MRSH, §1A diff (2016 → 2017)

Item 1A. Risk Factors You should consider the risks described below in conjunction with the other information presented in this report. These risks have the potential to materially adversely affect the Company's business, results of operations or financial condition. RISKS RELATING TO THE COMPANY GENERALLY Legal and Regulatory Risks We are subject to significant uninsured exposures arising from errors and omissions, breach of fiduciary duty and other claims. Our operating companies provide numerous professional services, including the placement of insurance and the provision of consulting, investment advisory and actuarial services, to clients around the world. As a result, the Company and its subsidiaries are subject to a significant number of errors and omissions, breach of fiduciary duty and similar claims, which we refer to collectively as "E&O claims." In our Risk and Insurance Services segment, such claims include allegations of damages arising from our failure to assess clients’ risks, advise clients, place coverage or notify insurers of potential claims on behalf of clients in accordance with our obligations to them. In our Consulting segment, where we increasingly act in a fiduciary capacity through our investments business, such claims include allegations of damages arising from the provision of consulting, investments, actuarial, pension administration and other services. These services frequently involve complex calculations and other analysis, including (i) making assumptions about, and preparing estimates concerning, contingent future events, (ii) drafting and interpreting complex documentation governing pension plans, (iii) calculating benefits within complex pension structures, (iv) providing investment advice, including guidance on asset allocation and investment strategy, and (v) managing client assets, including the selection of investment managers. These matters often relate to services provided by the Company dating back many years. Such claims may subject us to significant liability for monetary damages, including punitive and treble damages, negative publicity and reputational harm, and may divert personnel and management resources. We may be unable to effectively limit our potential liability in certain jurisdictions, including through insurance, or in connection with certain types of claims, particularly those concerning claims of a breach of fiduciary duty. In establishing liabilities for E&O claims under generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), the Company uses case level reviews by inside and outside counsel, actuarial analysis by Oliver Wyman Group, a subsidiary of the Company, and other methods to estimate potential losses. A liability is established when a loss is both probable and reasonably estimable. The liability is assessed quarterly and adjusted as developments warrant. In many cases, the Company has not recorded a liability, other than for legal fees to defend the claim, because we are unable, at the present time, to make a determination that a loss is both probable and reasonably estimable. Given the challenges inherent in establishing liabilities in accordance with GAAP, as well as the unpredictability of E&O claims and the litigation that can flow from them, it is possible that an adverse outcome in a particular matter could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, results of operations or financial condition in a given quarterly or annual period. We are subject to regulatory investigations, reviews and other inquiries that consume significant management time and, if determined unfavorably to us, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition. We are subject to regulatory investigations, reviews and other inquiries that consume significant management time and, if determined unfavorably to us, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition. For example, in 2017 we received notices related to four separate regulatory matters in Europe. In October 2017, the Company received a notice that the Directorate-General for Competition of the European Commission had commenced a civil investigation of a number of insurance brokers, including Marsh, regarding "the exchange of commercially sensitive information between competitors in relation to aviation and aerospace insurance and reinsurance broking products and services in the European Economic Area, as well as possible coordination between competitors." In June 2017, the FCA issued a final report in connection with a market study of the U.K. asset management industry, which includes asset managers and investment consultants, including Mercer. Following the report, in September 2017, the FCA announced its decision to refer the investment consulting and fiduciary management markets to the U.K. Competition & Markets Authority (the "CMA") for a market investigation. In July 2017, the Directorate-General for Competition of the European Commission together with the Irish Competition and Consumer Protection Commission conducted on-site inspections at the offices of Marsh and other industry participants in Dublin in connection with an investigation regarding the "possible participation in anticompetitive agreements and/or concerted practices contrary to [E.U. competition law] in the market for commercial motor insurance in the Republic of Ireland." In November 2017, the FCA announced the terms of reference for a market study concerning the wholesale insurance broker sector in the United Kingdom to assess "how effective competition is working in the wholesale insurance broker sector” and “how brokers influence competition in the underwriting sector." These regulatory matters are at early stages and we are unable to predict their likely timing, outcome or ultimate impact. Additional information regarding these investigations and certain other legal and regulatory proceedings is set forth in Note 14 to our consolidated financial statements included under Part II, Item 8 of this report. We cannot guarantee that we are or will be in compliance with all current and potentially applicable U.S. federal and state or foreign laws and regulations, and actions by regulatory authorities or changes in legislation and regulation in the jurisdictions in which we operate could have a material adverse effect on our business. Our activities are subject to extensive regulation under the laws of the United States and its various states, the United Kingdom, the European Union and its member states and the other jurisdictions in which we operate. For example, we are subject to regulation by agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, FINRA and state insurance regulators in the United States, the FCA and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in the United Kingdom, and the European Commission in the European Union, as further described above under Part I, Item 1 - Business (Regulation) of this report. We are also subject to trade sanctions laws relating to countries such as Cuba, Iran, Russia, Sudan and Syria, and anti-corruption laws such as the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the U.K. Anti-Bribery Act. We are subject to numerous other laws on matters as diverse as internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures, securities regulation, data privacy and protection, taxation, anti-trust and competition, immigration, wage-and-hour standards and employment and labor relations. The U.S. and foreign laws and regulations that apply to our operations are complex and may change rapidly, and our efforts to comply and keep up with them require significant resources. In some cases, these laws and regulations may decrease the need for our services, increase our costs, negatively impact our revenues or impose operational limitations on our business, including on the products and services we may offer or on the amount or type of compensation we may collect. While we attempt to comply with applicable laws and regulations, there can be no assurance that we, our employees, our consultants and our contractors and other agents are in full compliance with such laws and regulations or interpretations at all times, or that we will be able to comply with any future laws or regulations. If we fail to comply or are accused of failing to comply with applicable laws and regulations, including those referred to above, we may become subject to investigations, criminal penalties, civil remedies or other consequences, including fines, injunctions, loss of an operating license or approval, increased scrutiny or oversight by regulatory authorities, the suspension of individual employees, limitations on engaging in a particular business or redress to clients or other parties, and may become exposed to negative publicity or reputational damage. Moreover, our failure to comply with laws or regulations in one jurisdiction may result in increased