7 Percent Growth in Reported Commissions and Fees; Strong 3 Percent
Organic Growth in Commissions and Fees despite Soft Insurance Market
Reported Earnings per Diluted Share $0.27; Adjusted Earnings per
Diluted Share increased 9 Percent to $0.59
Please replace the release dated July 30, 2008 with the following
corrected version due to multiple revisions to the table entitled, "WILLIS
GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED SEGMENTAL SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL
INFORMATION (in millions)(unaudited)."
The corrected release reads:
WILLIS GROUP REPORTS SECOND QUARTER 2008 RESULTS; CONTINUED EXECUTION
OF SHAPING OUR FUTURE STRATEGIES FOR PROFITABLE GROWTH DRIVES RESULTS
7 Percent Growth in Reported Commissions and Fees; Strong 3 Percent
Organic Growth in Commissions and Fees despite Soft Insurance Market
Reported Earnings per Diluted Share $0.27; Adjusted Earnings per
Diluted Share increased 9 Percent to $0.59
Willis Group Holdings Limited (NYSE: WSH), the global insurance broker,
today reported results for the quarter and six months ended June 30,
2008.
“Our three percent organic commissions and
fees growth is a testament to our successful top line growth strategies
and diversified business mix, despite continued softness in the
insurance marketplace,” said Joe Plumeri,
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
“We continue to diligently execute Shaping
our Future strategies for profitable growth with the key Shaping our
Future Marketing and Client Profitability initiatives gaining momentum,”
continued Plumeri. “We are recognizing
identified cost savings and remain vigilant on expense management while
continuing to make investments for future growth.”
Second Quarter 2008 Financial Results
Reported net income for the quarter ended June 30, 2008 was $39 million,
or $0.27 per diluted share, compared with $78 million, or $0.54 per
diluted share, a year ago. The results for the second quarter 2008 were
significantly impacted by pre-tax charges totaling $62 million for
contract buyouts, severance and other costs.
Excluding these charges, which are reviewed in detail later in this
release, adjusted earnings per diluted share increased 9 percent to
$0.59 in the second quarter 2008 from $0.54 a year ago. The impact of
foreign currency translation increased second quarter 2008 earnings per
diluted share by $0.01 compared with the second quarter 2007.
Total reported revenues for the quarter ended June 30, 2008 were $661
million compared with $626 million for the same period last year, an
increase of 6 percent. The effect of foreign currency translation
increased reported revenues by 4 percent.
Organic growth in commissions and fees was 3 percent in the second
quarter 2008 compared with second quarter 2007. This reflected net new
business won of 5 percent; there was a negative 2 percent impact from
declining premium rates tempered by other market factors, such as higher
commission rates, higher insured values and changes in limits and
exposures. Improved client retention levels and momentum from Shaping
our Future growth initiatives, such as Shaping our Future Marketing and
Client Profitability, also contributed to organic growth.
The International business segment contributed 10 percent organic growth
in commissions and fees in the second quarter 2008 compared with the
same period in 2007. There was continued strength in Europe, especially
Spain, Denmark and Norway, and in Latin America, as well as our emerging
market countries including Russia and China.
The North America segment reported organic growth in commissions and
fees of negative 1 percent compared with second quarter 2007 in a soft
insurance market. The North America segment continues to make strategic
investments in targeted practice areas and geographies.
The Global segment, which comprises Global Specialties and Reinsurance,
recorded flat organic growth in commissions and fees in the second
quarter 2008 compared with second quarter 2007. Global Specialties had
positive organic growth in commissions and fees across many specialty
businesses. Reinsurance reported negative organic growth in commissions
and fees due to declining rates across most areas and higher retention
levels by the primary carriers.
Reported operating margin was 11.6 percent for the quarter ended June
30, 2008 compared with 22.0 percent for the same period last year.
Excluding the charges, adjusted operating margin was 21.0 percent for
the quarter ended June 30, 2008 compared with 22.0 percent a year ago,
as we continue to reinvest growth in strategic hires and key
initiatives. Foreign exchange translation had a negative 40 basis point
impact on the adjusted operating margin.
Six Months 2008 Financial Results
Reported net income for the six months ended June 30, 2008 was $205
million, or $1.43 per diluted share, compared with $247 million or $1.65
a year ago. The results for the first six months of 2008 were
significantly impacted by pre-tax charges totaling $95 million for
contract buyouts, severance and other costs.
