Ensign Peak Advisors Inc Purchases 20,984 Shares of Willis Towers Watson Public Limited (NASDAQ:WTW)

Ensign Peak Advisors Inc boosted its position in Willis Towers Watson Public Limited (NASDAQ:WTW) by 31.3% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 87,946 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 20,984 shares during the quarter. Ensign Peak Advisors Inc owned about 0.09% of Willis Towers Watson Public worth $27,548,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $484,210,000. FMR LLC increased its stake in Willis Towers Watson Public by 52.4% during the 4th quarter. FMR LLC now owns 3,682,939 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,153,644,000 after acquiring an additional 1,266,484 shares during the period. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. raised its holdings in Willis Towers Watson Public by 77.5% in the 4th quarter. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. now owns 2,788,542 shares of the company’s stock valued at $873,483,000 after acquiring an additional 1,217,714 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP lifted its position in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 6,676.1% during the 4th quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 988,430 shares of the company’s stock valued at $309,616,000 after acquiring an additional 973,843 shares during the period. Finally, Proficio Capital Partners LLC grew its holdings 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 worth $143,580,000 after purchasing an additional 457,025 shares in the last quarter. 93.09% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Buying and Selling at Willis Towers Watson Public

In other news, insider Julie Jarecke Gebauer sold 3,384 shares of Willis Towers Watson Public stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 28th. The shares were 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 in the company, valued at $24,986,996.09. This trade represents a 4.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.32% of the company’s stock.

Willis Towers Watson Public Trading Down 0.0 %

Shares of NASDAQ WTW opened at $309.05 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $30.64 billion, a P/E ratio of -309.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.95 and a beta of 0.73. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $321.46 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $318.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 1.72 and a current ratio of 1.98. Willis Towers Watson Public Limited has a 52-week low of $248.09 and a 52-week high of $344.14.

Willis Towers Watson Public (NASDAQ:WTW) last released its earnings results on Thursday, April 24th. The company reported $3.13 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.27 by ($0.14). Willis Towers Watson Public had a negative net margin of 0.99% and a positive return on equity of 20.02%. The firm had revenue of $2.22 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.29 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $3.13 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down 5.0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities 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 was paid on Tuesday, April 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 31st were given a dividend of $0.92 per share. This is an increase from Willis Towers Watson Public’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.88. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 31st. This represents a $3.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.19%. Willis Towers Watson Public’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is -736.00%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods cut their price objective on shares of Willis Towers Watson Public from $371.00 to $366.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 28th. Barclays increased their price target on shares of Willis Towers Watson Public from $302.00 to $316.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research report on Friday, April 11th. UBS Group raised shares of Willis Towers Watson Public from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $344.00 to $395.00 in a research note on Tuesday, March 18th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on 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. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price target on Willis Towers Watson Public from $373.00 to $371.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, April 11th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating, seven have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $351.55.

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.