UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

xQuarterly Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the quarterly period ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018
OR
¨Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the transition period from             to             .
Commission file number 1-31234

WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

DELAWARE 75-2969997
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) (IRS Employer Identification No.)
   
200 CRESCENT COURT, SUITE 1200
DALLAS, TEXAS
 75201
(Address of principal executive office) (Zip Code)
(214) 756-6900
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

(Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
Yes  x    No  ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).
Yes  x    No  ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See definition of “large accelerated filer”,filer,” “accelerated filer” andfiler,” “smaller reporting company”,company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer ¨ Accelerated filer x
    
Non-accelerated filer 
¨ (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)
 Smaller reporting company ¨
       
    Emerging growth company 
¨

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).
Yes  ¨    No  x
Shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, outstanding as of October 13, 2017: 8,884,421.July 20, 2018: 9,026,806.

 

WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC.
INDEX
 
PART I FINANCIAL INFORMATIONPAGE
    
Item 1. Financial Statements 
    
  
    
  
    
  
    
  
    
  
    
Item 2. 
    
Item 3. 
    
Item 4. 
    
PART II 
    
Item 1. 
    
Item 1A. 
    
Item 2. 
    
Item 6. 
    
 
 
 
 

 

WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(In thousands, except par value and share amounts)
(Unaudited)
 
 September 30,
2017
 December 31, 2016 June 30,
2018
 December 31, 2017
  
ASSETS        
Current assets:        
Cash and cash equivalents $51,436
 $33,679
 $47,301
 $54,249
Accounts receivable 22,163
 23,429
 22,903
 21,660
Investments, at fair value 48,093
 56,485
 61,513
 51,324
Income taxes receivable 2,744
 
Prepaid income taxes 
 4,269
Other current assets 6,261
 2,364
 1,853
 6,612
Total current assets 130,697
 115,957
 133,570
 138,114
Investments 5,000
 
Goodwill 27,144
 27,144
 19,804
 27,144
Deferred income taxes 9,473
 10,903
 5,007
 3,407
Intangible assets, net 19,945
 21,394
 16,798
 19,804
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $5,354 and $4,590 4,103
 4,280
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $6,055 and $5,673 4,088
 4,190
Total assets $191,362
 $179,678
 $184,267
 $192,659
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY        
Current liabilities:        
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $2,851
 $2,641
 $2,724
 $3,501
Accrued litigation settlement 8,018
 
Dividends payable 6,666
 6,679
 7,144
 7,357
Compensation and benefits payable 14,126
 17,200
 9,000
 19,075
Income taxes payable 722
 3,148
 1,232
 1,598
Total current liabilities 32,383
 29,668
 20,100
 31,531
Accrued dividends 1,495
 1,767
 1,116
 1,717
Noncurrent income taxes payable 
 1,017
Deferred rent 2,055
 2,174
 1,910
 1,998
Total liabilities 35,933
 33,609
 23,126
 36,263
Commitments and contingencies (Note 12) 
 
Commitments and contingencies (Note 13) 
 
Stockholders' Equity:        
Common stock, $0.01 par value, authorized 25,000,000 shares, issued 9,986,076 and outstanding 8,884,421 shares at September 30, 2017; issued 9,801,938 and outstanding 8,810,375 shares at December 31, 2016 100
 98
Common stock, $0.01 par value, authorized 25,000,000 shares, issued 10,204,887 and outstanding 9,026,806 shares at June 30, 2018; issued 9,980,827 and outstanding 8,899,587 shares at December 31, 2017 102
 100
Additional paid-in capital 176,329
 162,730
 187,367
 179,241
Treasury stock, at cost - 1,101,655 shares at September 30, 2017; 991,563 shares at December 31, 2016 (50,910) (44,353)
Treasury stock, at cost - 1,178,081 shares at June 30, 2018; 1,081,240 shares at December 31, 2017 (55,201) (49,788)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (1,849) (4,287) (3,442) (1,764)
Retained earnings 31,759
 31,881
 32,315
 28,607
Total stockholders' equity 155,429
 146,069
 161,141
 156,396
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $191,362
 $179,678
 $184,267
 $192,659
 
 

See notesNotes to condensed consolidated financial statements.Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

1


WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
(In thousands, except per share data and share amounts)
(Unaudited)
 
 Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30,
 2017 2016 2017 2016 2018 2017 2018 2017
REVENUES:                
Advisory fees:                
Asset-based $25,334
 $23,447
 $73,619
 $67,928
 $23,473
 $24,496
 $47,956
 $48,285
Performance-based 
 226
 1,417
 635
 1,649
 1,031
 2,984
 1,417
Trust fees 7,858
 7,690
 23,570
 22,798
 7,465
 7,917
 15,074
 15,712
Other, net 300
 414
 1,265
 568
 173
 312
 313
 965
Total revenues 33,492
 31,777
 99,871
 91,929
 32,760
 33,756
 66,327
 66,379
EXPENSES:                
Employee compensation and benefits 15,601
 15,637
 48,875
 47,239
 14,654
 15,557
 32,413
 33,274
Sales and marketing 457
 408
 1,447
 1,423
 409
 513
 852
 990
Westwood mutual funds 977
 755
 2,749
 2,282
 1,002
 909
 1,987
 1,772
Information technology 1,855
 1,874
 5,494
 6,039
 2,383
 1,883
 4,421
 3,639
Professional services 1,681
 1,903
 4,495
 4,707
 1,277
 1,318
 2,305
 2,814
Legal settlement 4,009
 
 4,009
 
General and administrative 3,160
 2,147
 8,697
 7,028
 2,099
 2,993
 3,450
 5,537
Total expenses 27,740
 22,724
 75,766
 68,718
 21,824
 23,173
 45,428
 48,026
Net operating income 10,936
 10,583
 20,899
 18,353
Gain on sale of operations 
 
 524
 
Income before income taxes 5,752
 9,053
 24,105
 23,211
 10,936
 10,583
 21,423
 18,353
Provision for income taxes 1,620
 3,166
 7,013
 8,141
 2,944
 3,687
 5,453
 5,393
Net income $4,132
 $5,887
 $17,092
 $15,070
 $7,992
 $6,896
 $15,970
 $12,960
Other comprehensive income (loss):                
Foreign currency translation adjustments 1,297
 (453) 2,438
 1,007
 (479) 934
 (1,678) 1,141
Total comprehensive income $5,429
 $5,434
 $19,530
 $16,077
 $7,513
 $7,830
 $14,292
 $14,101
                
Earnings per share:                
Basic $0.51
 $0.74
 $2.10
 $1.89
 $0.95
 $0.84
 $1.92
 $1.60
Diluted $0.49
 $0.72
 $2.05
 $1.84
 $0.94
 $0.83
 $1.87
 $1.56
Weighted average shares outstanding:                
Basic 8,171,809
 7,995,680
 8,136,350
 7,952,938
 8,399,148
 8,167,277
 8,336,923
 8,118,327
Diluted 8,420,749
 8,179,956
 8,350,926
 8,212,468
 8,543,353
 8,316,508
 8,543,401
 8,315,722
                
Cash dividends declared per share $0.62
 $0.57
 $1.86
 $1.71
 $0.68
 $0.62
 $1.36
 $1.24
 

