XML 27 R14.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.24.0.1
Acquisitions and Dispositions
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
Business Combination and Asset Acquisition [Abstract]  
Acquisitions and Dispositions Acquisitions and Dispositions
The Company’s acquisitions have been accounted for as business combinations. Net assets and results of operations are included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements commencing at the respective purchase closing dates. In connection with acquisitions, the Company records the estimated values of the net tangible assets and the identifiable intangible assets purchased, which typically consist of customer relationships, developed technology, trademarks and non-compete agreements. The valuation of purchased intangible assets involves significant estimates and assumptions. The Company estimates the fair value of purchased intangible assets, primarily using the income approach, by determining the present value of future cash flows over the remaining economic life of the respective assets. The significant estimates and assumptions used in this approach include the determination of the discount rate, economic life, future revenue growth rates, expected account attrition rates and earnings margins. Refinement and completion of final valuation of net assets acquired could affect the carrying value of tangible assets, goodwill and identifiable intangible assets.
The Risk and Insurance Services segment completed 9 acquisitions in 2023:
•May – Marsh acquired Austral Insurance Brokers Pty Ltd, an Australia-based insurance broker that provides risk advice services and business insurance solutions in the labor hire, mining services, transport, manufacturing, agribusiness, retail and professional services sectors.
•June – Guy Carpenter acquired Re Solutions, an Israel-based reinsurance broker with actuarial and analytics capabilities and solutions, including an extensive facultative reinsurance offering, and Marsh & McLennan Agency ("MMA") acquired SOLV Risk Solutions, LLC, a Texas-based risk management advisory services firm.
•July – MMA acquired Integrity HR, Inc., a Kentucky-based human resources consulting firm and Trideo Systems, an Illinois-based risk management information systems provider for health care organizations; and Marsh acquired Asprose Corredora de Seguros, a Costa Rica-based insurance broker that provides insurance brokerage and risk advisory services to commercial organizations.
•August – MMA acquired Graham Company, a Pennsylvania-based risk management consultancy and insurance and employee benefits broker, specializing in construction, real estate, manufacturing and distribution, health and human services and professional services.
•September – MMA acquired Blue Water Insurance LLC, a Kentucky-based employee health and benefits insurance broker.
•November - Marsh acquired HIG Australia Holdco Pty Ltd ("Honan Insurance Group"), an Australia-based insurance broker in the areas of corporate risk, employee benefits, and strata and real estate insurance.
The Consulting segment completed 5 acquisitions in 2023:
•March – Mercer acquired Leapgen LLC, a Minnesota-based human resources consulting technology advisory firm focused on digital strategy and transformation, workforce solutions, and improving employee experience.
•April – Mercer acquired Westpac Banking Corporation’s ("Westpac") financial advisory business, Advance Asset Management, and completed the transfer from Westpac of BT Financial Group's personal and corporate pension funds to the Mercer Super Trust managed by Mercer Australia (referred to collectively, as the "Westpac Transaction"). Oliver Wyman Group acquired the business of Gorman Actuarial, Inc., a Massachusetts-based life and health actuarial consultant business.
•July – Oliver Wyman Group acquired the actuarial consulting business of ISC Strategies Consulting, Inc., a Florida-based life insurance and actuarial consulting firm.
•October – Mercer acquired BT Financial Group's Private Portfolio Management, an Australia-based wealth management business that provides investment solutions to not-for-profit organizations, high-net worth clients and their financial advisers.
Total purchase consideration for acquisitions made during 2023 was $1.2 billion, which consisted of cash paid of $1.1 billion, and deferred and estimated contingent purchase consideration of $41 million. Contingent consideration arrangements are generally based on earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") or revenue targets over a period of 2 to 4 years. The fair value of the contingent consideration was based on projected revenue and earnings of the acquired entities.
In 2023, the Company also paid $67 million of deferred purchase consideration and $176 million of contingent purchase consideration related to acquisitions made in prior years. Estimated fair values of assets acquired and liabilities assumed are subject to adjustment until purchase accounting is finalized.
The following table presents the preliminary allocation of purchase consideration to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed in 2023, based on the estimated fair values for the acquisitions as of their respective acquisition dates. Amounts in the table primarily reflect the impact of Honan Insurance Group, Graham Company and the Westpac Transaction.
