Markel Group (NYSE:MKL) Earns Underperform Rating from Analysts at Wolfe Research

Key Points

• Wolfe Research initiated coverage on Markel Group (NYSE: MKL) with an underperform rating, adding to a generally cautious analyst tone on the stock.
• Recent analyst activity has been mixed but mostly negative, with several firms assigning hold or sell-type views and the consensus rating now sitting at “Reduce” with an average price target of $2,025.
• Markel Group recently reported a sharp quarterly earnings miss, posting ($18.90) EPS versus the $26.38 estimate, even as revenue came in at $3.55 billion.

Research analysts at Wolfe Research initiated coverage on shares of Markel Group (NYSE:MKL - Get Free Report) in a research report issued on Wednesday. The brokerage set an "underperform" rating on the insurance provider's stock.

Several other research firms have also recently weighed in on MKL. Brean Capital assumed coverage on shares of Markel Group in a report on Tuesday, March 24th. They set a "neutral" rating and a $2,100.00 price objective for the company. Wall Street Zen downgraded Markel Group from a "buy" rating to a "sell" rating in a research note on Saturday, May 2nd. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Markel Group from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a research note on Thursday, June 11th. Finally, Truist Financial lowered their price target on Markel Group from $2,100.00 to $1,950.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Markel Group currently has a consensus rating of "Reduce" and an average price target of $2,025.00.

Markel Group Stock Performance

Shares of Markel Group stock opened at $1,951.01 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24, a current ratio of 0.63 and a quick ratio of 0.63. The stock has a market cap of $24.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.06 and a beta of 0.67. Markel Group has a 1 year low of $1,719.41 and a 1 year high of $2,207.59. The firm's 50-day moving average is $1,853.68 and its 200 day moving average is $1,974.48.

Markel Group (NYSE:MKL - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, April 28th. The insurance provider reported ($18.90) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $26.38 by ($45.28). Markel Group had a return on equity of 7.90% and a net margin of 10.85%.The firm had revenue of $3.55 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.66 billion. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Markel Group will post 113.55 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Markel Group news, Director Diane Leopold bought 50 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 7th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $1,789.19 per share, for a total transaction of $89,459.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 550 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $984,054.50. This represents a 10.00% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Greta J. Harris sold 76 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Friday, May 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,847.31, for a total value of $140,395.56. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 645 shares in the company, valued at $1,191,514.95. This trade represents a 10.54% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 1.08% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Markel Group

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in MKL. Diversify Advisory Services LLC grew its stake in Markel Group by 4.5% in the fourth quarter. Diversify Advisory Services LLC now owns 116 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $239,000 after purchasing an additional 5 shares in the last quarter. Keybank National Association OH raised its stake in shares of Markel Group by 0.7% during the 4th quarter. Keybank National Association OH now owns 765 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $1,644,000 after acquiring an additional 5 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Shields & Co. LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Markel Group by 3.2% during the 4th quarter. Wellington Shields & Co. LLC now owns 160 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $344,000 after purchasing an additional 5 shares during the last quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC raised its stake in Markel Group by 13.9% in the fourth quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC now owns 41 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $88,000 after buying an additional 5 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Markel Group by 4.4% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 118 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $254,000 after purchasing an additional 5 shares during the last quarter. 77.12% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Markel Group

Markel Group NYSE: MKL is a diversified insurance holding company best known for underwriting specialty insurance products. Founded in 1930 and headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, the company provides a wide range of commercial property and casualty coverages tailored to niche and hard-to-place risks. Its underwriting operations focus on specialty lines across multiple industries, delivering customized policy structures, program administration, and claims management services for complex exposures.

In addition to primary specialty insurance, Markel operates reinsurance and alternative risk-transfer activities and manages invested assets derived from underwriting float.

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