See notesNotes to condensed consolidated financial statements.Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

2


WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
For the NineSix Months Ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018
(In thousands, except share amounts)
(Unaudited)
 
 Common Stock, Par 
Additional
Paid-In
Capital
 
Treasury
Stock
 
Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income (Loss)
 
Retained
Earnings
 Total Common Stock, Par 
Additional
Paid-In
Capital
 
Treasury
Stock
 
Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Loss
 
Retained
Earnings
 Total
 Shares Amount  Shares Amount 
BALANCE, December 31, 2016 8,810,375
 $98
 $162,730
 $(44,353) $(4,287) $31,881
 $146,069
Cumulative effect of accounting change 
 
 711
 
 
 (711) 
BALANCE, December 31, 2017 8,899,587
 $100
 $179,241
 $(49,788) $(1,764) $28,607
 $156,396
Net income 
 
 
 
 
 17,092
 17,092
 
 
 
 
 
 15,970
 15,970
Other comprehensive income 
 
 
 
 2,438
 
 2,438
 
 
 
 
 (1,678) 
 (1,678)
Issuance of restricted stock, net of forfeitures 184,138
 2
 (2) 
 
 
 
 224,060
 2
 (2) 
 
 
 
Dividends declared 
 
 
 
 
 (16,503) (16,503) 
 
 
 
 
 (12,262) (12,262)
Stock based compensation expense 
 
 12,298
 
 
 
 12,298
 
 
 7,963
 
 
 
 7,963
Reclassification of compensation liability to be paid in shares 
 
 592
 
 
 
 592
 
 
 165
 
 
 
 165
Purchases of treasury stock (23,822) 
 
 (1,326) 
 
 (1,326) (13,031) 
 
 (726) 
 
 (726)
Restricted stock returned for payment of taxes (86,270) 
 
 (5,231) 
 
 (5,231) (83,810) 
 
 (4,687) 
 
 (4,687)
BALANCE, September 30, 2017 8,884,421
 $100
 $176,329
 $(50,910) $(1,849) $31,759
 $155,429
BALANCE, June 30, 2018 9,026,806
 $102
 $187,367
 $(55,201) $(3,442) $32,315
 $161,141
 


See notesNotes to condensed consolidated financial statements.Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

3


WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(In thousands)
(Unaudited)
 Nine Months Ended September 30, Six Months Ended June 30,
 2017 2016 2018 2017
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:        
Net income $17,092
 $15,070
 $15,970
 $12,960
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:        
Depreciation 722
 732
 434
 479
Amortization of intangible assets 1,449
 1,470
 836
 980
Unrealized gains on trading investments (539) (676)
Unrealized (gains) losses on trading investments 256
 (378)
Stock based compensation expense 12,298
 12,164
 7,963
 8,065
Deferred income taxes 1,481
 114
 (1,631) 437
Excess tax benefits from stock based compensation 
 (165)
Other 
 275
Gain on sale of operations (524) 
Change in operating assets and liabilities:        
Net sales of investments - trading securities 8,931
 23,147
Net sales (purchases) of investments - trading securities (10,445) 11,198
Accounts receivable 1,686
 (2,711) (1,616) 531
Other current assets (3,881) 900
 4,637
 455
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 178
 (82) (442) 266
Accrued litigation settlement 8,018
 
Compensation and benefits payable (2,696) (6,758) (9,844) (6,940)
Income taxes receivable/payable (5,181) (4,637)
Income taxes payable 2,881
 (1,178)
Other liabilities (111) 154
 (74) (53)
Net cash provided by operating activities 39,447
 38,997
 8,401
 26,822
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:        
Purchase of property and equipment (537) (1,680) (426) (245)
Net cash used in investing activities (537) (1,680)
Proceeds from Omaha divestiture 10,013
 ��
Purchase of investments (5,000) 
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities 4,587
 (245)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:        
Purchases of treasury stock 
 (5,629)
Purchase of treasury stock under employee stock plans (1,326) (614) (726) (1,326)
Restricted stock returned for payment of taxes (5,231) (3,710) (4,687) (5,189)
Excess tax benefits from stock based compensation 
 165
Payment of contingent consideration in acquisition 
 (5,562)
Cash dividends paid (16,787) (14,827) (13,075) (11,674)
Net cash used in financing activities (23,344) (30,177) (18,488) (18,189)
Effect of currency rate changes on cash 2,191
 812
 (1,448) 1,076
Net Change in Cash and Cash Equivalents 17,757
 7,952
 (6,948) 9,464
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 33,679
 22,740
 54,249
 33,679
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $51,436
 $30,692
 $47,301
 $43,143
        
Supplemental cash flow information:        
Cash paid during the period for income taxes $10,245
 $12,632
 $4,169
 $5,539
Common stock issued for acquisition $
 $3,734
Accrued dividends $8,161
 $7,682
 $8,260
 $7,760
Tenant allowance included in property and equipment $
 $1,128
Accrued purchase of property and equipment $
 $52

See notesNotes to condensed consolidated financial statements.Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

4


WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Unaudited)
1. DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS
Westwood Holdings Group, Inc. (“Westwood”, the “Company”, “we”, “us” or “our”) was incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware on December 12, 2001. Westwood provides investment management services to institutional investors, private wealth clients and financial intermediaries through its subsidiaries, Westwood Management Corp. and Westwood Advisors, L.L.C. (together “Westwood Management”), Westwood Trust, and Westwood International Advisors Inc. (“Westwood International”). Revenue is largely dependent on the total value and composition of assets under management (“AUM”). Accordingly, fluctuations in financial markets and in the composition of AUM impact revenues and results of operations.
Divestiture of our Omaha Operations
On September 6, 2017, we entered into an agreement to sell the Omaha-based component of our Private Wealth business. The sale is expected to closeclosed on December 31, 2017, subject to usual and customary closing conditions and the receipt of regulatory approval from the Nebraska Department of Banking.January 12, 2018. We expect to receivereceived proceeds of $7 million to $10.510.0 million, subject to client consents and net of working capital requirements; however, we do not expect to recordrequirements, and recorded a material$524,000 gain or loss on the sale, withinwhich is included as “Gain on sale of operations” on our Consolidated StatementStatements of Comprehensive Income. The sale will reduce ourreduced goodwill and intangible assets but isdid not expected to have a material impact toon our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet. The following table presents cash proceeds received and net assets sold (in thousands):
Cash Proceeds$10,013
Net assets sold: 
Accounts receivable99
Other current assets112
Goodwill7,340
Intangible assets, net2,170
Property and equipment, net18
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities(241)
Other liabilities(9)
Gain on sale of operations$524
The component is reported within both our Advisory and Trust segments. The sale doesdid not represent a major strategic shift in our business and doesdid not qualify for discontinued operations reporting.
2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
 Basis of Presentation
The accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements are unaudited and are presented in accordance with the requirements for quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and consequently do not include all of the information and footnote disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).  The Company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements reflect all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) necessary in the opinion of management to present fairly our interim financial position and results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. The accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements are presented in accordance with GAAP and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).
WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
(Unaudited)

The accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with our Consolidated Financial Statements, and notes thereto, included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016,2017, filed with the SEC. Operating results for the periods in these condensed consolidated financial statementsCondensed Consolidated Financial Statements are not necessarily indicative of the results for any future period. The accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Westwood and its subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated upon consolidation.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Recently Adopted
In March 2016,May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2016-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation: Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting. The purpose of the amendment is to simplify the accounting for share-based payment transactions, and includes changes to the accounting for the classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, classification of certain share-based payment items in the statement of cash flows, the accounting for forfeitures and certain income tax consequences. The amendment is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those annual periods. Amendments related to the presentation of employee taxes paid on the statement of cash flows should be applied retrospectively. The amendment related to forfeitures, where an entity may account for forfeitures as they occur, should be
WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
(Unaudited)

applied retrospectively by means of a cumulative-effect adjustment to equity at the beginning of the period in which the guidance is adopted. Amendments requiring recognition of excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies in the income statement and the practical expedient for estimating expected term should be applied prospectively. An entity may elect to apply the amendments related to the presentation of tax benefits on the statement of cash flows using either a prospective or retrospective transition method.
We adopted ASU 2016-09 effective January 1, 2017. The following summarizes the effects of the adoption on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements:
Income Taxes - Upon adoption of this standard, all excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies, including tax benefits of dividends on share-based payment awards, are recognized as income tax expense or benefit in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income. The tax effects of exercised or vested awards are treated as discrete items in the reporting period in which they occur. As a result, the Company recognized discrete adjustments to income tax expense in the first nine months of 2017 of $1.0 million related to excess tax benefits, decreasing our effective tax rate for the first nine months of 2017 to 29.1%. Without the adjustment, our effective tax rate would have been 33.0%. The Company did not have any unrecognized excess tax benefits as of December 31, 2016 and therefore there was no cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings related to income taxes. The Company adopted the amendments related to the recognition of excess tax benefits and tax shortfalls prospectively, with no adjustments made to prior periods.
Forfeitures - Prior to adoption, stock-based compensation expense was recognized on a straight-line basis, net of estimated forfeitures, such that expense was recognized for stock-based awards that were expected to vest. A forfeiture rate was estimated annually and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differed from initial estimates. Upon adoption of this standard, the Company no longer applies an estimated forfeiture rate and instead accounts for forfeitures as they occur. The Company applied the modified retrospective adoption approach, resulting in a $711,000 cumulative-effect reduction to “Retained earnings” with the offset to “Additional paid-in-capital” on January 1, 2017.
Statements of Cash Flows - The Company historically accounted for excess tax benefits on the consolidated statements of cash flows as a financing activity. Upon adoption of this standard, excess tax benefits are classified along with other income tax cash flows as an operating activity. The change in cash flow classification associated with excess tax benefits was adopted prospectively, resulting in the classification of the $1.0 million excess tax benefit as an operating activity during the nine months ended September 30, 2017. No change in classification was necessary for the presentation of restricted stock returned for payment of taxes, as the Company has historically presented such payments as a financing activity. The Company adopted this portion of the standard on a prospective basis, with no adjustments made to prior periods.
Earnings Per Share - The Company uses the treasury stock method to compute diluted earnings per share, unless the effect would be anti-dilutive. Under the new standard, the Company is no longer required to estimate the tax effect of anticipated windfall benefits or shortfalls when projecting proceeds available for share repurchases in calculating dilutive shares. The Company utilized the modified retrospective adoption approach, with no adjustments made to prior periods.
Not Yet Adopted
In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU("ASU") 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), which
resulted from a joint project by the FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board to clarify the principles for
recognizing revenue and to develop a common revenue standard for GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards
("IFRS" (“IFRS”). The ASU will beis effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim reporting periods within that reporting period. Retrospective application is required, with the entity either applying the change to each prior reporting period presented or applying the cumulative effect of each prior reporting period presented at the date of initial application. Management has completedWe adopted ASU 2014-09 effective January 1, 2018. See further discussion in Note 9 “Revenue.”
In March 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-05, Income Taxes: Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118, to address the application of U.S. GAAP in situations when a detailed reviewregistrant does not have the necessary information available, prepared or analyzed (including computations) in reasonable detail to complete the accounting for certain income tax effects of the termsTax Cuts and conditionsJobs Act (“Tax Reform Act”). See further discussion in Note 11 “Income Taxes.”
Not Yet Adopted
In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU 218-07, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting. The purpose of this amendment is to simplify the accounting for share-based payments granted to nonemployees for goods and services by aligning it with the accounting used for arrangements with employees. The amendments in this update are effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within that fiscal year. We do not expect the amendment to have a material impact on our current contracts, including performance based fees,Consolidated Financial Statements, and we do not anticipate a significant change in the timing of revenue recognized. As part of our review we analyzed our current business process and internal controls and do not anticipate implementing new proceduresplan to successfully adopt the standard. We expect to enhance and add additional disclosures surrounding our revenue process including disaggregation of revenue and information about performance obligations that will help providestandard within the financial statement users a better understanding of the nature, amount, timing and potential uncertainty of the revenue being recognized.required time frame.
WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
(Unaudited)

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. The amendment eliminates step two from the goodwill impairment test in order to simplify the subsequent measurement of goodwill. Under step two, an entity had to perform procedures to determine the fair value of its assets and liabilities at the impairment testing date following procedures required to determine the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination. Under ASU 2017-04, an entity should perform its annual, or interim, goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount and should recognize an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit's fair value. The amendment is effective, on a prospective basis, for annual or interim periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. We do not expect the amendment to have a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements and expect to adopt the standard within the required time frame.
In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-09, Compensation- Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting.The ASU provides guidance on the types of changes to the terms or conditions of share-based payment awards to which an entity would be required to apply modified accounting under ASC 718. The purpose of the amendment is to reduce diversity, cost and complexity in practice when analyzing and applying these modifications. The ASU is effective for periods beginning after December 15, 2017. We do not expect the amendment to have a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements and expect to adopt the standard within the required time frame.
3. EARNINGS PER SHARE
Basic earnings per common share is computed by dividing net income available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of shares outstanding for the applicable period. Diluted earnings per share is computed based on the weighted average number of shares outstanding plus the effect of any dilutive shares of restricted stock granted to employees and non-employee directors. There were no anti-dilutive restricted shares outstanding for the three months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2017. There2018, and there were approximately 2,4537,000 anti-dilutive restricted shares outstanding for the three months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2016,2017. There were approximately 5,000 and 8,800 and 2,30113,000 anti-dilutive restricted shares outstanding for the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and 2016,2017, respectively.
The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted earnings per share (in thousands, except per share and share amounts):
 Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30,
 2017 2016 2017 2016 2018 2017 2018 2017
Net income $4,132
 $5,887
 $17,092
 $15,070
 $7,992
 $6,896
 $15,970
 $12,960
                
Weighted average shares outstanding - basic 8,171,809
 7,995,680
 8,136,350
 7,952,938
 8,399,148
 8,167,277
 8,336,923
 8,118,327
Dilutive potential shares from unvested restricted shares 248,940
 184,276
 214,576
 259,530
 144,205
 149,231
 206,478
 197,395
Weighted average shares outstanding - diluted 8,420,749
 8,179,956
 8,350,926
 8,212,468
 8,543,353
 8,316,508
 8,543,401
 8,315,722
                
