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Aon plc: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 29 July 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 lowered, 3 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue up 2%, organic growth 5%: Total revenue was $4,246 million, up 2%. Organic growth was 5%. A 4% unfavorable effect, mainly from divestitures of NFP Wealth and Stroz Friedberg, was partly offset by a 1% favorable currency effect. Source
  • Operating income rose 7%, margin widened: Operating income was $915 million, up 7%, with operating margin of 21.5%. Adjusted operating income was $1,227 million, up 5%. Source
  • Diluted EPS down, adjusted EPS up: Diluted EPS was $2.58, down 3%, while adjusted diluted EPS was $3.81, up 9%. Net income attributable to Aon shareholders was $551 million, down 5%. Adjusted net income attributable was $814 million, up 7%. Source
  • Risk Capital revenue up 5%: Risk Capital revenue rose $140 million, or 5%, to $3.0 billion, with 5% organic growth. Commercial Risk Solutions revenue was $2,295 million and Reinsurance Solutions revenue was $711 million. Source
  • Human Capital margin widened to 13.4%: Human Capital operating margin was 13.4%, up from 9.1%, and its adjusted margin was 21.5%, up from 19.1%. Risk Capital operating margin was 30.5%, up from 30.1%, and its adjusted margin was 34.2%. Source
  • Quarterly operating cash flow fell 30%: Cash from operations was $556 million, down from $796 million, and free cash flow was $483 million, down from $732 million. Capital expenditures were $73 million in the quarter. Source
  • Repurchases of $600 million in quarter: The company repurchased 1.9 million class A shares for about $600 million and paid $175 million of dividends, returning $775 million in the quarter. Source

“Our second-quarter results demonstrate the consistency of our execution and the strength of our business model,”

Greg Case, president and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Organic revenue growth Sourcefull year 2026mid-single-digit or greaterKept
Adjusted operating margin expansion Sourcefull year 202670-80 basis pointsKept
Free cash flow growth Sourcefull year 2026double-digit free cash flow growthKept
Currency impact on adjusted EPS Sourcefull year 2026favorable impact of approximately $0.42 per shareLowered from favorable impact of approximately $0.44 per share
Share repurchases Sourcefull year 2026at least $1 billion

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Full-year favorable currency effect on adjusted EPS now approximately $0.42 per share, from approximately $0.44 per share in the first-quarter release. Source
  • Guidance kept: 2026 guidance on organic growth, adjusted margin, adjusted EPS and free cash flow was reaffirmed without change. Source
  • New guidance: Third-quarter 2026 currency effect on adjusted EPS given as de minimis, if rates hold at current levels. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue up 2%, organic growth 5%: Total revenue was $4,246 million, up 2%. Organic growth was 5%. A 4% unfavorable effect, mainly from divestitures of NFP Wealth and Stroz Friedberg, was partly offset by a 1% favorable currency effect. Source
  • Operating income rose 7%, margin widened: Operating income was $915 million, up 7%, with operating margin of 21.5%. Adjusted operating income was $1,227 million, up 5%. Source
  • Diluted EPS down, adjusted EPS up: Diluted EPS was $2.58, down 3%, while adjusted diluted EPS was $3.81, up 9%. Net income attributable to Aon shareholders was $551 million, down 5%. Adjusted net income attributable was $814 million, up 7%. Source
  • First-half EPS and operating income up: First-half diluted EPS was $8.22, up 16%, and first-half operating income was $2,630 million, up 13%. First-half adjusted EPS was $10.29, up 12%. Source

Segments and revenue lines

  • Risk Capital revenue up 5%: Risk Capital revenue rose $140 million, or 5%, to $3.0 billion, with 5% organic growth. Commercial Risk Solutions revenue was $2,295 million and Reinsurance Solutions revenue was $711 million. Source
  • North America led commercial growth: Commercial Risk Solutions organic growth of 5% reflected EMEA and North America. Within North America, U.S. core P&C grew strongly and construction grew at double-digit rates. Net market impact was modestly positive. Source
  • Reinsurance growth from treaties and facultative: Reinsurance Solutions organic growth of 5% came from treaty placements. Facultative placements and the Strategy and Technology Group each grew at double-digit rates. Source
  • Health Solutions grew on core benefits: Health Solutions revenue rose 6% to $818 million, with 5% organic growth. Core health and benefits had particular international strength, and Talent Solutions grew on talent analytics. Source
  • Wealth revenue down, retirement grew: Wealth Solutions revenue fell 18% to $426 million, largely from divestitures. Organic revenue grew 5%, led by Retirement demand for advisory work in the UK and EMEA. Source

“We remain confident in our strategy, our outlook, and our ability to deliver sustainable long-term value.”

