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Business Combinations
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2021
Business Combinations [Abstract]  
Business Combinations

3.  Business Combinations

During the six-month period ended June 30, 2021, we acquired substantially all of the net assets of the following firms in exchange for our common stock and/or cash.  These acquisitions have been accounted for using the acquisition method for recording business combinations (in millions, except share data):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

 

Maximum

 

 

 

Common

 

 

Common

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recorded

 

 

Recorded

 

 

Potential

 

Name and Effective

 

Shares

 

 

Share

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accrued

 

 

Escrow

 

 

Earnout

 

 

Purchase

 

 

Earnout

 

Date of Acquisition

 

Issued

 

 

Value

 

 

Cash Paid

 

 

Liability

 

 

Deposited

 

 

Payable

 

 

Price

 

 

Payable

 

 

 

(000s)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Atlas General Holdings, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

January 1, 2021 (AGH)

 

 

 

 

$

 

 

$

95.2

 

 

$

 

 

$

5.4

 

 

$

8.7

 

 

$

109.3

 

 

$

35.0

 

Bollington Wilson Group

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   February 5, 2021 (BWG)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

328.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

329.4

 

 

 

 

LDJ American Online

   Benefits Group, LLC

      May 1, 2021 (LDJ)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

38.2

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.1

 

 

 

14.8

 

 

 

60.1

 

 

 

20.0

 

Eleven other acquisitions

   completed in 2021

 

 

152.0

 

 

 

19.4

 

 

 

130.6

 

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

11.8

 

 

 

25.7

 

 

 

187.6

 

 

 

50.5

 

 

 

 

152.0

 

 

$

19.4

 

 

$

592.0

 

 

$

0.1

 

 

$

25.7

 

 

$

49.2

 

 

$

686.4

 

 

$

105.5

 

 

On May 12, 2021, we signed an agreement to acquire certain Willis Towers Watson plc reinsurance, specialty and retail brokerage operations as part of a proposed regulatory remedy for the pending Aon plc and Willis Towers plc combination for net cash consideration of approximately $3.57 billion.  On July 26, 2021, we announced that this agreement had been terminated in conjunction with the announced termination of the Aon plc and Willis Towers Watson plc combination.

On May 17, 2021, we closed on a follow-on public offering of our common stock whereby 10.3 million shares of our stock were issued for net proceeds, after underwriting discounts and other expenses related to this offering, of $1,437.9 million. Prior to the termination of our agreement to acquire certain Willis Towers Watson plc brokerage operations, our intent was to use the net proceeds of the offering to fund this acquisition.  We are evaluating opportunities to deploy these funds, which may include share repurchases and other acquisitions, as well as other general corporate purposes.

On May 20, 2021, we closed and funded an offering of $1,500.0 million of unsecured senior notes in two tranches.  The $650.0 million aggregate principal amount of 2.50% Senior Notes are due 2031 (which we refer to as the 2031 Notes) and the $850.0 million aggregate principal amount of 3.50% Senior Notes are due 2051 (which we refer to as the 2051 notes).  The weighted average interest rate is 3.31% per annum after giving effect to underwriting costs and the net hedge loss.  Prior to the termination of our agreement to acquire certain Willis Towers Watson plc brokerage operations, our intent was to use the net proceeds of this offering to fund this transaction.  In conjunction with the termination of this agreement, on July 29, 2021, we exercised the special option redemption feature for the 2031 Senior Notes (which is described in further detail in Note 7 below).  These notes will be redeemed on August 13, 2021.

Common shares issued in connection with acquisitions are valued at closing market prices as of the effective date of the applicable acquisition or on the days when the shares are issued, if purchase consideration is deferred.  We record escrow deposits that are returned to us as a result of adjustments to net assets acquired as reductions of goodwill when the escrows are settled.  The maximum potential earnout payables disclosed in the foregoing table represent the maximum amount of additional consideration that could be paid pursuant to the terms of the purchase agreement for the applicable acquisition.  The amounts recorded as earnout payables, which are primarily based upon the estimated future operating results of the acquired entities over a two- to three-year period subsequent to the acquisition date, are measured at fair value as of the acquisition date and are included on that basis in the recorded purchase price consideration in the foregoing table.  We will record subsequent changes in these estimated earnout obligations, including the accretion of discount, in our consolidated statement of earnings when incurred.

