Willis Towers Stock Price, News & Analysis

WTW's latest Salary Budget Planning Report reveals a more conservative approach to salary budgets among U.S. employers in 2024. Key findings include:

- 47% of organizations report lower salary budgets than the previous year
- Overall median pay raise for 2024 dropped to 4.1%, down from 4.5% in 2023
- Employers anticipate longer-term stability in their workforce
- 38% of employers report difficulty attracting and retaining talent, down from 57% two years ago
- Salary budget increases expected to rise by 3.9% in 2025

Companies are making long-term changes to compensation programs, including targeted reviews and improving workplace flexibility. The focus is shifting towards a more holistic approach to reward programs, considering factors like bonuses, long-term incentives, and health benefits.

Global mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity maintained momentum in Q2 2024, with 166 deals over $100 million completed, matching Q1 2024 and surpassing Q2 2023 by 28%.

Thirty-five large deals over $1 billion were closed, continuing a rising trend. Four mega deals over $10 billion were completed, totaling nine for the year, compared to three in H1 2023.

Intra-sector acquisitions increased to 74% of total deals, up from 57% in Q1 2023. Despite rising market confidence and improved conditions, acquirers underperformed the market by 9.3 percentage points in Q2 2024.

North American and European acquirers struggled, underperforming regional indexes by 7.7% and 10.7%, respectively. In contrast, Asia Pacific outperformed its index by 1%.

Challenges include inflation, high interest rates, and political uncertainty, emphasizing the need for cautious dealmaking and thorough due diligence.

WTW (NASDAQ: WTW), a global advisory, broking, and solutions firm, has announced that it will release its second-quarter financial results on July 25, 2024, before the market opens.

The company will hold a conference call at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on the same day to discuss the results and answer questions. A live broadcast of the call will be available on WTW's website, with an online replay accessible shortly after the call concludes.

WTW (NASDAQ: WTW) has appointed James Baum as the new Head of Australia and New Zealand, as well as Head of Corporate Risk & Broking (CRB) for the region, effective 15 July 2024. Baum brings over 30 years of experience, having previously held senior roles at Aon, including Global Head of Wholesale & Specialty Broking. He succeeds Simon Weaver, who will continue as Head of Asia Pacific and Head of CRB for Asia Pacific. The leadership change aims to leverage Baum's extensive knowledge to sustain and accelerate WTW's growth in Australasia. Pamela Thomson-Hall, WTW Head of International, expressed confidence in Baum's ability to further WTW's market position.

WTW released its second annual sustainability report, 'Taking Action to Create Sustainable Value,' on June 28, 2024. The report highlights WTW's sustainability initiatives, achievements, and commitments across environmental, social, and governance (ESG) domains, reflecting both internal practices and client services. CEO Carl Hess emphasized the importance of sustainability in creating long-term value and competitive advantage. WTW's efforts aim to enhance resilience, performance, and operational excellence while contributing to global community benefits. The report underscores the company's role in helping clients address sustainability in their organizations' people, risk, and capital needs.

The report is a testament to WTW's thought leadership and partnerships, which empower clients to focus on sustainability, drive growth, and achieve operational excellence.

According to the Global Life Science Risk Report 2024 by WTW (NASDAQ: WTW), 63% of life science companies view the high cost of new drug development as a significant challenge impacting the sector over the next 3-5 years. Consequently, 66% of companies are focusing on repurposing existing drugs to launch new products and expand globally. The survey, involving 400 senior decision-makers in pharmaceuticals and biotech, also highlighted increasing regulatory and reputational risks as major concerns. Regulations post-Covid, U.S. drug pricing controls, data privacy, ESG reporting, and product contamination are key issues. Smart manufacturing is the top digital transformation opportunity, while supply chain risks include stockpiling and panic buying. Talent retention and internal culture alignment are significant obstacles, and intellectual property management is notably weak. Environmental concerns, particularly natural disasters and water scarcity, are also prominent risks for the industry.

WTW (NASDAQ: WTW), a global advisory, broking, and solutions firm, announced the addition of three experts to its Financial Institutions team within Corporate Risk and Broking, North America (CRB NA). Heather Mann, Larry Trombino, and Jeanette Younger join from Aon, enhancing WTW's capabilities in broker-dealer and independent financial advisor segments. Mann, based in Miami, has 23 years' experience and was previously an Executive Vice President at Aon. Trombino, an attorney, worked 16 years at Aon as a Senior Vice President in financial institutions and specialized in Broker-Dealer Errors & Omissions programs. Younger, based in San Francisco, brings 8 years of experience at Aon focused on developing E&O insurance programs for large financial institutions. Their expertise aims to strengthen WTW's market presence and leverage its technology platform.

A recent WTW survey reveals that 88% of U.S. workers are struggling with basic living costs, leading to declining retirement confidence. The survey, involving 10,000 employees, shows 46% are worried about daily expenses, with major concerns including food, healthcare, housing, and transportation. The percentage of employees living paycheck to paycheck increased to 44% from 37% in 2020. Financial concerns are negatively impacting employees' overall wellbeing, and 59% report increased stress and missed medical appointments. Nearly half of older workers expect to work past age 70, and 79% aren't saving enough for retirement. There's a gap between the financial support employees want from employers and what is being provided, with only 23% of employers prioritizing financial wellbeing initiatives.

WTW (NASDAQ: WTW) has appointed Len Graziano as the new Casualty Strategy and Execution Leader for Corporate Risk and Broking, North America (CRB NA). Graziano will focus on aligning casualty product strategies, talent mapping, and differentiating go-to-market strategies. Previously with Aon, Graziano led the Excess Casualty practice, managing nearly 50 brokers and crafting complex risk solutions for Fortune 1000 clients. Reporting to James Sallada, North American Casualty Leader, Graziano will be based in Tampa, Florida, and aims to develop client-centric initiatives, enhance policy forms, and provide market insights. His appointment strengthens the leadership team and aligns with WTW’s focus on specialized client solutions.