regulatory scrutiny by other regulatory agencies in that jurisdiction or regulatory agencies in other jurisdictions. The cost of compliance and the consequences of failing to be in compliance could therefore have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. In most jurisdictions, government regulatory authorities have the power to interpret and amend or repeal applicable laws and regulations, and have discretion to grant, renew and revoke the various licenses and approvals we need to conduct our activities. Such authorities may require the Company to incur substantial costs in order to comply with such laws and regulations. In some areas of our businesses, we act on the basis of our own or the industry's interpretations of applicable laws or regulations, which may conflict from state to state or country to country. In the event those interpretations eventually prove different from the interpretations of regulatory authorities, we may be penalized or precluded from carrying on our previous activities. Moreover, the laws and regulations to which we are subject may conflict among the various jurisdictions and countries in which we operate, which increases the likelihood of our businesses being non-compliant in one or more jurisdictions. Cybersecurity and Data Protection Risks We could incur significant liability or our reputation could be damaged if our information systems are breached or we otherwise fail to protect client or Company data or information systems. We rely on the efficient, uninterrupted and secure operation of complex information technology systems and networks to operate our business and securely process, transmit and store electronic information. In the normal course of business, we also share electronic information with our vendors and other third parties. This electronic information comprises sensitive and confidential data, including information related to financial records, health care, mergers and acquisitions and clients’ personal data. Our information technology systems and safety control systems, and those of our numerous third-party providers, are potentially vulnerable to damage or interruption from a variety of external threats, including cyber-attacks, computer viruses and other malware, ransomware and other types of data and systems related incidents. Our systems are also subject to compromise from internal threats such as improper action by employees, vendors and other third parties with otherwise legitimate access to our systems. Moreover, we face the ongoing challenge of managing access controls in a complex environment. The latency of a compromise is often measured in months but could be years, and we may not be able to detect a compromise in a timely manner. We could experience significant financial and reputational harm if our information systems are breached, sensitive client or Company data are compromised, surreptitiously modified, rendered inaccessible for any period of time or maliciously made public, or if we fail to make adequate disclosures to the public or law enforcement agencies following any such event. We are at risk of attack by a growing list of adversaries, including state-sponsored organizations, organized crime, hackers or "hactivists" (activist hackers), through use of increasingly sophisticated methods of attack, including long-term, persistent attacks referred to as advanced persistent threats. Because the techniques used to obtain unauthorized access or sabotage systems change frequently and generally are not identified until they are launched against a target, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or implement adequate preventative measures, resulting in potential data loss or other damage to information technology systems. As the breadth and complexity of the technologies we use continue to grow, including as a result of the use of mobile devices, cloud services, social media and the increased reliance on devices connected to the Internet (known as the "Internet of Things"), the potential risk of security breaches and cyber-attacks also increases. Despite ongoing efforts to improve our ability to protect data from compromise, we may not be able to protect all of our data across our diverse systems. Should an attacker gain access to our network using compromised credentials of an authorized user, we are at risk that the attacker might successfully leverage that access to compromise additional systems and data. Certain measures that could increase the security of our systems, such as data encryption or deployment of multi-factor authentication, take significant time and resources to deploy broadly, and such measures may not be effective against an attack. The inability to implement, maintain and upgrade adequate safeguards could have a material adverse effect on our business. Our information systems must be continually updated, patched, and upgraded to protect against known vulnerabilities. The volume of new software vulnerabilities has increased markedly, as has the criticality of patches and other remedial measures. In addition to remediating newly identified vulnerabilities previously identified vulnerabilities must also be continuously addressed. Accordingly, we are at risk that cyber attackers exploit these known vulnerabilities before they have been addressed. Due to the large number and age of the systems and platforms that we operate, the increased frequency at which vendors are issuing security patches to their products, the need to test patches and, in some cases coordinate with clients and vendors, before they can be deployed, we perpetually face the substantial risk that we cannot deploy patches in a timely manner. We are also dependent on third party vendors to keep their systems patched and secure in order to protect our data. Any failure related to these activities could have a material adverse effect on our business. We have numerous vendors and other third parties who receive personal information from us in connection with the services we offer our clients. In addition, we have migrated certain data, and may increasingly migrate data, to the cloud hosted by third-party providers. Some of these vendors and third parties also have direct access to our systems. We are at risk of a cyber-attack involving a vendor or other third party, which could result in a breakdown of such third party’s data protection processes or the cyber-attackers gaining access to our infrastructure through the third party. To the extent that a vendor or third party suffers a cyber-attack that compromises its operations, we could incur significant costs and possible service interruption, which could have an adverse effect on our business. We have a history of making acquisitions and investments, including 111 in the period from 2012-2017. The process of integrating the information systems of the businesses we acquire is complex and exposes us to additional risk. For instance, we may not adequately identify weaknesses in an acquired entity’s information systems, either before or after the acquisition, which could affect the value we are able to derive from the acquisition, expose us to unexpected liabilities or make our own systems more vulnerable to a cyber-attack. We may also be unable to integrate the systems of the businesses we acquire into our environment in a timely manner, which could further increase these risks until such integration takes place. Our policies, employee training (including phishing prevention training), procedures and technical safeguards may be insufficient to prevent or detect improper access to confidential, personal or proprietary information by employees, vendors or other third parties with otherwise legitimate access to our systems. Improper access to or disclosure of sensitive client or Company information could harm our reputation and subject us to liability under our contracts, as well as under existing or future laws, rules and regulations. We have from time to time experienced data incidents and cybersecurity breaches, such as malware incursions (including computer viruses and ransomware), users exceeding their data access authorization, employee misconduct and incidents resulting from human error, such as loss of portable and other data storage devices. Like many companies, we are subject to regular phishing email campaigns directed at our employees that can result in malware infections and data losses. Although these incidents have resulted in data loss and other damages, to date, they have not had a material adverse effect on our business or operations. In the future, these types of incidents could result in confidential, personal or proprietary information being lost or stolen, surreptitiously modified, rendered inaccessible for any period of time, or maliciously made public, including client, employee or company data, which could have a material adverse effect on our business. In the event of a cyber-attack, we