Earnings per share:                
Basic $0.51
 $0.74
 $2.10
 $1.89
 $0.95
 $0.84
 $1.92
 $1.60
Diluted $0.49
 $0.72
 $2.05
 $1.84
 $0.94
 $0.83
 $1.87
 $1.56
4. INVESTMENTS
In May 2018, we entered into a $5.0 million strategic investment in an equity position of a private company. As this investment represents a private company without a readily determinable fair value, the Company has elected to apply the measurement alternative of cost minus impairment, if any, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes. The Company will reassess whether our investment qualifies for the measurement alternative at each reporting period. In evaluating the investment for impairment or observable price changes, we will use inputs including recent financing events, as well as other available information regarding the private company's historical and forecasted performance. As of June 30, 2018, there were no observable price changes or indicators of impairment for this investment. See further discussion regarding our investment in Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies.”
All other investments are carried at fair value on a recurring basis and are accounted for as trading securities. Trading securities are presented in the table below (in thousands):
  Cost 
Gross
Unrealized
Gains
 
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
 
Estimated
Market
Value
June 30, 2018:        
U.S. Government and Government agency obligations $40,081
 $72
 $
 $40,153
Money market funds 9,736
 
 
 9,736
Equity funds 11,309
 524
 (209) 11,624
Total trading securities $61,126
 $596
 $(209) $61,513
December 31, 2017:        
U.S. Government and Government agency obligations $29,367
 $21
 $(15) $29,373
Money market funds 9,736
 
 
 9,736
Equity funds 11,578
 657
 (20) 12,215
Total trading securities $50,681
 $678
 $(35) $51,324
WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
(Unaudited)

4. INVESTMENTS
All investments are carried at fair value and are accounted for as trading securities. Investment balances are presented in the table below (in thousands):
  Cost 
Gross
Unrealized
Gains
 
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
 
Estimated
Market
Value
September 30, 2017:        
U.S. Government and Government agency obligations $26,093
 $12
 $(14) $26,091
Money market funds 9,925
 
 
 9,925
Equity funds 11,510
 578
 (11) 12,077
  $47,528
 $590
 $(25) $48,093
December 31, 2016:        
U.S. Government and Government agency obligations $30,275
 $
 $(2) $30,273
Money market funds 14,127
 
 
 14,127
Equity funds 12,057
 204
 (176) 12,085
  $56,459
 $204
 $(178) $56,485
As of SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and December 31, 2016, $10.6 million and $11.02017, approximately $10.7 million in corporate funds respectively, were invested in Westwood Funds®, Westwood Common Trust Funds and Westwood Investment Funds PLC (the “UCITS Fund”). See Note 8 “Variable Interest Entities”.Entities.”
5. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
We determine estimated fair values for our financial instruments using available information. The fair value amounts discussed in our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements are not necessarily indicative of either amounts realizable upon disposition of these instruments or our intent or ability to dispose of these assets. The estimated fair value of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, prepaid income taxes, receivable, other current assets, accounts payable and accrued liabilities, dividends payable, compensation and benefits payable and income taxes payable approximates their carrying value due to their short-term maturities. The carrying amount of investments designated as “trading” securities, primarily U.S. Government and Government agency obligations, money market funds, Westwood Funds® mutual funds, the UCITS Fund and Westwood Trust common trust fund shares, equals their fair value based on prices quoted in active markets and, with respect to common trust funds, the net asset value of the shares held as reported by each fund. Market values of our money market holdings generally do not fluctuate. Our strategic investment in a private company discussed in Note 4 “Investments” is excluded from the below recurring fair value table, as we have elected to apply the measurement alternative for this investment.
ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements, defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value and requires disclosures regarding certain fair value measurements. ASC 820 establishes a three-tier hierarchy for measuring fair value, as follows:
level 1 – quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets
level 2 – inputs other than quoted prices that are directly or indirectly observable
level 3 – significant unobservable inputs where there is little or no market activity
The following table summarizes the values of our investments measured at fair value on a recurring basis within the fair value hierarchy as of the dates indicated (in thousands):
  Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 
Investments Measured at NAV (1)
 Total
As of June 30, 2018:          
Investments in trading securities $59,214
 $
 $
 $2,299
 $61,513
Total assets measured at fair value $59,214
 $
 $
 $2,299
 $61,513
           
As of December 31, 2017:          
Investments in trading securities $48,998
 $
 $
 $2,326
 $51,324
Total assets measured at fair value $48,998
 $
 $
 $2,326
 $51,324
           
(1) Comprised of certain investments measured at fair value using net asset value (NAV) as a practical expedient. The fair value amounts presented in this table are intended to permit reconciliation of the fair value hierarchy to the amounts presented on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.
WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
(Unaudited)

The following table summarizes the values of our assets and liabilities as of the dates indicated within the fair value hierarchy (in thousands):
  Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 
Investments Measured at NAV (1)
 Total
As of September 30, 2017:          
Investments in trading securities $45,836
 $
 $
 $2,257
 $48,093
Total financial instruments $45,836
 $
 $
 $2,257
 $48,093
           
As of December 31, 2016:          
Investments in trading securities $53,319
 $
 $
 $3,166
 $56,485
Total financial instruments $53,319
 $
 $
 $3,166
 $56,485
           
(1) Comprised of certain investments measured at fair value using net asset value (NAV) as a practical expedient. These investments were recategorized and are no longer included within Level 2 of the valuation hierarchy. The fair value amounts presented in this table are intended to permit reconciliation of the fair value hierarchy to the amounts presented on our consolidated balance sheets.
6. GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS
Goodwill
Goodwill represents the excess of the cost of acquired assets over the fair value of the underlying identifiable assets at the date of acquisition. Goodwill is not amortized but is tested for impairment at least annually. We completed our annual goodwill impairment assessment during the third quarter of 2017 and determined that no impairment loss was required. No impairments on goodwill were recorded during the three or ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 or 2016.2017.
Changes in the balance of Goodwill for the periods presented are as follows (in thousands):
  Goodwill
Balance as of December 31, 2017 $27,144
Omaha divestiture (7,340)
Balance as of June 30, 2018 $19,804
Other Intangible Assets
Our intangible assets represent the acquisition date fair value of acquired client relationships, trade names, non-compete agreements and internally developed software and are reflected net of amortization. In valuing these assets, we made significant estimates regarding their useful lives, growth rates and potential attrition. We periodically review intangible assets for events or circumstances that would indicate impairment. No impairments on intangible assets were recorded during the three or ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 or 2016.2017.

