Los Angeles Capital Management LLC Buys 2,538 Shares of Markel Group Inc. (NYSE:MKL)

Los Angeles Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Markel Group Inc. (NYSE:MKL) by 32.4% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 10,361 shares of the insurance provider’s stock after buying an additional 2,538 shares during the quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC’s holdings in Markel Group were worth $17,885,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Brooklyn Investment Group bought a new position in Markel Group in the third quarter valued at approximately $31,000. FPC Investment Advisory Inc. bought a new position in Markel Group in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $37,000. Larson Financial Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Markel Group in the third quarter worth $36,000. Global Trust Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in Markel Group during the fourth quarter worth $41,000. Finally, Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB acquired a new position in Markel Group during the third quarter worth $42,000. Institutional investors own 77.12% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

MKL has been the subject of several recent research reports. TD Cowen cut shares of Markel Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and reduced their target price for the stock from $1,986.00 to $1,836.00 in a report on Monday, December 2nd. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on shares of Markel Group from $1,750.00 to $2,025.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Friday, February 7th. Finally, StockNews.com cut shares of Markel Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, February 14th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and six have given a hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $1,685.17.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CEO Thomas Sinnickson Gayner acquired 100 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 7th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $2,008.01 per share, with a total value of $200,801.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 48,945 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $98,282,049.45. This trade represents a 0.20 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Steven A. Markel sold 800 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,856.80, for a total transaction of $1,485,440.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 64,868 shares in the company, valued at $120,446,902.40. The trade was a 1.22 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 1.71% of the company’s stock.

Markel Group Stock Performance

NYSE MKL opened at $1,888.12 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.60, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $1,795.94 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $1,678.01. Markel Group Inc. has a 1 year low of $1,417.65 and a 1 year high of $2,063.68. The firm has a market capitalization of $24.28 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.49 and a beta of 0.78.

Markel Group (NYSE:MKL) 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 return on equity of 7.55% and a net margin of 16.34%. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Markel Group Inc. will post 96.25 EPS for the current year.

Markel Group Company 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.