Marsh & McLennan Companies 10-Q 2023-03-31

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)

For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2023

OR

For the transition period from to

Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.

1166 Avenue of the Americas

New York, New York 10036

(212) 345-5000

Commission file number 1-5998

State of Incorporation: Delaware

I.R.S. Employer Identification No. 36-2668272

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ý No ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ý No ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," "smaller reporting company," and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ý

As of April 17, 2023, there were outstanding 494,721,334 shares of common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the registrant.

INFORMATION CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains "forward-looking statements," as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements, which express management's current views concerning future events or results, use words like "anticipate," "assume," "believe," "continue," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "plan," "project" and similar terms, and future or conditional tense verbs like "could," "may," "might," "should," "will" and "would".

Forward-looking statements are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in our forward-looking statements. Factors that could materially affect our future results include, among other things:

• the impact of geopolitical or macroeconomic conditions on us, our clients and the countries and industries in which we operate, including from conflicts such as the war in Ukraine, slower GDP growth or recession, capital markets volatility, instability in the banking sector and inflation;

• the increasing prevalence of ransomware, supply chain and other forms of cyber attacks, and their potential to disrupt our operations, or the operations of our third party vendors, and result in the disclosure of confidential client or company information;

• the impact from lawsuits or investigations arising from errors and omissions, breaches of fiduciary duty or other claims against us in our capacity as a broker or investment advisor, including claims related to our investment business’ ability to execute timely trades;

• the financial and operational impact of complying with laws and regulations, including domestic and international sanctions regimes, anti-corruption laws such as the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, U.K. Anti Bribery Act and cybersecurity and data privacy regulations;

• our ability to attract, retain and develop industry leading talent;

• our ability to compete effectively and adapt to competitive pressures in each of our businesses, including from disintermediation as well as technological change, digital disruption and other types of innovation;

• our ability to manage potential conflicts of interest, including where our services to a client conflict, or are perceived to conflict, with the interests of another client or our own interests;

• the impact of changes in tax laws, guidance and interpretations, such as the implementation of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development international tax framework, or disagreements with tax authorities; and

• the regulatory, contractual and reputational risks that arise based on insurance placement activities and insurer revenue streams.

The factors identified above are not exhaustive. Marsh McLennan and its subsidiaries (collectively, the "Company") operate in a dynamic business environment in which new risks emerge frequently. Accordingly, we caution readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which are based only on information currently available to us and speak only as of the dates on which they are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances arising after the date on which it is made.

Further information concerning Marsh McLennan and its businesses, including information about factors that could materially affect our results of operations and financial condition, is contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the "Risk Factors" section and the "Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" section of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

MARSH & McLENNAN COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(Unaudited)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited consolidated statements.

MARSH & McLENNAN COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(Unaudited)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited consolidated statements.

MARSH & McLENNAN COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited consolidated statements.

MARSH & McLENNAN COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Continued)

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General

Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc., and its consolidated subsidiaries (the "Company") is a global professional services firm offering clients advice in the areas of risk, strategy and people. The Company’s more than 85,000 colleagues advise clients in over 130 countries. With annual revenue of over $20 billion, the Company helps clients navigate an increasingly dynamic and complex environment through four market-leading businesses.

Marsh provides data-driven risk advisory services and insurance solutions to commercial and consumer clients. Guy Carpenter develops advanced risk, reinsurance and capital strategies that help clients grow profitably and identify and capitalize on emerging opportunities. Mercer delivers advice and technology-driven solutions that help organizations redefine the future of work, shape retirement and investment outcomes, and advance health and well-being for a changing workforce. Oliver Wyman Group serves as a critical strategic, economic and brand advisor to private sector and governmental clients.

The Company conducts business through two segments:

• Risk and Insurance Services** includes risk management activities (risk advice, risk transfer and risk control and mitigation solutions) as well as insurance and reinsurance broking and services. The Company conducts business in this segment through Marsh and Guy Carpenter.

• Consulting** includes health, wealth and career solutions and products, and specialized management, strategic, economic and brand consulting services. The Company conducts business in this segment through Mercer and Oliver Wyman Group.

The results of operations in the Management Discussion & Analysis ("MD&A") includes an overview of the Company's consolidated results for the three months ended March 31, 2023, compared to the corresponding quarter in 2022, and should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes. This section also includes a discussion of the key drivers impacting the Company's financial results of operations both on a consolidated basis and by reportable segments.

