Willis Towers Watson Public Limited (NASDAQ:WTW) Plans $0.88 Quarterly Dividend

Willis Towers Watson Public Limited (NASDAQ:WTW) announced a quarterly dividend on Friday, August 23rd, Zacks reports. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 30th will be paid a dividend of 0.88 per share on Tuesday, October 15th. This represents a $3.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.20%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 30th.

Willis Towers Watson Public has raised its dividend by an average of 6.9% per year over the last three years. Willis Towers Watson Public has a payout ratio of 18.8% indicating that its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Research analysts expect Willis Towers Watson Public to earn $18.56 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $3.52 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 19.0%.

Willis Towers Watson Public Trading Up 0.6 %

WTW opened at $293.02 on Friday. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $284.64 and its 200 day moving average price is $269.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56, a quick ratio of 1.94 and a current ratio of 1.94. The stock has a market capitalization of $29.76 billion, a PE ratio of 29.39, a P/E/G ratio of 1.50 and a beta of 0.74. Willis Towers Watson Public has a one year low of $203.36 and a one year high of $296.45.

Willis Towers Watson Public (NASDAQ:WTW) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The company reported $2.55 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.28 by $0.27. The business had revenue of $2.27 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.27 billion. Willis Towers Watson Public had a return on equity of 16.97% and a net margin of 11.24%. The company’s revenue was up 4.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $2.05 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Willis Towers Watson Public will post 16.51 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of Willis Towers Watson Public from $318.00 to $321.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Barclays assumed coverage on Willis Towers Watson Public in a research note on Wednesday, September 4th. They set an “underweight” rating and a $278.00 price target on the stock. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their price objective on Willis Towers Watson Public from $320.00 to $323.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on Willis Towers Watson Public from $275.00 to $272.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 10th. Finally, Roth Mkm lifted their target price on Willis Towers Watson Public from $300.00 to $315.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, July 26th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Willis Towers Watson Public presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $298.73.

Willis Towers Watson Public Company Profile

Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company operates as an advisory, broking, and solutions company worldwide. It operates through two segments: Health, Wealth & Career and Risk & Broking. The company offers strategy and design consulting, plan management service and support, broking and administration services for health, wellbeing, and other group benefit program, including medical, dental, disability, life, voluntary benefits and other coverages; actuarial support, plan design, and administrative services for pension and retirement savings plans; retirement consulting services and solutions; and integrated solutions that consists of investment discretionary management, pension administration, core actuarial, and communication and change management assistance services.