Walter Public Investments Inc. Sells 38,265 Shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. $MRSH

Key Points

• Walter Public Investments Inc. cut its stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 35.8% in the first quarter, selling 38,265 shares and leaving it with 68,686 shares valued at about $11.9 million.
• Marsh & McLennan reported better-than-expected quarterly earnings of $3.29 per share versus the $3.21 consensus, with revenue rising 7.6% year over year to $7.30 billion.
• Analysts remain cautious overall: the stock carries a Hold consensus rating with an average price target of $200.19, while several firms recently trimmed their targets.

Walter Public Investments Inc. decreased its position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MRSH - Free Report) by 35.8% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 68,686 shares of the financial services provider's stock after selling 38,265 shares during the quarter. Marsh & McLennan Companies comprises approximately 2.8% of Walter Public Investments Inc.'s investment portfolio, making the stock its 14th biggest holding. Walter Public Investments Inc.'s holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies were worth $11,914,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of MRSH. Procyon Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies by 2.5% during the fourth quarter. Procyon Advisors LLC now owns 2,279 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $423,000 after purchasing an additional 56 shares in the last quarter. PFG Investments LLC raised its stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 3.3% during the 4th quarter. PFG Investments LLC now owns 1,758 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $326,000 after buying an additional 56 shares during the period. Lindenwold Advisors INC lifted its holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 0.4% during the third quarter. Lindenwold Advisors INC now owns 14,994 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $3,022,000 after acquiring an additional 62 shares in the last quarter. SeaCrest Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 3.9% in the fourth quarter. SeaCrest Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,673 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $306,000 after acquiring an additional 63 shares during the period. Finally, EP Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies by 0.8% in the second quarter. EP Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 8,337 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $1,823,000 after acquiring an additional 69 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 87.99% of the company's stock.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Price Performance

Shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies stock opened at $178.13 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $86.05 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.27, a PEG ratio of 2.60 and a beta of 0.61. The company has a current ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.28. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. has a 52-week low of $156.60 and a 52-week high of $216.32.

Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 16th. The financial services provider reported $3.29 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $3.21 by $0.08. Marsh & McLennan Companies had a return on equity of 31.87% and a net margin of 14.26%.The firm 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, equities analysts forecast that Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. will post 10.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

MRSH has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $226.00 to $206.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Piper Sandler dropped their target price on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $190.00 to $182.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, May 26th. Morgan Stanley cut their price target on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $195.00 to $190.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, April 6th. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from a "hold (c)" rating to a "hold (c-)" rating in a research report on Monday, May 11th. Finally, Barclays dropped their price objective on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $209.00 to $206.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. One 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. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $200.19.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO John Q. Doyle sold 16,656 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on 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 transaction, the chief executive officer owned 116,811 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $18,889,506.81. This trade represents a 12.48% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders own 0.38% of the company's stock.

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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