Leases

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

10. Leases

The Company leases office space in North America, Europe, Asia, South America, Africa, and Australia. This space is primarily used for office and administrative purposes by the Company’s employees in performing professional services. These leases are classified as operating leases and expire between years 2024 through 2034. The Company’s finance leases are immaterial.

The Company’s leasing policies are established in accordance with FASB’s Accounting Standards Codification 842 (“ASC 842”), and accordingly, the Company recognizes on the balance sheet at the time of lease commencement a right-of-use lease asset and a lease liability, initially measured at the present value of the lease payments. Right-of-use lease assets represent the Company’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent the Company’s obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. All right-of-use lease assets are reviewed for impairment. As the Company’s implicit rate in its leases is not readily determinable, in determining the present value of lease payments, the Company uses its incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at the commencement date. Lease payments included in the measurement of the lease liability are comprised of non-cancellable lease payments, payments based upon an index or rate, payments for optional renewal periods where it is reasonably certain the renewal period will be exercised, and payments for early termination options unless it is reasonably certain the lease will not be terminated early.

Lease costs are recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Operations over the lease term on a straight-line basis. Leasehold improvements are depreciated on a straight-line basis over the lesser of the term of the related lease or the estimated useful life of the asset.

Some of the Company’s leases contain variable lease payments, including payments based upon an index or rate. Variable lease payments based upon an index or rate are initially measured using the index or rate in effect at the lease commencement date and are included within the lease liabilities. Lease liabilities are not remeasured as a result of changes in the index or rate, rather changes in these types of payments are recognized in the period in which the obligation for those payments is incurred. In

addition, some of our leases contain variable payments for utilities, insurance, real estate tax, repairs and maintenance, and other variable operating expenses. Such amounts are not included in the measurement of the lease liability and are recognized in the period when the facts and circumstances which the variable lease payments are based upon occur.

Some of the Company’s leases include options to extend or renew the leases through 2044. The renewal and extension options are not included in the lease term as the Company is not reasonably certain that it will exercise its option.

From time to time, the Company enters into sublease arrangements with unrelated third parties. These leases are classified as operating leases and expire between years 2024 through 2032. Sublease income is recognized over the lease term on a straight-line basis. Currently, the Company subleases office space in North America and Europe.

As of December 31, 2023, the Company entered into three operating leases for which the commencement date has not yet occurred primarily because of the premises being prepared for occupancy by the landlord. Accordingly, these three leases represent an obligation of the Company that is not reflected within the Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2023. The aggregate future liability related to these leases is $5.9 million.

The discount rate used for leases accounted for under ASC 842 is the Company’s collateralized credit adjusted borrowing rate.

The following table presents lease costs and other quantitative information for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021:


	Year Ended December 31,
		2023		2022		2021
Lease Cost:		(dollars in thousands)
Operating lease cost		$	76,750	$	75,190	$	46,019
Variable lease cost		20,924		18,575		10,685
Sublease rental income		(9,659)		(14,446)		(7,367)
Total lease cost		$	88,015	$	79,319	$	49,337
Additional information:
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities for operating leases
Operating cash flows		$	88,955	$	91,300	$	53,360

Right-of-use lease assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities and other non-cash adjustments (1)		$	37,259	$	27,761	$	373,179

(1) Includes Right-of-use lease assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities related to acquisitions.

As of December 31, 2023, the weighted average remaining lease term (in years) and weighted average discount rate were 6.41 years and 5.5%, respectively.

Operating lease expense is included in Office and general expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. The Company’s lease expense for leases with a term of 12 months or less is immaterial.

In the year ended December 31, 2023, as a result of subleasing or ceasing use of office spaces, the Company recognized a charge of $10.0 million to reduce the carrying value of four of its right-of-use lease assets and related leasehold improvements. The right-of-use lease assets and related leasehold improvements related to agencies within the Integrated Agencies Network and the Brand Performance Network.

In the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company recognized a charge of $2.6 million, to reduce the carrying value of three of its right-of-use lease assets and related leasehold improvements. The right-of-use lease assets and related leasehold improvements related to agencies within the Integrated Agencies Network and the Brand Performance Network.

The Company evaluated the facts and circumstances related to the use of the assets which indicated that they may not be recoverable. Using estimated and actual sublease income to develop expected future cash flows, it was determined that the fair

value of the assets were less than their carrying value. The aforementioned impairment charges are included in Impairment and other losses within the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

The following table presents minimum future rental payments under the Company’s leases as of December 31, 2023 and their reconciliation to the corresponding lease liabilities:


	Maturity Analysis
	(dollars in thousands)
2024	$	78,733
2025	68,302
2026	57,312
2027	52,130
2028	48,884
Thereafter	112,102
Total	417,463
Less: Present value discount	(70,257)
Lease liability	$	347,206