4th Quarter & Final Results
Marsh & McLennan Co Inc
2 February 2000
MMC REPORTS STRONG FOURTH QUARTER AND YEAR-END RESULTS
Earnings Per Share Rises 17 Percent for Quarter and Year
=========================================================
NEW YORK, NEW YORK February 2, 2000-Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (MMC)
today reported strong revenue and earnings growth for both the fourth quarter
and year ended December 31, 1999.
For the year, revenue rose 27 percent to $9.2 billion from $7.2 billion in
1998. Earnings per share, before special charges relating to MMC's
acquisition of Sedgwick Group, increased 17 percent to $3.48, compared with
$2.98 in 1998. For the fourth quarter, revenue was up 20 percent to $2.3
billion from $1.9 billion in 1998. Earnings per share, excluding the special
charges, grew 17 percent to $.82 from $.70 in 1998.
Special pretax charges in 1999 for the MMC costs associated with the Sedgwick
acquisition and integration process were $84 million in the second quarter
and $253 million in the fourth quarter. The integration includes severance
payments for over 4,500 employees from both firms and real estate costs for
175 office consolidations. Including the special charges, earnings per share
was $2.62 for 1999 and $.16 for the fourth quarter.
Commenting on MMC's activities in 1999, A.J.C. Smith, chairman, said, 'By all
measures, this was an excellent year. Each of our operating companies
produced strong results.
Marsh performed well in an insurance market environment that remained
challenging. It captured important new business and strengthened its global
position. Putnam had another outstanding year. Profitability rose 24
percent and assets under management grew from $294 billion at year-end 1998
to $391 billion. This reflects favorable equity markets, superb investment
performance and net new sales. Putnam's average assets under management for
1999 totalled $322 billion, compared with $264 billion in 1998. Mercer
achieved excellent results reflecting strong revenue gains and improved
profitability. Its operating income grew more than 20 percent, excluding
acquisitions, with gains across all major practices.'
J.W. Greenberg, chief executive, added, 'The merger with Sedgwick has gone
well. It followed the positive experience we had with Johnson & Higgins,
which was acquired in 1997. Three years later, we have met all expectations
for Johnson & Higgins, combining complementary cultures, strengthening our
professional staff and realizing consolidation savings that doubled its
profitability.
'Integrating Sedgwick into our risk and insurance services and consulting
businesses was a focus of our activities last year. When the merger was
announced in August 1998, we estimated gross consolidation savings of $200
million. We anticipated net cost savings to approximate $110 million, after
factoring in additional expenses for goodwill amortization and improvements
to information technology systems and employee benefit, compensation and
retirement plans. Today, we are achieving significant operating efficiencies
and have a unified organization in place globally. Sedgwick adds to our
strength internationally and enables us to enhance service to clients
throughout the world. It also gives us a larger base to support the
investments we will continue to make in targeted growth opportunities. We are
pleased that net consolidation savings are now expected to approach $160
million over three years including $30 million reflected in our 1999 results.
'We are encouraged about MMC's prospects for 2000,' Mr. Greenberg concluded,
'and confident that our businesses are positioned to grow profitably.'
MMC is a global professional services firm with annual revenues exceeding $9
billion. It is the parent company of Marsh, the world's leading risk and
insurance services firm; Putnam Investments, one of the largest investment
management companies in the United States; and Mercer Consulting Group, a
major global provider of consulting services. More than 50,000 employees
provide analysis, advice and transactional capabilities to clients in over
100 countries. Its stock (ticker symbol: MMC) is listed on the New York,
Chicago, Pacific and London stock exchanges. MMC's Web site address is
www.mmc.com.
This press release contains certain statements relating to future results,
which are forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may include,
without limitation, discussions concerning revenue and expense growth, cost
savings and efficiencies expected from the integration of Sedgwick Group plc,
Year 2000 remediation and testing of computer systems, and market and
industry conditions. Actual results may differ from those contemplated as a
result of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to
changes in general worldwide and national economic conditions, competitive
conditions and pricing pressures, the failure to successfully integrate the
risk and insurance services and consulting businesses of Sedgwick Group plc
(including the achievement of synergies and cost reductions) or other adverse
consequences from that transaction, level of worldwide and national equity
and fixed income markets, premium rate levels in the global property and
casualty insurance markets, computer failures arising out of Year 2000-
related issues, prospective and retrospective changes in the tax or
accounting treatment of the Company's operations and the impact of tax or
other legislation and regulation in the jurisdictions in which the Company
operates, the uncertainties of litigation, as well as other risks and
uncertainties detailed from time to time in the Company's Securities and
Exchange Commission filings. Please refer to Marsh & McLennan Companies'
1998 Annual Report on Form 10-K for 'Information Concerning Forward-Looking
Statements,' its reports on Form 8-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.
Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc
Consolidated Statements of Income
(In millions, except per share figures)
(Unaudited)
Three Months Ended Twelve Months Ended
December 31 December 31
-------------------- -------------------
1999 1998 1999 1998
-------- -------- -------- --------
Revenue:
Risk and Insurance
Services $1,120 $933 $4,523 $3,351
Investment
Management 721 583 2,684 2,296
Consulting 493 429 1,950 1,543
-------- -------- -------- --------
Total Revenue 2,334 1,945 9,157 7,190
-------- -------- -------- --------
Expense:
Compensation and
Benefits 1,161 988 4,574 3,565
Amortization of
Intangibles 44 26 156 82
Other Operating
Expenses 708 600 2,631 2,127
Special Charges
(Credits), net 253 (4) 337 (4)
-------- -------- -------- --------
Total Expense 2,166 1,610 7,698 5,770
-------- -------- -------- --------
Operating Income 168 335 1,459 1,420
Interest Income 4 8 21 25
Interest Expense (59) (46) (233) (140)
Income Before Income
Taxes 113 297 1,247 1,305
Income Taxes 66 111 521 509
-------- -------- -------- --------
Net Income $47 $186 $726 $796
===== ===== ===== =====
Basic Net Income Per
Share (A) $0.17 $0.73 $2.76 $3.11
===== ===== ===== =====
Diluted Net Income
Per Share (A) $0.16 $0.70 $2.62 $2.98
===== ===== ===== =====
Diluted Net Income
Per Share
Excluding 1999
Special Charge $0.82 $0.70 $3.48 $2.98
===== ===== ===== =====
Average Number of
Shares Outstanding -
Basic 267 257 263 256
===== ===== ===== =====
Average Number of
Shares Outstanding -
Diluted 275 264 272 264
===== ===== ===== =====
(A) Net income per share is computed independently for each of the periods
presented. In 1999, the sum of the quarterly net income per share amounts
exceeds the total for the year.
Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.
Supplemental Information - Excluding 1999 Special Charges
(In millions, except assets under management)
(Unaudited)
Three Months Twelve Months
Ended Ended
December 31 December 31,
-------------- ---------------
1999* 1998 1999* 1998
----- ---- ----- ----
Revenue:
Risk and Insurance
Services $1,120 $ 933 $4,523 $3,351
Investment Management 721 583 2,684 2,296
Consulting 493 429 1,950 1,543
------ ------ ------ ------
2,334 1,945 9,157 7,190
------ ------ ------ ------
Expense:
Risk and Insurance
Services 994 814 3,717 2,738
Investment Management 510 401 1,843 1,619
Consulting 425 368 1,690 1,341
Corporate 30 31 103 76
Minority Interest 4 - 8 -
Special Credit, net - (4) - (4)
------ ------ ------ ------
1,913 1,610 7,361 5,770
------ ------ ------ ------
Operating Income:
Risk and Insurance
Services 176 119 806 613
Investment Management 211 182 841 677
Consulting 68 61 260 202
Corporate (30) (31) (103) (76)
Minority Interest (4) - (8) -
Special Credit, net - 4 - 4
------ ------ ------ ------
$ 421 $ 335 $1,796 $1,420
====== ====== ====== ======
Segment Operating
Margins:
Risk and Insurance
Services 15.8% 12.8% 17.8% 18.3%
Investment Management 29.3% 31.2% 31.3% 29.5%
Consulting 13.6% 14.2% 13.3% 13.1%
Consolidated Operating
Margin 18.0% 17.1% 19.6% 19.7%
Pretax Margin 15.7% 15.3% 17.3% 18.2%
Tax Rate 37.8% 37.3% 39.5% 39.0%
Shares Outstanding at
End of Period 267 257 267 257
Potential Minority
Interest
Associated with the
Putnam Equity
Partnership Plan $ 2 $ 2 $ 14 $ 10
Putnam Assets Under
Management
(billions):
Ending Assets (December
31):
Mutual Fund $ 289 $ 221
Institutional 102 73
------ ------
$ 391 $ 294
====== ------
Composition of Ending
Assets (December 31):
Equity $ 321 $ 215
Fixed income 70 79
------ ------
$ 391 $ 294
====== ------
Average Assets $ 349 $ 269 $ 322 $ 264
* Excludes 1999 Pretax Special Charges of $253 million for the quarter and
$337 million for the year