Sheets Smith Investment Management Takes $1.32 Million Position in Willis Towers Watson Public Limited (NASDAQ:WTW)

Sheets Smith Investment Management acquired a new stake in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public Limited (NASDAQ:WTW - Free Report) in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 4,203 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,317,000.

A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in Willis Towers Watson Public by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 2,629,439 shares of the company's stock valued at $772,027,000 after purchasing an additional 19,623 shares in the last quarter. FMR LLC raised its holdings in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 2.0% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 2,416,455 shares of the company's stock valued at $711,718,000 after buying an additional 48,384 shares during the period. Baupost Group LLC MA boosted its holdings in Willis Towers Watson Public by 7.8% in the 3rd quarter. Baupost Group LLC MA now owns 1,781,206 shares of the company's stock worth $524,619,000 after acquiring an additional 128,558 shares during the period. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC grew its position in 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 in the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of Willis Towers Watson Public by 2.1% during the fourth quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 604,686 shares of the company's stock worth $189,412,000 after purchasing an additional 12,162 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 93.09% of the company's stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In other Willis Towers Watson Public news, insider Julie Jarecke Gebauer sold 3,384 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $335.77, for a total value of $1,136,245.68. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 74,417 shares of the company's stock, valued at $24,986,996.09. This represents a 4.35 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.22% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. 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 report on Wednesday, January 8th. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded Willis Towers Watson Public from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $352.00 to $382.00 in a research note on Friday, December 20th. UBS Group raised Willis Towers Watson Public from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and increased their price target for the company from $344.00 to $395.00 in a report on Tuesday, March 18th. 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 report on Thursday, December 5th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their target price on Willis Towers Watson Public from $378.00 to $387.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, January 10th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating, nine have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $346.15.

Willis Towers Watson Public Stock Up 0.3 %

Shares of Willis Towers Watson Public stock traded up $0.94 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $338.87. The company's stock had a trading volume of 166,679 shares, compared to its average volume of 502,128. The firm has a market capitalization of $33.78 billion, a P/E ratio of -338.84, a PEG 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 quick ratio of 1.72, a current ratio of 1.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $327.12 and a 200-day simple moving average of $312.66.

Willis Towers Watson Public (NASDAQ:WTW - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 4th. The company reported $8.13 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $8.01 by $0.12. The business had revenue of $3.04 billion during 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 firm's quarterly revenue was up 4.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $7.44 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Willis Towers Watson Public Limited will post 17.32 earnings per share for the current year.

Willis Towers Watson Public Increases Dividend

The business 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 $0.92 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 31st. This is an increase from Willis Towers Watson Public's previous quarterly dividend of $0.88. This represents a $3.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.09%. Willis Towers Watson Public's dividend payout ratio is -368.00%.

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.