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Willis Towers Watson plc: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 30 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 1 new, 6 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue up 8% as reported: Revenue reached $2.41 billion, up 8% as reported, 4% excluding currency and 3% organic. Acquisitions and divestitures contributed 1% of the change. Source
  • Adjusted diluted EPS rose 19%: Adjusted diluted EPS was $3.72 against $3.13, while diluted EPS was $3.10 against $2.33. Net income rose 27% to $303 million and adjusted net income rose 13% to $357 million. Source
  • Adjusted operating margin rose 70 basis points: Adjusted operating margin rose to 22.3% from 21.6%, with adjusted operating income of $537 million, up 12%. Reported operating margin fell to 18.6% from 19.4%. Source
  • HWC margin rose to 27.3%: HWC operating margin rose 60 basis points to 27.3%. Management attributed the increase to improved operating leverage and expense discipline. Source
  • Career organic revenue declined: Career organic revenue fell as clients deferred discretionary work. Management tied the deferrals to geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East. Source
  • Transaction costs of $41 million: Transaction and integration expenses were $41 million against none a year earlier, primarily share-based compensation and other costs tied to Newfront. Source

“Our ongoing focus on enhancing efficiency drove margin expansion and significant EPS growth, despite a more challenging global market that created near-term headwinds to organic growth.”

Carl Hess, WTW’s Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
R&B adjusted operating margin Sourcenext 2 years~100 basis pointsKept
Share repurchases Source2026$1.0B or greaterKept
Willis Re joint venture effect on Adjusted Diluted EPS Source2026~$0.30 headwindKept
Newfront effect on Adjusted EPS Source2026~$0.10 dilutiveKept
Newfront revenue Source2026 post-close~$250MKept
Newfront adjusted EBITDA margin Source2026~26%Kept
Foreign exchange effect on Adjusted Diluted EPS Sourcefull year 2026~$0.35 tailwindRaised from ~$0.30 tailwind
Foreign exchange effect on Adjusted Diluted EPS Sourceremainder of 2026~$0.10 tailwindNew

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: The full-year 2026 foreign exchange tailwind to Adjusted Diluted EPS is now about $0.35, up from about $0.30 in the prior release. Source

Revenue and earnings growth

  • Revenue up 8% as reported: Revenue reached $2.41 billion, up 8% as reported, 4% excluding currency and 3% organic. Acquisitions and divestitures contributed 1% of the change. Source
  • Adjusted diluted EPS rose 19%: Adjusted diluted EPS was $3.72 against $3.13, while diluted EPS was $3.10 against $2.33. Net income rose 27% to $303 million and adjusted net income rose 13% to $357 million. Source
  • Adjusted operating margin rose 70 basis points: Adjusted operating margin rose to 22.3% from 21.6%, with adjusted operating income of $537 million, up 12%. Reported operating margin fell to 18.6% from 19.4%. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA up 11%: Adjusted EBITDA was $589 million, or 24.4% of revenue, up 11% from $532 million a year earlier. Net income was $303 million compared with $239 million. Source

Segment results

  • HWC revenue up 9%: HWC revenue reached $1.27 billion, up 9% reported and 3% organic, and operating income rose 11% to $346 million. Health and Wealth grew organically, while Career declined. Source
  • HWC margin rose to 27.3%: HWC operating margin rose 60 basis points to 27.3%. Management attributed the increase to improved operating leverage and expense discipline. Source
  • R&B revenue up 9%, organic 2%: R&B revenue reached $1.12 billion, up 9% reported, 3% at constant currency and 2% organic. Operating income rose 12% to $252 million, with operating margin at 22.6%. Source
  • R&B margin lifted by currency: Management attributed the 60 basis point rise in R&B operating margin, to 22.6%, primarily to the impact of foreign exchange. Source
  • Newfront split across segments: Newfront's Total Rewards business, about 42% of the Newfront business, goes into HWC. Its Business Insurance business, about 58%, goes into R&B. Source

“Our investments in talent, AI and innovation to accelerate performance continue driving client value, and we remain confident in delivering our full-year commitments.”

Carl Hess, WTW’s Chief Executive Officer

Client demand and work mix

  • Career organic revenue declined: Career organic revenue fell as clients deferred discretionary work. Management tied the deferrals to geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East. Source
  • Wealth grew on retirement work: Wealth organic growth came from higher retirement work across all regions and growth in the Investments business. Source
  • BD&O organic revenue dipped: BD&O organic revenue declined modestly. Expanded Outsourcing projects and administration work were offset by lower Individual Marketplace commissions. Source

Costs, pension and tax

  • Personnel and operating costs rose: Salaries and benefits were $1,434 million against $1,324 million, and other operating expenses were $385 million against $365 million. Depreciation and amortization were little changed. Source
  • Transaction costs of $41 million: Transaction and integration expenses were $41 million against none a year earlier, primarily share-based compensation and other costs tied to Newfront. Source
  • Pension swung to a benefit: Net periodic pension and postretirement benefits were a $6 million benefit, against a $75 million cost a year earlier. Other income was $5 million against a $64 million loss, and interest expense rose to $77 million from $65 million. Source
  • Tax rates fell year on year: The U.S. GAAP tax rate was 18.6%, against 21.5% a year earlier. The adjusted income tax rate was 20.3%, against 22.7%. Source

Cash flow and debt

  • Free cash flow still negative: Free cash flow was $(65) million, an improvement of $21 million from $(86) million. Cash used in operating activities was $10 million against $35 million. Source
  • Operating margin drove cash gain: Management attributed the cash improvement mainly to operating margin expansion and lower remaining Transformation program outflows, a program completed in December 2024. Source
  • Cash fell, long-term debt rose: Cash and cash equivalents fell to $1,855 million from $3,132 million at December 31, 2025. Long-term debt rose to $6,304 million from $5,756 million, and debt repayments totaled $551 million. Source
  • Acquisitions used $792 million: Acquisitions of operations used $792 million net of cash acquired, against $1 million a year earlier. Goodwill rose to $9,662 million from $8,938 million at year end. Source

Share repurchases and dividends

  • Share repurchases of $300 million: The company repurchased $300 million of its shares in the quarter, up from $200 million a year earlier. Source
  • Dividends unchanged at $88 million: Dividends paid were $88 million, the same as in the prior-year quarter. Cash paid for employee withholding taxes on shares was $2 million. Source
  • Net cash used in financing: Net cash used in financing activities was $203 million, against $24 million of net cash from financing a year earlier. Source

Coming up, as management said on 30 April 2026

  • Strategy and AI update on call: Management said the April 30, 2026 call would include an update on strategic priorities and artificial intelligence initiatives. Source
  • Free cash flow margin to improve: Management expects continual improvement in free cash flow margin, driven by operating margin expansion and a changing business mix. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management noted clients delaying projects and a moderation in North American advisory demand within Career. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management refers to continued annual enterprise margin expansion, with about 100 basis points a year in R&B and incremental expansion in HWC. 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.