Special Charges, Including Business Realignment Costs, and Intangible Asset Amortization

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Business Combinations [Abstract]

Special Charges, Including Business Realignment Costs and Intangible Asset Amortization [Text Block]

Special Charges, Including Business Realignment Costs, and Intangible Asset Amortization

Special Charges, Including Business Realignment Costs

The Company recognized $23,676 for the three months ended March 31, 2020, as Special Charges, Including Business Realignment Costs. These costs include $22,127 of separation and transition benefits and related costs as a result of the Company's review of its operations, described below, and $1,549 related to the acceleration of depreciation expense for leasehold improvements and certain other fixed assets in conjunction with the expansion of the Company's headquarters in New York and the Company's business realignment initiatives.

In the first quarter of 2020, the Company substantially completed a review of operations focused on markets, sectors and people which have delivered lower levels of productivity in an effort to attain greater flexibility of operations and better position itself for future growth. This review, which began in the fourth quarter of 2019, will generate reductions of approximately 6% of the Company's headcount. In conjunction with the employment reductions, the Company is expected to incur aggregate separation and transition benefits (including costs related to the acceleration of deferred compensation) and related costs of approximately $38,000, $22,127 of which has been recorded in Special Charges, Including Business Realignment Costs, in the first quarter of 2020. The Company's estimates of charges are based on a number of assumptions. Actual results may differ materially if actual activity deviates from these assumptions.

Further, in conjunction with its business realignment initiatives, in April 2020, the Company entered into an agreement for the leaders of its business in Mexico to purchase Evercore Casa de Bolsa, S.A. de C.V. ("ECB"), the Company's Mexico based broker-dealer focused principally on providing Investment Management services, for a purchase price of MXN $35,000. Completion of this sale, which is subject to regulatory approval, is expected to occur by the end of 2020.

The Company recognized $1,029 for the three months ended March 31, 2019, as Special Charges, Including Business Realignment Costs, incurred related to the acceleration of depreciation expense for leasehold improvements in conjunction with the expansion of the Company's headquarters in New York.

Intangible Asset Amortization

Expense associated with the amortization of intangible assets for Investment Banking was $507 and $2,190 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, included within Depreciation and Amortization expense on the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. Expense associated with the amortization of intangible assets for Investment Management was $108 and $110 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, included within Depreciation and Amortization expense on the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.