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Organization and Basis of Presentation (Policies)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2023
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Business Overview
Business Overview
On July 1, 2023, the Company completed its Corporate Conversion to a Full C-Corporation in order to reorganize and simplify its organizational structure. As a result of the Corporate Conversion, BGC Group became the public holding company for, and successor to, BGC Partners, and its Class A common stock began trading on Nasdaq, in place of BGC Partners’ Class A common stock, under the ticker symbol “BGC.” Upon completion of the Corporate Conversion, the former stockholders of BGC Partners, Inc. and the former limited partners of BGC Holdings, L.P. now participate in the economics of the BGC businesses through BGC Group, Inc.
BGC is a leading global brokerage and financial technology company servicing the global financial markets. Through brands including BGC®, Fenics®, GFI®, Sunrise Brokers™, Poten & Partners®, and RP Martin®, among others, the Company’s businesses specialize in the brokerage of a broad range of products, including fixed income such as government bonds, corporate bonds, and other debt instruments, as well as related interest rate derivatives and credit derivatives. Additionally, the Company provides brokerage services across FX, Equities, Energy and Commodities, Shipping, and Futures and Options. The Company’s businesses also provide a wide variety of services, including trade execution, connectivity and network solutions, brokerage services, clearing, trade compression, and other post-trade services, and market data and related information services and other back-office services to a broad assortment of financial and non-financial institutions.
BGC’s integrated platform is designed to provide flexibility to customers with regard to price discovery, execution and processing, creating marketplaces and enabling them to use the Company’s Voice, Hybrid, or, in many markets, Fully Electronic brokerage services in connection with transactions executed either OTC or through an exchange. Through the Company’s Fenics® group of electronic brands, BGC Group offers a number of market infrastructure and connectivity services, including the Company’s Fully Electronic marketplaces, market data and related information services, network, trade compression and other post-trade services, analytics related to financial instruments and markets, and other financial technology solutions. Fenics® brands also operate under the names Fenics®, FMX™, FMX Futures Exchange™, Fenics Markets Xchange™, Fenics Digital™, Fenics UST™, Fenics FX™, Fenics Repo™, Fenics Direct™, Fenics MID™, Fenics Market Data™, Fenics GO™, Fenics PortfolioMatch™, BGC®, BGC Trader™, kACE2®, and Lucera®.
BGC, BGC Group, BGC Partners, BGC Trader, GFI, GFI Ginga, CreditMatch, Fenics, Fenics.com, FMX, Sunrise Brokers, Poten & Partners, RP Martin, kACE2, Capitalab, Swaptioniser, CBID, Caventor, LumeMarkets and Lucera are trademarks/service marks, and/or registered trademarks/service marks of BGC Group and/or its affiliates.
The Company promotes the efficiency of the global capital markets, acting as market infrastructure to the world’s largest banks, broker-dealers, investment banks, trading firms, hedge funds, governments, corporations, and investment firms. BGC has an extensive number of offices globally in major markets including New York and London, as well as in Bahrain, Beijing, Bogotá, Brisbane, Cape Town, Chicago, Copenhagen, Dubai, Dublin, Frankfurt, Geneva, Hong Kong, Houston, Johannesburg, Madrid, Manila, Melbourne, Mexico City, Miami, Milan, Monaco, Nyon, Paris, Perth, Rio de Janeiro, Santiago, São Paulo, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Tel Aviv, Tokyo, Toronto, Wellington, and Zurich.
Corporate Conversion
Corporate Conversion
Effective as of 12:01 a.m., Eastern Time, on July 1, 2023, BGC Holdings reorganized from a Delaware limited partnership into a Delaware limited liability company through a merger with and into Holdings Merger Sub, with Holdings Merger Sub continuing as a direct subsidiary of BGC Partners. Effective as of 12:02 a.m., Eastern Time, on July 1, 2023, Merger Sub 1 merged with and into BGC Partners, with BGC Partners continuing as a direct subsidiary of BGC Group. At the same time, Merger Sub 2 merged with and into Holdings Merger Sub, with Holdings Merger Sub continuing as a subsidiary of BGC Group. As a result of the Corporate Conversion Mergers, BGC Partners and BGC Holdings became wholly owned subsidiaries of BGC Group.
In the Holdings Reorganization Merger, each unit of BGC Holdings outstanding as of immediately prior to the Holdings Reorganization Merger was converted into a substantially equivalent equity interest in Holdings Merger Sub.
In the Corporate Merger, each share of Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of BGC Partners and each share of Class B common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of BGC Partners outstanding was converted into one share of Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of BGC Group and one share of Class B common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of BGC Group, respectively.
