Viking Fund Management LLC Invests $3.15 Million in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. $MRSH

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

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Pinnacle Bancorp Inc. bought a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the third quarter worth about $25,000. Headlands Technologies LLC purchased a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies during the 2nd quarter valued at about $29,000. Delos Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $32,000. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp purchased a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies in the third quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, Financial Life Planners purchased a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies during the third quarter worth approximately $32,000. Institutional investors own 87.99% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Marsh & McLennan Companies news, CEO John Q. Doyle sold 16,655 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $183.30, for a total transaction of $3,052,861.50. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 116,811 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $21,411,456.30. The trade was a 12.48% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.35% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Trading Down 0.1%

Shares of NYSE:MRSH opened at $173.01 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.10, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20. The company has a market capitalization of $83.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.52, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.37 and a beta of 0.74. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. has a 12 month low of $164.89 and a 12 month high of $248.00. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $177.30.

Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The financial services provider reported $2.12 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.97 by $0.15. The business had revenue of $6.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates 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 quarterly revenue was up 8.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.87 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. will post 9.61 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared 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. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 9th. This represents a $3.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.1%. Marsh & McLennan Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 42.70%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on MRSH shares. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $190.00 to $195.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, January 30th. Royal Bank Of Canada restated 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 lifted their price objective on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $208.00 to $212.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, February 2nd. Weiss Ratings assumed coverage on Marsh & McLennan Companies in a report on Thursday, January 29th. They set a “hold (c)” rating for the company. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $242.00 to $226.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, January 7th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have given a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Marsh & McLennan Companies currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $212.06.

Marsh & McLennan Companies 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.