Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.’s (MMC Quick QuoteMMC ) unit Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA) recently completed the purchase of one of the biggest independent agencies in North Dakota, Vaaler Insurance, Inc. However, terms of the deal were kept under the wraps. MMA is the middle market arm of Marsh, which in turn, is part of the company’s Risk and Insurance Services segment.
Vaaler caters to business insurance, employee health and benefits, and personal lines solutions. The agency has a solid reputation in the region and is known for its excellent client service and unique insurance solutions.
With the market full of risks, it is the right time to take such strategic initiatives. Vaaler will be able to gain from MMA’s strength and a wide network.
Inorganic Growth Story
Acquisitions form one of the core growth strategies at this currently Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company. The leading insurance broker made numerous purchases within its different operating units that enabled it to enter new geographies, expand within the existing locations, foray into new businesses, develop new segments and specialize within its current businesses. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
It continued to build its arm Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC (MMA) through buyouts. The year 2020 marked a record phase for MMA with regard to acquired revenues since its establishment in 2009. MMA completed eight transactions last year fetching combined revenues of around $235 million.
On Apr 1, 2021, the company bought PayneWest, one of the largest independent agencies in the United States. The Risk and Insurance Services segment also acquired The Pryor Group, LLC, a Texas-based full-service broker providing business insurance with a specialty in quick service restaurants and the personal lines of franchise owners.
Top 5 Insurance Stocks To Buy Right Now: W.R. Berkley Corporation(WRB)
W. R. Berkley Corporation, an insurance holding company, operates as commercial lines writers in the property casualty insurance business primarily in the United States. The company operates in five segments: Specialty, Regional, Alternative Markets, Reinsurance, and International. The Specialty segment underwrites third-party liability risks, primarily excess, and surplus lines, including premises operations, professional liability, commercial automobile, products liability, and property lines. The Regional segments provide commercial insurance products to small-to-mid-sized businesses, and state and local governmental entities primarily in the 45 states of the United States. The Alternative Markets segment develops, insures, reinsures, and administers self-insurance programs and other alternative risk transfer mechanisms. This segment offers its services to employers, employer groups, insurers, and alternative market funds, as well as provides a range of fee-based servic es, including consulting and administrative services. The Reinsurance segment engages in the underwriting property casualty reinsurance on a treaty and a facultative basis, including individual certificates and program facultative business; and specialty and standard reinsurance lines, and property and casualty reinsurance. The International segment offers personal and commercial property casualty insurance in South America; commercial property casualty insurance in the United Kingdom and continental Europe; and reinsurance in Australia, Southeast Asia, and Canada. The company was founded in 1967 and is based in Greenwich, Connecticut.
Advisors’ Opinion:
- [By Max Byerly]
Shares of W. R. Berkley Corp (NYSE:WRB) saw strong trading volume on Tuesday . 1,794,500 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 388% from the previous session’s volume of 367,847 shares.The stock last traded at $79.32 and had previously closed at $78.15.
- [By Shane Hupp]
Gifford Fong Associates bought a new position in shares of W. R. Berkley Corp (NYSE:WRB) during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor bought 3,000 shares of the insurance provider’s stock, valued at approximately $217,000.
- [By Logan Wallace]
Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on W. R. Berkley (WRB)
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- [By Logan Wallace]
Standard Life Aberdeen plc increased its stake in shares of W. R. Berkley Corp (NYSE:WRB) by 56.6% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 15,374 shares of the insurance provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 5,555 shares during the period. Standard Life Aberdeen plc’s holdings in W. R. Berkley were worth $1,113,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.
Top 5 Insurance Stocks To Buy Right Now: Prudential Financial Inc.(PRU)
Prudential Financial, Inc., through its subsidiaries, offers various financial products and services in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. The company operates through three divisions: The U.S. Retirement Solutions and Investment Management, The U.S. Individual Life and Group Insurance, and The International Insurance and Investments. The U.S. Retirement Solutions and Investment Management division provides individual variable and fixed annuity products, as well as offers retirement investment and income products and services to retirement plan sponsors in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. This division also provides investment management and advisory services to the public and private marketplace. The U.S. Individual Life and Group Insurance division offers individual variable life, term life, and universal life insurance products; and group life, long-term and short-term group disability, long-term care, and group corporate-, bank-and trus t-owned life insurance products to institutional clients. This division also sells accidental death and dismemberment, and other ancillary coverages, as well as provides plan administrative services; and offers preferred provider and indemnity dental coverage plans to clients. The International Insurance and Investments division provides international individual life insurance products in Japan, Korea, and other foreign countries; and offers proprietary and non-proprietary asset management, investment advice, and services to retail and institutional clients internationally. In addition, the company engages in real estate brokerage franchise business, which involves marketing its franchises to the real estate companies. Further, it provides institutional clients and government agencies with various services in connection with the relocation of their employees. Prudential Financial, Inc. was founded in 1875 and is headquartered in Newark, New Jersey.