might have to take our systems offline, which could interfere with services to our clients or damage our reputation. We also may be unable to detect an incident, assess its severity or impact, or appropriately respond in a timely manner. In addition, our liability insurance, which includes cyber insurance, may not be sufficient in type or amount to cover us against claims related to security breaches, cyber-attacks and other related data and system incidents. The costs to comply with, or our failure to comply with, U.S. and foreign laws related to privacy, data security and data protection, such as the E.U. General Data Protection Regulation, could adversely affect our financial condition, operating results and our reputation. In operating our business and providing services and solutions to clients, we store and transfer sensitive employee and client data, including personal data, in and across multiple jurisdictions. We leverage systems and applications that are spread all over the world requiring us to regularly move data across national borders. As a result, we are subject to a variety of laws and regulations in the United States, Europe and around the world regarding privacy, data protection and data security. These laws and regulations are continuously evolving and developing. In particular, the number of high-profile security breaches at major companies continues to accelerate, which will likely lead to even greater regulatory scrutiny. The scope and interpretation of the laws that are or may be applicable to us are often uncertain and may be conflicting, particularly with respect to foreign laws. For example, the E.U. General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR"), which becomes effective in May 2018, greatly increases the European Commission’s jurisdictional reach of its laws and adds a broad array of requirements for handling personal data, such as the public disclosure of data breaches, privacy impact assessments, data portability and the appointment of data protection officers in some cases. Other countries around the world, including China, Japan, Australia and Singapore, have recently adopted sweeping new data protection laws, or are enacting data localization laws that require data to stay within their borders. At a state level, the New York State Department of Financial Services, by way of example, has issued cybersecurity regulations which impose an array of detailed security measures on covered entities. All of these evolving compliance and operational requirements impose significant costs that are likely to increase over time, may divert resources from other initiatives and projects and could restrict the way services involving data are offered, all of which may adversely affect our results of operations. Furthermore, enforcement actions and investigations by regulatory authorities related to data security incidents and privacy violations continue to increase. Unauthorized disclosure or transfer of sensitive or confidential client or Company data, whether through systems failure, employee negligence, fraud or misappropriation, by the Company, our vendors or other parties with whom we do business could subject us to significant litigation, monetary damages, regulatory enforcement actions, fines and criminal prosecution in one or more jurisdictions. For example, under the GDPR, violations could result in a fine of up to 4% of a corporation’s global annual revenue. Competitive Risks Our business performance and growth plans could be negatively affected if we are not able to respond effectively to the threat of digital disruption and other technological change. To remain competitive in many of our business areas, we must anticipate and respond effectively to the threat of digital disruption and other technological change. The threat comes from traditional players, such as insurers, through disintermediation as well as from new entrants, such as technology companies, "Insurtech" start-up companies and others. These players are focused on using technology and innovation, including artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain, to simplify and improve the customer experience, increase efficiencies, alter business models and effect other potentially disruptive changes in the industries in which we operate. In order to maintain a competitive position, we must continue to invest in new technologies and new ways to deliver our products and services. We have a number of strategic initiatives involving investments in technology systems and infrastructure to support our growth strategy. These investments may not be profitable or may be less profitable than what we have experienced historically. In some cases, we depend on key vendors and partners to provide technology and other support for our strategic initiatives. If these vendors or partners fail to perform their obligations or otherwise cease to work with us, our ability to execute on our strategic initiatives could be adversely affected. If we do not keep up with technological changes or execute well on our strategic initiatives, our business and results of operations could be adversely impacted. Failure to maintain our corporate culture or damage to our reputation could have a material adverse effect on our business. We strive to create a culture in which our colleagues act with integrity and respect and feel comfortable speaking up to report instances of misconduct. We are a people business, and our ability to attract and retain employees and clients is highly dependent upon our commitment to a diverse and inclusive workplace, our level of service, trustworthiness, ethical business practices and other qualities. Our colleagues are the cornerstone of this culture, and acts of misconduct by any employee, and particularly by senior management, could erode trust and confidence and damage our reputation among existing and potential clients and other stakeholders. Negative public opinion could result from actual or alleged conduct by us or those currently or formerly associated with us in any number of activities or circumstances, including operations, employment related offenses such as sexual harassment and discrimination, regulatory compliance, and the use and protection of data and systems, satisfaction of client expectations, and from actions taken by regulators or others in response to such conduct. This damage to our reputation could affect the confidence of our clients, rating agencies, regulators, stockholders and the other parties in a wide range of transactions that are important to our business and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and operating results. The loss of members of our senior management team or other key colleagues could have a material adverse effect on our business. We rely upon the contributions of our senior management team to establish and implement our business strategy and to manage the future growth of our business. The loss of any of the senior management team could limit our ability to successfully execute our business strategy or adversely affect our ability to retain existing and attract new clients. Moreover, we could be adversely affected if we fail to adequately plan for the succession of members of our senior management team. Across all of our businesses, our colleagues are critical to developing and retaining the client relationships as well as performing the services on which our revenues are earned. It is therefore important for us to attract, incentivize and retain significant revenue-producing employees and the key managerial and other professionals who support them. We face numerous challenges in this regard, including the intense competition for talent and the general mobility of colleagues. Losing colleagues who manage or support substantial client relationships or possess substantial experience or expertise could adversely affect our ability to secure and complete client engagements, which could adversely affect our results of operations. And, subject to applicable enforceable restrictive covenants, if a key employee were to join an existing competitor or form a competing company, some of our clients could choose to use the services of that competitor instead of our services. We face significant competitive pressures in each of our businesses, including from disintermediation. As a global professional services firm, the Company faces intense, sustained competition in each of its businesses, and the competitive landscape continues to change and evolve. Our ability to compete successfully depends on a variety of factors, including the quality and expertise of our colleagues, our geographic reach, the sophistication and quality of our services, our pricing relative to competitors, our customers' ability to self-insure or use internal resources instead of consultants, and our ability to respond to changes in client demand and industry conditions. Some of