Nippon Life Insurance Co. Sells 1,311,350 Shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. $MMC

Nippon Life Insurance Co. cut its stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MMC) by 50.0% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 1,311,350 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 1,311,350 shares during the period. Marsh & McLennan Companies accounts for about 4.4% of Nippon Life Insurance Co.’s portfolio, making the stock its 4th largest position. Nippon Life Insurance Co.’s holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies were worth $264,276,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MMC. Pinnacle Bancorp Inc. acquired a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies in the third quarter valued at $25,000. Headlands Technologies LLC purchased a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the 2nd quarter valued at about $29,000. Westside Investment Management Inc. raised its position in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 363.3% during the second quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. now owns 139 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 109 shares during the last quarter. Delos Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the second quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Finally, TruNorth Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $32,000. 87.99% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Bank of America reissued an “underperform” rating and issued a $181.00 price target (down from $243.00) on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in a report on Monday, November 3rd. Royal Bank Of Canada initiated coverage on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in a report on Tuesday, November 25th. They set a “sector perform” rating and a $200.00 price target for the company. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their target price on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $191.00 to $205.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. UBS Group reduced their target price on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $258.00 to $257.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $212.00 to $199.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Marsh & McLennan Companies presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $218.82.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Price Performance

Marsh & McLennan Companies stock opened at $182.39 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.12, a current ratio of 1.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19. The firm has a market capitalization of $89.35 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.87, a PEG ratio of 2.87 and a beta of 0.76. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $183.96 and a 200-day moving average of $193.10. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. has a 52-week low of $174.18 and a 52-week high of $248.00.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, January 29th will be paid a $0.90 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, January 29th. This represents a $3.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.0%. Marsh & McLennan Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 43.17%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, CEO John Q. Doyle sold 21,079 shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $182.22, for a total transaction of $3,841,015.38. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 87,681 shares in the company, valued at $15,977,231.82. This trade represents a 19.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.35% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

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.