Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. Buys 30,799 Shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MMC)

Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. lifted its stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MMC) by 1,030.4% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 33,788 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 30,799 shares during the quarter. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C.’s holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies were worth $7,177,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of MMC. Modera Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies by 2.5% during the 4th quarter. Modera Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,885 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $400,000 after acquiring an additional 46 shares during the period. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. increased its stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 3.7% in the fourth quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 1,324 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $281,000 after purchasing an additional 47 shares in the last quarter. Hemington Wealth Management raised its holdings 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 valued at $163,000 after purchasing an additional 48 shares during the period. New England Professional Planning Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies by 4.1% during the 4th 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 in the last quarter. Finally, TFB Advisors LLC increased its position in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 2.0% in the 4th quarter. TFB Advisors LLC now owns 2,576 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $547,000 after buying an additional 51 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 87.99% of the company’s stock.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Stock Up 0.9 %

Shares of NYSE:MMC opened at $236.78 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $116.29 billion, a PE ratio of 28.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.70 and a beta of 0.95. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. has a 1 year low of $196.17 and a 1 year 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 business has a fifty day moving average price of $228.03 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $223.84.

Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MMC) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The financial services provider reported $1.87 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping 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%. Analysts forecast that Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. will post 9.61 earnings per share for the current year.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, April 3rd will be given a $0.815 dividend. This represents a $3.26 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.38%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 3rd. Marsh & McLennan Companies’s dividend payout ratio is currently 39.80%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Marsh & McLennan Companies

In other news, CEO Dean Michael Klisura sold 7,121 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $234.97, for a total value of $1,673,221.37. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 20,935 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,919,096.95. The trade was a 25.38 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CEO Nicholas Mark Studer sold 49,390 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 28,329 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,520,202.64. This trade represents a 63.55 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 57,828 shares of company stock worth $13,350,279 over the last ninety days. 0.30% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

MMC has been the subject of a number of research reports. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reduced their price objective on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $214.00 to $210.00 and set an “underperform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Royal Bank of Canada upgraded shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from a “sector perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $242.00 to $250.00 in a report on Thursday, December 12th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $212.00 to $223.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, January 31st. Redburn Atlantic initiated coverage on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in a research report on Tuesday. They issued a “buy” rating and a $281.00 price target on the stock. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $230.00 to $235.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, January 3rd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Marsh & McLennan Companies currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $233.41.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Company 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.