Sound Shore Management Inc. CT Has $93.07 Million Stock Position in Willis Towers Watson Public Limited (NASDAQ:WTW)

Sound Shore Management Inc. CT decreased its holdings in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public Limited (NASDAQ:WTW) by 12.6% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 297,120 shares of the company’s stock after selling 42,806 shares during the period. Willis Towers Watson Public accounts for 3.1% of Sound Shore Management Inc. CT’s portfolio, making the stock its 7th largest position. Sound Shore Management Inc. CT’s holdings in Willis Towers Watson Public were worth $93,070,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in WTW. Y.D. More Investments Ltd increased its stake in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 121.1% during the fourth quarter. Y.D. More Investments Ltd now owns 126 shares of the company’s stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 69 shares in the last quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich bought a new position in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $49,000. Versant Capital Management Inc increased its stake in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 95.5% during the fourth quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 174 shares of the company’s stock valued at $55,000 after purchasing an additional 85 shares in the last quarter. Golden State Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $72,000. Finally, Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $76,000. Institutional investors own 93.09% of the company’s stock.

Willis Towers Watson Public Trading Down 0.5 %

Shares of Willis Towers Watson Public stock opened at $332.71 on Monday. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $326.11 and its 200-day simple moving average is $312.03. The stock has a market capitalization of $33.17 billion, a PE ratio of -332.71, a P/E/G ratio of 2.95 and a beta of 0.71. Willis Towers Watson Public Limited has a 1-year low of $245.04 and a 1-year high of $344.14. 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 (NASDAQ:WTW) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 4th. The company reported $8.13 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $8.01 by $0.12. The business had revenue of $3.04 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.05 billion. Willis Towers Watson Public had a negative net margin of 0.99% and a positive return on equity of 20.02%. The company’s revenue was up 4.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $7.44 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate 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 declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 31st will be paid a dividend of $0.92 per share. This represents a $3.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.11%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 31st. 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 currently -368.00%.

Insider Transactions at Willis Towers Watson Public

In related news, insider Julie Jarecke Gebauer sold 3,384 shares of Willis Towers Watson Public stock in a transaction on 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 transaction, the insider now 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 filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.22% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

WTW has been the subject of several analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Willis Towers Watson Public from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their price target for the company from $352.00 to $382.00 in a research report on Friday, December 20th. Evercore ISI raised shares of Willis Towers Watson Public from an “in-line” rating to an “outperform” rating and raised their price target for the company from $357.00 to $373.00 in a research report on Wednesday, January 8th. Truist Financial reissued a “buy” rating and set a $380.00 price target (up previously from $365.00) on shares of Willis Towers Watson Public in a research report on Wednesday, December 4th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their price target on shares of Willis Towers Watson Public from $378.00 to $387.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 10th. Finally, UBS Group raised shares of Willis Towers Watson Public from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their price target for the company from $344.00 to $395.00 in a research report on Tuesday, March 18th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating, nine have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $346.15.

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.