The fair value of these earnout obligations is based on the present value of the expected future payments to be made to the sellers of the acquired entities in accordance with the provisions outlined in the respective purchase agreements, which is a Level 3 fair value measurement. In determining fair value, we estimated the acquired entity’s future performance using financial projections developed by management for the acquired entity and market participant assumptions that were derived for revenue growth and/or profitability. Revenue growth rates generally ranged from 5.0% to 15.0% for our 2021 acquisitions.  We estimated future payments using the earnout formula and performance targets specified in each purchase agreement and the financial projections just described. We then discounted these payments to present value using a risk-adjusted rate that takes into consideration market-based rates of return that reflect the ability of the acquired entity to achieve the targets. The discount rate was 7.0% to 10.5% for all of our 2021 acquisitions.  Changes in financial projections, market participant assumptions for revenue growth and/or profitability, or the risk-adjusted discount rate, would result in a change in the fair value of recorded earnout obligations.  

During the three-month periods ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, we recognized $9.2 million and $7.7  million, respectively, of expense in our consolidated statement of earnings related to the accretion of the discount recorded for earnout obligations in connection with our acquisitions.  During the six-month periods ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, we recognized $18.2 million and $18.4 million, respectively, of expense in our consolidated statement of earnings related to the accretion of the discount recorded for earnout obligations in connection with our acquisitions.  In addition, during the three-month periods ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, we recognized $4.6  million and $8.0  million of expense, respectively, related to net adjustments in the estimated fair value of the liability for earnout obligations in connection with revised projections of future performance for 26 and 44 acquisitions, respectively. In addition, during the six-month periods ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, we recognized $10.6  million of expense and $91.6 million of income, respectively, related to net adjustments in the estimated fair value of the liability for earnout obligations in connection with revised projections of future performance for 48 and 102 acquisitions, respectively. The aggregate amount of maximum earnout obligations related to acquisitions was $1,068.1 million as of June 30, 2021, of which $560.1 million was recorded in the consolidated balance sheet as of June 30, 2021, based on the estimated fair value of the expected future payments to be made, of which approximately $536.2 million can be settled in cash or stock at our option and $23.9 million must be settled in cash.  

The following is a summary of the estimated fair values of the net assets acquired at the date of each acquisition made in the six‑month period ended June 30, 2021 (in millions):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eleven Other

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AGH

 

 

BWG

 

 

LDJ

 

 

Acquisitions

 

 

Total

 

Cash and restricted cash

 

$

32.8

 

 

$

24.9

 

 

$

0.7

 

 

$

7.2

 

 

$

65.6

 

Other current assets

 

 

112.0

 

 

 

15.2

 

 

 

15.8

 

 

 

36.9

 

 

 

179.9

 

Fixed assets

 

 

7.4

 

 

 

3.8

 

 

 

 

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

11.3

 

Noncurrent assets

 

 

1.2

 

 

 

5.3

 

 

 

0.2

 

 

 

5.4

 

 

 

12.1

 

Goodwill

 

 

45.9

 

 

 

223.0

 

 

 

29.1

 

 

 

89.2

 

 

 

387.2

 

Expiration lists

 

 

39.7

 

 

 

109.1

 

 

 

21.3

 

 

 

89.4

 

 

 

259.5

 

Non-compete agreements

 

 

0.3

 

 

 

16.1

 

 

 

0.6

 

 

 

1.2

 

 

 

18.2

 

Trade names

 

 

 

 

 

3.2

 

 

 

0.5

 

 

 

0.4

 

 

 

4.1

 

Total assets acquired

 

 

239.3

 

 

 

400.6

 

 

 

68.2

 

 

 

229.8

 

 

 

937.9

 

Current liabilities

 

 

129.8

 

 

 

39.6

 

 

 

8.0

 

 

 

36.4

 

 

 

213.8

 

Noncurrent liabilities

 

 

0.2

 

 

 

31.6

 

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

5.8

 

 

 

37.7

 

Total liabilities assumed

 

 

130.0

 

 

 

71.2

 

 

 

8.1

 

 

 

42.2

 

 

 

251.5

 

Total net assets acquired

 

$

109.3

 

 

$

329.4

 

 

$

60.1

 

 

$

187.6

 

 

$

686.4

 

 

Among other things, these acquisitions allow us to expand into desirable geographic locations, further extend our presence in the retail and wholesale insurance and reinsurance brokerage markets and in third party claims administration services and increase the volume of general services currently provided.  The excess of the purchase price over the estimated fair value of the tangible net assets acquired at the acquisition date was allocated to goodwill, expiration lists, non-compete agreements and trade names in the amounts of $387.2 million, $259.5 million, $18.2 million and $4.1 million, respectively, within the brokerage and risk management segments.