our competitors may have greater financial resources, or may be better positioned to respond to technological and other changes in the industries we serve, and they may be able to compete more effectively. If we are unable to respond successfully to the changing conditions we face, our businesses, results of operations and financial condition will be adversely impacted. In our Risk and Insurance Services segment, in addition to the challenges posed by capital market alternatives to traditional insurance and reinsurance, we compete intensely against a wide range of other insurance and reinsurance brokerage and risk advisory firms that operate on a global, regional, national or local scale for both client business and employee talent. We also compete with insurance and reinsurance companies that market and service their insurance products directly to consumers and without the assistance of brokers or other market intermediaries, and with various other companies that provide risk-related services or alternatives to traditional brokerage services, including those that rely almost exclusively on technological solutions or platforms. This competition is intensified by an industry trend toward a "syndicated" or "distributed" approach to the purchase of insurance and reinsurance brokerage services, where a client engages multiple brokers to service different portions of the client's account. In addition, third party capital providers have entered the insurance and reinsurance risk transfer market offering products and capital directly to our clients. In our Consulting segment, we compete for business with numerous consulting firms and similar organizations, many of whom also provide, or are affiliated with firms that provided, accounting, information systems, technology and financial services. Such competitors may be able to offer more comprehensive products and services to potential clients, which may give them a competitive advantage. Consolidation in the industries we serve could adversely affect our business. Companies in the industries that we serve may seek to achieve economies of scale and other synergies by combining with or acquiring other companies. If two or more of our current clients merge, or consolidate or combine their operations, it may decrease the amount of work that we perform for these clients. If one of our current clients merges or consolidates with a company that relies on another provider for its services, we may lose work from that client or lose the opportunity to gain additional work. Any of these or similar possible results of industry consolidation could adversely affect our business. The insurance industry continued to see robust market consolidation in 2017, and this trend could continue or accelerate in 2018. As insurance and reinsurance companies continue to consolidate, Guy Carpenter’s smaller client base may be more susceptible to this risk given the limited number of insurance company clients and reinsurers in the marketplace. We rely on a large number of vendors and other third parties to perform key functions of our business operations and to provide services to our clients. These vendors and third parties may act in ways that could harm our business. We rely on a large number of vendors and other third parties, and in some cases subcontractors, to provide services, data and information such as technology, information security, funds transfers, data processing, and administration and support functions that are critical to the operations of our business. These third parties include correspondents, agents and other brokers and intermediaries, insurance markets, data providers, plan trustees, payroll service providers, software and system vendors, health plan providers, investment managers, risk modeling providers, outsourced providers of client-related services and providers of human resource functions, such as recruiters. As we do not fully control the actions of these third parties, we are subject to the risk that their decisions or operations may adversely impact us and replacing these service providers could create significant delay and expense. A failure by the third parties to comply with service level agreement, or regulatory or legal requirements in a high quality and timely manner, particularly during periods of our peak demand for their services, could result in economic and reputational harm to us. In addition, these third parties face their own technology, operating, business and economic risks, and any significant failures by them, including the improper use or disclosure of our confidential client, employee, or company information or failure to comply with applicable law, could cause harm to our reputation or otherwise expose us to liability. An interruption in or the cessation of service by any service provider as a result of systems failures, capacity constraints, financial difficulties or for any other reason could disrupt our operations, impact our ability to offer certain products and services, and result in contractual or regulatory penalties, liability claims from clients or employees, damage to our reputation and harm to our business. Business Resiliency Risks Our inability to successfully recover should we experience a disaster or other business continuity problem could cause material financial loss, loss of human capital, regulatory actions, reputational harm or legal liability. If we experience a local or regional disaster or other business continuity event, such as an earthquake, hurricane, flood, terrorist attack, pandemic, security breach, cyber-attack, power loss or telecommunications failure, our ability to operate will depend, in part, on the continued availability of our personnel, our office facilities and the proper functioning of our computer, telecommunication and other related systems and operations. In such an event, we could experience operational challenges that could have a material adverse effect on our business. The risk of business disruption is more pronounced in certain geographic areas, including major metropolitan centers, like New York or London, where we have significant operations and approximately 3,500 colleagues in each location, and in certain countries and regions in which we operate that are subject to higher potential threat of terrorist attacks or military conflicts. Our operations depend in particular upon our ability to protect our technology infrastructure against damage. If a business continuity event occurs, we could lose client or Company data or experience interruptions to our operations or delivery of services to our clients, which could have a material adverse effect. A cyber-attack or other business continuity event affecting us or a key vendor or other third party could result in a significant and extended disruption in the functioning of our information technology systems or operations, requiring us to incur significant expense to address and remediate or otherwise resolve such issues. For example, hackers have increasingly targeted companies by attacking internet-connected industrial control and safety control systems. An extended outage could result in the loss of clients and a decline in our revenues. We regularly assess and take steps to improve our existing business continuity plans and key management succession. However, a disaster or other continuity event on a significant scale or affecting certain of our key operating areas within or across regions, or our inability to successfully recover from such an event, could materially interrupt our business operations and result in material financial loss, loss of human capital, regulatory actions, reputational harm, damaged client relationships and legal liability. Our business disruption insurance may also not fully cover, in type or amount, the cost of a successful recovery in the event of such a disruption. Financial Risks The impacts from recently-passed U.S. federal tax reform remain uncertain. On December 22, 2017, President Trump signed into law the tax legislation commonly known as the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" (the "TCJA") that significantly changes the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The TCJA, which generally became effective on January 1, 2018, revises the U.S. tax code by, among other things, lowering the corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21%, limiting deductibility of interest expense and implementing a broadly territorial tax system. The TCJA also imposes a one-time repatriation tax on deemed repatriated earnings of foreign subsidiaries. While the TCJA is expected to have a favorable impact on our overall effective tax rate as reported under generally accepted accounting principles both in the first fiscal quarter of 2018 and subsequent reporting periods, the legislation also resulted in aggregate provisional tax charges in the fourth quarter of 2017 of approximately $460 