Aptus Capital Advisors LLC Increases Stock Position in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. $MRSH

Aptus Capital Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MRSH) by 3.3% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 97,766 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after buying an additional 3,081 shares during the period. Aptus Capital Advisors LLC’s holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies were worth $19,703,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in MRSH. Rockland Trust Co. increased its holdings in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies by 801.6% in the third quarter. Rockland Trust Co. now owns 12,073 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $2,433,000 after purchasing an additional 10,734 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies by 1.8% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 46,158,562 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $10,092,108,000 after buying an additional 837,117 shares in the last quarter. Navera Investment Management Ltd. boosted its position in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 7.0% during the third quarter. Navera Investment Management Ltd. now owns 1,623,960 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $327,303,000 after buying an additional 105,954 shares during the period. Bridges Investment Management Inc. lifted its position in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 4.4% in the third quarter. Bridges Investment Management Inc. now owns 76,196 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $15,356,000 after purchasing an additional 3,177 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Allstate Corp bought a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the 3rd quarter valued at $3,742,000. 87.99% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Price Performance

Shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies stock opened at $184.91 on Friday. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. has a 12 month low of $170.37 and a 12 month high of $248.00. The firm has a market cap of $89.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.93, a PEG ratio of 2.51 and a beta of 0.74. The company has a quick ratio of 1.10, a current ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20.

Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The financial services provider reported $2.12 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.97 by $0.15. Marsh & McLennan Companies had a net margin of 15.42% and a return on equity of 31.60%. The company had revenue of $6.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.52 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.87 EPS. Marsh & McLennan Companies’s quarterly revenue was up 8.7% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. will post 9.61 earnings per share for the current year.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, April 9th will be issued a dividend of $0.90 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 9th. This represents a $3.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.9%. Marsh & McLennan Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 42.70%.

Insider Activity

In other news, CEO John Q. Doyle sold 16,655 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $183.30, for a total value of $3,052,861.50. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 116,811 shares in the company, valued at approximately $21,411,456.30. This 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 this link. Corporate insiders own 0.35% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on MRSH shares. Weiss Ratings began coverage on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. They issued a “hold (c)” rating on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $199.00 to $203.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, January 30th. Mizuho reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $199.00 price objective (down from $213.00) on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in a report on Friday, February 27th. Evercore reduced their target price on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $237.00 to $236.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, January 7th. Finally, Citigroup raised their price target on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $201.00 to $205.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have given a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Marsh & McLennan Companies has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $216.18.

Marsh & McLennan Companies News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Marsh & McLennan Companies this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Recent quarterly results and a new dividend reinforce fundamentals: MMCo reported an earnings beat and revenue growth, and the company declared a $0.90 quarterly dividend (ex-dividend April 9, payable May 15), which supports income-oriented demand. John Doyle Sells 16,655 Shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH) Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst coverage is mixed-to-favorable: some firms maintained or raised targets (including a Raymond James upgrade) and consensus price targets remain above the current level, which can underpin buying interest. Analysts Set Marsh (NYSE:MRSH) Target Price at $207.38
• Neutral Sentiment: Market write-ups and peer comparisons continue to circulate (analyst notes / comparison pieces) but don’t introduce new company-specific catalysts; they provide context for relative valuation and may influence longer-term flows rather than intraday moves. Comparing Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH) & Health In Tech (NASDAQ:HIT)
• Negative Sentiment: CEO John Q. Doyle sold 16,655 shares (~$3.05M at ~$183.30), reducing his stake by ~12.5%. Insider selling can weigh on sentiment because it may be interpreted as reduced insider conviction or a signal of liquidity needs. John Doyle Sells 16,655 Shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH) Stock
• Negative Sentiment: Legal risk: a Bloomberg Law ruling requires Marsh & McLennan to face a fiduciary-breach case tied to health-plan management — this introduces litigation risk and potential remediation costs that can cap valuation multiple until resolved. Marsh & McLennan Must Face Health Plan Fiduciary Breach Case

Marsh & McLennan Companies Profile

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.