Equity Method Investments in Affiliates

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]

In the first, third and fourth quarters of 2020, the Company completed minority investments in Comvest Partners, Inclusive Capital Partners LP and Jackson Square Partners LLC (“Jackson Square”), respectively. The majority of the consideration paid for Jackson Square is deductible for U.S. tax purposes over a 15 year life. The Company’s purchase price allocation for each investment was measured using financial models that included assumptions of expected market performance, net client cash flows, and discount rates.

The financial results of certain Affiliates accounted for under the equity method are recognized in the Consolidated Financial Statements one quarter in arrears.

The following table presents the change in Equity method investments in Affiliates (net):


	Equity Method Investments in Affiliates (Net)
	2019		2020
Balance, beginning of period	$	2,791.0	$	2,195.6
Earnings	289.4		288.6
Intangible amortization and impairments	(627.4)		(332.0)
Distributions of earnings	(252.4)		(236.8)
Foreign currency translation	(40.0)		5.1
Investments in Affiliates	162.3		128.7
Divestments of Affiliates	(117.7)		—
Other	(9.6)		25.6
Balance, end of period	$	2,195.6	$	2,074.8

Definite-lived acquired client relationships at the Company’s Affiliates accounted for under the equity method are amortized over their expected period of economic benefit. The Company recorded amortization expense for these relationships of $97.5 million, $142.4 million and $147.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020, respectively. Based on relationships existing as of December 31, 2020, the Company estimates the annual amortization expense attributable to its Affiliates will be approximately $120 million in 2021 and approximately $50 million in each of 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.

In the first quarter of 2019, the Company recorded a $415.0 million expense to reduce the carrying value of an Affiliate to fair value. In March 2019, the Company concluded that the growth expectations of the Affiliate had declined and determined that the estimated fair value of the Affiliate had also declined meaningfully. Therefore, the Company performed a valuation to determine whether the fair value of the Affiliate had declined below its carrying value. The fair value of the investment was determined using a probability-weighted discounted cash flow analysis, a level 3 fair value measurement, that included a projected compounded asset based fee growth over the first five years of (13)%, discount rates of 11% and 20% for asset and performance based fees, respectively, and a market participant tax rate of 25%. Based on the probability-weighted discounted

cash flow analysis, the Company concluded that the fair value of its investment had declined below its carrying value and that the decline was other-than-temporary. In October 2019, the Company sold its interest in the Affiliate.

In the third quarter of 2019, the Company recorded a $10.0 million expense to reduce the carrying value of an Affiliate to fair value. The fair value of the investment was determined using a probability-weighted discounted cash flow analysis, a level 3 fair value measurement, that included a projected growth rate of (20)%, discount rates of 11% and 20% for asset and performance based fees, respectively, and a market participant tax rate of 25%. Based on the discounted cash flow analysis, the Company concluded that the fair value of its investment had declined below its carrying value and that the decline was other-than-temporary.

In the fourth quarter of 2019, the Company recorded a $60.0 million expense to reduce the carrying value of an Affiliate to fair value. The decline in the fair value was a result of a decline in assets under management and a reduction in projected growth, which decreased the forecasted revenue associated with the investment. The fair value of the investment was determined using a discounted cash flow analysis, a level 3 fair value measurement that included a projected growth rate of 9% for assets under management, discount rates of 11% and 20% for asset and performance based fees, respectively, and a market participant tax rate of 25%. Based on the discounted cash flow analysis, the Company concluded that the fair value of its investment had declined below its carrying value and that the decline was other-than-temporary.

In the first and fourth quarters of 2020, the Company recorded expenses of $140.0 million and $45.0 million, respectively, to reduce the carrying value of an Affiliate to fair value. The decline in the fair values was a result of declines in assets under management and reductions in projected growth, which decreased the forecasted revenues associated with the investment. The fair values of the investment were determined using probability-weighted discounted cash flow analyses, level 3 fair value measurements that included projected compounded growth in assets under management over the first five years of (2)% and (5)% for the first and fourth quarters of 2020, respectively, discount rates of 11% for asset based fees, discount rates of 20% for performance based fees, and market participant tax rates of 25%. Based on the discounted cash flow analyses, the Company concluded that the fair value of its investment had declined below its carrying value at each of the respective measurement dates and that the decline was other-than-temporary.

For the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company completed its annual assessment of its investments in Affiliates accounted for under the equity method and no other impairments were indicated. If financial markets become depressed for a prolonged period as a result of COVID-19 or other factors, or the financial performance of an Affiliate worsens as a result of net client cash outflows or performance, regardless of the performance of financial markets, the fair values of these assets could drop below their carrying values for periods considered other than temporary, resulting in future impairments.

In connection with one of the Company’s investments in an Affiliate, a minority owner has the right to elect to sell a portion of its ownership interest in the Affiliate to the Company annually. In the second quarter of 2019, the minority owner sold a 5% ownership interest in the Affiliate to the Company for $25.7 million.

In the fourth quarter of 2020, the Company recorded a liability in Other liabilities of $40.0 million, with a corresponding increase to the carrying value of the Affiliate in Equity method investments in Affiliates (net), related to the achievement of specified financial targets by the Affiliate. This payment is expected to settle in 2022.

As of December 31, 2020, the Company was obligated to make payments related to an investment in an Affiliate accounted for under the equity method. The maximum the company is obligated to pay is $35.0 million in 2021 and $37.5 million in 2022.

The following table presents summarized financial information for Affiliates accounted for under the equity method:


	For the Years Ended December 31,
	2018		2019		2020
Revenue(1)	$	3,231.7	$	2,760.9	$	2,659.7
Net income(1)	1,286.1		1,061.3		1,061.8


	December 31,
	2019		2020
Assets	$	2,718.5	$	2,958.9

Liabilities and Non-controlling interests	1,212.7		1,245.5

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(1)Revenue and net income include asset and performance based fees, the impact of consolidated sponsored investment products and investments in new Affiliates for the full-year, regardless of the date of the Company’s investment.

The Company’s share of undistributed earnings from equity method investments is recorded in Equity method investments in Affiliates (net) and was $170.6 million as of December 31, 2020.