Willis Towers Watson Public Limited (NASDAQ:WTW) Shares Sold by Daiwa Securities Group Inc.

Daiwa Securities Group Inc. lowered its stake in Willis Towers Watson Public Limited (NASDAQ:WTW) by 2.3% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 24,183 shares of the company’s stock after selling 580 shares during the period. Daiwa Securities Group Inc.’s holdings in Willis Towers Watson Public were worth $7,575,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of WTW. Mizuho Securities USA LLC increased its holdings in Willis Towers Watson Public by 95,880.2% in the third quarter. Mizuho Securities USA LLC now owns 7,569,000 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,229,298,000 after buying an additional 7,561,114 shares during the last quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC grew its position in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 277.8% in the 3rd quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 844,417 shares of the company’s stock worth $248,706,000 after acquiring an additional 620,926 shares in the last quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec increased its holdings in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 47,515.7% in the 3rd quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec now owns 499,965 shares of the company’s stock valued at $147,255,000 after acquiring an additional 498,915 shares during the last quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC raised its position in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 33,979.6% during the 4th quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC now owns 458,370 shares of the company’s stock valued at $143,580,000 after acquiring an additional 457,025 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Canoe Financial LP acquired a new stake in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $47,883,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.09% of the company’s stock.

Willis Towers Watson Public Stock Down 1.7 %

Shares of Willis Towers Watson Public stock opened at $326.52 on Wednesday. Willis Towers Watson Public Limited has a 1-year low of $245.04 and a 1-year high of $344.14. The company has a market capitalization of $32.55 billion, a P/E ratio of -326.52, a PEG ratio of 2.95 and a beta of 0.71. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $323.28 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $309.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a current ratio of 1.98 and a quick ratio of 1.72.

Willis Towers Watson Public (NASDAQ:WTW) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 4th. The company reported $8.13 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $8.01 by $0.12. The business had revenue of $3.04 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.05 billion. Willis Towers Watson Public had a negative net margin of 0.99% and a positive return on equity of 20.02%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 4.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $7.44 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts forecast that Willis Towers Watson Public Limited will post 17.32 EPS for the current year.

Willis Towers Watson Public Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 31st will be issued a $0.92 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 31st. This is a boost from Willis Towers Watson Public’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.88. This represents a $3.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.13%. Willis Towers Watson Public’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is -368.00%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have weighed in on WTW. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on shares of Willis Towers Watson Public from $380.00 to $345.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 14th. Raymond James raised shares of Willis Towers Watson Public from an “outperform” rating to a “strong-buy” rating and lifted their price target for the company from $365.00 to $400.00 in a report on Thursday, December 5th. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Willis Towers Watson Public from $278.00 to $302.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. Truist Financial restated a “buy” rating and issued a $380.00 target price (up from $365.00) on shares of Willis Towers Watson Public in a research note on Wednesday, December 4th. Finally, Evercore ISI raised Willis Towers Watson Public from an “in-line” rating to an “outperform” rating and upped their target price for the company from $357.00 to $373.00 in a report on Wednesday, January 8th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating, eight have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $342.08.

Insider Activity at Willis Towers Watson Public

In other Willis Towers Watson Public news, insider Julie Jarecke Gebauer sold 3,384 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, February 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $335.77, for a total transaction of $1,136,245.68. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 74,417 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $24,986,996.09. This trade represents a 4.35 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.22% of the company’s stock.

About Willis Towers Watson Public

Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company operates as an advisory, broking, and solutions company worldwide. It operates through two segments: Health, Wealth & Career and Risk & Broking. The company offers strategy and design consulting, plan management service and support, broking and administration services for health, wellbeing, and other group benefit program, including medical, dental, disability, life, voluntary benefits and other coverages; actuarial support, plan design, and administrative services for pension and retirement savings plans; retirement consulting services and solutions; and integrated solutions that consists of investment discretionary management, pension administration, core actuarial, and communication and change management assistance services.