Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. $MRSH Shares Sold by Ameriprise Financial Inc.

Ameriprise Financial Inc. lowered its stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MRSH) by 15.7% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 5,767,988 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 1,074,347 shares during the quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. owned 1.18% of Marsh & McLennan Companies worth $1,160,699,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MRSH. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the second quarter valued at $1,328,587,000. Soundwatch Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies during the second quarter worth about $560,820,000. Mackenzie Financial Corp raised its position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies by 212.6% during the 2nd quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 2,285,194 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $499,635,000 after purchasing an additional 1,554,114 shares during the last quarter. Amundi boosted its holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 89.2% in the 2nd quarter. Amundi now owns 2,892,576 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $615,309,000 after buying an additional 1,363,706 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Wellington Management Group LLP increased its stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 9.1% during the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 15,091,478 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $3,041,386,000 after buying an additional 1,260,434 shares in the last quarter. 87.99% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Stock Performance

MRSH stock opened at $172.18 on Friday. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. has a 1 year low of $170.37 and a 1 year high of $248.00. The company has a market capitalization of $83.36 billion, a PE ratio of 20.42, a P/E/G ratio of 2.34 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 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. The company had revenue of $6.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.52 billion. Marsh & McLennan Companies had a return on equity of 31.60% and a net margin of 15.42%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.87 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. will post 9.61 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, April 9th will be issued a $0.90 dividend. This represents a $3.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 9th. Marsh & McLennan Companies’s payout ratio is presently 42.70%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Marsh & McLennan Companies

In related news, CEO John Q. Doyle sold 16,655 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 4th. The stock was 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 directly 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 legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 0.35% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on MRSH shares. Royal Bank Of Canada restated a “sector perform” rating and issued a $200.00 target price on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in a research report on Friday, January 30th. Mizuho reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $199.00 price target (down from $213.00) on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in a research report on Friday, February 27th. Cantor Fitzgerald raised their price objective on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $208.00 to $212.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, February 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $199.00 to $203.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, January 30th. Finally, Weiss Ratings assumed coverage on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. They issued a “hold (c)” rating for the company. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have issued a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $216.12.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Company 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.