Barclays PLC Raises Stock Holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. $MRSH

Barclays PLC lifted its holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MRSH) by 41.7% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 2,202,372 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 647,987 shares during the quarter. Barclays PLC owned 0.45% of Marsh & McLennan Companies worth $443,844,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Cambria Investment Management L.P. purchased a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the 3rd quarter worth $215,000. Insigneo Advisory Services LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies by 104.0% in the 3rd quarter. Insigneo Advisory Services LLC now owns 2,837 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $572,000 after acquiring an additional 1,446 shares during the last quarter. Claro Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies in the third quarter worth about $224,000. Level Four Advisory Services LLC increased its stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 8.6% during the third quarter. Level Four Advisory Services LLC now owns 3,783 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $762,000 after acquiring an additional 301 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Focus Partners Advisor Solutions LLC lifted its stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies by 99.1% in the 3rd quarter. Focus Partners Advisor Solutions LLC now owns 12,047 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $2,428,000 after purchasing an additional 5,997 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 87.99% of the company’s stock.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Price Performance

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

Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 29th. The financial services provider reported $2.12 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates 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 in the prior year, the firm earned $1.87 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts predict that Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. will post 9.61 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Dividend Announcement

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

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

MRSH has been the topic of several recent research reports. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $190.00 to $195.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, January 30th. Barclays increased their target price on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $206.00 to $210.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their target price on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $205.00 to $206.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a report on Monday, February 2nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $242.00 to $226.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reissued a “sector perform” rating and issued a $200.00 price objective on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in a research note on Friday, January 30th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have assigned a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $216.18.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO John Q. Doyle sold 16,655 shares of the business’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 completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 116,811 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $21,411,456.30. The trade was a 12.48% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 0.35% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Trending Headlines about Marsh & McLennan Companies

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.