Willis Towers Watson Public (NASDAQ:WTW) Given New $303.00 Price Target at Piper Sandler

Willis Towers Watson Public (NASDAQ:WTW) had its target price upped by Piper Sandler from $297.00 to $303.00 in a report released on Friday, Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an overweight rating on the stock.

Several other equities research analysts have also issued reports on the company. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on Willis Towers Watson Public from $248.00 to $270.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday, February 7th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on Willis Towers Watson Public from $320.00 to $318.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 11th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price objective on Willis Towers Watson Public from $236.00 to $268.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Roth Mkm raised their price objective on Willis Towers Watson Public from $275.00 to $300.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Finally, TD Cowen began coverage on Willis Towers Watson Public in a research note on Wednesday, January 10th. They issued an outperform rating and a $316.00 price objective on the stock. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $293.43.

Willis Towers Watson Public Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:WTW opened at $250.95 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $25.66 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.17, a PEG ratio of 1.46 and a beta of 0.73. The company has a current ratio of 1.89, a quick ratio of 1.45 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $269.96 and its two-hundred day moving average is $251.10. Willis Towers Watson Public has a 52 week low of $195.29 and a 52 week high of $278.86.

Willis Towers Watson Public (NASDAQ:WTW) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 25th. The company reported $3.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.21 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $2.34 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.37 billion. Willis Towers Watson Public had a return on equity of 16.31% and a net margin of 10.88%. The firm’s revenue was up 4.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $2.84 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Willis Towers Watson Public will post 16.25 earnings per share for the current year.

Willis Towers Watson Public Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, April 15th. Shareholders of record on Sunday, March 31st were issued a $0.88 dividend. This represents a $3.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.40%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, March 27th. This is a positive change from Willis Towers Watson Public’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.84. Willis Towers Watson Public’s payout ratio is 35.31%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Willis Towers Watson Public

In other Willis Towers Watson Public news, CFO Andrew Jay Krasner sold 1,100 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, March 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $272.13, for a total value of $299,343.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 4,170 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,134,782.10. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Insiders own 0.22% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Willis Towers Watson Public

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA raised its stake in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 1.0% in the 3rd quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 9,946,805 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,078,484,000 after purchasing an additional 98,719 shares during the period. First Eagle Investment Management LLC grew its position in Willis Towers Watson Public by 2.9% in the fourth quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC now owns 5,568,252 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,343,062,000 after acquiring an additional 158,234 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. lifted its holdings in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 1.3% in the third quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 2,021,602 shares of the company’s stock worth $422,434,000 after acquiring an additional 25,794 shares during the last quarter. Baupost Group LLC MA grew its stake in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 72.4% during the third quarter. Baupost Group LLC MA now owns 1,555,667 shares of the company’s stock worth $325,072,000 after buying an additional 653,300 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Victory Capital Management Inc. raised its position in Willis Towers Watson Public by 4,811.5% in the fourth quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 1,472,707 shares of the company’s stock valued at $355,217,000 after purchasing an additional 1,442,722 shares during the last quarter. 93.09% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Willis Towers Watson Public

Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company operates as an advisory, broking, and solutions company worldwide. It operates through two segments: Health, Wealth & Career and Risk & Broking. The company offers strategy and design consulting, plan management service and support, broking and administration services for health, wellbeing, and other group benefit program, including medical, dental, disability, life, voluntary benefits and other coverages; actuarial support, plan design, and administrative services for pension and retirement savings plans; retirement consulting services and solutions; and integrated solutions that consists of investment discretionary management, pension administration, core actuarial, and communication and change management assistance services.