Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. $MRSH Holdings Cut by Moody National Bank Trust Division

Moody National Bank Trust Division cut its stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MRSH) by 29.8% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 8,574 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 3,644 shares during the quarter. Moody National Bank Trust Division’s holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies were worth $1,591,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Numerai GP LLC grew its position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies by 966.2% during the third quarter. Numerai GP LLC now owns 37,220 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $7,501,000 after acquiring an additional 33,729 shares during the last quarter. Rockland Trust Co. boosted its stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 801.6% during the 3rd quarter. Rockland Trust Co. now owns 12,073 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $2,433,000 after purchasing an additional 10,734 shares during the period. Navera Investment Management Ltd. grew its position in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 7.0% in the 3rd quarter. Navera Investment Management Ltd. now owns 1,623,960 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $327,303,000 after purchasing an additional 105,954 shares during the last quarter. Barclays PLC increased its stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies by 41.7% in the third quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 2,202,372 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $443,844,000 after purchasing an additional 647,987 shares during the period. Finally, Bridges Investment Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies by 4.4% during the third quarter. Bridges Investment Management Inc. now owns 76,196 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $15,356,000 after buying an additional 3,177 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 87.99% of the company’s stock.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Stock Down 0.1%

NYSE:MRSH opened at $173.01 on Wednesday. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. has a 52-week low of $164.89 and a 52-week high of $248.00. 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 firm has a market capitalization of $83.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.52, a P/E/G ratio of 2.37 and a beta of 0.74. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $177.30.

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, topping the consensus estimate of $1.97 by $0.15. Marsh & McLennan Companies had a net margin of 15.42% and a return on equity of 31.60%. The company had revenue of $6.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.52 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.87 EPS. The business’s revenue was up 8.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts expect that Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. will post 9.61 EPS for the current year.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Dividend Announcement

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

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts recently commented on MRSH shares. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price 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. Raymond James Financial raised Marsh & McLennan Companies from an “outperform” rating to a “strong-buy” rating and set a $225.00 price target on the stock in a report on Tuesday, February 17th. Mizuho reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and issued a $199.00 price objective (down from $213.00) on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in a report on Friday, February 27th. Morgan Stanley raised their target price 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. Finally, Citigroup upped their price target on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $201.00 to $205.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have issued a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Marsh & McLennan Companies currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $212.06.

Insider Activity

In related news, CEO John Q. Doyle sold 16,655 shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies 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 transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 116,811 shares in the company, valued at $21,411,456.30. The trade was a 12.48% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 0.35% of the stock is owned by 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.