Excluding these charges, which are reviewed in detail later in this
release, adjusted earnings per diluted share increased 16 percent to
$1.91 in the six months ended June 30, 2008, up from $1.65 a year ago.
The impact of foreign currency translation increased earnings per
diluted share for the first six months of 2008 by $0.09 compared with
the first six months of 2007.
Total reported revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2008 were
$1,456 million compared with $1,365 million for the same period last
year, an increase of 7 percent. The effect of foreign currency
translation increased reported revenues by 5 percent.
Organic growth in commissions and fees was 3 percent for the six months
ended June 30, 2008 compared with the same period in 2007. This growth
was attributed to net new business won of 4 percent; there was a
negative 1 percent impact from declining premium rates tempered by other
market factors such as higher commission rates, higher insured values
and changes in limits and exposures.
Reported operating margin was 20.7 percent for the six months ended June
30, 2008 compared to 27.5 percent for the same period last year.
Excluding the impact of the charges relating to severance and other
costs, adjusted operating margin was 27.3 percent for the six months
ended June 2008, relatively flat compared with the same period last year.
The effective underlying tax rate for the six months ended June 30, 2008
was 28.0 percent, excluding the tax effects of the disposal of the
London headquarters and share-based compensation. The effective
underlying tax rate for full year 2008 is currently estimated to remain
at approximately 28.0 percent compared to 29.5 percent in full year 2007.
Capital
The Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend on the
Company’s common stock of $0.26 per share,
an annual rate of $1.04 per share. The dividend is payable on October
13, 2008 to shareholders of record on September 30, 2008.
As at June 30, 2008, cash and cash equivalents totaled $205 million,
total debt was $1.5 billion and total stockholders’
equity was $1.4 billion. There were no share repurchases during the
quarter and $75 million has been repurchased to date under the existing
$1 billion buyback authorization.
Announcement of Hilb Rogal & Hobbs
Company Acquisition
On June 8, 2008, the Company announced the acquisition of Hilb Rogal &
Hobbs Company (HRH), the eighth largest insurance and risk management
intermediary in the United States.
Under the terms of the definitive agreement, the Company will acquire
all of the outstanding shares of common stock of HRH for $46.00 per
share (subject to adjustment based on changes in the Company’s
stock price in the period prior to the closing of the acquisition), with
approximately fifty percent of the total consideration being paid in
cash and the other fifty percent being paid in stock. The total purchase
price of approximately $2.1 billion includes the assumption of
approximately $400 million of HRH existing debt. Over time, the Company
plans to repurchase the majority of the shares issued in connection with
the merger under its existing buyback authorization.
The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2008,
subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory and HRH
shareholder approval.
Outlook
The Shaping our Future strategy is a series of initiatives designed to
deliver profitable growth, and as previously reported, the Company has
decided to invest in further key hires and initiatives in 2008 and 2009.
As previously announced, the Company is conducting a thorough review of
all businesses to identify additional opportunities to rationalize its
expense base to help fund a portion of these anticipated investments.
The Company incurred a pre-tax charge of $62 million in the second
quarter and $95 million through the six months ended June 30, 2008 in
connection with this expense review for contract buyouts, severance and
other costs, including property and systems rationalizations.
The Company currently anticipates that these charges and other actions
arising from the expense review will lead to cost savings in the range
of $25 million to $35 million in 2008, rising to approximately $45
million to $55 million in 2009. These savings are in addition to the
anticipated annualized net benefit from the 2006 Shaping our Future
charges currently estimated to be approximately $30 million in 2008 and
$45 million by 2009.
Excluding these charges, the Company continues to expect an adjusted
operating margin of approximately 24 percent in 2008, as underlying
business growth and cost savings are reinvested for future growth. The
Company issued revised financial goals in conjunction with the HRH
acquisition announcement, and currently expects adjusted operating
margin of approximately 24 percent in 2009 and 27 percent in 2010. The
Company currently expects to deliver adjusted earnings per diluted share
in the range of $2.85-$2.95 in 2008, $3.15-$3.25 in 2009, and
$4.05-$4.15 in 2010. Company guidance is based on the assumption that
the acquisition of HRH closes on December 31, 2008.
