Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. $MRSH Stake Lessened by Securian Asset Management Inc.

Securian Asset Management Inc. lowered its holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MRSH) by 43.9% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 13,321 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 10,422 shares during the period. Securian Asset Management Inc.’s holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies were worth $2,471,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of MRSH. Pinnacle Bancorp Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the third quarter valued at $25,000. City Holding Co. purchased a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the fourth quarter valued at $29,000. Headlands Technologies LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the second quarter valued at $29,000. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp purchased a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the third quarter valued at $30,000. Finally, Financial Life Planners purchased a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the third quarter valued at $32,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.99% of the company’s stock.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Price Performance

MRSH stock opened at $161.48 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.28, a current ratio of 1.11 and a quick ratio of 1.11. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. has a 52-week low of $161.38 and a 52-week high of $235.78. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $171.77. The company has a market capitalization of $77.80 billion, a PE ratio of 20.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.38 and a beta of 0.65.

Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 16th. The financial services provider reported $3.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.21 by $0.08. Marsh & McLennan Companies had a net margin of 14.26% and a return on equity of 31.87%. The company had revenue of $7.30 billion during the quarter. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts expect that Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. will post 10.37 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, April 9th will be issued a dividend of $0.90 per share. This represents a $3.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 9th. Marsh & McLennan Companies’s dividend payout ratio is 45.00%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Marsh & McLennan Companies

In related news, CEO John Q. Doyle sold 16,655 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $183.30, for a total value of $3,052,861.50. Following the completion of 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 transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.38% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on MRSH shares. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in a research note on Monday, April 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $226.00 to $206.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Citigroup raised shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $200.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, May 6th. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed a “sector perform” rating and issued a $200.00 price target on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in a research note on Friday, January 30th. Finally, Barclays dropped their price target on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $209.00 to $206.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have assigned a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $205.00.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Profile

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.