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Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (MRSH)

Financial Services BalancedS&P 500

Marsh & McLennan is a global professional services giant that helps businesses manage risks, insurance, and human resources strategies.

$176.91

Is Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. a good stock for a UK beginner?

The honest version: There's no rating here and nothing for sale. In its favour: Dominant market position in risk and insurance. Worth weighing: Recent dip in earnings growth.

No rating · no target price · nothing for sale here
Price-18.6%
= past earnings-report date
Priced in USD. As a UK investor your £ return also moves with the pound-to-dollar exchange rate, even inside an ISA - a stronger pound can trim your £ gains and a weaker pound can add to them, whatever the share price itself does.
52-week range-5% past year
$176.91
Low $156.60High $213.80
Where today's price sits versus its past year - context, not a signal.

Is this normal for this company?

Each figure against the range this same company has produced recently. Neither end of a range is the good end.

Price to earnings
17.3now
17.822.7

Share price divided by the earnings actually reported over the four most recent quarters. The range is the same calculation at each of this company's last few results, so roughly the past year.

Net profit margin
17.1%now
11.8%17.4%

Profit as a share of sales, from the company's own quarterly statements. The range covers the 5 quarters we hold, and the figure shown is its most recent one.

How these ranges are built

Every number here is the company's own reported figure, not a comparison with other companies. The ranges come from this company's own results and its share price. Where it reports in a different currency from the one its shares trade in, the price-to-earnings range is left out rather than mixing the two.

What does Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. do?

Think of Marsh & McLennan as the world's leading 'problem solver' for big companies, helping them navigate everything from complex insurance policies to employee benefits and business strategy. Fees for this expert advice, together with acting as a middleman between businesses and insurance providers, are what earn them their keep. Keep an eye on how well they keep growing their client base, since their business is essentially built on being the go-to advisor for large corporations worldwide.

On our factor screen it looks strongest on income and momentum, and weakest on growth.

Quick checks

Does Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. pay a dividend?

Yes - Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. currently pays a dividend of about 2.1% a year, which is £21 a year for every £1,000 invested (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it. An ISA doesn't shelter the US tax on this one →

What do the numbers say about Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.'s dividend?

There's no rating here, and we don't judge whether the dividend will continue - that would be advice. Here are the figures income investors usually look at, and what each one means, so you can weigh it up yourself.

Dividend yield2.1%£21 a year for every £1,000 invested. The yearly dividend as a percentage of today's price. A very high figure often means the price has fallen because the market expects a cut, so a big yield is a question to look into, not a prize.
Payout ratio44%about 44 in every 100 pounds of profit. The share of profit paid out as dividends. A lower figure leaves headroom; near or above 100% means most or all of the profit is going out as dividends.
Dividend cover2.3×Profit divided by the dividend (the payout ratio the other way up). As a rough convention many income investors like around 2× or more; below 1× means the company paid out more than it earned that year.

Figures are from the latest available data and can be distorted by one-off results. Past payments don't predict future ones, and a dividend can be cut at any time. This lays out the numbers to help you understand them - it is not a view on what will happen.

Most recent ex-dividend date: 23 Jul 2026. To receive a dividend you must already own the shares before the ex-dividend date; become a holder on or after it and the previous owner keeps that payment. Why the price usually falls that morning →

What do Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.'s numbers mean?

P/E
23.38
This shows how much you are paying for every pound of the company's recent annual profit.
Higher than most of the 131 Financial Services shares we cover
Return on Equity
25.9%
This measures how efficiently the company uses the money shareholders have invested to generate profit.
Higher than most of the 137 Financial Services shares we cover
Beta
0.6
A number below 1 suggests the share price tends to be less jumpy than the wider stock market.
Dividend Yield
2.1%
This is the annual cash payout to shareholders as a percentage of the current share price.
Around the middle of the 141 Financial Services shares we cover

How has it performed?

Growth of £1,000, the worst fall, and year by year
If you had put $1,000 into Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.
$814-19%

Over about 2 years to 2026-09-11. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.

How much has Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. actually fallen?

−36%

Over the last 2 years of daily prices, Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. fell as much as −36% from a high to a later low. Falls like this are normal when you own a share.

Past falls are not a forecast - it can fall further, or recover.

How has it done year by year?

2022-3%
2023+16%
2024+14%
2025-11%
2026 so far+5%

Calendar-year total return - the share price with dividends reinvested - from adjusted closing prices. The current year is only part-complete. Past returns are not a guide to the future.

