Calamos Advisors LLC Takes $23.26 Million Position in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. $MRSH

Calamos Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MRSH) in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund purchased 134,122 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $23,263,000.

Several other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the business. Solstein Capital LLC acquired a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the 4th quarter worth $25,000. SHP Wealth Management acquired a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp bought a new position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the 4th quarter worth $27,000. Golden State Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies during the fourth quarter worth $27,000. Finally, Pinnacle Bancorp Inc. bought a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies in the first quarter valued at about $28,000. 87.99% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity at Marsh & McLennan Companies

In related news, CEO John Q. Doyle sold 16,656 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $161.71, for a total value of $2,693,441.76. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 116,811 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $18,889,506.81. The trade was a 12.48% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. 0.38% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MRSH has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Weiss Ratings cut Marsh & McLennan Companies from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a report on Monday, May 11th. Bank of America cut their price target 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. lifted their price objective on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $206.00 to $212.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $203.00 to $178.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut their target price on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $180.00 to $175.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, July 6th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have assigned a Buy rating, ten have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Marsh & McLennan Companies has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $200.81.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Stock Down 1.7%

NYSE MRSH opened at $178.38 on Wednesday. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. has a one year low of $156.60 and a one year high of $216.32. 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 stock has a market cap of $86.17 billion, a PE ratio of 22.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.64 and a beta of 0.61.

Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MRSH) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 16th. The financial services provider reported $3.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.21 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $7.30 billion during the quarter. Marsh & McLennan Companies had a return on equity of 31.87% and a net margin of 14.26%.Marsh & McLennan Companies’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.6% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. will post 10.37 EPS for the current year.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 14th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, July 23rd will be given a dividend of $0.99 per share. This is a positive change from Marsh & McLennan Companies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.90. This represents a $3.96 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, July 23rd. Marsh & McLennan Companies’s payout ratio is currently 45.00%.

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.