Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (MMC) has announced the completion of its acquisition of Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group plc (JLT) for $5.6 billion in fully diluted equity value.
The deal, first announced in September 2018, is expected to boost MMC’s position in insurance and reinsurance broking, health and retirement.
It will also significantly expand MMC’s presence in the middle market and small commercial segments, set it up for further expansion in high-growth geographies, and improve its data and analytics capabilities.
The combined company provides advice and solutions for more than $100 billion of annual property/casualty insurance and reinsurance premiums placed globally.
“Today marks the beginning of a new era with Marsh & McLennan and JLT coming together,” said Dan Glaser, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MMC.
“This is a combination of strength and strength, and the primary focus is growth – in talent, capabilities, revenue and earnings,” he added.
MMC received a key approval from the European Commission in March 2019, who cleared the deal despite some concerns that it would lead to reduced competition in the insurance brokerage markets for the specialties of Aircraft Operators and Aerospace Manufacturing.
The combined MMC/JLT entity has more than 10,000 colleagues, and many of JLT’S top executives have already been named to leadership positions at Marsh, Guy Carpenter and Mercer.
These include former JLT CEO Dominic Burke, who joins MMC as Vice Chairman and a member of the Executive Committee.
Glaser further stated: “Our aspiration is to shape our industries and be the employer of choice.”
The transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to adjusted cash EPS and to produce a double-digit internal rate of return.
On an adjusted GAAP EPS basis, the deal is expected to be modestly dilutive in year one, neutral in year two, and accretive in year three, MMC explained.