Changes in the balance of Intangible assets, net for the periods presented are as follows (in thousands):
  Intangible assets, net
Balance as of December 31, 2017 $19,804
Amortization (836)
Omaha divestiture (1)
 (2,170)
Balance as of June 30, 2018 $16,798
_____________________
(1)    Related to client relationships
7. STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
The components of accumulatedAccumulated other comprehensive loss were as follows (in thousands):
 As of September 30, 2017 As of December 31, 2016 As of June 30, 2018 As of December 31, 2017
Foreign currency translation adjustment $(1,849) $(4,287) $(3,442) $(1,764)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss $(1,849) $(4,287) $(3,442) $(1,764)
WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
(Unaudited)

8. VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES
We have evaluated all of(i) our advisory relationships with the UCITS Fund and the Westwood Funds®, limited liability companies (“LLCs”) and(ii) our relationship as sponsor of the Common Trust Funds (“CTFs”) and managing member of the private equity fund Westwood Hospitality Fund I, LLC (“WHF”) and (iii) the private company discussed in Note 4 “Investments” (“Private Equity”) to determine whether each of these entities is a variable interest entity (“VIE”) or voting ownership entity (“VOE”). Based on our analysis, we determined that the LLCsCTFs and CTFsWHF were VIEs, as the at-risk equity holders do not have the ability to direct the activities that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance, and the Company and its representatives have a majority control of the entities' respective boards of directors and can influence the respective entities' management and affairs. Prior to the sale of our Omaha-based operations, we also considered our advisory relationship with ten limited liability companies (“LLCs”) as VIEs, but as of June 30, 2018, we no longer serve as the managing member of the funds and do not control the activities that most significantly impact the entities' economic performance. Therefore, the LLCs are no longer considered VIEs. Although we have related parties on the UCITS Fund board of directors, the shareholders have rights to remove the current directors with a simple majority vote and so we determined that the UCITS Fund is not a VIE. As the Company and its representatives do not have representation on the Westwood Funds® or the Private Equity independent boardboards of directors, which directsdirect the activities that most significantly impact the entity'sentities' economic performance, we determined that the Westwood Funds® and the Private Equity were not VIEs. Therefore, the UCITS Fund, and the Westwood Funds® and Private Equity should be analyzed under the VOE consolidation method. Based on our analysis of our seed investments in these entities for the periods ending SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and December 31, 2016,2017, we have not consolidated the LLCsCTFs, WHF or CTFsLLCs under the VIE method or the UCITS Fund, or the Westwood Funds® or Private Equity under the VOE method, and therefore the financial results of these entities are not included in the Company’s consolidated financial results.
As of SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and December 31, 2016, the Company had2017, our seed investments in aggregate ofaggregated approximately $10.6$10.7 million and $11.0 million, respectively, in the CTFs, the Westwood Funds, and the UCITS Fund. TheseThe seed investments were provided for the sole purpose of showing the economic substance needed to establish the funds or sub-funds. The Company's seed investments in these funds are included in “Investments, at fair value” on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet at September 30, 2017.Sheets.
Otherwise, weWe have not otherwise provided any financial support we were not previously contractually obligated to provide, and there are no arrangements that would require us to provide additional financial support to any of these entities. Our seed investments in the above-mentioned Westwood Funds®, the UCITS Fund and the CTFs are accounted for as investments in accordance with our other investments described in Note 4 “Investments.” We recognized fee revenue from the Westwood VIEs and Westwood VOEs of approximately $13.2$12.0 million and $13.5$13.1 million for the three months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and 2016,2017, respectively. We recognized fee revenue from the Westwood VIEs and Westwood VOEs of approximately $39.1$24.6 million and $39.5$25.9 million for the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and 2016,2017, respectively.
The following table displays the assets under management, the amounts of our seed investments that are included in “Investments, at fair value”“Investments” on our consolidated balance sheets, and the risk of loss in each vehicle (in millions):
 As of September 30, 2017 As of June 30, 2018
 Assets
Under
Management
 Corporate
Investment
 Amount at Risk Assets
Under
Management
 Corporate
Investment
 Amount at Risk
VIEs/VOEs:            
Westwood Funds® $4,144
 $6
 $6
 $4,199
 $6
 $6
Common Trust Funds 2,602
 2
 2
 2,311
 2
 2
LLCs 113
 
 
UCITS Fund 595
 2
 2
 411
 2
 2
Westwood Hospitality Fund I, LLC 3
 
 
Private Equity 
 5
 5
All other assets:            
Private Wealth 3,107
     2,621
    
Institutional 13,063
     12,046
    
Total Assets Under Management $23,624
     $21,591
    
WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
(Unaudited)

9. REVENUE
Adoption of ASC 2014-09 Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)
On January 1, 2018, we adopted ASU 2016-10 using the modified retrospective method applied to those contracts that were not completed as of January 1, 2018. Results for reporting periods beginning after January 1, 2018 are presented under Topic 606 while prior period amounts continue to be reported in accordance with our historic accounting under Topic 605.
We analyzed the revenue from prior periods and determined no material adjustments to opening retained earnings were necessary as the updated guidance is consistent with our historical revenue recognition methodology.
Revenue Recognition
Revenues are recognized when the performance obligation (the investment management and advisory or trust services provided to the client) defined by the investment advisory or sub-advisory agreement is satisfied. For each performance obligation, we determine at contract inception whether the revenue satisfies over time or at a point in time. We derive our revenues from investment advisory fees, trust fees and other sources of revenues. Advisory and Trust fees are calculated based on a percentage of assets under management and the performance obligation is realized over the current calendar quarter. Once clients receive our investment advisory services we have an enforceable right to payment.

Advisory Fee Revenues
Our advisory fees are generated by Westwood Management and Westwood International, which manage client accounts under investment advisory and sub-advisory agreements. Advisory fees are typically calculated based on a percentage of assets under management and are paid in accordance with the terms of the agreements. Advisory fees are paid quarterly in advance based on assets under management on the last day of the preceding quarter, quarterly in arrears based on assets under management on the last day of the quarter just ended or are based on a daily or monthly analysis of assets under management for the stated period. We recognize advisory fee revenues as services are rendered. Since our advance paying clients' billing periods coincide with the calendar quarter to which such payments relate, revenue is recognized within the quarter and our condensed consolidated financial statements contain no deferred advisory fee revenues. Advisory clients typically consist of institutional and mutual fund accounts.
Institutional investors includes separate accounts of (i) corporate pension and profit sharing plans, public employee retirement funds, Taft Hartley plans, endowments, foundations and individuals; (ii) subadvisory relationships where Westwood provides investment management services for funds offered by other financial institutions; (iii) pooled investment vehicles, including the UCITS Fund and collective investment trusts; and (iv) managed account relationships with brokerage firms and other registered investment advisors that offer Westwood products to their customers.
Mutual funds include the Westwood Funds®, a family of mutual funds for which Westwood Management serves as advisor. These funds are available to individual investors, as well as offered as part of our investment strategies for institutional investors and private wealth accounts.
Arrangements with Performance Based Obligations
A limited number of our advisory clients have a contractual performance-based fee component in their contracts, which generates additional revenues if we outperform a specified index over a specific period of time. The revenue is based on future market performance and is susceptible to factors outside our control. We cannot conclude that a significant reversal in the cumulative amount of revenue recognized will not occur during the measurement period, and therefore the revenue is recorded at the end of the measurement period when the performance obligation has been satisfied.
WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
(Unaudited)

Trust Fee Revenues
Our trust fees are generated by Westwood Trust pursuant to trust or custodial agreements. Trust fees are separately negotiated with each client and are generally based on a percentage of assets under management. Westwood Trust also provides trust services to a small number of clients on a fixed fee basis. The fees for most of our trust clients are calculated quarterly in arrears, based on a daily average of assets under management for the quarter. Since billing periods for most of Westwood Trust’s clients coincide with the calendar quarter, revenue is fully recognized within the quarter and our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements do not contain a significant amount of deferred trust fee revenues.
Revenue Disaggregated