Greg Case, president and CEO

Expenses and cost drivers

  • Operating expenses rose 1%: Total operating expenses were $3,331 million, up 1%. Compensation and benefits fell 4% to $2,271 million, reflecting the NFP Wealth sale and restructuring savings, partly offset by currency and growth-related costs. Source
  • Other general expense rose on prior gains: Other general expense rose 32% to $494 million. The increase was mainly against non-recurring gains in the prior-year period, including portfolio sales, partly offset by lower NFP Wealth expenses. Source
  • Technology spend up 19%: Information technology expense rose 19% to $162 million, mainly for Aon Business Services technology initiatives. Amortization and impairment of intangibles fell 13% to $174 million on the NFP Wealth sale. Source
  • Restructuring program costs slightly higher: Accelerating Aon United program expenses were $96 million, up 2%, mainly for workforce optimization. Premises expense was flat at $85 million. Source

Margins by segment

  • Human Capital margin widened to 13.4%: Human Capital operating margin was 13.4%, up from 9.1%, and its adjusted margin was 21.5%, up from 19.1%. Risk Capital operating margin was 30.5%, up from 30.1%, and its adjusted margin was 34.2%. Source
  • Adjusted margin rose 70 basis points: Consolidated adjusted operating margin was 28.9%, up from 28.2%. Management attributed the rise to organic growth, ABS scale and net restructuring savings, partly offset by growth investment. Source

Cash flow and free cash flow

  • Quarterly operating cash flow fell 30%: Cash from operations was $556 million, down from $796 million, and free cash flow was $483 million, down from $732 million. Capital expenditures were $73 million in the quarter. Source
  • First-half cash flow rose: For the first six months, operating cash flow rose 5% to $986 million and free cash flow rose 4% to $846 million. Source
  • Capital spending higher in first half: First-half capital expenditures were $140 million, up from $120 million. Management linked the free cash flow increase to higher operating cash flow, partly offset by this rise. Source

Capital returns and balance sheet

  • Repurchases of $600 million in quarter: The company repurchased 1.9 million class A shares for about $600 million and paid $175 million of dividends, returning $775 million in the quarter. Source
  • Repurchase authorization about $7.7 billion: Remaining authorization under the repurchase program was about $7.7 billion at June 30, compared with about $0.8 billion at March 31 in the first-quarter release. Source
  • Short-term investments fell sharply: Short-term investments fell to $205 million from $1,603 million at year-end. Short-term debt rose to $2,020 million from $589 million, while long-term debt fell to $12,947 million. Source

Strategy and client demand

  • Aon United differentiates via analytics: Management said the Aon United structure, combined with AI-enabled analytical insights and innovative capital solutions, continues to differentiate Aon in the market. Source
  • Addressable market widening with new capital: Management said client complexity is expanding Aon's addressable market, with new sources of both traditional and non-traditional capital. Source
  • Acquisition cash outlay rose: Acquisitions of businesses used $322 million of cash in the first half, up from $143 million. Sales of businesses provided $21 million, down from $119 million. Source

Tax, share count and interest

  • Effective tax rate rose to 22.0%: The effective tax rate was 22.0%, against 15.5%, and the adjusted rate was 20.1%, against 16.5%. Management pointed to changes in income geography and to discrete items. Source
  • Diluted share count lower: Weighted average diluted shares were 213.9 million, down from 217.3 million a year earlier. Source
  • Interest expense fell on lower debt: Interest expense fell $33 million to $179 million. Other expense was $17 million, against other income of $56 million a year earlier, reflecting prior-year deferred consideration. Source

Coming up, as management said on 29 July 2026

  • Aon United execution continues: Management said it continues to execute the Aon United strategy, accelerated by the 3x3 Plan, to meet rising client demand. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Investment income SourceFiduciary investment income of $58 million in Q2 2026, against $66 million in Q2 2025

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Reinsurance Solutions net market impact was unfavorable in the quarter. Source
  • External: Health Solutions net market impact was slightly negative in the quarter. Source
  • Financial: Management said adjusted operating income growth offset the NFP Wealth cash tax payment and working capital effects in the first half. Source
  • Operational: Operating expense growth was tied to client activity, long-term investments and currency translation. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: The first-quarter release expected NFP integration costs through the end of the second quarter of 2026. Management said they were substantially completed at June 30, 2026. Source
  • Not stated: The first-quarter release expected a de minimis currency effect on second-quarter adjusted EPS. The second-quarter release reports a de minimis effect on both diluted and adjusted EPS. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.