Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MMC) Shares Acquired by Schaper Benz & Wise Investment Counsel Inc. WI

Schaper Benz & Wise Investment Counsel Inc. WI increased its stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MMC) by 5.4% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 25,426 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after buying an additional 1,302 shares during the quarter. Schaper Benz & Wise Investment Counsel Inc. WI’s holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies were worth $5,401,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Financial Life Planners acquired a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the fourth quarter valued at about $33,000. Sierra Ocean LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the fourth quarter valued at about $36,000. Albion Financial Group UT acquired a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the fourth quarter valued at about $38,000. Capital Performance Advisors LLP acquired a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $41,000. Finally, Golden State Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $41,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.99% of the company’s stock.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Stock Down 0.4 %

Shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies stock opened at $235.40 on Friday. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $222.83 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $223.35. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.44, a current ratio of 1.13 and a quick ratio of 1.13. The company has a market capitalization of $115.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.74, a PEG ratio of 2.70 and a beta of 0.95. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. has a 1-year low of $196.17 and a 1-year high of $241.84.

Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MMC) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The financial services provider reported $1.87 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.75 by $0.12. Marsh & McLennan Companies had a return on equity of 32.60% and a net margin of 16.60%. As a group, research analysts forecast that Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. will post 9.61 EPS for the current year.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 14th. Investors of record on Thursday, January 30th were issued a $0.815 dividend. This represents a $3.26 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.38%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, January 30th. Marsh & McLennan Companies’s payout ratio is 39.80%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have weighed in on MMC. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $212.00 to $223.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Royal Bank of Canada upgraded Marsh & McLennan Companies from a “sector perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and raised their price objective for the company from $242.00 to $250.00 in a research note on Thursday, December 12th. Evercore ISI restated an “outperform” rating and set a $242.00 price objective on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in a research note on Monday, November 25th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reduced their target price on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $214.00 to $210.00 and set an “underperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, Barclays increased their target price on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $236.00 to $246.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, November 21st. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Marsh & McLennan Companies currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $230.44.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Profile

Marsh & McLennan Cos., Inc is a professional services firm, which engages in offering clients advice and solutions in risk, strategy, and people. It operates through the Risk and Insurance Services, and Consulting segments. The Risk and Insurance Services segment is involved in risk management activities, as well as insurance and reinsurance broking and services.