million, primarily related to the re-measurement of the net U.S. deferred tax asset and the deemed repatriation tax. The TCJA was enacted late in 2017 and limited implementation guidance was provided. As clarified by the SEC in Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118, we made provisional estimates of the deemed repatriation tax impact. Moreover, certain provisions of the TCJA, such as the Base Erosion and Anti-Abuse Tax and the Global Intangible Low-Tax Income ("GILTI") provision and any adverse impacts from new guidance on the implementation of the TCJA may create new pressure on our effective tax rate in future periods. It is also currently unknown if and to what extent various states will conform to the TCJA and the impact such changes in state-tax law may have. The estimated impacts of the new law are based on our current knowledge and assumptions, and therefore the ultimate impacts remain uncertain. Given the significant complexity of the TCJA, anticipated guidance from the U.S. Treasury about implementing the TCJA, and the potential for new legislation or additional guidance from the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Financial Accounting Standards Board or other regulatory authorities related to the TCJA, recognized impacts in future periods could be significantly different from our current estimates. Such uncertainty may also result in increased scrutiny from, or disagreements with, tax authorities. Our results of operations could be adversely affected by macroeconomic conditions, political events and market conditions. Macroeconomic conditions, political events and other market conditions around the world affect our clients' businesses and the markets they serve. These conditions may reduce demand for our services or depress pricing for those services, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations. Changes in macroeconomic and political conditions could also shift demand to services for which we do not have a competitive advantage, and this could negatively affect the amount of business that we are able to obtain. For example, recently there has been a move toward protectionist laws and business practices in some countries, which could favor local competition and adversely affect our business. In particular, the United Kingdom’s pending exit from the European Union, referred to as "Brexit," continues to create political and economic uncertainty, particularly in the United Kingdom and the E.U., and this uncertainty may last for years. Our business in the United Kingdom, the E.U. and worldwide could be affected during this period of uncertainty, and perhaps longer, by the impact of the United Kingdom’s referendum. If the demand for our products and services declines as a result of these or any other macroeconomic conditions, political events or market conditions, we may be required to respond in a way which could adversely affect our ability to execute our business strategy. Our investments, including our minority investments in other companies as well as our cash investments and those held in a fiduciary capacity, are subject to general credit, liquidity, counterparty, foreign exchange, market and interest rate risks. These risks may be exacerbated by global macroeconomic conditions, market volatility and regulatory, financial and other difficulties affecting the companies in which we have invested or that may be faced by financial institution counterparties. During times of stress in the banking industry, counterparty risk can quickly escalate, potentially resulting in substantial trading and investment losses for corporate and other investors. In addition, we may incur investment losses as a result of unusual and unpredictable market developments, and we may continue to experience reduced investment earnings if the yields on investments deemed to be low risk remain at or near their current low levels. If the banking system or the fixed income, interest rate, credit or equity markets deteriorate, the value and liquidity of our investments could be adversely affected. Finally, the value of the Company's assets held in other jurisdictions, including cash holdings, may decline due to foreign exchange fluctuations. If we are unable to collect our receivables, our results of operations and cash flows could be adversely affected. Our business depends on our ability to obtain payment from our clients of the amounts they owe us for the work we perform. As of December 31, 2017, our receivables for our commissions and fees were approximately $3.8 billion, or approximately one-quarter of our total annual revenues. Macroeconomic or political conditions could result in financial difficulties for our clients, which could cause clients to delay payments to us, request modifications to their payment arrangements that could increase our receivables balance or default on their payment obligations to us. In addition, if we experience an increase in the time it takes to bill and collect for our services, our cash flows could be adversely affected. We may not be able to obtain sufficient financing on favorable terms. The maintenance and growth of our business, the payment of dividends and our ability to make share repurchases rely on our access to capital, which depends in large part on cash flow generated by our business and the availability of equity and debt financing. Certain of our businesses such as GC Securities and MMC Securities (Europe) Limited also rely on financings by us to fund debt and equity capital raising offerings by their clients. There can be no assurance that our operations will generate sufficient positive cash flow to finance all of our capital needs or that we will be able to obtain equity or debt financing on favorable terms. In addition, our ability to obtain financing will depend in part upon prevailing conditions in credit and capital markets, which are beyond our control. Our defined benefit pension plan obligations could cause the Company's financial position, earnings and cash flows to fluctuate. Our defined benefit pension obligations and the assets set aside to fund those obligations are sensitive to certain changes in the financial markets. Any such changes may result in increased pension expense or additional cash payments to fund these plans. The Company has significant defined benefit pension obligations to its current and former employees, totaling approximately $16.3 billion, and related plan assets of approximately $16.2 billion, at December 31, 2017 on a U.S. GAAP basis. The Company's policy for funding its defined benefit pension plans is to contribute amounts at least sufficient to meet the funding requirements set forth by law. In the United States, contributions to these plans are based on ERISA guidelines. Outside the United States, contributions are generally based on statutory requirements and local funding practices, which may differ from measurements under U.S. GAAP. In the U.K., for example, the assumptions used to determine pension contributions are the result of legally-prescribed negotiations between the Company and the plans' trustee. Currently, the use of these assumptions results in a lower funded status than determined under U.S. GAAP and may result in contributions irrespective of the U.S. GAAP funded status. The financial calculations relating to our defined benefit pension plans are complex. Pension plan assets could decrease as the result of poor future asset performance. Also, pension plan liabilities, periodic pension expense and future funding amounts could increase as a result of a decline in the interest rates we use to discount our pension liabilities, longer lifespans than those reflected in our mortality assumptions, actual investment return that is less than the expected return on assets, adverse changes in laws or regulations and other variables. While we have taken steps to mitigate the impact of pension volatility on our earnings and cash funding requirements, these strategies may not be successful. Accordingly, given the magnitude of our worldwide pension plans, variations in or reassessment of the preceding or other factors or potential miscalculations relating to our defined benefit pension plans could cause significant fluctuation from year to year in our earnings and cash flow, as well as our pension plan assets, liabilities and equity, and may result in increased levels of contributions to our pension plans. Our significant non-U.S. operations expose us to exchange rate fluctuations and various risks that could impact our business. A significant portion of our business is located outside of the United States. We are subject to exchange rate movement because we must translate the financial results of our foreign subsidiaries into U.S. dollars and also because some of our subsidiaries receive revenue other than in their functional currencies. Exchange rate movements may change over time, and they