Walter Public Investments Inc. Invests $19.84 Million in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. $MRSH

Key Points

• Walter Public Investments Inc. opened a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies, buying 106,951 shares worth about $19.84 million. The stake represents 3.5% of its portfolio and is its 10th largest holding.
• Marsh & McLennan reported solid quarterly results, posting EPS of $3.29, which topped estimates by $0.08, on revenue of $7.30 billion. Revenue rose 7.6% year over year, and the company continues to show strong profitability.
• Insider and analyst sentiment was mixed: CEO John Q. Doyle sold shares worth about $3.05 million, while analysts currently rate the stock a consensus “Hold” with an average target price of $203.56. Some firms recently raised ratings, including Citigroup and Raymond James, even as others trimmed price targets.

Walter Public Investments Inc. bought a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MRSH - Free Report) during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm bought 106,951 shares of the financial services provider's stock, valued at approximately $19,842,000. Marsh & McLennan Companies comprises 3.5% of Walter Public Investments Inc.'s investment portfolio, making the stock its 10th largest position.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. City Holding Co. bought a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the fourth quarter worth approximately $29,000. Headlands Technologies LLC bought a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the second quarter worth approximately $29,000. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp bought a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the third quarter worth approximately $30,000. Financial Life Planners bought a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the third quarter worth approximately $32,000. Finally, Elyxium Wealth LLC bought a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the fourth quarter worth approximately $34,000. Institutional investors own 87.99% of the company's stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Marsh & McLennan Companies

In other news, CEO John Q. Doyle sold 16,655 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $183.30, for a total transaction of $3,052,861.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 116,811 shares in the company, valued at $21,411,456.30. 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 through the SEC website. 0.38% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Stock Performance

Shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies stock opened at $159.73 on Friday. 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 firm has a market capitalization of $77.17 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.97, a P/E/G ratio of 2.33 and a beta of 0.65. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $164.87 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $172.02. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. has a 12 month low of $157.74 and a 12 month high of $235.78.

Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 16th. The financial services provider reported $3.29 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.21 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $7.30 billion during the quarter. Marsh & McLennan Companies had a return on equity of 31.87% and a net margin of 14.26%.Marsh & McLennan Companies's quarterly revenue was up 7.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts forecast that Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. will post 10.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have recently issued reports on MRSH. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $203.00 to $178.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their price target 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. Citigroup raised Marsh & McLennan Companies from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $200.00 price target for the company in a research note on Wednesday, May 6th. Raymond James Financial raised Marsh & McLennan Companies from an "outperform" rating to a "strong-buy" rating and set a $225.00 price target for the company in a research note on Tuesday, February 17th. Finally, Barclays dropped their price target on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $209.00 to $206.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 8th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have given a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Marsh & McLennan Companies currently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $203.56.

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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