Advisors’ Opinion:
- [By Louis Navellier and the InvestorPlace Research Staff]
The current Dividend Grader rating for LYB stock is A.
Best Dividend Stocks: Prudential (PRU)
Source: JHVEPhoto / Shutterstock.com
- [By Josh Enomoto]
As well, the company posted a 11% sales increase in the fiscal second quarter of 2021 relative to the year-ago level. That it was also a bump up sequentially from fiscal Q1 results was a nice bonus. Moving forward, whether the coronavirus variants wreak havoc on society or if things normalize, Walgreens enjoys a critical essential business. Thus, it’s one of the dividend stocks to consider.
Prudential Financial (PRU)
- [By Shane Hupp]
COPYRIGHT VIOLATION NOTICE: “Bank of Nova Scotia Buys 33,446 Shares of Prudential Financial Inc (PRU)” was originally published by Ticker Report and is the sole property of of Ticker Report. If you are accessing this story on another website, it was illegally copied and republished in violation of United States & international trademark & copyright legislation. The correct version of this story can be accessed at www.tickerreport.com/banking-finance/4192921/bank-of-nova-scotia-buys-33446-shares-of-prudential-financial-inc-pru.html.
- [By Motley Fool Transcribers]
Prudential Financial Inc (NYSE:PRU)Q4 2018 Earnings Conference CallFeb. 07, 2019, 11:00 a.m. ET
Contents:
Prepared Remarks Questions and Answers Call Participants
Prepared Remarks:Operator
Top 5 Insurance Stocks To Buy Right Now: American International Group Inc.(AIG)
American International Group, Inc. is an international insurance organization. The company operates property and casualty insurance networks worldwide and conducts activities in the U.S. life insurance and retirement services industry. It also involves in commercial aircraft leasing and residential mortgage guaranty insurance businesses. The company, through Chartis Inc., provides various property and casualty insurance products under commercial and consumer categories worldwide. These products include surplus lines, executive liability/directors? and officers? liability, employment practices, excess casualty, and travel/assistance lines. American International Group, through SunAmerica Financial Group, offers a suite of life insurance and retirement products and services, including term life, universal life, accident and health, fixed and variable deferred annuities, fixed payout annuities, mutual funds, and financial planning products and services to individuals and grou ps in the United States. The company, through International Lease Finance Corporation, operates as an aircraft lessor that acquires commercial jet aircraft from various manufacturers and other parties, and leases those aircraft to airlines worldwide. It also sells aircraft from its fleet to other leasing companies, financial services companies, and airlines, as well as provides management services to third-party owners of aircraft portfolios. American International Group, through United Guaranty Corporation, issues residential mortgage guaranty insurance that covers mortgage lenders from the first loss for credit defaults on high loan-to-value conventional first-lien mortgages for the purchase or refinance of one- to four-family residences in the U.S. and internationally. The company was founded in 1967 and is based in New York, New York.
Advisors’ Opinion:
- [By Matthew Frankel, CFP]
At the time of the financial crisis, American International Group (NYSE:AIG) was the world’s largest insurance company. Unfortunately, losses on its mortgage-related investments and some other assets led to major liquidity concerns by the fall of 2018, and the company’s survival was questionable. It was ultimately decided that AIG was “too big to fail,” so the federal government authorized a series of massive credit lines to keep the company afloat.
- [By Matthew Frankel, CFP]
Today marks 10 years to the day since the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve announced a restructuring of insurance giant AIG (NYSE:AIG). Here’s a look back at the key events that led up to the government-assisted restructuring, as well as a quick look at how AIG is doing a decade later.
- [By Motley Fool Transcribing]
American International Group (NYSE:AIG) Q4 2018 Earnings Conference CallFeb. 14, 2019 8:00 a.m. ET
Contents:
Prepared Remarks Questions and Answers Call Participants
Prepared Remarks:
Operator
- [By Dan Caplinger]
The stock market finished the session mixed on Thursday, with investors initially reacting negatively to news of a big drop in retail sales during December but then gradually regaining confidence over the course of the day. By the close, most major benchmarks had declined modestly, though the Nasdaq ended just in the green. Yet among individual companies, weak earnings reports sent some stocks lower. American International Group (NYSE:AIG), CenturyLink (NYSE:CTL), and Six Flags Entertainment (NYSE:SIX) were among the worst performers. Here’s why they did so poorly.
