Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH) Given New $209.00 Price Target at Barclays

Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH) had its price objective reduced by Barclays from $210.00 to $209.00 in a research report released on Wednesday morning,Benzinga reports. They currently have an overweight rating on the financial services provider’s stock.

A number of other analysts also recently commented on the company. Weiss Ratings assumed coverage on Marsh & McLennan Companies in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. They issued a “hold (c)” rating on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $199.00 to $203.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, January 30th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $190.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, January 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $242.00 to $226.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. Finally, Evercore dropped their target price on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $237.00 to $236.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have assigned a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $216.12.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Stock Up 0.2%

Marsh & McLennan Companies stock traded up $0.33 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $174.33. 1,819,312 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,015,273. Marsh & McLennan Companies has a 1-year low of $170.37 and a 1-year high of $248.00. The stock has a market cap of $84.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.67, a PEG ratio of 2.45 and a beta of 0.74. The company has a current ratio of 1.10, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20.

Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 29th. The financial services provider reported $2.12 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.97 by $0.15. The business had revenue of $6.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.52 billion. Marsh & McLennan Companies had a net margin of 15.42% and a return on equity of 31.60%. The business’s revenue was up 8.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.87 earnings per share. On average, analysts expect that Marsh & McLennan Companies will post 9.61 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Thursday, April 9th will be issued a dividend of $0.90 per share. This represents a $3.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 9th. Marsh & McLennan Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 42.70%.

Insider Activity at Marsh & McLennan Companies

In other Marsh & McLennan Companies news, CEO John Q. Doyle sold 16,655 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $183.30, for a total value of $3,052,861.50. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 116,811 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $21,411,456.30. This represents a 12.48% decrease in their position. The sale 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.

Institutional Trading of Marsh & McLennan Companies

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of MRSH. Corient Private Wealth LLC bought a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the fourth quarter valued at about $42,968,000. Union Savings Bank acquired a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies in the fourth quarter worth about $106,000. Hsbc Holdings PLC acquired a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies in the 4th quarter valued at $211,804,000. Storen Legacy Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies during the 4th quarter worth about $1,577,000. Finally, Bayban bought a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the 4th quarter worth approximately $34,000. 87.99% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.