Markel Group (NYSE:MKL) Shares Up 5.9% – Should You Buy?

Markel Group Inc. (NYSE:MKL) was up 5.9% during trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $1,983.81 and last traded at $1,969.41. Approximately 5,487 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 92% from the average daily volume of 64,810 shares. The stock had previously closed at $1,860.14.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have weighed in on the company. Royal Bank of Canada upped their target price on Markel Group from $1,750.00 to $2,025.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Friday. TD Cowen lowered shares of Markel Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and cut their price objective for the company from $1,986.00 to $1,836.00 in a research report on Monday, December 2nd. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Markel Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $1,685.17.

Markel Group Trading Down 1.6 %

The stock has a market capitalization of $26.07 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.19 and a beta of 0.78. 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 company has a fifty day moving average of $1,761.26 and a two-hundred day moving average of $1,648.97.

Markel Group (NYSE:MKL) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 5th. The insurance provider reported $20.51 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $20.66 by ($0.15). Markel Group had a return on equity of 7.55% and a net margin of 16.34%. On average, research analysts expect that Markel Group Inc. will post 97.92 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Markel Group

In other Markel Group news, CEO Thomas Sinnickson Gayner acquired 100 shares of Markel Group stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 7th. The stock was 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 owns 48,945 shares of the company’s stock, 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 document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 1.71% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Markel Group

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. SpiderRock Advisors LLC grew its position in Markel Group by 199.4% in the 3rd quarter. SpiderRock Advisors LLC now owns 473 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $742,000 after purchasing an additional 315 shares during the last quarter. Versor Investments LP grew its position in Markel Group by 72.4% during the third quarter. Versor Investments LP now owns 381 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $598,000 after buying an additional 160 shares in the last quarter. Fiduciary Alliance LLC increased its stake in Markel Group by 25.2% during the fourth quarter. Fiduciary Alliance LLC now owns 1,881 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $3,247,000 after acquiring an additional 379 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its holdings in Markel Group by 10.4% in the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 5,571 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $8,736,000 after acquiring an additional 527 shares in the last quarter. Finally, State Street Corp lifted its position in shares of Markel Group by 4.2% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 329,209 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $516,391,000 after acquiring an additional 13,372 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 77.12% of the company’s stock.

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.