Brandes Investment Partners LP Has $88.82 Million Stake in Willis Towers Watson Public Limited (NASDAQ:WTW)

Brandes Investment Partners LP grew its holdings in Willis Towers Watson Public Limited (NASDAQ:WTW) by 5.6% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 283,543 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 15,041 shares during the period. Brandes Investment Partners LP owned about 0.28% of Willis Towers Watson Public worth $88,817,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in 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 worth $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 boosted its position in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 277.8% in the third quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 844,417 shares of the company’s stock valued at $248,706,000 after acquiring an additional 620,926 shares during the period. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec boosted its position in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 47,515.7% in the third 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 period. Proficio Capital Partners LLC lifted its position in Willis Towers Watson Public by 33,979.6% in the fourth 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 during the period. Finally, Canoe Financial LP bought a new position in Willis Towers Watson Public in the fourth quarter worth $47,883,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.09% of the company’s stock.

Willis Towers Watson Public Trading Up 1.7 %

Shares of WTW stock opened at $324.61 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $32.36 billion, a P/E ratio of -324.61, a PEG ratio of 2.95 and a beta of 0.71. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $323.94 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $310.30. 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 fifty-two week low of $245.04 and a fifty-two week high of $344.14.

Willis Towers Watson Public (NASDAQ:WTW) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 4th. The company reported $8.13 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $8.01 by $0.12. The firm had revenue of $3.04 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.05 billion. Willis Towers Watson Public had a positive return on equity of 20.02% and a negative net margin of 0.99%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 4.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $7.44 earnings per share. Research analysts forecast 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 will be paid on Tuesday, April 15th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 31st will be given a $0.92 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 31st. This represents a $3.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.13%. This is a boost from Willis Towers Watson Public’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.88. Willis Towers Watson Public’s payout ratio is currently -368.00%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider Julie Jarecke Gebauer sold 3,384 shares of the business’s 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 sale, the insider now directly owns 74,417 shares in the company, valued at approximately $24,986,996.09. The trade was a 4.35 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.22% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have issued reports on the company. Jefferies Financial Group raised Willis Towers Watson Public from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $352.00 to $382.00 in a report on Friday, December 20th. Truist Financial reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $380.00 price objective (up from $365.00) on shares of Willis Towers Watson Public in a research report on Wednesday, December 4th. Raymond James upgraded Willis Towers Watson Public from an “outperform” rating to a “strong-buy” rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $365.00 to $400.00 in a research report on Thursday, December 5th. Evercore ISI upgraded Willis Towers Watson Public from an “in-line” rating to an “outperform” rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $357.00 to $373.00 in a research report on Wednesday, January 8th. Finally, Barclays lifted their price objective on Willis Towers Watson Public from $278.00 to $302.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating, eight have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $342.08.

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.