Argus Upgrades Markel Group (NYSE:MKL) to Buy

Markel Group (NYSE:MKL - Get Free Report) was upgraded by Argus from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report released on Friday, Marketbeat.com reports.

Several other equities research analysts have also weighed in on MKL. Wall Street Zen lowered Markel Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Friday, February 14th. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on Markel Group from $1,750.00 to $2,025.00 and gave the company a "sector perform" rating in a research report on Friday, February 7th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $1,727.75.

Markel Group Price Performance

NYSE MKL traded up $28.84 on Friday, reaching $1,938.20. 221,539 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 51,052. The firm's fifty day simple moving average is $1,833.42 and its 200 day simple moving average is $1,811.11. The company has a quick ratio of 0.60, a current ratio of 0.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26. The company has a market cap of $24.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.74 and a beta of 0.84. Markel Group has a 12 month low of $1,491.03 and a 12 month high of $2,063.68.

Insider Transactions at Markel Group

In related news, Director Greta J. Harris sold 90 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated 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 transaction, the director now directly owns 632 shares in the company, valued at $1,176,430.08. The trade was a 12.47% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 1.66% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Markel Group

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Sierra Ocean LLC acquired a new stake in Markel Group in the 1st quarter valued at $28,000. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC raised its position in shares of Markel Group by 183.3% during the first quarter. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 17 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Atlas Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in Markel Group in the first quarter valued at about $32,000. FPC Investment Advisory Inc. bought a new stake in Markel Group in the fourth quarter valued at about $37,000. Finally, ST Germain D J Co. Inc. increased its holdings in Markel Group by 300.0% in the first quarter. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. now owns 20 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $37,000 after purchasing an additional 15 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 77.12% of the company's stock.

Markel Group Company 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.