Sales taxes are excluded from revenues. The following table presents our revenue disaggregated by account type (in thousands):
  Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30,
  2018 2017 2018 2017
Advisory Fees:        
Institutional $15,684
 $17,043
 $32,389
 $33,652
Mutual Funds 7,753
 7,452
 15,503
 14,632
Private Wealth 36
 
 64
 
Performance-based 1,649
 1,031
 2,984
 1,417
Trust Fees 7,465
 7,917
 15,074
 15,713
Other 173
 313
 313
 965
Total revenues $32,760
 $33,756
 $66,327
 $66,379

We have clients in various locations around the world. The following table presents our revenue disaggregated by our clients' geographical locations (in thousands):
Three Months Ended June 30, 2018 Advisory Trust Performance-based Other Total
Asia $1,236
 $
 $
 $
 $1,236
Australia 974
 
 
 
 974
Canada 1,640
 
 
 37
 1,677
Europe 1,347
 
 
 
 1,347
United States 18,276
 7,465
 1,649
 136
 27,526
Total $23,473
 $7,465
 $1,649
 $173
 $32,760
           
Six Months Ended June 30, 2018          
Asia $2,667
 $
 $
 $
 $2,667
Australia 1,996
 
 
 
 1,996
Canada 3,470
 
 
 86
 3,556
Europe 2,590
 
 
 
 2,590
United States 37,233
 15,074
 2,984
 227
 55,518
Total $47,956
 $15,074
 $2,984
 $313
 $66,327
WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
(Unaudited)

Three Months Ended June 30, 2017 Advisory Trust Performance-based Other Total
Asia $1,508
 $
 $
 $
 $1,508
Australia 786
 
 
 
 786
Canada 2,118
 
 
 139
 2,257
Europe 1,061
 
 
 
 1,061
United States 19,023
 7,917
 1,031
 173
 28,144
Total $24,496
 $7,917
 $1,031
 $312
 $33,756
           
Six Months Ended June 30, 2017          
Asia $3,047
 $
 $
 $
 $3,047
Australia 1,427
 
 
 
 1,427
Canada 4,132
 
 
 222
 4,354
Europe 2,119
 
 
 
 2,119
United States 37,560
 15,712
 1,417
 743
 55,432
Total $48,285
 $15,712
 $1,417
 $965
 $66,379
10. LONG-TERM INCENTIVE COMPENSATION
Restricted Stock Awards
We have issued restricted shares to our employees and non-employee directors. The FourthFifth Amended and Restated Westwood Holdings Group, Inc. Stock Incentive Plan as amended (the “Plan”), reserves shares of Westwood common stock for issuance to eligible employees, directors and consultants of Westwood or its subsidiaries in the form of restricted stock. In April 2017,2018, stockholders approved an additional 250,000200,000 shares to be authorized under the Plan, increasing the total number of shares issuable under the Plan (including predecessor plans to the Plan) to 4,648,1004,848,100 shares. At SeptemberJune 30, 2017,2018, approximately 433,000401,000 shares remain available for issuance under the Plan.
The following table presents the total stock-based compensation expense recorded for stock-based compensation arrangements for the periods indicated (in thousands):
 Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30,
 2017 2016 2017 2016 2018 2017 2018 2017
Service condition stock-based compensation expense $2,591
 $2,679
 $7,828
 $7,978
 $2,535
 $2,608
 $5,325
 $5,237
Performance condition stock-based compensation expense 1,454
 1,234 3,949
 3,705 1,088
 1,372 2,364
 2,495
Stock-based compensation expense under the Plan 4,045
 3,913 11,777
 11,683 3,623
 3,980 7,689
 7,732
Canadian Plan stock-based compensation expense 188
 169
 521
 481 153
 188
 274
 333
Total stock-based compensation expense $4,233
 $4,082
 $12,298
 $12,164
 $3,776
 $4,168
 $7,963
 $8,065

Restricted Stock
Under the Plan we have granted to employees and non-employee directors restricted stock subject to service conditions and to certain key employees restricted stock subject to both service and performance conditions.
As of SeptemberJune 30, 2017,2018, there was approximately $26.3$27.8 million of unrecognized compensation cost for restricted stock grants under the Plan, which we expect to recognize over a weighted-average period of 2.22.4 years. Our two types of restricted stock grants under the Plan are discussed below.
WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
(Unaudited)

Restricted Stock Subject Only to a Service Condition
We calculate compensation cost for restricted stock grants by using the fair market value of our common stock at the date of grant, the number of shares issued and an adjustment for restrictions on dividends. This compensation cost is amortized on a straight-line basis over the applicable vesting period. As discussed in Note 2 “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies,” the Company made an accounting policy election to accountperiod, with adjustments for forfeitures recorded as they occur effective upon the adoption of ASU 2016-09 on January 1, 2017.occur.
The following table details the status and changes in our restricted stock grants subject only to a service condition for the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2017:2018:

 Shares Weighted Average
Grant Date Fair Value
Non-vested, January 1, 2017 607,501
 $54.67
Granted 143,460
 61.20
Vested (182,085) 57.43
Forfeited (36,579) 55.11
Non-vested, September 30, 2017 532,297
 $55.46




WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
(Unaudited)

 Shares Weighted Average
Grant Date Fair Value
Non-vested, January 1, 2018 519,375
 $55.44
Granted 172,366
 55.92
Vested (203,020) 53.49
Forfeited (20,977) 56.42
Non-vested, June 30, 2018 467,744
 $56.42

Restricted Stock Subject to Service and Performance Conditions
Under the Plan, certain key employees were provided agreements for grants of restricted shares that vest over multiple year periods subject to achieving annual performance goals established by the Compensation Committee of Westwood’s Board of Directors. Each year the Compensation Committee establishes a specific goalgoals for that year’s vesting of the restricted shares. For 2017, the goal is based on Income before income tax from our audited consolidated statement of comprehensive income for fiscal 2017. The date that the Compensation Committee establishes the annual goalgoals is considered to be the grant date and the fair value measurement date to determine expense on the shares that are likely to vest. The vesting period ends when the Compensation Committee formally approves the performance-based restricted stock vesting based on the Income before income taxspecific performance goals from the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements. If a portion of the performance-based restricted shares does not vest, no compensation expense is recognized for that portion and any previously recognized compensation expense related to shares that do not vest is reversed.
In March 2017,2018, the Compensation Committee established the fiscal 20172018 goal for our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer as Income before income taxes of $24.0$20.0 million for 50% of their respective awards and an Income before income taxes target of $34.0$36.0 million (ranging from 25% of target for threshold performance of $30.3$32.0 million to 185% of target for maximum performance of $42.5$44.5 million) for the remaining 50% of their respective awards. For allcertain other restricted stock grants subject to performance conditions,key employees, the Compensation Committee established the fiscal 2017 goal as2018 goals based on various departmental and company-wide performance goals, including Income before income taxes of at least $24.0$20.0 million. These performance grants allowDuring the Compensation Committeefirst six months of 2018, we recorded expense related to exclude certain items, including legal settlements, from the Income before income taxes target. At the Committee's discretion, we excluded the $4.0 million legal settlement expense recorded during the third quarter of 2017 from our forecasted Income before income taxes target and concluded that it was probable that we would exceed the target performance goals required to vest the applicable percentage of the performance-based restricted shares this year and continued recording expense related to the shares expected to vest.meet or exceed the performance goals needed to earn the shares.
The following table details the status and changes in our restricted stock grants subject to service and performance conditions for the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2017:2018:
 Shares Weighted Average
Grant Date Fair Value
 Shares Weighted Average
Grant Date Fair Value
Non-vested, January 1, 2017 153,620
 $55.90
Non-vested, January 1, 2018 165,918
 $55.85
Granted 157,877
 54.86
 84,829
 55.46
Vested (102,367) 56.58
 (98,281) 55.81
Forfeited (45,675) 55.86
 