We describe the primary sources of revenue and categories of expense for each segment in the discussion of segment financial results. A reconciliation of segment operating income to total operating income is included in Note 18, Segment Information, in the notes to the consolidated financial statements included in Part I, Item 1, of this report.

For information and comparability of the Company's results of operations and liquidity and capital resources for the three months ended March 31, 2022, refer to "Item 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" of our Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2022.

This MD&A contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Refer to "Information Concerning Forward-Looking Statements" at the outset of this report.

Non-GAAP measures

The Company reports its financial results in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (U.S.), referred to as in accordance with "GAAP" or "reported" results. The Company also refers to and presents a non-GAAP financial measure in non-GAAP revenue, within the meaning of Regulation G and Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Company has included a reconciliation of this non-GAAP financial measure to the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with GAAP as part of the consolidated revenue and expense discussion. Percentage changes, referred to as non-GAAP underlying revenue, are calculated by dividing the period over period change in non-GAAP revenue by the prior period non-GAAP revenue.

The Company believes this non-GAAP financial measure provides useful supplemental information that enables investors to better compare the Company’s performance across periods. Management also uses this measure internally to assess the operating performance of its businesses and to decide how to allocate resources. However, investors should not consider this non-GAAP measure in isolation from, or as a substitute for, the financial information that the Company reports in accordance with GAAP. The Company's non-GAAP measure includes adjustments that reflect how management views its businesses and may differ from similarly titled non-GAAP measures presented by other companies.

Financial Highlights

*•*Consolidated revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2023 was $5.9 billion, an increase of 7% or 9% on an underlying basis.

*•*Consolidated operating income increased $281 million, or 19% to $1.7 billion for the three months ended March 31, 2023, compared to the corresponding quarter in the prior year. Net income attributable to the Company was $1.2 billion. Earnings per share on a diluted basis increased from $2.10 to $2.47, or 18% compared to the corresponding quarter in the prior year.

• Risk and Insurance Services revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2023 was $3.9 billion, an increase of 10%, or 11% on an underlying basis. Operating income was $1.4 billion compared with $1.1 billion in the corresponding quarter in the prior year.

• Consulting revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2023 was $2.0 billion, an increase of 1%, or 5% on an underlying basis. Operating income was $411 million, compared with $392 million in the corresponding quarter in the prior year.

*•*The Company issued $600 million of 5.45% senior notes due 2053.

• In the first quarter of 2023, the Company repurchased 1.8 million shares of stock for $300 million.

For additional details, refer to the Consolidated Results of Operations and Liquidity and Capital Resources sections in this MD&A.

Acquisitions and dispositions impacting the Risk and Insurance Services and Consulting segments are discussed in Note 8, Acquisitions and Dispositions, in the notes to the consolidated financial statements.

Consolidated Results of Operations

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Market Risk and Credit Risk

Certain of the Company’s revenues, expenses, assets and liabilities are exposed to the impact of interest rate changes and fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates and equity markets.

Interest Rate Risk and Credit Risk

Interest income generated from the Company's cash, cash equivalents, and cash and cash equivalents held in a fiduciary capacity will vary with the general level of interest rates.

The Company had the following investments subject to variable interest rates:

Based on the above balances at March 31, 2023, if short-term interest rates increased or decreased by 10%, or 36 basis points, over the course of the year, annual interest income, including interest earned on cash and cash equivalents held in a fiduciary capacity, would increase or decrease by approximately $32 million. At December 31, 2022, a change in short-term interest rates of 10% or 25 basis points would have increased or decreased interest income by approximately $30 million. The change in interest rate risk at March 31, 2023 is due to higher short-term interest rates compared to the prior year.

Changes in interest rates can also affect the discount rate and assumed rate of return on plan assets, two of the assumptions among several others used to measure net periodic pension expense. The assumptions used to measure plan assets and liabilities are typically assessed at the end of each year, and determine the expense for the subsequent year. Assumptions used to determine net periodic cost for 2023 are discussed in Note 8, Retirement Benefits, in the notes to the consolidated financial statements included in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K. For a discussion on pension expense sensitivity to changes in these rates, see the "Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Management’s Discussion of Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates - Retirement Benefits" section of our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K.

