UBS Group Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Willis Towers Watson Public (NASDAQ:WTW) Stock

Key Points

• UBS Group raised its price target for Willis Towers Watson to $405 from $382 and maintained a “buy” rating, implying 18.55% upside from the stock’s reported $341.63 price.
• WTW reported quarterly EPS of $3.35, beating estimates of $3.12, while revenue reached $2.47 billion and increased 9.1% year over year.
• Analyst sentiment remains positive overall, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and average target price of $362.69; institutional investors own 93.09% of the company.

Willis Towers Watson Public (NASDAQ:WTW - Get Free Report) had its price target increased by research analysts at UBS Group from $382.00 to $405.00 in a research note issued on Monday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a "buy" rating on the stock. UBS Group's price objective suggests a potential upside of 18.55% from the stock's current price.

A number of other analysts have also commented on the stock. Bank of America cut their price objective on shares of Willis Towers Watson Public from $354.00 to $347.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 14th. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Willis Towers Watson Public from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a research report on Friday, May 15th. Barclays reduced their price objective on shares of Willis Towers Watson Public from $322.00 to $303.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, July 7th. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their target price on Willis Towers Watson Public from $316.00 to $385.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on Willis Towers Watson Public from $341.00 to $378.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have assigned a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $362.69.

Willis Towers Watson Public Stock Up 1.7%

WTW stock traded up $5.71 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $341.63. 782,580 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 743,970. The firm's 50-day moving average is $275.76 and its 200-day moving average is $286.62. The company has a market cap of $32.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.01, a PEG ratio of 0.97 and a beta of 0.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 1.68 and a quick ratio of 1.68. Willis Towers Watson Public has a 12 month low of $240.61 and a 12 month high of $352.79.

Willis Towers Watson Public (NASDAQ:WTW - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported $3.35 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $3.12 by $0.23. The company had revenue of $2.47 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.42 billion. Willis Towers Watson Public had a return on equity of 22.19% and a net margin of 15.49%.The company's quarterly revenue was up 9.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.86 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts expect that Willis Towers Watson Public will post 19.67 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Willis Towers Watson Public

In other news, insider Lucy Clarke bought 1,896 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 6th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $263.37 per share, with a total value of $499,349.52. Following the acquisition, the insider owned 22,717 shares in the company, valued at $5,982,976.29. This trade represents a 9.11% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. 0.40% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Willis Towers Watson Public

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Bartlett & CO. Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 375.0% during the 4th quarter. Bartlett & CO. Wealth Management LLC now owns 76 shares of the company's stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 60 shares during the period. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Willis Towers Watson Public in the 1st quarter valued at $27,000. Fideuram Asset Management Ireland dac acquired a new stake in Willis Towers Watson Public during the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Larson Financial Group LLC lifted its holdings in Willis Towers Watson Public by 72.5% during the 4th quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 88 shares of the company's stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 37 shares during the last quarter. Finally, MV Capital Management Inc. bought a new position in Willis Towers Watson Public during the fourth quarter worth $29,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.09% of the company's stock.

About Willis Towers Watson Public

Willis Towers Watson Public NASDAQ: WTW is a global advisory, broking and solutions company that helps organizations manage risk, optimize benefits and cultivate talent. The firm combines insurance brokerage and risk management capabilities with human capital and benefits consulting, actuarial and analytics services, and technology-enabled solutions. Willis Towers Watson serves a broad client base that includes multinational and mid-sized corporations, public sector organizations, insurers and investment managers.

The company's core activities encompass commercial and reinsurance brokerage, risk transfer and risk-financing advice, and claims advocacy, alongside employee benefits and retirement consulting.

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