“Overall, we’re
very pleased with our first-half performance. We said we were going to
deliver industry-leading organic revenue growth and a steady adjusted
operating margin this year. Thus far, we’ve
done that, despite soft market conditions, thanks to the great progress
we’re making with our Shaping our Future
initiatives,” Plumeri said. “We’re
building a solid platform for future profitable growth at Willis, both
with the Shaping our Future strategy and with our pending acquisition of
Hilb Rogal & Hobbs, which will double the size and footprint of our
North America business.”
Conference Call and Web Cast
A conference call to discuss second quarter 2008 results will be held on
Thursday, July 31, 2008, at 8:00 AM Eastern Time. To participate in the
live teleconference, please dial (866) 617-1526 (domestic) or +1 (210)
795-0624 (international) with a pass code of "Willis”.
The live audio web cast (which will be listen-only) may be accessed at www.willis.com.
This call will be available by replay starting at approximately 10:00 AM
Eastern Time, and through October 31, 2008 at 11:00 PM Eastern Time, by
calling (800) 876-4955 (domestic) or +1 (203) 369-3997 (international)
with no pass code, or by accessing the website.
Willis Group Holdings Limited is a leading global insurance broker,
developing and delivering professional insurance, reinsurance, risk
management, financial and human resource consulting and actuarial
services to corporations, public entities and institutions around the
world. Willis has more than 300 offices in some 100 countries, with a
global team of approximately 16,000 Associates serving clients in some
190 countries. Additional information on Willis may be found at www.willis.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
We have included in this document ‘‘forward-looking
statements’’
within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, and
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which are intended
to be covered by the safe harbors created by those laws. These
forward-looking statements include information about possible or assumed
future results of our operations. All statements, other than statements
of historical facts, included in this document that address activities,
events or developments that we expect or anticipate may occur in the
future, including such things as the potential benefits of the business
combination transaction involving Willis and HRH, our outlook and
guidance regarding future adjusted operating margin and adjusted
earnings per diluted share, future capital expenditures, expected growth
in commissions and fees, business strategies, competitive strengths,
goals, the anticipated benefits of new initiatives, growth of our
business and operations, plans, and references to future successes are
forward-looking statements. Also, when we use the words such as ‘‘anticipate’’,
‘‘believe’’,
‘‘estimate’’,
‘‘expect’’,
‘‘intend’’,
‘‘plan’’,
‘‘probably’’,
or similar expressions, we are making forward-looking statements.
There are important uncertainties, events and factors that could cause
our actual results or performance to differ materially from those in the
forward-looking statements contained in this document, including
regional, national or global political, economic, business, competitive,
market and regulatory conditions and the following:
-
our ability to achieve the expected cost savings, synergies and other
strategic benefits as a result of the proposed acquisition or the
amount of time it may take to achieve such cost savings, synergies and
benefits expected due to the integration of HRH with our operations,
-
the satisfaction of conditions to closing, including receipt of
shareholder, regulatory and other approvals on the proposed terms and
schedule for the proposed acquisition of HRH,
-
our ability to implement and realize anticipated benefits of the
Shaping our Future initiative and other new initiatives,
-
the extent and timing of, and prices paid in connection with, any
share repurchases under existing or future programs,
-
our ability to retain existing clients and attract new business, and
our ability to retain key employees,
-
changes in commercial property and casualty markets, or changes in
premiums and availability of insurance products due to a catastrophic
event such as a hurricane,
-
volatility or declines in other insurance markets and the premiums on
which our commissions are based,
-
impact of competition,
-
the timing or ability to carry out share repurchases or take other
steps to manage our capital,
-
fluctuations in exchange and interest rates that could affect expenses
and revenue,
-
rating agency actions that could inhibit ability to borrow funds or
the pricing thereof,
-
domestic and foreign legislative and regulatory changes affecting both
our ability to operate and client demand,
-
potential costs and difficulties in complying with a wide variety of
foreign laws and regulations, given the global scope of our operations,
-
changes in the tax or accounting treatment of our operations,
-
our exposure to potential liabilities arising from errors and
omissions claims against us,
-
the results of regulatory investigations, legal proceedings and other
contingencies, and
-
the timing of any exercise of put and call arrangements with
associated companies.
The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive and new factors may
emerge from time to time that could also affect actual performance and
results. For additional factors see also Part I, Item 1A ‘‘Risk
Factors’’
included in Willis’s Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2007 and Item 1A of HRH’s
Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, and similar
sections of each company’s quarterly report
on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2008. Copies of said
10-Ks and 10-Qs are available online at http://www.sec.gov
or on request from the applicable company.