Provisional estimates of fair value are established at the time of each acquisition and are subsequently reviewed within the first year of operations subsequent to the acquisition date to determine the necessity for adjustments.  The fair value of the tangible assets and liabilities for each applicable acquisition at the acquisition date approximated their carrying values.  The fair value of expiration lists was established using the excess earnings method, which is an income approach based on estimated financial projections developed by management for each acquired entity using market participant assumptions.  Revenue growth and attrition rates generally ranged from 3.0% to 4.8% and 4.3% to 16.1%, respectively, for our 2020 acquisitions for which valuations were performed in 2021.  We estimate the fair value as the present value of the benefits anticipated from ownership of the subject expiration list in excess of returns required on the investment in contributory assets necessary to realize those benefits.  The rate used to discount the net benefits was based on a risk-adjusted rate that takes into consideration market-based rates of return and reflects the risk of the asset relative to the acquired business.  These discount rates generally ranged from 10.0% to 13.5% for our 2020 acquisitions for which valuations were performed in 2021.  The fair value of non-compete agreements was established using the profit differential method, which is an income approach based on estimated financial projections developed by management for the acquired company using market participant assumptions and various non-compete scenarios.

Expiration lists, non-compete agreements and trade names related to our acquisitions are amortized using the straight-line method over their estimated useful lives (two to fifteen years for expiration lists, two to six years for non-compete agreements and two to fifteen years for trade names), while goodwill is not subject to amortization.  We use the straight-line method to amortize these intangible assets because the pattern of their economic benefits cannot be reasonably determined with any certainty.  We review all of our identifiable intangible assets for impairment periodically (at least annually) and whenever events or changes in business circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the assets may not be recoverable.  In reviewing identifiable intangible assets, if the undiscounted

future cash flows were less than the carrying amount of the respective (or underlying) asset, an indicator of impairment would exist and further analysis would be required to determine whether or not a loss would need to be charged against current period earnings as a component of amortization expense.  Based on the results of impairment reviews during the three-month periods ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, we wrote off $8.0 million and $0.2 million, respectively, of amortizable assets related to the brokerage and risk management segments.  Based on the results of impairment reviews during the six-month periods ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, we wrote off $13.1  million and $46.0 million, respectively, of amortizable assets related to the brokerage and risk management segments.

Of the $259.5 million of expiration lists, $18.2 million of non-compete agreements and $4.1 million of trade names related to our acquisitions made during the six-month period ended June 30, 2021, $138.6 million, $16.4 million and $3.3 million, respectively, is not expected to be deductible for income tax purposes.  Accordingly, we recorded a deferred tax liability of $26.5 million, and a corresponding amount of goodwill, in the six-month period ended June 30, 2021, related to the nondeductible amortizable intangible assets.  

Our consolidated financial statements for the six-month period ended June 30, 2021 include the operations of the entities acquired in the six-month period ended June 30, 2021 from their respective acquisition dates.  The following is a summary of the unaudited pro forma historical results, as if these entities had been acquired at January 1, 2020 (in millions, except per share data):

 

 

Three-month period ended

 

 

Six-month period ended

 

 

June 30,

 

 

June 30,

 

 

2021

 

 

2020

 

 

2021

 

 

2020

 

Total revenues

$

1,936.8

 

 

$

1,620.0

 

 

$

4,129.4

 

 

$

3,527.3

 

Net earnings attributable to controlling interests

 

190.6

 

 

 

153.2

 

 

 

575.6

 

 

 

500.2

 

Basic net earnings per share

 

0.95

 

 

 

0.80

 

 

 

2.91

 

 

 

2.64

 

Diluted net earnings per share

 

0.93

 

 

 

0.79

 

 

 

2.84

 

 

 

2.58

 

 

The unaudited pro forma results above have been prepared for comparative purposes only and do not purport to be indicative of the results of operations which actually would have resulted had these acquisitions occurred at January 1, 2020, nor are they necessarily indicative of future operating results.  Annualized revenues of entities acquired during the six-month period ended June 30, 2021 totaled approximately $173.8 million.  For the six-month period ended June 30, 2021, total revenues and net earnings recorded in our unaudited consolidated statement of earnings related to our acquisitions made during the six-month period ended June 30, 2021 in the aggregate, were $60.6 million and $2.7 million, respectively.