Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MRSH) Given Average Rating of “Hold” by Analysts

Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MRSH) has been assigned a consensus rating of “Hold” from the nineteen research firms that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have issued a hold rating, six have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average 12-month price target among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $216.1765.

Several equities analysts recently commented on MRSH shares. Raymond James Financial upgraded shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from an “outperform” rating to a “strong-buy” rating and set a $225.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Barclays raised their price objective on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $206.00 to $210.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, January 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price 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. Cantor Fitzgerald lifted their price target on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $208.00 to $212.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. Finally, Citigroup upped their price objective on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $201.00 to $205.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CEO John Q. Doyle sold 16,655 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction 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 transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 116,811 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $21,411,456.30. This trade represents a 12.48% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.35% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Marsh & McLennan Companies

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 0.8% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 46,589,633 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $8,643,309,000 after purchasing an additional 387,100 shares during the period. State Street Corp acquired a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies during the fourth quarter worth $4,057,682,000. Capital International Investors bought a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the fourth quarter worth $3,482,557,000. Capital World Investors lifted its holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 0.5% in the third quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 17,702,898 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $3,567,410,000 after buying an additional 92,767 shares during the period. Finally, Wellington Management Group LLP bought a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the fourth quarter valued at $2,967,927,000. 87.99% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about Marsh & McLennan Companies

Here are the key news stories impacting Marsh & McLennan Companies this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Recent quarterly results and a new dividend reinforce fundamentals: MMCo reported an earnings beat and revenue growth, and the company declared a $0.90 quarterly dividend (ex-dividend April 9, payable May 15), which supports income-oriented demand. John Doyle Sells 16,655 Shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH) Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst coverage is mixed-to-favorable: some firms maintained or raised targets (including a Raymond James upgrade) and consensus price targets remain above the current level, which can underpin buying interest. Analysts Set Marsh (NYSE:MRSH) Target Price at $207.38
• Neutral Sentiment: Market write-ups and peer comparisons continue to circulate (analyst notes / comparison pieces) but don’t introduce new company-specific catalysts; they provide context for relative valuation and may influence longer-term flows rather than intraday moves. Comparing Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH) & Health In Tech (NASDAQ:HIT)
• Negative Sentiment: CEO John Q. Doyle sold 16,655 shares (~$3.05M at ~$183.30), reducing his stake by ~12.5%. Insider selling can weigh on sentiment because it may be interpreted as reduced insider conviction or a signal of liquidity needs. John Doyle Sells 16,655 Shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH) Stock
• Negative Sentiment: Legal risk: a Bloomberg Law ruling requires Marsh & McLennan to face a fiduciary-breach case tied to health-plan management — this introduces litigation risk and potential remediation costs that can cap valuation multiple until resolved. Marsh & McLennan Must Face Health Plan Fiduciary Breach Case

Marsh & McLennan Companies Trading Down 0.0%

Shares of MRSH opened at $184.91 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a current ratio of 1.10. Marsh & McLennan Companies has a 52-week low of $170.37 and a 52-week high of $248.00. The firm has a market capitalization of $89.52 billion, a PE ratio of 21.93, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.51 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, topping the consensus estimate of $1.97 by $0.15. The business had revenue of $6.60 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.52 billion. Marsh & McLennan Companies had a return on equity of 31.60% and a net margin of 15.42%.Marsh & McLennan Companies’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.87 EPS. Research analysts forecast that Marsh & McLennan Companies will post 9.61 earnings per share for the current year.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, April 9th will be issued a dividend of $0.90 per share. This represents a $3.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.9%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 9th. Marsh & McLennan Companies’s payout ratio is 42.70%.

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.