Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. $MRSH Shares Sold by Prudential PLC

Prudential PLC decreased its position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MRSH) by 9.8% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 95,897 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 10,405 shares during the quarter. Prudential PLC’s holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies were worth $19,326,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of MRSH. Rockland Trust Co. lifted its position in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 801.6% during the third quarter. Rockland Trust Co. now owns 12,073 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $2,433,000 after purchasing an additional 10,734 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in 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 worth $10,092,108,000 after purchasing an additional 837,117 shares during the period. Navera Investment Management Ltd. raised its stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies by 7.0% during the 3rd 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 last quarter. Barclays PLC lifted its holdings in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies by 41.7% in the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 2,202,372 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $443,844,000 after buying an additional 647,987 shares during the period. Finally, Bridges Investment Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of 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 worth $15,356,000 after buying an additional 3,177 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.99% of the company’s stock.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Stock Up 0.8%

Shares of NYSE:MRSH 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 current ratio of 1.10, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20. The company has a market capitalization of $83.36 billion, a PE ratio of 20.42, a PEG ratio of 2.33 and a beta of 0.74.

Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 29th. The financial services provider reported $2.12 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.97 by $0.15. Marsh & McLennan Companies had a return on equity of 31.60% and a net margin of 15.42%.The company had revenue of $6.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.52 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.87 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. will post 9.61 EPS for the current year.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Thursday, April 9th will be given 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 yield of 2.1%. Marsh & McLennan Companies’s payout ratio is presently 42.70%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $190.00 to $195.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, January 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $242.00 to $226.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, January 7th. Mizuho reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $199.00 target price (down from $213.00) on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in a report on Friday, February 27th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their price target 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. Finally, Barclays dropped their price target on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $210.00 to $209.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have issued a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $216.12.

Insider Transactions at Marsh & McLennan Companies

In related news, CEO John Q. Doyle sold 16,655 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $183.30, for a total transaction of $3,052,861.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 116,811 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $21,411,456.30. This represents a 12.48% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.35% of the company’s stock.

About Marsh & McLennan Companies

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.