Acquisitions for the Year Ended December 31, 2023
(In millions)
Cash$1,140 
Estimated fair value of deferred/contingent consideration41 
Total consideration$1,181 
Allocation of purchase price:
Cash and cash equivalents$48 
Cash and cash equivalents held in a fiduciary capacity93 
Net receivables46 
Other current assets9 
Goodwill813 
Other intangible assets427 
Fixed assets, net3 
Right of use assets17 
Total assets acquired1,456 
Current liabilities68 
Fiduciary liabilities93 
Other liabilities114 
Total liabilities assumed275 
Net assets acquired$1,181 
The purchase price allocation for assets acquired and liabilities assumed is based on estimates that are preliminary in nature and subject to adjustments, which could be material. Any necessary adjustments must be finalized during the measurement period, which for a particular asset, liability, or non-controlling interest ends once the acquirer determines that either (1) the necessary information has been obtained or (2) the information is not available. However, the measurement period for all items is limited to one year from the acquisition date.
Items subject to change include:
•amounts of intangible assets, fixed assets, capitalized software assets and right-of-use assets, subject to finalization of valuation efforts;
•amounts for contingencies, pending the finalization of the Company’s assessment of the portfolio of contingencies;
•amounts for deferred tax assets and liabilities pending the finalization of valuations of the assets acquired, liabilities assumed and associated goodwill discussed below; and
•amounts for income tax assets, receivables and liabilities, pending the filing of the acquired companies' pre-acquisition income tax returns and receipt of information from taxing authorities which may change certain estimates and assumptions used.
The estimation of fair value requires numerous judgments, assumptions and estimates about future events and uncertainties, which could materially impact these values, and the related amortization, where applicable, in the Company’s results of operations.
The following table provides information about other intangible assets acquired in 2023:
Other intangible assets through December 31, 2023
(In millions)
Amount Weighted Average Amortization Period
Customer relationships$407 12.8 years
Other20 4.0 years
Total other intangible assets$427 
The consolidated statements of income include the results of operations of acquired companies since their respective acquisition dates. The consolidated statement of income for 2023 includes approximately $152 million of revenue and $24 million of operating income related to acquisitions made in 2023. The consolidated statement of income for 2022 includes approximately $58 million of revenue and $5 million of operating loss related to acquisitions made in 2022, and the consolidated statement of income for 2021 includes approximately $114 million of revenue and $3 million of operating income related to acquisitions made in 2021.
In 2023 and 2022, acquisition and integration related costs were $45 million and $29 million, respectively. These included $39 million and $21 million in 2023 and 2022, respectively, related to the Westpac Transaction, primarily for technology, consulting, legal and people related costs. Acquisition and integrations costs are included in other operating expenses in the Company's consolidated statements of income.
Dispositions
On January 1, 2024, the Company sold its Mercer U.S. health and benefits and U.K pension administration businesses for approximately $110 million. The Company expects the gain on sale not to be material. The Company reclassified $70 million of related net assets as assets held for sale, primarily goodwill and intangible assets, to other current assets at December 31, 2023.
In January 2023, the Company entered into an agreement for the sale of an individual financial advisory business in Canada which was completed in May 2023. As a result, the Company recorded a loss of $17 million in 2023, primarily related to the write-down of the customer relationship intangible assets. The loss is included in revenue in the consolidated statements of income.
In connection with the disposition of the Mercer U.S. affinity business in 2022, the Company transferred to the buyer an additional $24 million of cash and cash equivalents held in a fiduciary capacity in 2023.
Prior year acquisitions
The Risk and Insurance Services segment completed 16 acquisitions in 2022:
•January – MMA acquired Heil & Kay Insurance Agency Inc., an Illinois-based full-service broker providing business insurance, employee health benefits services and personal lines insurance.
•April – Marsh acquired the business of Regional Treaty Services Corporation, a Rhode Island-based managing general underwriter, which manages reinsurance facilities for small to midsize U.S.-based insurers primarily writing personal lines, small agriculture, and main street commercial business.
•June – MMA acquired Clark Insurance, a Maine-based full-service broker providing business insurance, employee health and benefits and private client services to businesses and individuals across the region.
•July – MMA acquired CS Insurance Strategies, Inc., an Illinois-based full-service broker providing employee health and benefits, business insurance, and risk management consulting services to organizations of all sizes across the U.S. and Suchanek Partners LLC, an Ohio-based employee benefits insurance broker.
•August – Marsh acquired Best Insurance Co. Ltd, a Japan-based insurance broker that provides affinity type schemes, general and personal lines insurance.
•September – MMA acquired Steinberg & Associates, Inc., a South Carolina-based insurance broker that primarily offers employee health benefit services to group clients and Leykell, Inc., a Texas-based full-service broker that provides specialty insurance focused on trade credit.
•October – MMA acquired Galbraith Group, a Texas-based employee health and benefits insurance broker.
•November – MMA acquired Focus Insurance and Financial Services, a Texas-based personal insurance broker and Bradley Insurance Agency, a commercial insurance broker in Knoxville, Tennessee, with
expertise serving the hospitality and construction industries. Marsh increased its ownership interest in Beassur SARL, a Morocco-based multi-line insurance broker, from 35% to 70%.
