8-KFinancial Events

Aon plc 8-K Report, Financial Restatement (Mar 1, 2007)

Filed March 1, 2007For Securities:AON

Summary

Aon Corporation has filed an 8-K report on March 1, 2007, to announce that its previously issued financial statements for the fiscal years 2003, 2004, and 2005, as well as interim periods within those years and certain quarters of 2006, are no longer reliable and will be restated. This decision stems from a comprehensive review of the company's stock option grant date practices. The review, conducted by an independent audit committee team, identified instances where incorrect measurement dates were used for accounting purposes due to practices like "delegated grants" and administrative errors. While the impact of corrected compensation expense for 2005 and 2006 individually was not considered material, the aggregate cumulative impact from 1994 to 2006 of approximately $66 million pretax is deemed significant enough to warrant restatement. Importantly, the Audit Committee found no evidence of misconduct by current or former management or directors, nor any indication that grant dates were manipulated for pricing advantages. Investors should refer to Aon's Form 10-K filed on the same date for more detailed information regarding this restatement.

Key Highlights

  • 1Aon Corporation is restating financial statements for fiscal years 2003, 2004, 2005, and certain 2006 interim periods.
  • 2The restatement is due to the incorrect use of measurement dates for stock option grants.
  • 3A comprehensive review by the Audit Committee identified issues related to 'delegated grants' and administrative errors.
  • 4The cumulative pretax impact of these accounting errors from 1994 to 2006 is approximately $66 million.
  • 5Specific after-tax adjustments for recent years include $2 million for 2005, $3 million for 2004, $9 million for 2003, and $10 million for 2002.
  • 6The Audit Committee found no evidence of misconduct by current or former management or directors.
  • 7The company concluded that the selection of grant dates was not motivated by pricing considerations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Aon is restating its financial statements due to errors identified in the accounting for stock options. Specifically, incorrect measurement dates were used for certain stock option grants granted between 1994 and 2006, primarily caused by 'delegated grant' practices and administrative errors.

The cumulative pretax impact of the identified stock option accounting errors from 1994 to 2006 is approximately $66 million. The after-tax impact for specific recent years are: $2 million (2005), $3 million (2004), $9 million (2003), and $10 million (2002).

No. The Audit Committee's review found no evidence of misconduct by current or former management or directors. The review also found no indication that the selection of grant dates was motivated by pricing considerations.

The restatement affects financial statements for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2003, 2004, and 2005, and the interim periods contained within those years. It also impacts fiscal quarters ended March 31, 2006, June 30, 2006, and September 30, 2006. The cumulative impact extends back to 1994.