Markel Group (NYSE:MKL) Stock Rating Upgraded by StockNews.com

Markel Group (NYSE:MKL - Get Free Report) was upgraded by equities researchers at StockNews.com from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report issued on Thursday.

Other equities research analysts have also issued reports about the company. TD Cowen lowered Markel Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and cut their price objective for the stock from $1,986.00 to $1,836.00 in a research note on Monday, December 2nd. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price objective on Markel Group from $1,590.00 to $1,600.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 9th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price objective on Markel Group from $1,700.00 to $1,675.00 and set a "sector perform" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, November 1st. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $1,685.17.

Markel Group Price Performance

Shares of MKL stock traded down $36.68 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $1,989.69. 84,525 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 73,125. Markel Group has a fifty-two week low of $1,417.65 and a fifty-two week high of $2,063.68. The firm has a market cap of $25.59 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.00 and a beta of 0.78. The company has a quick ratio of 0.60, a current ratio of 0.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $1,766.15 and a two-hundred day moving average of $1,653.46.

Markel Group (NYSE:MKL - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 5th. The insurance provider reported $20.51 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $20.66 by ($0.15). Markel Group had a return on equity of 7.55% and a net margin of 16.34%. Sell-side analysts forecast that Markel Group will post 97.92 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Markel Group

In other Markel Group news, CEO Thomas Sinnickson Gayner bought 100 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Friday, February 7th. The stock was bought 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 directly owns 48,945 shares in the company, valued at $98,282,049.45. The trade was a 0.20 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 1.71% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Markel Group

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Proficio Capital Partners LLC acquired a new position in Markel Group in the fourth quarter valued at about $169,852,000. Davis Selected Advisers raised its stake in shares of Markel Group by 27.9% in the 4th quarter. Davis Selected Advisers now owns 370,522 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $639,606,000 after acquiring an additional 80,922 shares during the period. Raymond James Financial Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Markel Group in the 4th quarter worth approximately $98,743,000. Empirical Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Markel Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $54,173,000. Finally, Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec increased its holdings in Markel Group by 3,729.3% in the 3rd quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec now owns 14,896 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $23,366,000 after purchasing an additional 14,507 shares during the last quarter. 77.12% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.