could have a material adverse impact on our financial results and cash flows reported in U.S. dollars. Our U.S. operations earn revenue and incur expenses primarily in U.S. dollars. In certain jurisdictions, however, our Risk and Insurance Services operations generate revenue in a number of different currencies, but expenses are almost entirely incurred in local currency. Due to fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, we are subject to economic exposure as well as currency translation exposure on the net operating results of our operations. Because the non-U.S. based revenue that is exposed to foreign exchange fluctuations is approximately 50% of total revenue, exchange rate movement can have a significant impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flow. For additional discussion, see "Market Risk and Credit Risk-Foreign Currency Risk" in Part II, Item 7A ("Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk") of this report. We may not be able to receive dividends or other distributions in needed amounts from our subsidiaries. The Company is organized as a legal entity separate and distinct from our operating subsidiaries. Because we do not have significant operations of our own, we are dependent upon dividends and other payments from our operating subsidiaries to meet our obligations for paying principal and interest on outstanding debt obligations, paying dividends to stockholders, repurchasing our common stock under our share repurchase program and paying corporate expenses. In the event our operating subsidiaries are unable to pay sufficient dividends and make other payments to the Company, we may not be able to service our debt, pay dividends on or repurchase our common stock or meet our other obligations. Further, the Company derives a significant portion of its revenue and operating profit from operating subsidiaries located outside the United States. Funds from the current year’s earnings of the Company's non-U.S. operating subsidiaries are regularly repatriated to the United States. A number of factors could arise that could limit our ability to repatriate funds or could make repatriation cost-prohibitive, including, but not limited to, the imposition of currency controls and other government restrictions on repatriation in the jurisdictions in which our subsidiaries operate, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates and the imposition of withholding and other taxes on such payments. In the event we are unable to generate or repatriate cash from our operating subsidiaries, our overall liquidity could deteriorate and our ability to finance our obligations, including to pay dividends on or repurchase our common stock, could be adversely affected. Our quarterly revenues and profitability may fluctuate significantly. Quarterly variations in revenues and operating results may occur due to several factors. These include: • the number of client engagements during a quarter; • the possibility that clients may decide to delay or terminate a current or anticipated project as a result of factors unrelated to our work product or progress; • fluctuations in hiring and utilization rates and clients' ability to terminate engagements without penalty; • the impact of changes in accounting standards or in our accounting estimates or assumptions, including from the adoption of the new revenue recognition, pension or lease accounting standards; • the impact on us or our clients of changes in legislation, regulation and legal guidance or interpretations in the jurisdictions in which we operate, including with respect to U.S. tax reform; • seasonality due to the impact of regulatory deadlines, policy renewals and other timing factors to which our clients are subject; • the success of our acquisitions or investments; • macroeconomic factors such as changes in foreign exchange rates, interest rates and global securities markets, particularly in the case of Mercer, where fees in its investments business and certain other business lines are derived from the value of assets under management or administration; and • general economic conditions, including factors beyond our control affecting economic conditions such as severe weather or other catastrophic events, since results of operations are directly affected by the levels of business activity of our clients, which in turn are affected by the level of economic activity in the industries and markets that they serve. A significant portion of our total operating expenses is relatively fixed in the short term. Therefore, a variation in the number of client assignments or in the timing of the initiation or the completion of client assignments can cause significant variations in quarterly operating results for these businesses. Credit rating downgrades would increase our financing costs and could subject us to operational risk. Currently, the Company's senior debt is rated A- by S&P and Baa1 by Moody's. The ratings from both S&P and Moody's currently carry a Stable outlook. If we need to raise capital in the future (for example, in order to fund maturing debt obligations or finance acquisitions or other initiatives), credit rating downgrades would increase our financing costs, and could limit our access to financing sources. Further, a downgrade to a rating below investment-grade could result in greater operational risks through increased operating costs and increased competitive pressures. Global Operations We are exposed to multiple risks associated with the global nature of our operations. We conduct business globally. In 2017, approximately 50% of the Company's total revenue was generated from operations outside the United States, and over one-half of our employees were located outside the United States. We expect to expand our non-U.S. operations further. The geographic breadth of our activities subjects us to significant legal, economic, operational, market, compliance and reputational risks. These include, among others, risks relating to: • economic and political conditions in the countries in which we operate; • client concentration in certain high-growth countries in which we operate; • the length of payment cycles and potential difficulties in collecting accounts receivable; • unexpected increases in taxes or changes in U.S. or foreign tax laws, rulings, policies or related legal and regulatory interpretations, including recent international initiatives to require multinational enterprises, like ours, to report profitability on a country-by-country basis, which could increase scrutiny by, or cause disagreements with, foreign tax authorities; • potential transfer pricing-related tax exposures that may result from the flow of funds among our subsidiaries and affiliates in the various jurisdictions in which we operate; • withholding or other taxes that foreign governments may impose on the payment of dividends or other remittances to us from our non-U.S. subsidiaries; • potential conflicts of interest that may arise as we expand the scope of our businesses and our client base; • international hostilities, terrorist activities, natural disasters and infrastructure disruptions; • local investment or other financial restrictions that foreign governments may impose; • potential lawsuits, investigations, market studies, reviews or other activity by foreign regulatory or law enforcement authorities, which may result in related private litigation or increased scrutiny from U.S. or other regulators; • potential costs and difficulties in complying with a wide variety of foreign laws and regulations (including tax systems) administered by foreign government agencies, some of which may conflict with U.S. or other sources of law; • potential costs and difficulties in complying, or monitoring compliance, with foreign and U.S. laws and regulations that are applicable to our operations abroad, including trade sanctions laws relating to countries such as Cuba, Iran, Russia, Sudan and Syria and anti-corruption laws such as the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the U.K. Bribery Act 2010; • limitations or restrictions that foreign or U.S. governments and regulators may impose on the products or services we sell, the methods by which we sell our products and services and the manner in which and the amounts we are compensated; • limitations that foreign governments may impose on the conversion of currency or the payment of dividends or other remittances to us from our non-U.S. subsidiaries; • engaging and relying on third parties to perform services on behalf of the Company; and • potential difficulties in monitoring employees in geographically dispersed locations. Acquisitions and Dispositions Risks We face risks when we acquire and dispose of businesses. We have a history of making acquisitions and investments, including a total of 111 in the period 2012-2017. We expect that acquisitions will continue to be a key part of our