Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH) Reaches New 1-Year Low – What’s Next?

Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MRSH) shares hit a new 52-week low on Tuesday . The company traded as low as $161.38 and last traded at $161.4840, with a volume of 4216000 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $161.58.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MRSH has been the topic of a number of research reports. Bank of America reduced their target price on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $181.00 to $174.00 and set an “underperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 14th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $226.00 to $206.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in a research report on Monday, April 27th. Morgan Stanley cut their price target on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $195.00 to $190.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, April 6th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $203.00 to $178.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, April 9th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have given a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $205.00.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Stock Down 0.1%

The company has a market cap of $77.80 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.19, a PEG ratio of 2.38 and a beta of 0.65. The company has a current ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.28. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $171.77.

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 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 business had revenue of $7.30 billion for the quarter. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 7.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. will post 10.37 EPS for the current year.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Announces Dividend

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 $0.90 dividend. This represents a $3.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 9th. Marsh & McLennan Companies’s payout ratio is currently 45.00%.

Insider Activity

In other 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 transaction 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 represents a 12.48% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.38% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Marsh & McLennan Companies

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in MRSH. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. acquired a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies in the first quarter worth about $111,591,000. Burling Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $2,999,000. Andra AP fonden boosted its stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 2.4% in the 1st quarter. Andra AP fonden now owns 55,410 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $9,611,000 after purchasing an additional 1,300 shares in the last quarter. Glenview Trust Co grew its position in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 39.0% during the 1st quarter. Glenview Trust Co now owns 92,359 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $16,020,000 after purchasing an additional 25,916 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Madison Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $61,733,000. 87.99% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Company 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.