In addition to interest rate risk, our cash investments and fiduciary cash investments are subject to potential loss of value due to counter-party credit risk. To minimize this risk, the Company and its subsidiaries invest pursuant to a Board approved investment policy. The policy mandates the preservation of principal and liquidity and requires broad diversification with counter-party limits assigned based primarily on credit rating and type of investment. The Company carefully monitors its cash, cash equivalents, and cash and cash equivalents held in a fiduciary capacity, and will further restrict the portfolio as appropriate to market conditions. The majority of cash, cash equivalents, and cash and cash equivalents held in a fiduciary capacity are invested in short-term bank deposits and liquid money market funds.

Foreign Currency Risk

The translated values of revenue and expense from the Company’s international operations are subject to fluctuations due to changes in currency exchange rates. The non-U.S. based revenue that is exposed to foreign exchange fluctuations is approximately 51% of total revenue. We periodically use forward contracts and options to limit foreign currency exchange rate exposure on net income and cash flows for specific, clearly defined transactions arising in the ordinary course of business. Although the Company has significant revenue generated in foreign locations which is subject to foreign exchange rate fluctuations, in most cases both the foreign currency revenue and expense are in the functional currency of the foreign location. As such, under normal circumstances, the U.S. dollar translation of both the revenue and expense, as well as the potentially offsetting movements of various currencies against the U.S. dollar, generally tend to mitigate the impact on net operating income of foreign currency risk.

However, there have been periods where the impact was not mitigated due to external market factors, and external macroeconomic events may result in greater foreign exchange rate fluctuations in the future. If foreign exchange rates of major currencies (Euro, British Pound, Australian dollar and Canadian dollar) moved 10% in the same direction against the U.S. dollar that held constant over the course of the year, the Company estimates that full year net operating income would increase or decrease by approximately $79 million. The Company has exposure to approximately 80 foreign currencies overall. If exchange rates at March 31, 2023, hold constant for the rest of 2023, the Company estimates the year-over-year impact from the conversion of foreign currency earnings will decrease full year net operating income by approximately $37 million.

In Continental Europe, the largest amount of revenue from renewals for the Risk and Insurance Services segment occurs in the first quarter.

Equity Price Risk

The Company holds investments in both public and private companies as well as private equity funds, including investments of approximately $16 million that are valued using readily determinable fair values and approximately $43 million of investments without readily determinable fair values. The Company also has investments of approximately $214 million that are accounted for using the equity method. The investments are subject to risk of decline in market value, which, if determined to be other than temporary for assets without readily determinable fair values, could result in realized impairment losses. The Company periodically reviews the carrying value of such investments to determine if any valuation adjustments are appropriate under the applicable accounting pronouncements.

Other

A number of lawsuits and regulatory proceedings are pending. See Note 17, Claims, Lawsuits and Other Contingencies, in the notes to the consolidated financial statements included in this report.

a. Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Based on their evaluation, as of the end of the period covered by this report, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) or 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) are effective.

b. Changes in Internal Control

There were no other changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting identified in connection with the evaluation required by Rules 13a-15(d) or 15d-15(d) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that occurred during the Company’s last fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1. Legal Proceedings.

The Company and its subsidiaries are also party to a variety of other legal, administrative, regulatory and government proceedings, claims and inquiries arising in the normal course of business. Additional information regarding certain legal proceedings and related matters as set forth in Note 17, Claims, Lawsuits and Other Contingencies, in the notes to the consolidated financial statements provided in Part I of this report is incorporated herein by reference.

The Company and its subsidiaries face a number of risks and uncertainties. In addition to the other information in this report and our other filings with the SEC, readers should consider carefully the risk factors discussed in "Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022.

If any of the risks described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K or such other risks actually occur, our business, results of operations or financial condition could be materially adversely affected.

Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds.

Issuer Repurchases of Equity Securities

During the three months ended March 31, 2023, the Company repurchased 1.8 million shares of its common stock for $300 million. As of March 31, 2023, the Company remained authorized to repurchase up to approximately $4.0 billion in shares of its common stock. There is no time limit on the authorization.

Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities.

None.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosure.

Not Applicable.

None.

See the Exhibit Index immediately following the signature page of this report, which is incorporated herein by reference.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

EXHIBIT INDEX