Willis Towers Watson Public (NASDAQ:WTW) Hits New 52-Week High on Analyst Upgrade

Willis Towers Watson Public Limited (NASDAQ:WTW)’s share price reached a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday after Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their price target on the stock from $352.00 to $359.00. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods currently has an outperform rating on the stock. Willis Towers Watson Public traded as high as $318.76 and last traded at $318.42, with a volume of 5220 shares. The stock had previously closed at $307.92.

A number of other equities analysts have also commented on WTW. UBS Group upgraded Willis Towers Watson Public to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 9th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on Willis Towers Watson Public from $295.00 to $314.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 9th. Truist Financial lifted their price objective on Willis Towers Watson Public from $335.00 to $365.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 2nd. Barclays began coverage on Willis Towers Watson Public in a research note on Wednesday, September 4th. They set an “underweight” rating and a $278.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on Willis Towers Watson Public from $275.00 to $272.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 10th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $312.27.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Willis Towers Watson Public

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of WTW. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System boosted its holdings in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 6.8% in the 1st quarter. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System now owns 116,615 shares of the company’s stock worth $32,069,000 after acquiring an additional 7,404 shares in the last quarter. M&G Plc acquired a new position in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public in the 1st quarter worth approximately $12,318,000. Acadian Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 520.3% in the 1st quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 417,427 shares of the company’s stock worth $114,765,000 after acquiring an additional 350,135 shares in the last quarter. Swedbank AB acquired a new position in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public in the 1st quarter worth approximately $4,512,000. Finally, CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co boosted its holdings in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 2.7% in the 1st quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co now owns 115,262 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,706,000 after acquiring an additional 3,021 shares in the last quarter. 93.09% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Willis Towers Watson Public Stock Performance

The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $293.26 and a 200-day simple moving average of $274.26. The company has a current ratio of 1.72, a quick ratio of 1.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70. The stock has a market cap of $31.96 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -43.59, a P/E/G ratio of 1.89 and a beta of 0.73.

Willis Towers Watson Public (NASDAQ:WTW) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 31st. The company reported $2.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.68 by $0.25. Willis Towers Watson Public had a positive return on equity of 18.57% and a negative net margin of 7.36%. The firm had revenue of $2.29 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.28 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.24 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts forecast that Willis Towers Watson Public Limited will post 16.64 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Willis Towers Watson Public Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, October 15th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 30th were issued a dividend of $0.88 per share. This represents a $3.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.11%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, September 30th. Willis Towers Watson Public’s dividend payout ratio is -48.35%.

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.