Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Buys Shares of 1,605,850 Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. $MRSH

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board purchased a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MRSH) during the second quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund purchased 1,605,850 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $267,647,000.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Solstein Capital LLC purchased a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Asset Dedication LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies during the first quarter worth about $25,000. SHP Wealth Management purchased a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp acquired a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Finally, Golden State Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.99% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity at Marsh & McLennan Companies

In related news, CEO John Q. Doyle sold 16,656 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $161.71, for a total value of $2,693,441.76. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 116,811 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $18,889,506.81. This trade represents a 12.48% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, SVP Paul Beswick sold 713 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $198.00, for a total transaction of $141,174.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 16,376 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,242,448. This trade represents a 4.17% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 36,469 shares of company stock valued at $6,291,345. Company insiders own 0.38% of the company’s stock.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Trading Down 0.6%

Marsh & McLennan Companies stock opened at $193.59 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $92.38 billion, a PE ratio of 23.67, a P/E/G ratio of 2.79 and a beta of 0.59. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $180.99. The company has a current ratio of 1.14, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.22. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. has a 12-month low of $156.60 and a 12-month high of $207.82.

Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 21st. The financial services provider reported $2.96 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.89 by $0.07. Marsh & McLennan Companies had a return on equity of 32.67% and a net margin of 14.24%.The company had revenue of $7.28 billion during the quarter. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. will post 10.43 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 14th. Investors of record on Thursday, July 23rd were issued a $0.99 dividend. This represents a $3.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.0%. This is a positive change from Marsh & McLennan Companies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.90. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, July 23rd. Marsh & McLennan Companies’s dividend payout ratio is currently 48.41%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

MRSH has been the subject of several recent research reports. Citigroup cut shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $200.00 price target for the company. in a research report on Wednesday, July 22nd. Piper Sandler reduced their price objective on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $190.00 to $182.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, May 26th. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $180.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 19th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $206.00 to $212.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, July 13th. Finally, UBS Group lifted their price objective on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $212.00 to $216.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, July 27th. One 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 given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $203.50.

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.