USS Investment Management Ltd Reduces Stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MMC)

USS Investment Management Ltd trimmed its stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MMC) by 2.7% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 95,145 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 2,616 shares during the period. USS Investment Management Ltd’s holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies were worth $20,212,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Modera Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 2.5% during the fourth quarter. Modera Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,885 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $400,000 after purchasing an additional 46 shares in the last quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. boosted its position in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 3.7% during the 4th quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 1,324 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $281,000 after purchasing an additional 47 shares during the period. Hemington Wealth Management lifted its stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies by 6.7% during the fourth quarter. Hemington Wealth Management now owns 768 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $163,000 after purchasing an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. DF Dent & Co. Inc. boosted its position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies by 0.9% in the fourth quarter. DF Dent & Co. Inc. now owns 5,762 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $1,224,000 after buying an additional 49 shares during the period. Finally, New England Professional Planning Group Inc. grew its position in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 4.1% in the fourth quarter. New England Professional Planning Group Inc. now owns 1,261 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $268,000 after acquiring an additional 50 shares in the last quarter. 87.99% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Transactions at Marsh & McLennan Companies

In other news, SVP Paul Beswick sold 2,237 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, April 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $246.00, for a total value of $550,302.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 13,522 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,326,412. The trade was a 14.20% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, VP Stacy Mills sold 1,317 shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies stock in a transaction on Monday, March 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $234.97, for a total value of $309,455.49. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 2,923 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $686,817.31. The trade was a 31.06% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 69,634 shares of company stock worth $16,244,986. Company insiders own 0.35% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $246.00 to $249.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, April 11th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods decreased their target price on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $220.00 to $215.00 and set an “underperform” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 21st. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $223.00 to $232.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 10th. UBS Group boosted their target price on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $259.00 to $261.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 9th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price target on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $237.00 to $244.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, April 11th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Marsh & McLennan Companies has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $241.93.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Stock Performance

Shares of MMC stock opened at $230.80 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $113.72 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.18, a PEG ratio of 2.70 and a beta of 0.85. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.44, a current ratio of 1.13 and a quick ratio of 1.13. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $201.77 and a fifty-two week high of $248.00. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $229.28 and its two-hundred day moving average is $225.00.

Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MMC) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 17th. The financial services provider reported $3.06 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.02 by $0.04. Marsh & McLennan Companies had a return on equity of 32.60% and a net margin of 16.60%. The company had revenue of $6.70 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $7.08 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.89 earnings per share. Analysts predict that Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. will post 9.61 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, April 3rd were given a $0.815 dividend. This represents a $3.26 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.41%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, April 3rd. Marsh & McLennan Companies’s dividend payout ratio is currently 39.95%.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Profile

Marsh & McLennan Cos., Inc is a professional services firm, which engages in offering clients advice and solutions in risk, strategy, and people. It operates through the Risk and Insurance Services, and Consulting segments. The Risk and Insurance Services segment is involved in risk management activities, as well as insurance and reinsurance broking and services.