We also earn “profit-sharing contingent commissions,” which are commissions based primarily on underwriting results, but which may also reflect considerations for volume, growth and/or retention. These commissions which are included in our commissions and fees in the Consolidated Statement of Income, are accrued throughout the year based on actual premiums written and are primarily received in the first and second quarters of each year, based upon the aforementioned considerations for the prior year(s). Prior to the adoption of the New Revenue Standard, these commissions were recorded to income when received. Over the last three years, profit-sharing contingent commissions have averaged approximately 3.1% of the previous year’s commissions and fees revenue.
Combined, our profit-sharing contingent commissions and GSCs for the year ended December 31, 2018 increased by $3.3 million over 2017 primarily as a result of an increase in profit-sharing contingent commissions and GSCs in the National Programs Segments. Other income decreased by $20.8 million primarily as a result of a legal settlement recognized in the first quarter of 2017.
Fee revenues primarily relate to services other than securing coverage for our customers, as well as fees negotiated in lieu of commissions, and are recognized as performance obligations are satisfied. Fee revenues have historically been generated primarily by: (1) our Services Segment, which provides insurance-related services, including third-party claims administration and comprehensive medical utilization management services in both the workers’ compensation and all-lines liability arenas, as well as Medicare Set-aside services, Social Security disability and Medicare benefits advocacy services, and claims adjusting services; (2) our National Programs and Wholesale Brokerage Segments, which earn fees primarily for the issuance of insurance policies on behalf of insurance companies; and to a lesser extent
These measures are not in accordance with, or an alternative to the GAAP information provided in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We present such non-GAAP supplemental financial information because we believe such information is of interest to the investment community and because we believe they provide additional meaningful methods of evaluating certain aspects of our operating performance from period to period on a basis that may not be otherwise apparent on a GAAP basis. We believe these non-GAAP financial measures improve the comparability of results between periods by eliminating the impact of certain items that have a high degree of variability. Our industry peers may provide similar supplemental non-GAAP information with respect to one or more of these measures, although they may not use the same or comparable terminology and may not make identical adjustments. This supplemental financial information should be considered in addition to, not in lieu of, our Consolidated Financial Statements.
On November 15, 2018, we completed the acquisition of certain assets and assumption of certain liabilities of The Hays Group, Inc. and certain of its affiliates (collectively, “Hays”). At closing, we delivered a payment of $705 million, consisting of $605 million in cash and the issuance to certain key owners of Hays of 3,376,103 shares of our common stock for a total value of $100.0 million. In addition, the Company may pay additional consideration to Hays in the form of earn-out payments in the aggregate amount of up to $25.0 million in cash over three years, which is subject to certain conditions and the successful achievement of average annual EBITDA compound annual growth rate targets for the acquired business during 2019, 2020 and 2021. Hays was founded in 1994 providing employee benefits, property & casualty, and personal lines insurance and has grown to be the 22nd largest U.S. broker as measured by Business Insurance magazine. With headquarters in Minneapolis, Hays operates across twenty-one states, increasing our presence in the mid-west. This transaction was initially funded through utilization of the Company’s revolving line of credit within our credit facility, details of which can be found in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition”,“Results of Operations” and Note 9 “Long-Term Debt” in the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements”.
The majority of our revenue is commissions derived from our performance as agents and brokers, acting on behalf of insurance carriers to sell products to customers that are seeking to transfer risk, and conversely, acting on behalf of those customers in negotiating with insurance carriers seeking to acquire risk in exchange for premiums. In these arrangements our performance obligation is complete upon the effective date of the bound policy, as such that is when the associated revenue is recognized. Where the Company’s performance obligations have been completed, but the final amount of compensation is unknown due to variable factors, we estimate the amount of such compensation. We recognize subsequent commission adjustments upon our receipt of additional information or final settlement, whichever occurs first.
To a lesser extent, the Company earns revenues in the form of fees. Like commissions, fees paid to us in lieu of commission, are recognized upon the effective date of the bound policy. When we are paid a fee for service, however, the associated revenue is recognized over a period of time that coincides with when the customer simultaneously receives and consumes the benefit of our work, which characterizes most of our claims processing arrangements and various services performed in our employee benefits practices. Other fees are typically recognized upon the completion of the delivery of the agreed-upon services to the customer.
The reconciliation of total commissions and fees to Organic Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2016, by Segment, are as follows:
EBITDAC for 2017 decreased 1.0%, or $2.9 million, from the same period in 2016, to $283.2 million. EBITDAC Margin for 2017 decreased to 30.0% from 31.2% in the same period in 2016. EBITDAC Margin was impacted by the factors impacting employee compensation and benefits as well as other operating expenses described above, partially offset by the net increase in revenue as described above.
On September 18, 2014, the Company issued $500.0 million of 4.200% unsecured Senior Notes due in 2024. The Senior Notes were given investment grade ratings of BBB-/Baa3 with a stable outlook. The notes are subject to certain covenant restrictions and regulations which are customary for credit rated obligations. At the time of funding, the proceeds were offered at a discount of the original note amount which also excluded an underwriting fee discount. The net proceeds received from the issuance were used to repay the outstanding balance of $475.0 million on the revolving Credit Facility and for other general corporate purposes. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, there was an outstanding debt balance of $500.0 million exclusive of the associated discount balance.
At December 31, 2018, 10,269,384 shares had been granted, net of forfeitures, under the PSP. As of December 31, 2018, 1,196,092 shares had met the first condition of vesting and had been awarded, and 9,073,292 shares had satisfied both conditions of vesting and had been distributed to participants. Of the shares that have not vested as of December 31, 2018, the initial stock prices ranged from $8.16 to $12.84.
We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2018, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission and our report dated February 25, 2019, expressed an unqualified opinion on the Company's internal control over financial reporting.