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Marsh & McLennan (MMC) Q3 Earnings Beat, Revenues Increase (Revised)

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Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (MMC - Free Report) reported third-quarter 2017 operating earnings per share of 79 cents per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.3%. Earnings improved 14% year over year.

Marsh & McLennan’s consolidated revenues were $3.34 million, up 3% year over year on an underlying basis. Revenues beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.3%.

Total operating expenses of $2.74 billion increased 7.1% year over year.
The effective tax rate in the third quarter of 2017 was 26.2% compared with 26.8% in the prior-year period.

Segment Results

Risk and Insurance Services

Revenues at the Risk and Insurance Services segment were $1.8 billion, up 3% year over year on an underlying basis. Adjusted operating income also grew 12% to $337 million from the prior-year quarter.

A unit within this segment, Marsh, reported revenues of $1.5 million, up 3% year over year on an underlying basis. Underlying revenues grew 2% year over year in international operations on 9% growth in Latin America, 7% in the Asia Pacific, partly offset by 2% decline in the underlying revenues for EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa).

Another unit under this segment, Guy Carpenter, displayed revenue growth of 4% year over year on an underlying basis to $270 million.

Consulting

The Consulting segment's revenues increased 2% year over year on an underlying basis to $1.6 billion. Additionally, adjusted operating income increased 7% year over year to $330 million.

A unit within this segment – Mercer – reported revenues of $1.1 billion, remained flat year over year on an underlying basis.

Another unit, Oliver Wyman Group, reported revenues of $438 million, up 7% year over year on an underlying basis.

Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Financial Update

Marsh & McLennan exited the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $1.08 billion, up 5.1% from 2016 end.

As of Sep 30, 2017, Marsh & McLennan’s total assets were $19.7 billion, up 8.2% from year-end 2016.

Total equity was $7.1 billion, up 13.7% from year-end 2016.

Capital Deployment

The company repurchased 2.6 million shares of its common stock for $200 million in the third quarter.

Zacks Rank

Marsh & McLennan presently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Performance of Other Insurers

Among other players from the insurance industry that have reported their third-quarter earnings so far, the bottom line at CNO Financial Group, Inc. (CNO - Free Report) , The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (HIG - Free Report) and The Travelers Companies, Inc.’s (TRV - Free Report) beat their respective Zacks Consensus Estimate.

(We are reissuing this article to correct a mistake. The original article, issued Thursday, October 26, 2017, should no longer be relied upon.)

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