Markel Group Inc. (NYSE:MKL) Short Interest Up 19.4% in January

Markel Group Inc. (NYSE:MKL - Get Free Report) was the target of a significant increase in short interest in the month of January. As of January 31st, there was short interest totalling 184,800 shares, an increase of 19.4% from the January 15th total of 154,800 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 60,800 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 3.0 days. Currently, 1.5% of the company's shares are sold short.

Insider Buying and Selling at Markel Group

In other news, CEO Thomas Sinnickson Gayner bought 100 shares of Markel Group stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 7th. The shares were acquired at an average price 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 $98,282,049.45. The trade was a 0.20 % increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Company insiders own 1.71% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Markel Group

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of MKL. Brooklyn Investment Group bought a new position in Markel Group in the third quarter worth approximately $31,000. Toth Financial Advisory Corp increased its holdings in shares of Markel Group by 1,000.0% in the 3rd quarter. Toth Financial Advisory Corp now owns 22 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $35,000 after acquiring an additional 20 shares during the period. Larson Financial Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Markel Group during the 3rd quarter worth $36,000. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. purchased a new stake in shares of Markel Group during the 4th quarter worth $36,000. Finally, FPC Investment Advisory Inc. bought a new stake in Markel Group during the fourth quarter valued at about $37,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 77.12% of the company's stock.

Markel Group Stock Down 0.9 %

NYSE MKL traded down $17.35 on Wednesday, reaching $1,856.45. 41,362 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 73,872. Markel Group has a 12 month low of $1,417.65 and a 12 month high of $2,063.68. The company has a market cap of $23.87 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.34 and a beta of 0.78. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $1,784.88 and a 200-day moving average price of $1,666.20. 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 (NYSE:MKL - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 5th. The insurance provider reported $20.51 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate 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, research analysts forecast that Markel Group will post 96.25 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have issued reports on MKL. TD Cowen lowered Markel Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and dropped their target price for the company from $1,986.00 to $1,836.00 in a research report on Monday, December 2nd. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on Markel Group from $1,750.00 to $2,025.00 and gave the company a "sector perform" rating in a report on Friday, February 7th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered Markel Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Friday, February 14th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and six have assigned a hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $1,685.17.

Markel Group Company Profile

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.