Epoch Investment Partners Inc. Raises Stake in Markel Group Inc. (NYSE:MKL)

Epoch Investment Partners Inc. grew its stake in shares of Markel Group Inc. (NYSE:MKL) by 10.8% in the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 72,233 shares of the insurance provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 7,056 shares during the quarter. Epoch Investment Partners Inc.’s holdings in Markel Group were worth $124,691,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. bought a new stake in Markel Group during the 4th quarter valued at $36,000. FPC Investment Advisory Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Markel Group in the fourth quarter valued at $37,000. Global Trust Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Markel Group during the 4th quarter valued at $41,000. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB purchased a new stake in Markel Group during the 3rd quarter worth about $42,000. Finally, Private Trust Co. NA boosted its stake in Markel Group by 23.1% in the 4th quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 32 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $55,000 after purchasing an additional 6 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 77.12% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages recently commented on MKL. StockNews.com cut shares of Markel Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, February 14th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price target on shares of Markel Group from $1,750.00 to $2,025.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Friday, February 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and five have given a hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $1,702.20.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CEO Thomas Sinnickson Gayner bought 100 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 7th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $2,008.01 per share, with a total value of $200,801.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief executive officer now owns 48,945 shares in the company, valued at approximately $98,282,049.45. The trade was a 0.20 % increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Steven A. Markel sold 88 shares of Markel Group stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,860.03, for a total value of $163,682.64. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 63,436 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $117,992,863.08. This represents a 0.14 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 2,034 shares of company stock worth $3,778,952. 1.66% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Markel Group Stock Up 0.2 %

Shares of NYSE:MKL opened at $1,767.46 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a current ratio of 0.60. Markel Group Inc. has a 52-week low of $1,433.06 and a 52-week high of $2,063.68. The firm has a market capitalization of $22.47 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.88 and a beta of 0.70. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $1,835.67 and a 200-day moving average price of $1,751.31.

Markel Group (NYSE:MKL) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The insurance provider reported $20.51 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $20.66 by ($0.15). Markel Group had a net margin of 16.34% and a return on equity of 7.55%. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Markel Group Inc. will post 96.25 EPS for the current fiscal year.

About Markel Group

Markel Group Inc, a diverse holding company, engages in marketing and underwriting specialty insurance products in the United States, Bermuda, the United Kingdom, and Germany. The company offers general and professional liability, personal lines, marine and energy, specialty programs, and workers' compensation insurance products; and property coverages that include fire, allied lines, and other specialized property coverages, including catastrophe-exposed property risks, such as earthquake and wind.