Vaughan David Investments LLC IL Acquires New Holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. $MRSH

Key Points

• Vaughan David Investments LLC IL opened a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies in the fourth quarter, buying 252,873 shares worth about $46.9 million.
• Several other institutional investors also increased or initiated stakes, and institutional ownership now stands at 87.99% of the company’s stock.
• CEO John Q. Doyle sold 16,656 shares in a pre-arranged trading plan, while analysts currently rate the stock a Hold with a consensus price target of $200.19.

Vaughan David Investments LLC IL bought a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MRSH - Free Report) in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 252,873 shares of the financial services provider's stock, valued at approximately $46,913,000. Vaughan David Investments LLC IL owned approximately 0.05% of Marsh & McLennan Companies as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Brighton Jones LLC raised its stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies by 51.2% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 8,738 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $1,856,000 after purchasing an additional 2,960 shares during the period. Bison Wealth LLC grew its holdings in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies by 39.6% during the fourth quarter. Bison Wealth LLC now owns 3,064 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $651,000 after buying an additional 869 shares in the last quarter. Glenview Trust co raised its position in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 10.8% in the 2nd quarter. Glenview Trust co now owns 3,897 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $852,000 after buying an additional 379 shares during the last quarter. Osterweis Capital Management Inc. lifted its stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 18,440.0% in the 2nd quarter. Osterweis Capital Management Inc. now owns 927 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $203,000 after acquiring an additional 922 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Diversify Advisory Services LLC acquired a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $1,307,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.99% of the company's stock.

Insider Activity

In other news, CEO John Q. Doyle sold 16,656 shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies stock in a transaction that occurred 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 transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 116,811 shares in the company, valued at approximately $18,889,506.81. The trade was a 12.48% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. 0.38% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on MRSH shares. Mizuho lowered their price objective on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $199.00 to $193.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 13th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $203.00 to $178.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Bank of America cut their price target on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $181.00 to $174.00 and set an "underperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 14th. UBS Group reduced their price objective on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $230.00 to $203.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $195.00 to $190.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 6th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have issued a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $200.19.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Trading Up 0.6%

Shares of MRSH stock opened at $168.20 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $81.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.02, a PEG ratio of 2.43 and a beta of 0.62. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. has a one year low of $156.60 and a one year high of $220.32. The company has a quick ratio of 1.11, a current ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.28.

Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 16th. The financial services provider reported $3.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating 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 for the quarter. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 7.6% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts expect that Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. will post 10.38 EPS for the current year.

About Marsh & McLennan Companies

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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