business strategy. Our success in this regard will depend on our ability to identify and compete for appropriate acquisition candidates and to complete the transactions we decide to pursue with favorable results. As we typically acquire other professional services firms, the success of our transactions is also highly dependent on the retention of the key employees of our acquisition targets. While we intend that our acquisitions will improve our competitiveness and profitability, we cannot be certain that our past or future acquisitions will be accretive to earnings or otherwise meet our operational or strategic expectations. Acquisitions involve special risks, including accounting, regulatory, compliance, tax, information technology or human resources issues that could arise in connection with, or as a result of, the acquisition of the acquired company; the assumption of unanticipated liabilities and contingencies; difficulties in integrating acquired businesses; possible management distraction; and the inability of acquired businesses to achieve the levels of revenue, profit, productivity or synergies we anticipate or otherwise perform as we expect on the timeline contemplated. In addition, if in the future, the performance of our reporting units or an acquired business varies from our projections or assumptions, or estimates about future profitability of our reporting units or an acquired business change, the estimated fair value of our reporting units or an acquired business could change materially and could result in an impairment of goodwill and other acquisition-related intangible assets recorded on our balance sheet or in adjustments in contingent payment amounts. As of December 31, 2017, the Company's consolidated balance sheet reflected $10.4 billion of goodwill and intangible assets, representing approximately 51% of the Company's total consolidated assets and allocated by reporting segment as follows: Risk and Insurance Services, $7.6 billion and Consulting, $2.8 billion. Given the significant size of the Company's goodwill and intangible assets, an impairment could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations in any given period. When we dispose of businesses, we may continue to be subject to certain liabilities of that business after its disposition relating to the period of our ownership and may not be able to negotiate for limitations on those liabilities. We are also subject to the risk that the sales price is less than the amount reflected on our balance sheet. RISKS RELATING TO OUR RISK AND INSURANCE SERVICES SEGMENT Our Risk and Insurance Services segment, conducted through Marsh and Guy Carpenter, represented 54% of the Company's total revenue in 2017. Our business in this segment is subject to particular risks. Results in our Risk and Insurance Services segment may be adversely affected by a general decline in economic activity. Demand for many types of insurance and reinsurance generally rises or falls as economic growth expands or slows. This dynamic affects the level of commissions and fees generated by Marsh and Guy Carpenter. To the extent our clients become adversely affected by declining business conditions, they may choose to limit their purchases of insurance and reinsurance coverage, as applicable, which would inhibit our ability to generate commission revenue and other revenue based on premiums placed by us. Also, the insurance they seek to obtain through us may be impacted by changes in their assets, property values, sales or number of employees, which may reduce our commission revenue, and they may decide not to purchase our risk advisory or other services, which would inhibit our ability to generate fee revenue. Moreover, insolvencies and combinations associated with an economic downturn, especially insolvencies and combinations in the insurance industry, could adversely affect our brokerage business through the loss of clients or by limiting our ability to place insurance and reinsurance business, as well as our revenues from insurers. Guy Carpenter is especially susceptible to this risk given the limited number of insurance company clients and reinsurers in the market place. Volatility or declines in premiums and other market trends may significantly impede our ability to grow revenues and profitability. A significant portion of our Risk and Insurance Services revenue consists of commissions paid to us out of the premiums that insurers and reinsurers charge our clients for coverage. We do not determine the insurance premiums on which our commissions are generally based. Our revenues and profitability are subject to change to the extent that premium rates fluctuate or trend in a particular direction. The potential for changes in premium rates is significant, due to the normal cycles of pricing in the commercial insurance and reinsurance markets. As traditional insurance companies continue to rely on non-affiliated brokers or agents to generate premium, those insurance companies may seek to reduce their expenses by lowering their commission rates. The reduction of these commission rates, along with general volatility or declines in premiums, may significantly affect our profitability. Because we do not determine the timing or extent of premium pricing changes, it is difficult to accurately forecast our commission revenues, including whether they will significantly decline. As a result, we may have to adjust our plans for future acquisitions, capital expenditures, dividend payments, loan repayments and other expenditures to account for unexpected changes in revenues, and any decreases in premium rates may adversely affect the results of our operations. In addition to movements in premium rates, our ability to generate premium-based commission revenue may be challenged by disintermediation and the growing availability of alternative methods for clients to meet their risk-protection needs. This trend includes a greater willingness on the part of corporations to self-insure, the use of captive insurers, and the presence of capital markets-based solutions for traditional insurance and reinsurance needs. Further, the profitability of our Risk and Insurances Services segment depends in part on our ability to be compensated for the analytical services and other advice that we provide, including the consulting and analytics services that we provide to insurers. If we are unable to achieve and maintain adequate billing rates for all of our services, our margins and profitability could decline. Adverse legal developments and future regulations concerning how intermediaries are compensated by insurers or clients, as well as allegations of anti-competitive behavior or conflicts of interest more broadly, could have a material adverse effect on Marsh’s business, results of operations and financial condition. The ways in which insurance intermediaries are compensated receive scrutiny from regulators in part because of the potential for anti-competitive behavior and conflicts of interest. The vast majority of the compensation that Marsh receives is in the form of retail fees and commissions that are paid by the client or paid from premium that is paid by the client. The amount of other compensation that we receive from insurance companies, separate from retail fees and commissions, has increased in the last several years, both on an underlying basis and through acquisition. This other compensation includes payment for (i) consulting and analytics services provided to insurers; (ii) administrative and other services provided to insurers (including services relating to the administration and management of quota shares, lineslips, panels and other facilities); and (iii) contingent commissions (paid by insurers based on factors such as volume or profitability of Marsh's placements). These other revenue streams present potential regulatory, litigation and reputational risks that may arise from alleged anti-competitive behavior or conflicts of interest, and future changes in the regulatory environment may impact our ability to collect such revenue. For example, in November 2017, the FCA announced the terms of reference for a market study concerning the London wholesale insurance broker sector, which affects Marsh and Guy Carpenter. The FCA is conducting the study to assess "how effective competition is working in the wholesale insurance broker sector" and "how brokers influence competition in the underwriting sector." Many of the questions raised by the FCA in the terms of reference relate to broker compensation and fee-generating business practices. The FCA is expected to publish its interim report in the fall of 2018, with a final report expected in 2019. The timing and impacts of the study remain uncertain, and the study may lead to remedies on the industry that could adversely impact Marsh or Guy Carpenter’s business. These or other adverse regulatory, legal or other developments