Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE:AJG) VP Sells $908,480.00 in Stock

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE:AJG) VP Christopher Mead sold 4,000 shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $227.12, for a total value of $908,480.00. Following the transaction, the vice president owned 19,306 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,384,778.72. This represents a 17.16% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Stock Down 1.0%

AJG opened at $209.67 on Thursday. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $236.99 and its 200 day simple moving average is $261.53. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has a 1-year low of $195.00 and a 1-year high of $351.23. The stock has a market cap of $53.91 billion, a PE ratio of 34.09, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.03 and a beta of 0.67. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE:AJG) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 29th. The financial services provider reported $2.38 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.35 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $3.57 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.61 billion. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. had a net margin of 11.84% and a return on equity of 12.13%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 33.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.12 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts expect that Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. will post 11.54 earnings per share for the current year.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 20th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 6th will be issued a dividend of $0.70 per share. This is a boost from Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.65. This represents a $2.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.3%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 6th. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.’s dividend payout ratio is presently 45.53%.

More Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. News

Here are the key news stories impacting Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Barclays upgraded AJG from “underweight” to “overweight” and raised its price target to $262, arguing AI disruption fears are overdone — a clear bullish catalyst that supports upside vs. current levels. AI Disruption Fears Overdone, Says Barclays — Upgrades Arthur J. Gallagher and Willis Towers Watson
• Positive Sentiment: Company news shows a raised quarterly dividend (now $0.70; $2.80 annualized), a direct return of capital that can support investor sentiment and income-oriented buying. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. stock page
• Neutral Sentiment: Q4 recap pieces highlight mixed results: EPS modestly beat estimates while revenue slightly missed; the quarter showed strong year-over-year revenue growth but leaves some execution questions. Insurance brokers stocks Q4 highlights: Arthur J Gallagher (NYSE:AJG)
• Neutral Sentiment: Corporate PR (Gallagher’s employee communications report) and institutional flow notes are background positives for culture and long-term positioning but unlikely to move the stock materially in the near term. 61% of organizations have no formal change communication strategy
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst mix remains centered on “Hold” with a consensus target near the high $200s — supportive but not uniformly bullish, leaving valuation-sensitive investors cautious. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Receives Average Recommendation of “Hold” from Analysts
• Negative Sentiment: A Seeking Alpha piece reiterates AI disruption risk for brokers, keeping a negative narrative alive that can pressure multiple-coverage stocks despite counterarguments from banks. Arthur J. Gallagher: Cloudy Investment Case Due To AI Disruption Risk
• Negative Sentiment: Recent insider selling (VP Scott Hudson and VP Christopher Mead sold shares) is being noted by the market; while not uncommon, disclosed sales at higher prices can add short-term selling pressure. SEC Form 4 disclosure

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

AJG has been the subject of several recent research reports. Barclays upgraded Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. from an “underweight” rating to an “overweight” rating and boosted their price target for the company from $247.00 to $262.00 in a research note on Wednesday. BMO Capital Markets downgraded Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating and dropped their target price for the stock from $289.00 to $275.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Wolfe Research set a $289.00 price target on shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $300.00 price objective on shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in a research note on Friday, December 19th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eleven have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $282.65.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. lifted its position in shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. by 870.0% during the 3rd quarter. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 97 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 87 shares during the last quarter. MV Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in the fourth quarter valued at about $34,000. Rakuten Securities Inc. grew its position in Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. by 650.0% in the second quarter. Rakuten Securities Inc. now owns 105 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $34,000 after acquiring an additional 91 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Financial Life Planners bought a new position in Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in the third quarter valued at about $39,000. 85.53% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co is a global insurance brokerage and risk management firm headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. Founded in 1927 by Arthur J. Gallagher, the company has grown from a regional broker into an international professional services organization that arranges insurance, provides consulting and designs risk-transfer solutions for commercial, industrial, public sector and individual clients.

The company’s core activities include property and casualty insurance brokerage, employee benefits consulting and administration, and a range of risk management services.