17,000 Shares in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. $MRSH Bought by Viking Fund Management LLC

Viking Fund Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MRSH) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor bought 17,000 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $3,154,000.

Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Pinnacle Bancorp Inc. purchased a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the third quarter valued at about $25,000. Headlands Technologies LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the second quarter valued at $29,000. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp purchased a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies during the third quarter valued at $30,000. Delos Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the second quarter valued at $32,000. Finally, TruNorth Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies in the 3rd quarter worth about $32,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.99% of the company’s stock.

Insider Transactions at Marsh & McLennan Companies

In other Marsh & McLennan Companies news, CEO John Q. Doyle sold 16,655 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 4th. The stock was 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 $21,411,456.30. This represents a 12.48% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.35% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Trading Down 0.1%

Marsh & McLennan Companies stock opened at $173.01 on Wednesday. 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, Inc. has a 1-year low of $164.89 and a 1-year high of $248.00. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $177.30. The company has a market cap of $83.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.52, a P/E/G ratio of 2.37 and a beta of 0.74.

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

Marsh & McLennan Companies Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Thursday, April 9th will be paid a $0.90 dividend. This represents a $3.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 9th. Marsh & McLennan Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 42.70%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Evercore reduced their price target on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $237.00 to $236.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. Citigroup increased their target price on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $201.00 to $205.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued a “sector perform” rating and set a $200.00 target price on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in a research note on Friday, January 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $242.00 to $226.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective 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. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have given a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $212.06.

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.