 
Non-vested, September 30, 2017 163,455
 $55.87
Non-vested, June 30, 2018 152,466
 $55.66
The above amounts as of September 30, 2017 do not include 16,313 non-vested restricted shares that potentially vest over performance years subsequent to 2017 inasmuch as the Compensation Committee has not set annual performance goals for later years and therefore no grant date has been established.
WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
(Unaudited)

Canadian Plan
The Share Award Plan of Westwood Holdings Group, Inc. for Service Provided in Canada to its Subsidiaries (the “Canadian Plan”) provides compensation in the form of common stock for services performed by employees of Westwood International. Under the Canadian Plan, no more than $10 million CDN ($8.07.6 million in U.S. Dollars using the exchange rate on SeptemberJune 30, 2017)2018) may be funded to the plan trustee for purchases of common stock with respect to awards granted under the Canadian Plan. At SeptemberJune 30, 2017,2018, approximately $4.3$3.4 million CDN ($3.42.6 million in U.S. Dollars using the exchange rate on SeptemberJune 30, 2017)2018) remains available for issuance under the Canadian Plan, or approximately 51,20044,099 shares based on the closing share price of our stock of $67.27$59.54 as of SeptemberJune 30, 2017.2018. During the first ninesix months of 2017,2018, the trust formed pursuant to the Canadian Plan purchased in the open market 23,82213,031 Westwood common shares for approximately $1.3 million.$726,000. As of SeptemberJune 30, 2017,2018, the trust holds 55,41846,358 shares of Westwood common stock. As of SeptemberJune 30, 2017,2018, unrecognized compensation cost related to restricted stock grants under the Canadian Plan totaled $864,000,$1.0 million, which we expect to recognize over a weighted-average period of 1.81.9 years.
WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
(Unaudited)

Mutual Fund Share Incentive Awards
We grant annually to certain employees mutual fund incentive awards, which are bonus awards based on our mutual funds achieving specific performance goals. Awards granted are notionally credited to a participant account maintained by us that contains a number of mutual fund shares equal to the award amount divided by the net closing value of a fund share on the date the amount is credited to the account.
For awards earned prior to 2017, We maintain the award vested after approximately one yearin a corporate investment account until vesting. The investment may increase or decrease based on changes in the value of service following the year in whichmutual fund shares awarded, including reinvested income from the participant earnedmutual funds during the award. Beginning in 2017, the award vests aftervesting period. Unvested mutual fund awards are included under “Investments, at fair value” on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Awards vest over approximately two years of service following the year in which the participant earned the award. We begin accruing a liability for mutual fund incentive awards when we believe it is probable that the award will be earned and record expense for these awards over the service period of the award, which is either two or three3 years. During the year in which the amount of the award is determined, we record expense based on the expected value of the award. After the award is earned, we record expense based on the value of the shares awarded and the percentage of the vesting period that has elapsed. Our liability under these awards may increase or decrease based on changes in the value of the mutual fund shares awarded, including reinvested income from the mutual funds during the vesting period. Upon vesting, participants receive the value of the mutual fund share awards adjusted for earnings or losses attributable to the underlying mutual funds. For the three months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and 2016,2017, we recorded expense of approximately $281,000$11,000 and $313,000,$250,000, respectively, related to mutual fund share incentive awards. For the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and 2016,2017, we recorded expense of approximately $819,000$185,000 and $933,000,$538,000, respectively, related to mutual fund share incentive awards. As of SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and December 31, 2016,2017, we had an accrued liability of approximately $1.5 million$517,000 and $1.7$1.8 million, respectively, related to mutual fund share incentive awards.
10.11. INCOME TAXES
Our effective income tax rate was 28.2%26.9% for the thirdsecond quarter of 2017,2018, compared with 35.0%34.8% for the thirdsecond quarter of 2016. The decrease is primarily related to the tax impact of our legal settlement with AGF (see further discussion in Note 12 “Commitments and Contingencies”) in the third quarter of 2017 and adjustments to uncertain tax positions (net of federal tax benefit) recorded in the third quarter of 2016.2017. Our effective income tax rate was 29.1%25.5% for the six months ended June 30, 2018, compared with 29.4% for the six months ended June 30, 2017. The current quarter and year-to-date rates benefited from the decrease in the U.S. corporate income tax rate under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act signed into law in December 2017, while the first ninesix months of 2017 compared with 35.1% for the first nine months of 2016. The decrease is primarilyincluded a $1.0 million tax benefit related to the adoption of ASU 2016-09 Compensation-StockCompensation - Stock Compensation: Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which requires recognition of excess. Excluding this discrete tax benefits related to employees' restricted stock vesting to be recorded within income tax expense. Prior to adoption of ASU 2016-09, excess tax benefits were recorded through Additional paid-in capital, with no impact to thebenefit, our effective tax rate or our consolidated statement of comprehensive income. See further discussion in Note 2 “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.” The remaining decrease is related towould have been 34.5% for the tax impact of our legal settlement with AGF (see further discussion in Note 12 “Commitments and Contingencies”) in the third quarter of 2017 and adjustments to uncertain tax positions (net of federal tax benefit) recorded in the first and third quarters of 2016.
As of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the Company's gross liability related to uncertain tax positions was $196,000 and $2.5 million, respectively. A number of years may elapse before an uncertain tax position is finally resolved. To the extent that the Company has favorable tax settlements, or determines that accrued amounts are no longer needed due to a lapse in the applicable statute of limitations or other changes in circumstances, such liabilities, as well as any related interest and penalties, would be reversed as a reduction of income tax expense, net of federal tax effects, in the period such determination is made. A reconciliation of the change in recorded uncertain tax positions during the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2017 is as follows (in thousands):
Balance at January 1, 2017 $2,462
   Additions for tax positions related to the current year 68
   Additions for tax positions related to prior years 
   Reductions for tax positions related to prior years (768)
   Payments for tax positions related to prior years (1,566)
Balance at September 30, 2017 $196
2017.
WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
(Unaudited)

WithinTax Reform Act
On December 22, 2017, the next twelveSEC staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 (“SAB 118”) to address the application of U.S. GAAP in situations when a registrant does not have the necessary information available, prepared, or analyzed (including computations) in reasonable detail to complete the accounting for certain income tax effects of the Tax Reform Act. During 2017, we provisionally recognized the incremental tax impacts related to deemed repatriated earnings and the revaluation of deferred tax assets and liabilities and included these amounts in our Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2017. During the first six months itof 2018, we did not make any changes to the amounts provisionally recognized. The ultimate impact may differ, possibly materially, from these provisional amounts due to, among other things, additional analysis, changes in interpretations and assumptions we have made, additional regulatory guidance that may be issued and actions we may take as a result of the Tax Reform Act. The accounting is expected to be complete when our 2017 U.S. corporate income tax return is filed in the third quarter of 2018.
Tax Audit
The Company is subject to taxation in the United States and various state and foreign jurisdictions, and our 2014 tax return is currently under audit in a state jurisdiction in which we operate. It is reasonably possible that the liability for uncertain tax positions could decrease by as much as $196,000 as aaudit may be completed during the next twelve months, and we do not expect the result of settlements with certain taxing authorities, which, if recognized, would decreasethis audit to have a material impact on our provision for income taxes by $130,000.consolidated financial statements.

