Bank of America Corp DE Reduces Stake in Willis Towers Watson Public Limited (NASDAQ:WTW)

Bank of America Corp DE decreased its stake in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public Limited (NASDAQ:WTW) by 22.6% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 300,064 shares of the company’s stock after selling 87,564 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE owned 0.30% of Willis Towers Watson Public worth $93,992,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. GeoWealth Management LLC increased its stake in Willis Towers Watson Public by 94.9% in the 4th quarter. GeoWealth Management LLC now owns 115 shares of the company’s stock worth $36,000 after acquiring an additional 56 shares during the last quarter. Y.D. More Investments Ltd increased its stake in Willis Towers Watson Public by 121.1% in the 4th quarter. Y.D. More Investments Ltd now owns 126 shares of the company’s stock worth $39,000 after acquiring an additional 69 shares during the last quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich bought a new position in Willis Towers Watson Public in the 4th quarter worth about $49,000. Golden State Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Willis Towers Watson Public in the 4th quarter worth about $72,000. Finally, Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. bought a new position in Willis Towers Watson Public in the 4th quarter worth about $76,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 93.09% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have recently commented on the company. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on Willis Towers Watson Public from $380.00 to $345.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 14th. Barclays increased their price objective on Willis Towers Watson Public from $302.00 to $316.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research report on Friday, April 11th. UBS Group upgraded Willis Towers Watson Public from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and increased their price objective for the company from $344.00 to $395.00 in a research report on Tuesday, March 18th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reduced their price objective on Willis Towers Watson Public from $371.00 to $366.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 28th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price objective on Willis Towers Watson Public from $373.00 to $371.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, April 11th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating, seven have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $351.55.

Willis Towers Watson Public Price Performance

WTW opened at $309.05 on Monday. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $321.46 and its 200 day simple moving average is $318.84. 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 Limited has a 1 year low of $248.09 and a 1 year high of $344.14. The firm has a market cap of $30.64 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -309.05, a PEG ratio of 2.95 and a beta of 0.73.

Willis Towers Watson Public (NASDAQ:WTW) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 24th. The company reported $3.13 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.27 by ($0.14). Willis Towers Watson Public had a positive return on equity of 20.02% and a negative net margin of 0.99%. The business had revenue of $2.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.29 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $3.13 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 5.0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts predict that Willis Towers Watson Public Limited will post 17.32 earnings per share for the current year.

Willis Towers Watson Public Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, April 15th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 31st were issued a $0.92 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 31st. This represents a $3.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.19%. This is a boost from Willis Towers Watson Public’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.88. Willis Towers Watson Public’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is -736.00%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider Julie Jarecke Gebauer sold 3,384 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $335.77, for a total value of $1,136,245.68. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 74,417 shares in the company, valued at $24,986,996.09. This trade represents a 4.35% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.32% of the company’s stock.

Willis Towers Watson Public Profile

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.