Diversify Wealth Management LLC Acquires New Holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. $MRSH

Diversify Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MRSH) in the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund bought 6,618 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $1,131,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Swiss Life Asset Management Ltd increased its position in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 9.5% during the fourth quarter. Swiss Life Asset Management Ltd now owns 134,542 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $24,960,000 after acquiring an additional 11,648 shares during the period. Sarasin & Partners LLP raised its holdings in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies by 0.9% in the 4th quarter. Sarasin & Partners LLP now owns 934,732 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $173,411,000 after buying an additional 8,283 shares in the last quarter. Essex LLC bought a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies during the 1st quarter worth approximately $2,891,000. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. boosted its stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 20.6% in the 4th quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 88,934 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $16,499,000 after buying an additional 15,166 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Benjamin Edwards Inc. grew its position in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 26.6% in the fourth quarter. Benjamin Edwards Inc. now owns 35,293 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $6,549,000 after acquiring an additional 7,418 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 87.99% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Marsh & McLennan Companies news, CEO John Q. Doyle sold 16,656 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $161.71, for a total value of $2,693,441.76. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 116,811 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $18,889,506.81. This represents a 12.48% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Corporate insiders own 0.38% of the company’s stock.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Stock Down 1.0%

Shares of NYSE MRSH opened at $176.29 on Thursday. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. has a 1 year low of $156.60 and a 1 year high of $216.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.28, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a current ratio of 1.11. The stock has a market capitalization of $85.17 billion, a PE ratio of 22.04, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.59 and a beta of 0.61.

Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 16th. The financial services provider reported $3.29 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.21 by $0.08. Marsh & McLennan Companies had a net margin of 14.26% and a return on equity of 31.87%. The business had revenue of $7.30 billion for the quarter. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 7.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts predict that Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. will post 10.37 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 14th. Investors of record on Thursday, July 23rd will be paid a dividend of $0.99 per share. This represents a $3.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.2%. This is a boost from Marsh & McLennan Companies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.90. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, July 23rd. Marsh & McLennan Companies’s payout ratio is presently 45.00%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Bank of America reduced their target price on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $181.00 to $174.00 and set an “underperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, April 14th. UBS Group increased their target price on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $203.00 to $212.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $206.00 to $212.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday. Cantor Fitzgerald upped their price objective on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $210.00 to $218.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 9th. Finally, Citigroup upgraded shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $200.00 target price for the company in a research note on Wednesday, May 6th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have issued a Buy rating, ten have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $200.81.

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.