Markel Group Inc. (NYSE:MKL) Given Average Recommendation of “Hold” by Analysts

Shares of Markel Group Inc. (NYSE:MKL) have been given an average rating of “Hold” by the six brokerages that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company. The average 1 year target price among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $1,651.83.

A number of brokerages have weighed in on MKL. StockNews.com lowered Markel Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, November 15th. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price objective on Markel Group from $1,590.00 to $1,600.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 9th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada dropped their target price on Markel Group from $1,700.00 to $1,675.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, November 1st.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Markel Group

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Markel Group by 3.7% in the first quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC now owns 2,006 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $3,052,000 after purchasing an additional 71 shares in the last quarter. UniSuper Management Pty Ltd boosted its holdings in Markel Group by 90.0% in the 1st quarter. UniSuper Management Pty Ltd now owns 190 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $289,000 after buying an additional 90 shares during the period. Evermay Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Markel Group in the 1st quarter worth $75,000. Crewe Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Markel Group during the first quarter valued at about $81,000. Finally, Shell Asset Management Co. lifted its position in shares of Markel Group by 41.8% in the first quarter. Shell Asset Management Co. now owns 743 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $1,130,000 after acquiring an additional 219 shares in the last quarter. 77.12% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Markel Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE MKL opened at $1,778.09 on Wednesday. Markel Group has a fifty-two week low of $1,342.66 and a fifty-two week high of $1,778.10. 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 company has a market capitalization of $22.87 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.20 and a beta of 0.73. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $1,605.30 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $1,587.91.

Markel Group (NYSE:MKL) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 30th. The insurance provider reported $17.34 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $21.97 by ($4.63). The firm had revenue of $3.69 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.74 billion. Markel Group had a net margin of 17.03% and a return on equity of 10.86%. Analysts expect that Markel Group will post 88.52 EPS for the current fiscal year.

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.