Willis Towers Watson Public (NASDAQ:WTW) Given New $372.00 Price Target at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods

Key Points

• Keefe, Bruyette & Woods has increased the price target for Willis Towers Watson Public (NASDAQ:WTW) to $372.00, indicating a potential upside of 8.81% from its previous close.
• The company recently announced a stock repurchase program authorizing the buyback of $1.50 billion in outstanding shares, suggesting management's belief that its stock is undervalued.
• Willis Towers Watson's latest earnings report indicated an EPS of $2.86, exceeding analysts' expectations, with revenue of $2.26 billion for the quarter.

Willis Towers Watson Public (NASDAQ:WTW - Get Free Report) had its price target upped by equities researchers at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods from $366.00 to $372.00 in a report released on Monday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an "outperform" rating on the stock. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods' price objective would indicate a potential upside of 8.81% from the stock's previous close.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently weighed in on WTW. Cantor Fitzgerald began coverage on shares of Willis Towers Watson Public in a research report on Wednesday, August 13th. They set a "neutral" rating and a $355.00 price objective for the company. Raymond James Financial reissued a "strong-buy" rating and issued a $400.00 price target (up previously from $380.00) on shares of Willis Towers Watson Public in a research report on Monday, September 22nd. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on shares of Willis Towers Watson Public from $335.00 to $345.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Monday, August 18th. Citigroup began coverage on shares of Willis Towers Watson Public in a research report on Wednesday, August 13th. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $351.00 price target for the company. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on shares of Willis Towers Watson Public from $387.00 to $369.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, July 10th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have given a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Willis Towers Watson Public presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $363.42.

Willis Towers Watson Public Trading Up 1.1%

WTW opened at $341.89 on Monday. The company's 50 day simple moving average is $327.50 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $317.92. The firm has a market capitalization of $33.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 234.17, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.72 and a beta of 0.71. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.58, a current ratio of 1.90 and a quick ratio of 1.90. Willis Towers Watson Public has a 1-year low of $286.35 and a 1-year high of $345.42.

Willis Towers Watson Public (NASDAQ:WTW - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 31st. The company reported $2.86 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.65 by $0.21. The firm had revenue of $2.26 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $2.23 billion. Willis Towers Watson Public had a net margin of 1.40% and a return on equity of 21.60%. The firm's quarterly revenue was down .2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.55 EPS. Analysts expect that Willis Towers Watson Public will post 17.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Willis Towers Watson Public declared that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock repurchase program on Thursday, September 18th that authorizes the company to buyback $1.50 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the company to repurchase up to 4.6% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are usually a sign that the company's management believes its stock is undervalued.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Willis Towers Watson Public

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Quadcap Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 4.8% during the second quarter. Quadcap Wealth Management LLC now owns 747 shares of the company's stock valued at $229,000 after buying an additional 34 shares during the period. Dynamic Advisor Solutions LLC increased its stake in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 1.8% during the first quarter. Dynamic Advisor Solutions LLC now owns 2,018 shares of the company's stock valued at $682,000 after buying an additional 35 shares during the period. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB increased its stake in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 10.1% during the second quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 392 shares of the company's stock valued at $120,000 after buying an additional 36 shares during the period. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 38.6% during the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 140 shares of the company's stock valued at $47,000 after buying an additional 39 shares during the period. Finally, Brighton Jones LLC increased its stake in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 2.9% during the first quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 1,408 shares of the company's stock valued at $476,000 after buying an additional 40 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 93.09% of the company's stock.

About Willis Towers Watson Public

Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company operates as an advisory, broking, and solutions company worldwide. It operates through two segments: Health, Wealth & Career and Risk & Broking. The company offers strategy and design consulting, plan management service and support, broking and administration services for health, wellbeing, and other group benefit program, including medical, dental, disability, life, voluntary benefits and other coverages; actuarial support, plan design, and administrative services for pension and retirement savings plans; retirement consulting services and solutions; and integrated solutions that consists of investment discretionary management, pension administration, core actuarial, and communication and change management assistance services.

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