In connection with, but prior to the Corporate Conversion, the Company completed various transactions which included:
the redemption of certain non-exchangeable limited partnership units in connection with the issuance of shares of BGC Partners Class A common stock and the accompanying tax payments, which led to an equity-based compensation charge of $60.9 million;
the exchange of the remaining 1.5 million exchangeable limited partnership units of BGC Holdings held by employees on June 30, 2023, for 1.0 million shares, after tax withholding, of BGC Partners Class A common stock;
the redemption of certain non-exchangeable limited partnership units of BGC Holdings held by employees and issuance of 16.9 million BGC Partners RSUs on a one-for-one basis on June 30, 2023;
the redemption of certain non-exchangeable Preferred Units of BGC Holdings held by employees and issuance of $49.2 million of BGC Partners RSU Tax Accounts on June 30, 2023, based on the fixed cash value of the Preferred Units redeemed;
the redemption of the remaining 5.6 million non-exchangeable FPUs and issuances of BGC Partners RSUs on a one-for-one basis on June 30, 2023, which in turn reduced the “Redeemable Partnership Interest” to zero with an offsetting impact to “Total equity” in the Company’s unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition as of June 30, 2023; and
the purchase on June 30, 2023 by Cantor from BGC Holdings of an aggregate of 5,425,209 Cantor units for an aggregate consideration of $9,715,772 as a result of the redemption of 5,425,209 FPUs, and 324,223 Cantor units for an aggregate consideration of $598,712 as a result of the exchange of 324,223 FPUs.
As a result of the Corporate Conversion:
64.0 million Cantor units, including 5.7 million purchased on June 30, 2023, were converted into shares of BGC Group Class B common stock, subject to the terms and conditions of the Corporate Conversion Agreement, provided that a portion of the 64.0 million shares of BGC Group Class B common stock issued to Cantor will exchange into BGC Group Class A common stock in the event that BGC Group does not issue at least $75,000,000 in shares of BGC Group Class A or B common stock in connection with certain acquisition transactions prior to the seventh anniversary of the Corporate Conversion;
BGC Group assumed all BGC Partners RSUs, RSU Tax Accounts or restricted stock awards outstanding as of June 30, 2023; and
non-exchangeable limited partnership units of BGC Holdings were converted into equity awards denominated in cash, restricted stock and/or RSUs of BGC Group, each as further set forth in the Corporate Conversion Agreement. BGC Group granted 38.6 million restricted stock awards, 25.3 million RSUs, and $74.0 million of RSU Tax Accounts upon the conversion of the non-exchangeable shares of Holdings Merger Sub.
There were no limited partnership units of BGC Holdings remaining after the Corporate Conversion was completed.
In connection with the Corporate Conversion on July 1, 2023, BGC Group assumed and adopted: the Eighth Amended and Restated BGC Partners, Inc. Long-Term Incentive Plan, as amended and restated as the BGC Group, Inc. Long Term Incentive Plan; the BGC Partners Second Amended and Restated BGC Partners Incentive Bonus Compensation Plan, as amended and restated, and renamed the BGC Group, Inc. Incentive Bonus Compensation Plan; and the BGC Partners, Inc. Deferral Plan for Employees of BGC Partners, Inc., Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. and their Affiliates, as amended and restated as the BGC Group, Inc. Deferral Plan for Employees of BGC Group, Inc., Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. and Their Affiliates. The BGC Group Equity Plan provides for a maximum of 600 million shares of BGC Class A common stock that may be delivered or cash settled pursuant to the exercise or settlement of awards granted under the plan.
In connection with the Corporate Conversion on July 1, 2023, the BGC Holdings limited partnership agreement was terminated, and the BGC Holdings, L.P. Participation Plan was terminated.
In connection with the Corporate Conversion on July 1, 2023, BGC Group amended and restated its certificate of incorporation to reflect an increase in the authorized shares of BGC Group Class A common stock to 1,500,000,000; an increase in the authorized shares of BGC Group Class B common stock to 300,000,000; and a provision providing for exculpation to officers of BGC Group pursuant to Section 102(b)(7) of the Delaware General Corporation Law. Additionally, BGC Group amended and restated its bylaws to adopt a provision providing that Delaware courts shall be the exclusive forum for certain matters.
Basis of Presentation Basis of PresentationThe Company’s unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes to the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC and in conformity with U.S. GAAP. Accordingly, they do not include all information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for annual financial statements and, as such, the information in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the audited Consolidated Financial Statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022.
Consolidation The Company’s unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the Company’s accounts and all subsidiaries in which the Company has a controlling interest. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
Reclassification Certain reclassifications have been made to previously reported amounts to conform to the current presentation.
During the second quarter of 2023, the Company renamed “Data, software and post-trade” as “Data, network and post-trade” on the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.
The unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements contain all adjustments (consisting only of normal and recurring adjustments) that, in the opinion of management, are necessary for a fair presentation of the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition, the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations, the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss), the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows and the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity of the Company for the periods presented.
