For Aon (AON), the world’s largest insurance broker and a leading benefits manager, increasing cash flow and healthy share repurchases helped our position gain 8% in the fourth quarter and 14% for the year. Aon’s private health care exchange business increased its scale, adding more than a dozen clients and aggressively growing the market. The company, led by CEO Greg Case, used $1.8 billion to repurchase almost 7% of shares in the first nine months of 2014, the highest amount since 2008. Aon authorized an additional repurchase plan of up to $6.1 billion, roughly 24% of outstanding shares.
From Mason Hawkins (Trades, Portfolio)’ Longleaf Partners Fund Q4 2014 Management Discussion.