Although we believe that the assumptions underlying our forward-looking
statements are reasonable, any of these assumptions, and therefore also
the forward-looking statements based on these assumptions, could
themselves prove to be inaccurate. In light of the significant
uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included in
this document, our inclusion of this information is not a representation
or guarantee by us that our objectives and plans will be achieved.
Our forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made and we
will not update these forward-looking statements unless the securities
laws require us to do so. In light of these risks, uncertainties and
assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in this document may
not occur, and we caution you against unduly relying on these
forward-looking statements.
This press release includes supplemental financial information which may
contain references to non-GAAP financial measures as defined in
Regulation G of SEC rules. Consistent with Regulation G, a
reconciliation of this supplemental financial information to our
generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) information is in the
note disclosures that follow. We present such non-GAAP supplemental
financial information, as we believe such information is of interest to
the investment community because it provides additional meaningful
methods of evaluating certain aspects of the Company’s
operating performance from period to period on a basis that may not be
otherwise apparent on a GAAP basis. This supplemental financial
information should be viewed in addition to, not in lieu of, the Company’s
condensed consolidated income statements for the three and six months
ended June 30, 2008 and balance sheet as at that date.
Additional Information About the Proposed Merger and Where to Find It
In connection with the proposed transaction, Willis and HRH intend to
file relevant materials with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).
Willis will file with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form S-4 that
includes a proxy statement of HRH that also constitutes a prospectus of
Willis. HRH will mail the proxy statement/prospectus to its
shareholders. Investors are urged to read the proxy statement/prospectus
regarding the proposed transaction when it becomes available, because it
will contain important information. Investors will be able to obtain a
free copy of the proxy statement/prospectus, as well as other filings
containing information about Willis and HRH without charge, at the SEC’s
website (http://www.sec.gov) once such
documents are filed with the SEC. You may also obtain these documents,
free of charge, from Willis’s website (www.willis.com)
under the tab “Investor Relations”
and then under the heading “Financial
Reporting” then under the item “SEC
Filings.” You may also obtain these
documents, free of charge, from HRH’s
website (www.hrh.com) under the heading “Investor
Relations” and then under the tab “SEC
Filings.”
Willis, HRH and their respective directors, executive officers and other
employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of
proxies from HRH shareholders in connection with the proposed
transaction. Information about Willis’s
directors and executive officers is available in Willis’s
proxy statement, dated March 17, 2008. Information about HRH’s
directors and executive officers is available in HRH’s
proxy statement, dated March 31, 2008. Additional information about the
interests of potential participants will be included in the
prospectus/proxy statement when it becomes available. This document
shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to
buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any
jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful
prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any
such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by
means of a prospectus, meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the
U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
|
WILLIS GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED
|
|
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENTS
|
|
(in millions, except per share data)
|
|
(unaudited)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three months ended
June 30,
|
|
|
Six months ended
June 30,
|
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Commissions and fees
|