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-06, Debt—Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity. The standard is expected to reduce complexity and improve comparability of financial reporting associated with accounting for convertible instruments and contracts in an entity’s own equity. The ASU also enhances information transparency by making targeted improvements to the related disclosures guidance. Additionally, the amendments affect the diluted EPS calculation for instruments that may be settled in cash or shares and for convertible instruments. BGC adopted the standard on the required effective date beginning January 1, 2022, and it was applied using a modified retrospective method of transition. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting. The guidance is designed to provide relief from the accounting analysis and impacts that may otherwise be required for modifications to agreements (e.g., loans, debt securities, derivatives, and borrowings) necessitated by reference rate reform as entities transition away from LIBOR and other interbank offered rates to alternative reference rates. This ASU also provides optional expedients to enable companies to continue to apply hedge accounting to certain hedging relationships impacted by reference rate reform. Application of the guidance is optional and only available in certain situations. The ASU is effective upon issuance and generally can be applied through December 31, 2022. In January 2021, the FASB issued ASU No. 2021-01, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Scope. The amendments in this standard are elective and principally apply to entities that have derivative instruments that use an interest rate for margining, discounting, or contract price alignment that is modified as a result of reference rate reform (referred to as the “discounting transition”). The standard expands the scope of ASC 848, Reference Rate Reform and allows entities to elect optional expedients to derivative contracts impacted by the discounting transition. Similar to ASU No. 2020-04, provisions of this ASU are effective upon issuance and generally can be applied through December 31, 2022. During the first quarter of 2022, the Company elected to apply the practical expedients to modifications of qualifying contracts as continuation of the existing contract rather than as a new contract. The adoption of the new guidance did not have an impact on the Company’s unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
In November 2021, the FASB issued ASU No. 2021-10, Government Assistance (Topic 832): Disclosures by Business Entities about Government Assistance. The standard requires business entities to make annual disclosures about transactions with a government they account for by analogizing to a grant or contribution accounting model. The guidance is aimed at increasing transparency about government assistance transactions that are not in the scope of other U.S. GAAP guidance. The ASU requires disclosure of the nature and significant terms and considerations of the transactions, the accounting policies used and the effects of those transactions on an entity’s financial statements. The new standard became effective for the Company’s financial statements issued for annual reporting periods beginning on January 1, 2022, and it will be applied prospectively. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
In October 2021, the FASB issued ASU No. 2021-08, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers. The standard improves the accounting for acquired revenue contracts with customers in a business combination by addressing diversity in practice and inconsistency related to the recognition of an acquired contract liability, as well as payment terms and their effect on subsequent revenue recognized by the acquirer. The ASU requires companies to apply guidance in ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, to recognize and measure contract assets and contract liabilities from contracts with customers acquired in a business combination, and, thus, creates an exception to the general recognition and measurement principle in ASC 805, Business Combinations. BGC adopted the standard on the required effective date beginning January 1, 2023 using a prospective transition method for business combinations occurring on or after the effective date. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
In March 2022, the FASB issued ASU No. 2022-02, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Troubled Debt Restructurings and Vintage Disclosures. The guidance is intended to improve the decision usefulness of information provided to investors about certain loan refinancings, restructurings, and write-offs. The standard eliminates the recognition and measurement guidance on TDRs for creditors that have adopted ASC 326, Financial Instruments — Credit Losses and requires them to make enhanced disclosures about loan modifications for borrowers experiencing financial difficulty. The new guidance also requires public business entities to present current-period gross write-offs (on a current year-to-date basis for interim-period disclosures) by year of origination in their vintage disclosures. BGC adopted the standard on the required effective date beginning January 1, 2023. The guidance for recognition and measurement of TDRs was applied using a prospective transition method, and the amendments related to disclosures will be applied prospectively. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
In September 2022, the FASB issued ASU No. 2022-04, Liabilities—Supplier Finance Programs (Subtopic 405-50): Debt Restructurings Disclosure of Supplier Finance Program Obligations. The guidance requires entities to disclose the key terms of supplier finance programs they use in connection with the purchase of goods and services along with information about their obligations under these programs, including a rollforward of those obligations. BGC adopted the standard on the required effective date beginning on January 1, 2023, except for the rollforward requirement, which is effective for the Company beginning on January 1, 2024. The guidance was adopted using a retrospective application to all periods in which a balance sheet is presented, and the rollforward disclosure requirement, when effective, will be applied prospectively. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
New Accounting Pronouncements
New Accounting Pronouncements
In December 2022, the FASB issued ASU No. 2022-06, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Deferral of the Sunset Date of Topic 848. ASU No. 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting provided optional guidance to ease the potential burden in accounting for (or recognizing the effects of) reference rate reform on financial reporting. The ASU was effective upon issuance and generally could be applied through December 31, 2022. Because the current relief in ASC 848, Reference Rate Reform may not cover a period of time during which a significant number of modifications may take place, the amendments in ASU No. 2022-06 defer the sunset date from December 31, 2022 to December 31, 2024, after which entities will no longer be permitted to apply the relief in ASC 848. The ASU is effective upon issuance. Management is currently evaluating the impact of the new standard on the Company’s unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.