Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. $MRSH Stake Lowered by Brevan Howard Capital Management LP

Brevan Howard Capital Management LP decreased its stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MRSH) by 30.9% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 31,508 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 14,107 shares during the period. Brevan Howard Capital Management LP’s holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies were worth $6,350,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MRSH. Pinnacle Bancorp Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies during the third quarter valued at $25,000. Headlands Technologies LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the 2nd quarter worth about $29,000. Delos Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies in the 2nd quarter valued at about $32,000. Financial Life Planners acquired a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the 3rd quarter valued at about $32,000. Finally, TruNorth Capital Management LLC bought a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies in the 3rd quarter worth about $32,000. 87.99% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Weiss Ratings began coverage on Marsh & McLennan Companies in a report on Thursday, January 29th. They set a “hold (c)” rating on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $199.00 to $203.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, January 30th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated a “sector perform” rating and set a $200.00 price target on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in a research report on Friday, January 30th. Cantor Fitzgerald raised their price target on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $208.00 to $212.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, February 2nd. Finally, Barclays cut their price objective on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $210.00 to $209.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note 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 assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $216.12.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Stock Performance

MRSH opened at $172.18 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 1.10 and a quick ratio of 1.10. The company has a market capitalization of $83.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.42, a PEG ratio of 2.34 and a beta of 0.74. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. has a 1-year low of $170.37 and a 1-year high of $248.00.

Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 29th. The financial services provider reported $2.12 EPS for the quarter, topping 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 the consensus estimate of $6.52 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.87 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 8.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side 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. Shareholders of record on Thursday, April 9th will be issued a $0.90 dividend. This represents a $3.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 9th. Marsh & McLennan Companies’s dividend payout ratio is presently 42.70%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Marsh & McLennan Companies

In other news, CEO John Q. Doyle sold 16,655 shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $183.30, for a total value of $3,052,861.50. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 116,811 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $21,411,456.30. The trade was a 12.48% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Company 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.