|
$ 641
|
|
|
$ 600
|
|
|
$ 1,413
|
|
|
$ 1,311
|
|
|
Investment income
|
|
20
|
|
|
23
|
|
|
42
|
|
|
47
|
|
|
Other income
|
|
-
|
|
|
3
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
7
|
|
|
Total Revenues
|
|
661
|
|
|
626
|
|
|
1,456
|
|
|
1,365
|
|
|
Expenses
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Salaries and benefits
|
|
428
|
|
|
360
|
|
|
839
|
|
|
737
|
|
|
Other operating expenses
|
|
141
|
|
|
114
|
|
|
290
|
|
|
225
|
|
|
Depreciation expense and amortization of intangible assets
|
|
17
|
|
|
17
|
|
|
33
|
|
|
33
|
|
|
Gain on disposal of London headquarters
|
|
(2
|
)
|
|
(3
|
)
|
|
(8
|
)
|
|
(6
|
)
|
|
Total Expenses
|
|
584
|
|
|
488
|
|
|
1,154
|
|
|
989
|
|
|
Operating Income
|
|
77
|
|
|
138
|
|
|
302
|
|
|
376
|
|
|
Interest expense
|
|
21
|
|
|
19
|
|
|
37
|
|
|
31
|
|
|
Income before Income Taxes, Interest in Earnings of
Associates and Minority Interest
|
|
56
|
|
|
119
|
|
|
265
|
|
|
345
|
|
|
Income taxes
|
|
12
|
|
|
36
|
|
|
72
|
|
|
104
|
|
|
Income before Interest in Earnings of Associates and Minority
Interest
|
|
44
|
|
|
83
|
|
|
193
|
|
|
241
|
|
|
Interest in earnings of associates, net of tax
|
|
(3
|
)
|
|
(4
|
)
|
|
23
|
|
|
15
|
|
|
Minority interest, net of tax
|
|
(2
|
)
|
|
(1
|
)
|
|
(11
|
)
|
|
(9
|
)
|
|
Net Income
|
|
$ 39
|
|
|
$ 78
|
|
|
$ 205
|
|
|
$ 247
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Earnings per Share
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- Basic
|
|
$ 0.28
|
|
|
$ 0.55
|
|
|
$ 1.44
|
|
|
$ 1.68
|
|
|
- Diluted
|
|
$ 0.27
|
|
|
$ 0.54
|
|
|
$ 1.43
|
|
|
$ 1.65
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average Number of Shares Outstanding
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- Basic
|
|
141
|
|
|
142
|
|
|
142
|
|
|
147
|
|
|
- Diluted
|
|
142
|
|
|
145
|
|
|
143
|
|
|
150
|
|
|
WILLIS GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED
|
|
SUMMARY BALANCE SHEETS
|
|
(in millions) (unaudited)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
June 30,
|
|
|
December 31,
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
Assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash & cash equivalents
|
|
$
|
205
|
|
|
$
|
200
|
|
Fiduciary funds—restricted
|
|
|
1,767
|
|
|
|
1,520
|
|
Short-term investments
|
|
|
37
|
|
|
|
40
|
|
Accounts receivable, net
|
|
|
11,013
|
|
|
|
8,241
|
|
Fixed assets, net
|
|
|
344
|
|
|
|
315
|
|
Goodwill and intangibles, net
|
|
|
1,739
|
|
|
|
1,726
|
|
Investments in associates
|
|
|
247
|
|
|
|
193
|
|
Pension benefits asset
|
|
|
497
|
|
|
|
404
|
|
Other assets
|
|
|
373
|
|
|
|
309
|
|
Total Assets
|
|
$
|
16,222
|
|
|
$
|
12,948
|
|
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts payable
|
|
$
|
12,216
|
|
|
$
|
9,265
|
|
Deferred revenue and accrued expenses
|
|
|
331
|
|
|
|
388
|
|
Net deferred tax liabilities
|
|
|
22
|
|
|
|
5
|
|
Income taxes payable
|
|
|
72
|
|
|
|
43
|
|
Long-term debt
|
|
|
1,460
|
|
|
|
1,250
|
|
Liability for pension benefits
|
|
|
42
|
|
|
|
43
|
|
Other liabilities
|
|
|
584
|
|
|
|
559
|
|
Total Liabilities
|
|
|
14,727
|
|
|
|
11,553
|
|
Minority interest
|
|
|
53
|
|
|
|
48
|
|
Total stockholders’ equity
|
|
|
1,442
|
|
|
|
1,347
|
|
Total Liabilities and Stockholders’
Equity
|
|
$
|
16,222
|
|
|
$
|
12,948
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
WILLIS GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(in millions) (unaudited)
|
1. Definitions of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
We believe that investors’ understanding of
the Company’s performance is enhanced by our
disclosure of the following non-GAAP financial measures. Our method of
calculating these measures may differ from those used by other companies
and therefore comparability may be limited.
Organic commissions and fees growth
Organic commissions and fees growth excludes the impact of foreign
currency translation and acquisitions and disposals from reported
commissions and fees. We use organic commissions and fees growth as a
measure of business growth generated by operations that were part of the
Company at the end of the period.
Adjusted operating income and adjusted net income
Our results have been impacted by the charge related to the 2008 expense
review. We believe that excluding these items from operating income and
net income as applicable, along with the GAAP measures, provides a more
complete and consistent comparative analysis of our results of
operations.
