Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company Ordinary Shares - WTW STOCK NEWS

WTW's latest global study reveals U.S. companies are refining their approach to ESG metrics in executive compensation, focusing on better business alignment. 77% of S&P 500 companies included at least one ESG metric in executive incentive plans, unchanged from last year but up from 52% four years ago. Despite recent DEI backlash, 57% of U.S. companies maintain DEI metrics, with 26 companies adding and 35 removing or planning to remove such metrics.

The study found that ESG metrics yield about 10% higher payout than financial metrics among S&P 500 companies, raising concerns about goalsetting rigor. Globally, 81% of companies use ESG metrics, with 77% implementing them in short-term incentives and 29% in long-term incentives. Human capital metrics remain most popular, used by 72% of S&P 500 companies and 73% globally.

WTW (NASDAQ: WTW) has announced that its Board of Directors has approved a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.88 per common share for the quarter ended September 30, 2024. The dividend will be paid on or around January 15, 2025 to shareholders who are on record at the close of business on December 31, 2024. This announcement comes from the global advisory, broking and solutions company based in London.

WTW has released its latest Political Risk Index highlighting increased threats from 'gray zone aggression' - actions used to weaken countries through means short of war. The report identifies rising risks to vessels, undersea cables, and offshore installations, particularly from Russia and Iran's disregard for maritime laws.

The research reveals that 69% of respondents experienced geopolitically-related supply chain disruptions in 2024, including gray zone attacks on global shipping. Three main types of flashpoints were identified: military conflicts, fragile states, and ideological polarization.

Key concerns include the growth of the global shadow fleet for oil exports, insurance coverage disruptions, and emerging aerospace sector threats like GPS jamming. The report suggests these attacks are increasing due to interconnected global relationships and new technologies enabling hybrid warfare tactics.

WTW hosted its 2024 Investor Day to present its strategy for growth and value creation. The company outlined key initiatives including accelerating performance through innovation, enhancing efficiency for margin expansion, and optimizing portfolio through strategic investments. CEO Carl Hess highlighted the company's successful execution of Grow, Simplify and Transform priorities over the past three years. Additionally, WTW announced a new joint venture with Bain Capital to re-enter the treaty reinsurance broking market, where WTW will hold a minority stake.

WTW's Thinking Ahead Institute reports that the world's top 100 asset owners' assets grew by 12.3% in 2023, reaching a record $26.3 trillion, recovering from an 8.7% decline in 2022. Sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) now manage 38.9% of AO100 assets, while pension funds, despite holding the largest share at 51.2%, showed the lowest growth at 8.9%. The Government Pension Investment Fund of Japan remains the largest asset owner with $1.59 trillion AuM. EMEA leads regional distribution with 34.3% of total AuM, followed by Asia Pacific (33.0%) and North America (32.7%).

WTW (NASDAQ: WTW) announced its Board of Directors has approved a $1 billion increase to its existing share repurchase program. This addition complements the approximately $660 million remaining from the current open-ended repurchase authority. The company's decision to repurchase shares will be based on various factors, including market conditions, legal requirements, and business considerations.

WTW announces a strategic partnership with Kayna and Vibrant to enhance third-party vendor cybersecurity insurance compliance. The collaboration integrates Kayna's embedded insurance infrastructure with Vibrant's vendor monitoring platform and WTW's insurance distribution.

The solution enables real-time monitoring of vendor cybersecurity status, generates alerts for potential risks, and provides immediate access to insurance quotes. This partnership aims to simplify third-party risk management across various sectors including Manufacturing, Healthcare, Financial Services, and Government.

WTW (NASDAQ: WTW) has appointed Tyler Adkerson as Growth Leader for Private Equity and Transactional Solutions (PE&TS) in Corporate Risk and Broking, North America. Adkerson, who joins from Aon where he served as Global Co-Head for Corporate Client M&A, brings over 20 years of industry experience. In his new role, he will develop strategic client initiatives, strengthen M&A partnerships, and lead a client advisory board. His expertise includes previous roles at J.P. Morgan in syndicated finance and as an M&A attorney at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.

WTW's Wellbeing Diagnostic Survey reveals a significant mismatch between employer wellbeing programs and employee needs. While employers prioritize mental (73%) and physical (50%) wellbeing, 66% of employees identify financial wellbeing as their primary concern, which is employers' lowest priority (23%).

According to WTW's 2024 Global Benefits Attitudes Survey, 48% of U.S. employees struggle with moderate or major wellbeing issues, with 56% reporting above-average stress levels. Only 41% feel financially secure, yet employers rate lowest (19%) in financial wellbeing initiative effectiveness.

Companies are planning improvements, with 46% aiming to embed wellbeing programs into company culture, and 71% planning to enhance program communication. The employee net promoter score for wellbeing initiatives has improved from -45 in 2019 to -20 currently.