Virtu Financial LLC Buys Shares of 404 Markel Group Inc. (NYSE:MKL)

Virtu Financial LLC bought a new stake in Markel Group Inc. (NYSE:MKL - Free Report) during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 404 shares of the insurance provider's stock, valued at approximately $697,000.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of MKL. Brooklyn Investment Group acquired a new stake in shares of Markel Group during the 3rd quarter worth about $31,000. FPC Investment Advisory Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Markel Group during the fourth quarter worth $37,000. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. acquired a new position in Markel Group in the fourth quarter valued at $36,000. Larson Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in Markel Group during the third quarter worth about $36,000. Finally, Global Trust Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in Markel Group in the 4th quarter worth about $41,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 77.12% of the company's stock.

Markel Group Stock Down 0.3 %

Shares of NYSE:MKL traded down $6.16 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $1,863.65. The company's stock had a trading volume of 54,380 shares, compared to its average volume of 45,840. The company has a market capitalization of $23.80 billion, a PE ratio of 9.36 and a beta of 0.82. Markel Group Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $1,417.65 and a fifty-two week high of $2,063.68. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a current ratio of 0.60. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $1,856.87 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $1,721.35.

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Markel Group (NYSE:MKL - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The insurance provider reported $20.51 earnings per share (EPS) 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, sell-side analysts expect that Markel Group Inc. will post 96.25 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other Markel Group news, CEO Thomas Sinnickson Gayner acquired 100 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 7th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $2,008.01 per share, for a total transaction 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 acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Steven A. Markel sold 1,146 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,858.49, for a total transaction of $2,129,829.54. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 63,722 shares in the company, valued at $118,426,699.78. This represents a 1.77 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 2,034 shares of company stock worth $3,778,952. 1.71% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts recently commented on MKL shares. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price target on shares of Markel Group from $1,750.00 to $2,025.00 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a research report on Friday, February 7th. StockNews.com lowered shares of Markel Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, February 14th. Finally, TD Cowen downgraded Markel Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and lowered their price target for the company from $1,986.00 to $1,836.00 in a report on Monday, December 2nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and five have assigned a hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $1,702.20.

Markel Group 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.