Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MRSH) Receives Average Recommendation of "Hold" from Brokerages

Key Points

• Marsh & McLennan has a consensus analyst rating of "Hold" from 18 research firms, with an average 12-month price target of about $200.81.
• The company recently reported Q2 earnings of $3.29 per share, topping estimates, on $7.30 billion in revenue; revenue rose 7.6% year over year.
• Marsh & McLennan raised its quarterly dividend to $0.99 per share from $0.90, and CEO John Q. Doyle also sold 16,656 shares in a pre-arranged transaction.

Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MRSH - Get Free Report) has earned a consensus recommendation of "Hold" from the eighteen research firms that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, ten have given a hold recommendation, six have given a buy recommendation and one has issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $200.8125.

A number of research firms recently weighed in on MRSH. Barclays reduced their price objective on shares of 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. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their price target on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $200.00 to $203.00 and gave the company a "market perform" rating in a research report on Friday, April 17th. Cantor Fitzgerald boosted their price objective on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $210.00 to $218.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, July 9th. Citigroup upgraded Marsh & McLennan Companies from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $200.00 target price for the company in a research note on Wednesday, May 6th. Finally, Piper Sandler decreased their price target on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $190.00 to $182.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, May 26th.

Insider Buying and Selling at Marsh & McLennan Companies

In related news, CEO John Q. Doyle sold 16,656 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $161.71, for a total value of $2,693,441.76. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 116,811 shares in the company, valued at approximately $18,889,506.81. This trade represents a 12.48% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders own 0.38% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Marsh & McLennan Companies

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in MRSH. Headlands Technologies LLC purchased a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies during the second quarter worth about $29,000. Solstein Capital LLC bought a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. SHP Wealth Management bought a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the 4th quarter worth $26,000. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp purchased a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies during the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Finally, Asset Dedication LLC bought a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies during the 1st quarter worth $25,000. 87.99% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Stock Up 3.4%

NYSE MRSH opened at $182.22 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 stock has a market cap of $88.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.78, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.57 and a beta of 0.61. Marsh & McLennan Companies 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 posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 16th. The financial services provider reported $3.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.21 by $0.08. The company had revenue of $7.30 billion for the quarter. Marsh & McLennan Companies had a net margin of 14.26% and a return on equity of 31.87%. Marsh & McLennan Companies's quarterly revenue was up 7.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts forecast that Marsh & McLennan Companies will post 10.36 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 14th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, July 23rd will be given a dividend of $0.99 per share. This is an increase from Marsh & McLennan Companies's previous quarterly dividend of $0.90. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 23rd. This represents a $3.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.2%. Marsh & McLennan Companies's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 45.00%.

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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