43. The stock has a market cap of $24.39 billion, a PE ratio of 11.57 and a beta of 0.82.

Markel Group (NYSE:MKL - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 30th. The insurance provider reported $25.46 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $24.74 by $0.72. Markel Group had a net margin of 13.39% and a return on equity of 7.18%. The business had revenue of $4.82 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.96 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $18.62 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 24.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Markel Group Inc. will post 96.25 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, Argus raised shares of Markel Group from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, May 30th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $1,820.33.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Greta J. Harris sold 90 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,861.44, for a total transaction of $167,529.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 632 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,176,430.08. This trade represents a 12.47% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 1.66% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Markel Group Profile

Markel Group Inc, a diverse holding company, engages in marketing and underwriting specialty insurance products in the United States, Bermuda, the United Kingdom, and Germany. The company offers general and professional liability, personal lines, marine and energy, specialty programs, and workers' compensation insurance products; and property coverages that include fire, allied lines, and other specialized property coverages, including catastrophe-exposed property risks, such as earthquake and wind.