Horizon Investments LLC Increases Position in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MMC)

Horizon Investments LLC raised its stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MMC) by 2.3% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 11,569 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 255 shares during the period. Horizon Investments LLC’s holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies were worth $2,448,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Modera Wealth Management LLC increased 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 during the last quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. increased its position in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 3.7% during the fourth 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 last quarter. Hemington Wealth Management increased its position in 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 during the last quarter. New England Professional Planning Group Inc. increased its position in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 4.1% during the fourth quarter. New England Professional Planning Group Inc. now owns 1,261 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $268,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares during the last quarter. Finally, TFB Advisors LLC increased its position in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 2.0% during the fourth quarter. TFB Advisors LLC now owns 2,576 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $547,000 after purchasing an additional 51 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.99% of the company’s stock.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Trading Down 0.4 %

NYSE MMC opened at $232.01 on Wednesday. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. has a 12 month low of $196.17 and a 12 month high of $241.84. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.44, a current ratio of 1.13 and a quick ratio of 1.13. The company has a market capitalization of $113.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.33, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.70 and a beta of 0.95. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $225.78 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $223.66.

Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MMC) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The financial services provider reported $1.87 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.75 by $0.12. Marsh & McLennan Companies had a net margin of 16.60% and a return on equity of 32.60%. As a group, research analysts predict that Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. will post 9.61 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, April 3rd will be given a $0.815 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 3rd. This represents a $3.26 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.41%. Marsh & McLennan Companies’s payout ratio is currently 39.80%.

Insider Transactions at Marsh & McLennan Companies

In other news, VP Stacy Mills sold 1,317 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $234.97, for a total value of $309,455.49. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 2,923 shares in the company, valued at approximately $686,817.31. This trade represents a 31.06 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CEO Nicholas Mark Studer sold 49,390 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $230.16, for a total transaction of $11,367,602.40. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 28,329 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,520,202.64. This trade represents a 63.55 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 57,828 shares of company stock worth $13,350,279. 0.30% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

MMC has been the subject of several recent research reports. Raymond James reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $250.00 price objective (up previously from $240.00) on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in a research report on Thursday, February 6th. Royal Bank of Canada raised shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from a “sector perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and increased their price objective for the stock from $242.00 to $250.00 in a research report on Thursday, December 12th. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $236.00 to $246.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods dropped their price objective on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $214.00 to $210.00 and set an “underperform” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, Evercore ISI reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $242.00 price objective on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in a research report on Monday, November 25th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Marsh & McLennan Companies has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $230.44.

About Marsh & McLennan Companies

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.