2. Analysis of Commissions and Fees
Organic growth in commissions and fees is defined as growth in
commissions and fees excluding the impact of foreign currency
translation and acquisitions and disposals. The percentage change in
reported commissions and fees is the most directly comparable GAAP
measure, and the following tables reconcile this change to organic
growth in commissions and fees by business unit for the three and six
months ended June 30, 2008:
|
|
Three months ended
June 30,
|
|
Change attributable to
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007(a)
|
|
%
Change
|
|
Foreign currency translation
|
|
Acquisitions and disposals
|
|
Organic commissions and fees growth
|
|
Global
|
|
$
|
191
|
|
$
|
186
|
|
3
|
%
|
|
3
|
%
|
|
0
|
%
|
|
0
|
%
|
|
North America
|
|
|
193
|
|
|
194
|
|
(1
|
)%
|
|
0
|
%
|
|
0
|
%
|
|
(1
|
)%
|
|
Inter-national
|
|
|
257
|
|
|
220
|
|
17
|
%
|
|
7
|
%
|
|
0
|
%
|
|
10
|
%
|
|
Commissions and fees
|
|
$
|
641
|
|
$
|
600
|
|
7
|
%
|
|
4
|
%
|
|
0
|
%
|
|
3
|
%
|
a) With effect from January 1, 2008, gains on the disposal of intangible
assets, which were previously reported within ‘Commissions
and fees’ are now reported separately as ‘Other
income’. As a result of this change, $3
million previously reported within North America’s
commissions and fees in second quarter 2007 is now reported within other
income. There was no impact on organic commissions and fees growth as
originally reported for the quarter ended June 30, 2007.
|
|
Six months ended
June 30,
|
|
Change attributable to
|
|
|
2008
|
|
2007(b)
|
|
%
Change
|
|
Foreign currency translation
|
|
Acquisitions and disposals
|
|
Organic commissions and fees growth
|
|
Global
|
$
|
468
|
|
$
|
447
|
|
|
5
|
%
|
|
4
|
%
|
|
0
|
%
|
|
1
|
%
|
|
North America
|
|
384
|
|
|
378
|
|
|
2
|
%
|
|
0
|
%
|
|
1
|
%
|
|
1
|
%
|
|
Inter-national
|
|
561
|
|
|
486
|
|
|
15
|
%
|
|
8
|
%
|
|
0
|
%
|
|
7
|
%
|
|
Commissions
and fees
|
$
|
1,413
|
|
$
|
1,311
|
|
|
8
|
%
|
|
5
|
%
|
|
0
|
%
|
|
3
|
%
|
b) With effect from January 1, 2008, gains on the disposal of intangible
assets, which were previously reported within ‘Commissions
and fees’ are now reported separately as ‘Other
income’. As a result of this change, $7
million previously reported within North America’s
commissions and fees in first half 2007 is now reported within other
income. There was no impact on organic commissions and fees growth as
originally reported for the six months ended June 30, 2007.
3. 2008 Expense Review
The Company is conducting a thorough review of all businesses to
identify additional opportunities to rationalize its expense base.
Consequently, the Company incurred a pre-tax charge of $62 million ($45
million or $0.32 per diluted share after tax) in second quarter 2008 for
contract buyouts, severance and other costs as analyzed in the following
table:
|
|
|
Three months ended June 30, 2008
|
|
Six months ended June 30,
2008
|
|
|
|
Pre-tax
|
|
Pre-tax
|
|
Salaries and benefits – severance (a)
|
|
$
|
9
|
|
$
|
24
|
|
Salaries and benefits – other (b)
|
|
|
42
|
|
|
42
|
|
Other operating expenses (primarily relating to property and
systems rationalization)
|
|
|
11
|
|
|
29
|
|
|
|
$
|
62
|
|
$
|
95
|
a) Severance costs relate to approximately 200 positions in the second
quarter 2008 and approximately 350 positions through the six months
ended June 30, 2008, which have been, or are in the process of being,
eliminated.
b) Other salaries and benefits costs relate primarily to contract
buyouts.
The Company currently anticipates that these charges and other actions
arising from the expense review will lead to cost savings of
approximately $25 million to $35 million in 2008, rising to $45 to $55
million in 2009.
4. Adjusted Operating Income
Adjusted operating income is defined as operating income excluding net
gains/losses on disposal of operations and the charges related to the
2008 expense review. Operating income is the most directly comparable
GAAP measure, and the following tables reconcile adjusted operating
income to operating income for the three and six months ended June 30,
2008 and 2007:
|
|
Three months ended
June 30,
|
|
|
2008
|
|
2007
|
|
%
Change
|
|
Operating Income, GAAP basis
|
$
|
77
|
|
|
$
|
138
|
|
|
(44
|
)%
|
|
Excluding:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Severance costs (a)
|
|
9
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
Salaries and benefits – other (b)
|
|
42
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|