Barclays Issues Pessimistic Forecast for Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH) Stock Price

Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH) had its price objective cut by Barclays from $210.00 to $209.00 in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an “overweight” rating on the financial services provider’s stock. Barclays‘s price target points to a potential upside of 19.89% from the company’s previous close.

Several other research firms also recently commented on MRSH. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on 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. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $199.00 to $203.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, January 30th. Weiss Ratings assumed coverage on Marsh & McLennan Companies in a report on Thursday, January 29th. They issued a “hold (c)” rating for the company. Mizuho reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $199.00 price objective (down from $213.00) on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in a report on Friday, February 27th. Finally, Evercore lowered their price target on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $237.00 to $236.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have issued a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $216.12.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Trading Up 0.2%

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

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

Insider Activity at Marsh & McLennan Companies

In related news, CEO John Q. Doyle sold 16,655 shares of the stock in a transaction on 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 sale, the chief executive officer owned 116,811 shares in the company, valued at approximately $21,411,456.30. This trade represents a 12.48% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.35% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Marsh & McLennan Companies

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Pinnacle Bancorp Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies during the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. Solstein Capital LLC purchased a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies in the fourth quarter worth $25,000. SHP Wealth Management bought a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies in the fourth quarter valued at $26,000. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp bought a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Finally, Golden State Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.99% of the company’s stock.

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.