New York, March 31, 2022 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") has completed a periodic review of the ratings -and other ratings that are associated with the same analytical units for the rated entity(entities) listed below.
The review was conducted through a portfolio review discussion held on 23 March 2022 in which Moody's reassessed the appropriateness of the ratings in the context of the relevant principal methodology(ies), recent developments, and a comparison of the financial and operating profile to similarly rated peers. A possible outcome from periodic reviews is a referral of a rating to a rating committee.
This publication does not announce a credit rating action and is not an indication of whether or not a credit rating action is likely in the near future. Credit ratings and outlook/review status cannot be changed in a portfolio review and hence are not impacted by this announcement.
Key Rating Considerations
The principal methodology used for these rated entities was Insurance Brokers and Service Companies published in June 2018. Please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.
Key rating considerations on a forward-looking basis may include but are not limited to the following summarized below.
Insurance Brokers and Service Companies
Business Profile: An issuer's business profile encompasses quantitative and qualitative elements that can distinguish it from peers. Typically, a larger, more diversified firm can adapt to changing market conditions and withstand financial, regulatory, and legal challenges better than a smaller, less diversified firm. Metrics can include but are not limited to total revenue, business and geographic diversification, organic revenue growth, pace and nature of acquisitions, and client and producer retention rates.
Profitability: Profitability determines a firm's ability to compete for business, service debt and generate equity. It drives the firm's ability to hire and retain employees, invest in systems, attract new financing, and make acquisitions. Metrics include but are not limited to EBITDA margin, net profit margin, volatility of net profit margin, operating margin per business segment, revenue per employee, and salaries and benefits as a percentage of revenue.
Financial Flexibility: An issuer's financial flexibility determines its ability to service and refinance debt, invest in the business, make acquisitions, and attract fresh capital. It also reflects the issuer's ability to withstand stress scenarios. Metrics can include but are not limited to debt-to-EBITDA ratio, (EBITDA - capex) coverage of interest, free cash flow as a percentage of debt, EBIT coverage of interest, and cash and equivalents on hand.
Other Rating Considerations: In addition to the factors discussed above, other factors such as management, enterprise risk, accounting policies and disclosures, sovereign and regulatory environment, and explicit or implicit support can affect the senior unsecured debt ratings of investment-grade issuers and the corporate family ratings of speculative-grade issuers.
Instrument Notching Considerations: The ratings for other debt and preferred stock instruments issued by these firms can be notched up or down from the senior unsecured debt ratings or corporate family ratings based on the issuing entity, jurisdiction, seniority, collateral, and other features of the instruments.
Acrisure, LLC
AIS Holdco, LLC
Alliant Holdings Intermediate, LLC
AmeriLife Holdings LLC
Amwins Group, Inc.
Amynta Agency Borrower, Inc.
Andromeda Investissements
Aon plc
APCO Holdings, LLC
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
AssuredPartners, Inc
Asurion, LLC
Baldwin Risk Partners, LLC
BroadStreet Partners, Inc.
Brown & Brown, Inc.
Cross Financial Corp.
DIOT-SIACI BidCo
Galaxy Finco Limited
Howden Group Holdings
Hub International Limited
IMA Financial Group, Inc.
Kereis
Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.
NFP Corp.
OneDigital Borrower LLC
Ryan Specialty Group, LLC
Saga Plc
Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc.
USI, Inc.
Willis Towers Watson plc
The principal methodology used for these rated entities was Title Insurers Methodology published in November 2019. Please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.
Key rating considerations on a forward-looking basis may include but are not limited to the following summarized below.
Title Insurers Methodology
Market Position and Brand: Market position and brand are key factors representing a company's ability to develop and sustain competitive advantages in its chosen markets. Metrics can include but are not limited to market share and total revenue.
Product Focus and Diversification: A company's chosen business lines have a major influence on its risk profile and creditworthiness because business classes have distinct volatility and competitive attributes. Metrics can include but are not limited to diversification of products and services and geographic diversification.
Asset Quality: Title insurers mainly invest in high-quality liquid assets, given the uncertain timing and magnitude of their liability payments, although companies often allocate a portion of their investments to higher-risk assets. Metrics can include but are not limited to high-risk assets and goodwill & intangibles as percentages of equity, as well as investment concentrations and portfolio liquidity.
Capital Adequacy: A title insurer's capital adequacy determines the extent to which it can absorb losses stemming from business and financial risks, including from stress scenarios. Metrics can include but are not limited to underwriting leverage, regulatory capital ratios, and insurers' own capital adequacy metrics.
Profitability: A title insurer's earnings capacity, including earnings quality and sustainability, shows how readily it can meet policy and other financial obligations and generate capital internally through real estate market cycles. Metrics can include but are not limited to return on capital and volatility of such returns.
Reserve Adequacy: Our estimate of the redundancy or deficiency of a title insurer's reserves helps shape our assessment of its reported earnings and capitalization. Metrics can include but are not limited to reserves as a percentage of average paid losses as well as volatility of claim payments.
Financial Flexibility: Title insurers benefit from the ability to raise capital externally for growth or acquisitions or to meet unexpected financial demands. Metrics can include but are not limited to financial leverage, earnings coverage, and cash flow coverage, as well as holding company liquidity and access to committed credit facilities.
Other Rating Considerations: In addition to the factors discussed above, other factors such as management, enterprise risk, accounting policies and disclosures, sovereign and regulatory environment, and explicit or implicit support can affect the insurance financial strength ratings of insurance operating companies.
Instrument Notching Considerations: The ratings for debt and preferred stock instruments issued by insurance firms are generally notched down from the insurance financial strength ratings based on the issuing entity, jurisdiction, seniority, collateral, and other features of the instruments.
Fidelity National Financial, Inc
First American Financial Corporation
Old Republic National Title Insurance Company
This announcement applies only to Rated Entities with EU rated, UK rated, EU endorsed and UK endorsed ratings. Rated Entities, with Non EU rated, non UK rated, non EU endorsed and non UK endorsed ratings may be referenced herein to the extent necessary, if they are part of the same analytical unit.
Please see the Issuer page on www.moodys.com, for each of the ratings covered, most updated credit rating action, rating history, and Credit Rating action Press Release including the rating rationale and factors that could lead to a rating upgrade or downgrade.
This publication does not announce a credit rating action. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history.
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