could have a material adverse effect on our business and expose the Company to negative publicity and reputational harm. RISKS RELATING TO OUR CONSULTING SEGMENT Our Consulting segment, conducted through Mercer and Oliver Wyman Group, represented 46% of our total revenue in 2017. Our businesses in this segment are subject to particular risks. Mercer’s Investment Management and Related Services (IMS) business is subject to a number of risks, including risks related to third-party investment managers, operational risk, conflicts of interest, asset performance and regulatory compliance, that, if realized, could result in significant damage to our business. Mercer’s IMS business provides clients with investment consulting and investment management (also referred to as "delegated solutions" or "fiduciary management") services. In the investment consulting business, clients make and implement their own investment decisions based upon advice provided by Mercer. In its delegated solutions business, Mercer implements the client’s investment policy by engaging and overseeing third-party asset managers who determine which investments to buy and sell. To effect implementation of a client’s investment policy, Mercer may utilize its "manager of managers" investment funds. Mercer’s IMS business is subject to a number of risks, including risks related to third-parties, our operations, conflicts of interest, asset performance and regulatory compliance and scrutiny, which could arise in connection with these offerings. For example, Mercer’s due diligence on an asset manager may fail to uncover material deficiencies or fraud that could result in investment losses to a client. There is a risk that Mercer will fail to properly implement a client’s investment policy, which could cause an incorrect or untimely allocation of client assets among asset managers or strategies. Mercer may also be perceived as recommending certain asset managers to clients, or offering delegated solutions to an investment consulting client, solely to enhance its own compensation. Asset classes may perform poorly, or asset managers may underperform their benchmarks, due to poor market performance, a downturn in the global equity markets, negligence or other reasons, resulting in poor returns or loss of client capital. These risks, if realized, could result in significant liability and damage our business. In addition, in June 2017, the FCA issued a final report in connection with a market study of the U.K. asset management industry, which includes asset managers and investment consultants, including Mercer. Following the report, in September 2017, the FCA announced its decision to refer the investment consulting and fiduciary management markets to the U.K. Competition & Markets Authority (the "CMA") for a market investigation. The CMA expects to conclude its investigation of the investment consulting and fiduciary management markets by March 2019, and the CMA may impose remedies on the industry that may adversely affect Mercer’s U.K. investment consulting and delegated solutions businesses. Revenues for the services provided by our Consulting segment may decline for various reasons, including as a result of changes in economic conditions, the value of equity, debt and other asset markets, our clients’ or an industry's financial condition or government regulation. Until recently, global economic conditions have negatively affected businesses and financial institutions. Many of our clients, including financial institutions, corporations, government entities and pension plans, have reduced expenses, including amounts spent on consulting services, and used internal resources instead of consultants. The evolving needs and financial circumstances of our clients may reduce demand for our consulting services and our revenues and profitability. If the economy or markets in which we operate experience weakness or deteriorate, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. In addition, some of Mercer's IMS business generates fees based upon the value of the clients’ assets under management or advisement. Changes in the value of equity, debt, currency, real estate, commodities or other asset classes could cause the value of assets under management or advisement, and the fees received by Mercer, to decline. Such changes could also cause clients to withdraw funds from Mercer’s IMS business in favor of other investment service providers. In either case, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. Further, revenue received by Mercer as investment manager to the majority of the Mercer-managed investment funds is reported in accordance with U.S. GAAP on a gross basis rather than a net basis, with sub-advisor fees reflected as an expense. Therefore the reported revenue for these offerings does not fully reflect the amount net revenue ultimately attributable to Mercer. Demand for many of Mercer's benefits services is affected by government regulation and tax laws, rulings, policies and interpretations, which drive our clients' needs for benefits-related services. Significant changes in government regulations affecting the value, use or delivery of benefits and human resources programs, including changes in regulations relating to health and welfare plans, defined contribution plans or defined benefit plans, may adversely affect the demand for or profitability of Mercer's services. Factors affecting defined benefit pension plans and the services we provide relating to those plans could adversely affect Mercer. Mercer currently provides corporate, multi-employer and public clients with actuarial, consulting and administration services relating to defined benefit pension plans. The nature of our work is complex. Our actuarial services involve numerous assumptions and estimates regarding future events, including interest rates used to discount future liabilities, estimated rates of return for a plan's assets, healthcare cost trends, salary projections and participants' life expectancies. Our consulting services involve the drafting and interpretation of trust deeds and other complex documentation governing pension plans. Our administration services include calculating benefits within complicated pension plan structures. Clients dissatisfied with our services have brought, and may bring, significant claims against us, particularly in the United States and the United Kingdom. In addition, a number of Mercer's clients have frozen or curtailed their defined benefit plans and have moved to defined contribution plans resulting in reduced revenue for Mercer's retirement business. These developments could adversely affect Mercer's business and operating results. The profitability of our Consulting segment may decline if we are unable to achieve or maintain adequate utilization and pricing rates for our consultants. The profitability of our Consulting businesses depends in part on ensuring that our consultants maintain adequate utilization rates (i.e., the percentage of our consultants' working hours devoted to billable activities). Our utilization rates are affected by a number of factors, including: • our ability to transition consultants promptly from completed projects to new assignments, and to engage newly-hired consultants quickly in revenue-generating activities; • our ability to continually secure new business engagements, particularly because a portion of our work is project-based rather than recurring in nature; • our ability to forecast demand for our services and thereby maintain appropriate headcount in each of our geographies and workforces; • our ability to manage attrition; • unanticipated changes in the scope of client engagements; • the potential for conflicts of interest that might require us to decline client engagements that we otherwise would have accepted; • our need to devote time and resources to sales, training, professional development and other non-billable activities; • the potential disruptive impact of acquisitions and dispositions; and • general economic conditions. If the utilization rate for our consulting professionals declines, our profit margin and profitability could decline. In addition, the profitability of our Consulting businesses depends in part on the prices we are able to charge for our services. The prices we charge are affected by a number of factors, including: • clients' perception of our ability to add value through our services; • market demand for the services we provide; • our ability to develop new services and the introduction of new services by competitors; • the pricing policies of our competitors; • the extent to which our clients develop in-house or other capabilities to perform the services that they might otherwise purchase from us; and • general economic conditions. If we are unable to achieve and maintain adequate billing rates for our services, our profit margin and profitability could decline. Item 1B.