A closer look at the numbers

Ownership, earnings history, where the money goes, and the outlook range
Market cap: The company's total value on the stock market - share price times the number of shares. Big = 'large-cap', small = 'small-cap'.
$91.27B
Avg volume: How many shares change hands on a typical day. Higher means it's easy to buy or exit without moving the price.
2.71M
Day range: The lowest and highest price the shares traded at during the latest day.
$175.52 – $179.01
52-week range: The lowest and highest the shares have traded over the past year - a sense of how wide the swings have been.
$156.60 – $213.80
P/E ratio: Price-to-earnings: the share price divided by yearly profit per share. Lower can mean cheaper; higher often means investors expect fast growth.
23.4
Dividend yield: The yearly dividend as a percentage of the share price - roughly the income you'd earn from dividends alone.
2.1%
Beta: How bumpy the share price is versus the whole market. Above 1 swings more than the market; below 1 is calmer. It's about the ride, not whether it goes up or down.
0.58

Does the share price tell you if it's cheap or expensive?

One share costs$176.91
Number of shares516 million
So the whole company is worth$91.27bn
A £5 share is not cheaper than a £500 one - it means the company cut itself into more slices. Whether the total looks high or low is what the figures below are for; we don't give a verdict.

Who owns Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.?

Big institutions 95%Public & smaller investors 5%

About 95% of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc., or about 95 in every 100 shares, is held by big institutions such as pension and index funds. The rest, roughly 5%, is held by the public and smaller investors.

What this does and doesn't tell you

This is a recent snapshot of the share register, and it moves. We don't read anything into who owns what - a high institutional share is common for any large listed company and is not a signal about it.

How bumpy is it?Beta: How bumpy the share price is versus the whole market. Above 1 swings more than the market; below 1 is calmer. It's about the ride, not whether it goes up or down. 0.58
Calm
Wild
Steadier than most

Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.

Why has it been moving?▼ -3% past week · ▼ -5% past year

Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.

How much money does Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. make?

Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.

RevenueNet income
$0$1.90B$3.80B$5.70B$7.60BQ2 25Q3 25Q4 25Q1 26Q2 26
Gross margin
44.0%
Net margin
14.2%
Return on equity
25.9%

Where does each £100 of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.'s sales go?

Making the product or service £56Running costs, tax and interest £30Left as profit £14

A rough split of the latest full-year figures: of every £100 of sales, about £56 covers making the product or service, £30 goes on running costs, tax and interest, and about £14 is left as profit. Margins vary a lot by industry, and one-off items can distort a single year.

When does Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?

Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. is next scheduled to report on about 2026-10-15 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.

‘Beat’ and ‘missed’ are against what analysts expected, not whether the business is doing well.

Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.: reported versus expected earnings per share, recent quarters
ReportedExpected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number.Actual EPSvs expected
2026-07-21$2.89$2.96Beat +2%
2026-04-16$3.22$3.29Beat +2%
2026-01-29$1.97$2.12Beat +7%
2025-10-16$1.78$1.85Beat +4%
2025-07-17$2.66$2.72Beat +2%
2025-04-17$3.00$3.06Beat +2%

Across the last 6 quarters here, Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. came in ahead of what analysts expected 6 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.

See who else reports over the next two weeks →

Where these figures come from

Each quarter a company reports its results against a consensus of analyst forecasts. The figures here are reported versus expected earnings per share from published results; the expectation is that analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates and can move.

What are the scenarios for Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.?

An illustrative range for the year ahead — not a prediction or a price target.

◀ lowerhigher ▶todayBull▲ UpsideBase• In-lineBear▼ Downside
Bull
+5% to +10%Stronger demand for risk consulting services
Base
-2% to +2%Steady business as usual
Bear
-5% to -10%Economic slowdown reducing corporate spending

What are the pros, cons and common questions?

The case each way, and the questions people ask
The bull case

Expansion into emerging markets

The bear case

Long-term decline in corporate consulting demand

What are the pros and cons of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.?

3bull points
6bear points

A balance check, not a score or verdict.

The bull case3
  • Dominant market position in risk and insurance
  • High return on equity: How much profit the company makes for each £1 shareholders have put in. Higher usually means a more efficient business. suggests efficient management
  • Lower volatility compared to the broader market
The catch3
  • Recent dip in earnings growth
  • High price-to-book: The share price versus the company's net assets per share (its book value). Under 1 can look cheap, though it varies a lot by industry. ratio suggests a premium valuation
  • Dependence on corporate spending cycles
Key risks3
  • Global economic downturns reducing client budgets
  • Regulatory scrutiny of insurance brokerage fees
  • Potential for large-scale cyber or data security incidents
What would flip the thesis

The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.

  • A sustained period of negative revenue growth
  • Significant loss of key talent or major corporate clients

Common questions about Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.

Does Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. pay a dividend?

Yes - Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. currently pays a dividend of about 2.1% a year. Dividends are a share of profit paid to holders; the yield moves with the price and payouts can be cut.

When does Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. report earnings next?

Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. is next scheduled to report results on about 2026-10-15. Report dates are estimates and can move; this is a diary note for when to look, not a forecast of the outcome.

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Confidence: medium · data: USD · flags: none · Charts by TradingView Lightweight Charts™
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Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →

This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-02 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.

Prices as of 11 Sep 2026; other figures as of 11 Aug 2026. Prices may be delayed and numbers can go stale - always double-check before acting.