•December – MMA acquired McDonald-Zaring Insurance, Inc., a Washington-based full-service broker focused on agribusiness, wineries, crops and contractors, Chartwell Insurance Brokers, Inc., a Massachusetts-based full-service broker that specializes in commercial Property & Casualty insurance in the technology, financial services and non-profit space, and HMS Insurance Associates, Inc., a Maryland-based full-service broker providing commercial, surety, employee benefits, and personal lines insurance. Marsh acquired BHM Consultores S.A., d/b/a Grupo Mesos, a leading auto affinity insurance broker specialist in Chile that has extensive distribution partnerships with car dealerships, original equipment manufacturers and auto finance companies.
The Consulting segment completed 4 acquisitions in 2022:
•February – Oliver Wyman acquired Azure Consulting, an Australia-based management consulting firm with expertise in strategy development, organizational design and operations in the industrials, energy and natural resources sectors.
•March – Mercer acquired GeFi Assurances, a France-based brokerage and consulting firm specializing in collective corporate social protection.
•September – Oliver Wyman acquired Booz Allen Hamilton's strategy consulting business serving the Middle East and North Africa.
•November – Oliver Wyman acquired the Avascent Group Ltd, an aerospace and defense management consulting firm focused on the corporate and private equity sectors based in the U.S., U.K., Canada and France.
Total purchase consideration for acquisitions made in 2022 was $705 million, which consisted of cash paid of $579 million and deferred and estimated contingent purchase consideration of $120 million and the fair value of a previously held equity method investment of $6 million. Contingent consideration arrangements are generally based on EBITDA or revenue targets over periods of 2 to 4 years. The fair value of the contingent consideration was based on projected revenue and earnings of the acquired entities. In 2022, the Company also paid $126 million of deferred purchase consideration and $70 million of contingent purchase consideration related to acquisitions made in prior years. Estimated fair values of assets acquired and liabilities assumed are subject to adjustment when purchase accounting is finalized.
In December 2021, in connection with its increased investment in Marsh India, the Company recorded a gain of $267 million related to the re-measurement and consolidation of its previously held equity method investment to fair value. The fair value of the pre-existing equity method investment was calculated using an average of applying an income approach based on discounted future cash flows and market approach.
Prior year dispositions
In April 2022, Mercer sold its U.S. affinity business that provided insurance marketing, brokerage and administration to association and affinity groups for cash proceeds of approximately $140 million and recorded a net gain of $112 million which is included in revenue in the consolidated statements of income.
In addition, in 2022, the Company sold certain businesses in the U.K., the Czech Republic, Brazil and Belgium for cash proceeds of approximately $15 million and recorded a net gain of $15 million.
The cash proceeds received were partially offset by $36 million primarily related to cash and cash equivalents held in a fiduciary capacity in the disposed businesses.
Deconsolidation of Russia
In the first quarter of 2022, the Company concluded that it did not meet the accounting criteria for control over its wholly-owned Russian subsidiaries due to the evolving trade and economic sanctions against Russia and the related Russian counter sanctions. These sanctions included restrictions on payments to and from Russian companies and reduced currency access through official exchange markets that have significantly impacted the Company's ability to effectively manage and operate its Russian businesses.
As a result, the Company deconsolidated its Russian businesses effective as of the end of the first quarter of 2022, and recorded a loss of $39 million included in revenue in the consolidated statements of income. The loss consisted of the reclassification of cumulative translation losses from AOCI and a charge for the write-off of the Russia businesses' net assets.
In June 2022, the Company entered into a definitive agreement to exit its businesses in Russia and transfer ownership to local management, pending regulatory approvals.
Purchase of remaining non-controlling interest
In the second quarter of 2023, the Company purchased the remaining interest in a subsidiary for $139 million.
Pro-Forma Information
The following unaudited pro-forma financial data gives effect to the acquisitions made by the Company in 2023, 2022 and 2021. In accordance with accounting guidance related to pro-forma disclosures, the information presented for current year acquisitions is as if they occurred on January 1, 2022 and reflects acquisitions made in 2022 as if they occurred on January 1, 2021. The 2021 information includes 2021 acquisitions as if they occurred on January 1, 2020. The unaudited pro-forma information includes the effects of amortization of acquired intangibles in all years. The unaudited pro-forma financial data is presented for illustrative purposes only and is not necessarily indicative of the operating results that would have been achieved if such acquisitions had occurred on the dates indicated, nor is it necessarily indicative of future consolidated results.
For the Years Ended December 31,
(In millions, except per share data)202320222021
Revenue$22,904 $21,238 $20,220 
Net income attributable to the Company$3,807 $3,058 $3,177 
Basic net income per share attributable to the Company$7.71 $6.12 $6.27 
Diluted net income per share attributable to the Company$7.63 $6.06 $6.20