Top 5 Insurance Stocks To Buy Right Now: Aon Corporation(AON)
Aon Corporation provides risk management services, insurance and reinsurance brokerage, and human resource consulting and outsourcing services primarily in the United States, the Americas, the United Kingdom, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. The company?s Risk Solutions segment offers retail brokerage products and services, including affinity products, general underwriting management services, placement services, and captive management services; and advisory services to technology, financial services, agribusiness, aviation, construction, health care, and energy industries, as well as facilitates various risk management solutions for property liability, general liability, professional liability, directors’ and officers’ liability, workers’ compensation, and various healthcare products. This segment also provides risk consulting services comprising captive management; eSolutions products that enable clients to manage risks, policies, claims, and safet y concerns through an integrated technology platform; reinsurance brokerage services, such as actuarial, enterprise risk management, catastrophe management, and rating agency advisory services; property and casualty reinsurance; and specialty lines, which include professional liability, medical malpractice, accident, life, and health, as well as capital management transaction and advisory services. Its HR Solutions segment offers human capital services in the areas of health and benefits, retirement, compensation, and strategic human capital; and benefits administration and human resource business process outsourcing services. The company was founded in 1919 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.
Advisors’ Opinion:
- [By ]
More recently, Buffett has pared back or completely eliminated Berkshire's investments in banks. Newer investments include bets on Verizon (VZ) and insurance company Aon (AON). Buffett also has been adding to stakes in supermarket operator Kroger (KR) and upscale home-goods retailer RH (RH).
- [By Todd Campbell (TMFEBCapital)]
As I mentioned, the Oracle of Omaha didn’t find anything new to add to Berkshire Hathaway’s portfolio. Instead, Berkshire Hathaway added to existing positions in Kroger (NYSE:KR), RH (NYSE:RH), and Aon (NYSE:AON). It also received shares in Organon (NYSE:OGN) when Merck (NYSE:MRK) spun it off on June 3. Berkshire already held the healthcare giant in its portfolio.
- [By Joseph Griffin]
A number of equities analysts recently commented on AON shares. Wells Fargo & Co lifted their price objective on AON from $165.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 13th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on AON from $152.00 to $167.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 14th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods downgraded AON from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 13th. ValuEngine downgraded AON from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 26th. Finally, Zacks Investment Research upgraded AON from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $157.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Monday, December 31st. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. The company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $169.10.
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AON Profile
- [By Stephan Byrd]
TRADEMARK VIOLATION WARNING: “Aon PLC (AON) Position Cut by Scharf Investments LLC” was originally reported by Ticker Report and is the property of of Ticker Report. If you are reading this news story on another site, it was illegally stolen and republished in violation of United States and international trademark and copyright legislation. The original version of this news story can be read at www.tickerreport.com/banking-finance/4213630/aon-plc-aon-position-cut-by-scharf-investments-llc.html.
Top 5 Insurance Stocks To Buy Right Now: Topdanmark A/S (TOP)
Topdanmark A/S is a Denmark-based insurance company engaged in the insurance and pension fund business. The Company’s activities are divided into such segments, as Personal, and SME (Small and Medium Enterprises) and Industrial. The Personal segment sells policies for individual households in Denmark. The SME and Industrial segment offers policies for Denmark-based SME, agricultural and industrial businesses. The Company’s private insurance offering includes such insurance products, as home, vehicle, accident, pet, child and life and health insurance, as well as pension funds. Its corporate insurance offering includes property insurance, insurance of goods and equipment, and car insurance, among others. As of December 31, 2012, it had subsidiaries responsible for life and non-life insurance, as well as for asset management, investment and property-related activities. Advisors’ Opinion:
- [By ]
TOP (TOP) is a coin. It launched on March 21st, 2019. TOP’s total supply is 20,000,000,000 coins and its circulating supply is 5,512,414,943 coins. TOP’s official Twitter account is @topnetwork_top. TOP’s official message board is www.topnetwork.org/blog. TOP’s official website is www.topnetwork.org.
- [By ]
TOP (TOP) is a coin. It launched on March 21st, 2019. TOP’s total supply is 20,000,000,000 coins and its circulating supply is 5,512,414,943 coins. TOP’s official Twitter account is @topnetwork_top. TOP’s official message board is www.topnetwork.org/blog. TOP’s official website is www.topnetwork.org.
- [By Logan Wallace]
TopCoin (CURRENCY:TOP) traded flat against the US dollar during the 24-hour period ending at 16:00 PM E.T. on March 9th. During the last seven days, TopCoin has traded flat against the US dollar. One TopCoin coin can currently be bought for about $0.0008 or 0.00000010 BTC on cryptocurrency exchanges. TopCoin has a market capitalization of $0.00 and $0.00 worth of TopCoin was traded on exchanges in the last 24 hours.
