Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Raises Holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. $MMC

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans raised its holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MMC) by 7.5% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 205,622 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 14,434 shares during the period. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans’ holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies were worth $41,439,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of MMC. Pinnacle Bancorp Inc. purchased a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies in the 3rd quarter valued at about $25,000. Headlands Technologies LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies during the second quarter valued at about $29,000. Westside Investment Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies by 363.3% in the 2nd quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. now owns 139 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 109 shares during the period. Delos Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $32,000. Finally, TruNorth Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $32,000. 87.99% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have recently commented on MMC. Cantor Fitzgerald lowered their price target on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $226.00 to $208.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Royal Bank Of Canada initiated coverage on Marsh & McLennan Companies in a research note on Tuesday, November 25th. They set a “sector perform” rating and a $200.00 target price on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group raised Marsh & McLennan Companies from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating and dropped their target price for the company from $200.00 to $195.00 in a research report on Monday, October 20th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their price target on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $191.00 to $205.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $212.00 to $199.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $218.82.

Insider Activity at Marsh & McLennan Companies

In related news, CEO John Q. Doyle sold 21,079 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, December 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $182.22, for a total value of $3,841,015.38. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 87,681 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $15,977,231.82. This represents a 19.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.35% of the company’s stock.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Stock Down 1.7%

MMC stock opened at $182.39 on Tuesday. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $174.18 and a fifty-two week high of $248.00. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $184.02 and its 200 day moving average price is $192.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19, a quick ratio of 1.12 and a current ratio of 1.12. The firm has a market capitalization of $89.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.87, a PEG ratio of 2.87 and a beta of 0.76.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, January 29th will be given a dividend of $0.90 per share. This represents a $3.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 29th. Marsh & McLennan Companies’s payout ratio is 43.17%.

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.