Bridges Investment Management Inc. Buys 5,066 Shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MMC)

Bridges Investment Management Inc. boosted its stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MMC) by 11.4% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 49,405 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after buying an additional 5,066 shares during the period. Bridges Investment Management Inc.’s holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies were worth $10,494,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of MMC. Carmichael Hill & Associates Inc. grew its position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies by 85.7% in the third quarter. Carmichael Hill & Associates Inc. now owns 130 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 60 shares during the last quarter. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Marsh & McLennan Companies in the 3rd quarter valued at $31,000. Financial Life Planners acquired a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies in the 4th quarter valued at $33,000. Sierra Ocean LLC bought a new position in Marsh & McLennan Companies during the 4th quarter worth $36,000. Finally, Albion Financial Group UT bought a new stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in the fourth quarter valued at about $38,000. 87.99% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Stock Performance

Shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies stock opened at $237.78 on Friday. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $220.47 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $222.83. The firm has a market capitalization of $116.78 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.03, a P/E/G ratio of 2.70 and a beta of 0.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.44, a current ratio of 1.13 and a quick ratio of 1.13. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $196.17 and a fifty-two week high of $237.97.

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

Marsh & McLennan Companies Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 14th. Investors of record on Thursday, January 30th were given a dividend of $0.815 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 30th. This represents a $3.26 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.37%. Marsh & McLennan Companies’s dividend payout ratio is presently 39.80%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

MMC has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Evercore ISI reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $242.00 price target on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in a research report on Monday, November 25th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $212.00 to $223.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, January 31st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $230.00 to $235.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, January 3rd. Royal Bank of Canada raised Marsh & McLennan Companies from a “sector perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $242.00 to $250.00 in a report on Thursday, December 12th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reduced their target price on Marsh & McLennan Companies from $214.00 to $210.00 and set an “underperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have assigned a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently 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.