Schroder Investment Management Group Increases Holdings in Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company $WTW

Schroder Investment Management Group lifted its stake in Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company (NASDAQ:WTW) by 26.6% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 70,977 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 14,912 shares during the quarter. Schroder Investment Management Group’s holdings in Willis Towers Watson Public were worth $21,754,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in WTW. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA lifted its holdings in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 2.4% during the second quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 6,238,308 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,912,041,000 after purchasing an additional 146,104 shares in the last quarter. Artisan Partners Limited Partnership lifted its position in Willis Towers Watson Public by 1.8% during the second quarter. Artisan Partners Limited Partnership now owns 3,579,098 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,096,994,000 after purchasing an additional 62,570 shares in the last quarter. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 2.4% during the 1st quarter. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. now owns 2,856,440 shares of the company’s stock valued at $965,334,000 after buying an additional 67,898 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in Willis Towers Watson Public by 0.8% during the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 2,591,115 shares of the company’s stock valued at $790,908,000 after purchasing an additional 19,384 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public during the 2nd quarter valued at $458,662,000. 93.09% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have weighed in on WTW shares. TD Cowen dropped their price target on Willis Towers Watson Public from $408.00 to $391.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, November 10th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reduced their price objective on Willis Towers Watson Public from $382.00 to $373.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, November 4th. Raymond James Financial reiterated a “strong-buy” rating and set a $400.00 price objective (up previously from $380.00) on shares of Willis Towers Watson Public in a research report on Monday, September 22nd. Cantor Fitzgerald initiated coverage on Willis Towers Watson Public in a report on Wednesday, August 13th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $355.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Evercore ISI lifted their price objective on shares of Willis Towers Watson Public from $373.00 to $387.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 1st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have assigned a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Willis Towers Watson Public presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $368.62.

Willis Towers Watson Public Stock Performance

Shares of WTW opened at $315.69 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $30.23 billion, a PE ratio of 216.23, a P/E/G ratio of 2.54 and a beta of 0.63. The company has a current ratio of 1.90, a quick ratio of 1.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.58. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $328.68 and a 200-day moving average price of $320.83. Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company has a 12 month low of $292.97 and a 12 month high of $352.79.

Willis Towers Watson Public (NASDAQ:WTW) last released its earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $3.07 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.05 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $2.29 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.28 billion. Willis Towers Watson Public had a net margin of 1.40% and a return on equity of 21.60%. Willis Towers Watson Public’s revenue was up .0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.93 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company will post 17.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Willis Towers Watson Public announced that its Board of Directors has approved a share repurchase program on Thursday, September 18th that authorizes the company to repurchase $1.50 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the company to buy up to 4.6% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are typically a sign that the company’s leadership believes its shares are undervalued.

About Willis Towers Watson Public

Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company operates as an advisory, broking, and solutions company worldwide. It operates through two segments: Health, Wealth & Career and Risk & Broking. The company offers strategy and design consulting, plan management service and support, broking and administration services for health, wellbeing, and other group benefit program, including medical, dental, disability, life, voluntary benefits and other coverages; actuarial support, plan design, and administrative services for pension and retirement savings plans; retirement consulting services and solutions; and integrated solutions that consists of investment discretionary management, pension administration, core actuarial, and communication and change management assistance services.