11.12. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Some of our directors, executive officers and their affiliates invest their personal funds directly in trust accounts that we manage. For the three months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and 2016,2017, we recorded trust fees from these accounts of $92,000 and $108,000,$90,000, respectively. For the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and 2016,2017, we recorded trust fees from these accounts of $277,000$187,000 and $305,000,$185,000, respectively. There was $92,000 and $97,000$98,000 due from these accounts as of SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and December 31, 2016,2017, respectively.
The Company engages in transactions with its affiliates in the ordinary course of business. Westwood International and Westwood Management provide investment advisory services to the UCITS Fund and the Westwood Funds®. Certain members of our management serve on the board of directors of the UCITS Fund, and we have capital invested in three of the Westwood Funds®. Under the terms of the investment advisory agreements, the Company earns quarterly fees paid by clients of the fund or by the funds directly. The fees are based on negotiated fee schedules applied to assets under management. These fees are commensurate with market rates. For the three months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and 2016,2017, the Company earned approximately $1.1 million and $370,000,$900,000, respectively, in fees from the affiliated funds. For the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and 2016,2017, the Company earned approximately $2.8$2.3 million and $1.0$1.7 million, respectively, in fees from the affiliated funds. These fees do not include fees paid directly to Westwood International by certain clients invested in the UCITS Fund that have an investment management agreement with Westwood International. As of SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and December 31, 2016, $398,0002017, $342,000 and $270,000,$423,000, respectively, of these fees were unpaidoutstanding and included in “Accounts receivable” on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.
As discussed in Note 4 “Investments,” the Company made a strategic investment in an equity position of a private company during the second quarter of 2018. We previously entered into a separate agreement with this private company to implement a portfolio management product. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2018, we incurred approximately $530,000 and $605,000, respectively, in expenses to this company, which are included in “Information technology expenses” on our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income. The Company did not incur any similar expenses during the three or six months ended June 30, 2017.
WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
12.NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
(Unaudited)

13. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Strategic Investment
As discussed in Note 4 “Investments,” the Company made an initial strategic investment of $5.0 million in a private company during the second quarter of 2018. As part of the agreement, we committed to an additional $5.0 million purchase of equity securities to be invested no later than August 31, 2018. Our intent is to offer this investment opportunity to our current and prospective clients, Board of Directors and employees, but to the extent these parties do not invest the full $5.0 million, we are obligated to make an additional investment to cover any shortfall.
Litigation
On August 3, 2012, AGF Management Limited and AGF Investments Inc. (collectively, “AGF”) filed a lawsuit in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice against Westwood, certain Westwood employees and the executive recruiting firm of Warren International, LLC (“Warren”). The action related to the hiring of certain members of Westwood’s global and emerging markets investment team previously employed by AGF. AGF alleged that the former employees breached certain obligations when they resigned from AGF and that Westwood and Warren induced such breaches. AGF was seeking an unspecified amount of damages and punitive damages of $10 million CDN in the lawsuit. On November 5, 2012, Westwood responded to AGF’s lawsuit with a counterclaim, against AGF for defamation. Westwood was seeking $1 million CDN in general damages, $10 million CDN in special damages, $1 million CDN in punitive damages, and costs. Onon November 6, 2012, AGF filed a second lawsuit against Westwood, Westwood Management and an employee of a Westwood subsidiary, alleging that the employee made defamatory statements about AGF. In this second lawsuit, AGF was seeking $5 million CDN in general damages, $1 million CDN per defendant in punitive damages, unspecified special damages, interest and costs.International.
On October 13, 2017, we reached a settlement with AGF that provides for the dismissal of all claims, with prejudice and without any admission of liability. We have agreed to pay AGF a one-time payment of $10$10.0 million CDN, half of which is expected to bewas covered by our insurance. During the third quarter of 2017, we recorded a net $4.0 million ($55.0 million CDN) charge related to the settlement and associated insurance coverage, with an $8.0 million ($10 million CDN) settlement liability recorded in “Accrued lawsuit settlement” and a $4.0 million ($55.0 million CDN) receivable from our insurance provider included in “Other current assets” on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at SeptemberDecember 31, 2017. We received the insurance proceeds of $4.0 million during the six months ended June 30, 2017.2018 and had no receivable related to the settlement at June 30, 2018.
Our policy is to not accrue legal fees and directly related costs as part of potential loss contingencies. We have agreed with our Directors & Officers insurance provider that 50% of the defense costs related to both AGF claims, excluding Westwood’s counterclaim against AGF, are covered by insurance. We expense legal fees and directly related costs as incurred. We received the remaining insurance proceeds of approximately $276,000 and $928,000related to AGF legal expenses during the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and 2016, respectively.had no receivable at quarter-end. We had a receivable of approximately $113,000 and $186,000$212,000 as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively,2017, which representsrepresented our current minimum estimate of expenses that we expectexpected to recover under our insurance policy. This receivable is part ofincluded in “Other current assets” on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.
WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
(Unaudited)

13.14. SEGMENT REPORTING
We operate two segments: Advisory and Trust. These segments are managed separately based on the types of products and services offered and their related client bases. The Company’s segment information is prepared on the same basis that management reviews the financial information for operational decision-making purposes. The Company’s chief operating decision maker, our Chief Executive Officer, evaluates the performance of our segments based primarily on fee revenues and Economic Earnings. Westwood Holdings Group, Inc., the parent company of Advisory and Trust, does not have revenues and is the entity in which we record typical holding company expenses including employee compensation and benefits for holding company employees, directors’ fees and investor relations costs. All segment accounting policies are the same as those described in the summary of significant accounting policies. Intersegment balances that eliminate in consolidation have been applied to the appropriate segment.
Advisory
Our Advisory segment provides investment advisory services to corporate retirement plans, public retirement plans, endowments, foundations, individuals, the Westwood Funds®, and the UCITS Fund, as well as investment subadvisory services to mutual funds and our Trust segment. Westwood Management Corp. and Westwood International, which provide investment advisory services to clients of similar type, are included in our Advisory segment along with Westwood Advisors, L.L.C.
WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
(Unaudited)

Trust
Trust provides trust and custodial services and participation in common trust funds that it sponsors to institutions and high net worth individuals. Westwood Trust is included in our Trust segment.
WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
(Unaudited)

(in thousands) Advisory Trust Westwood
Holdings
 Eliminations Consolidated
Three Months Ended June 30, 2018          
Net fee revenues from external sources $25,122
 $7,465
 $
 $
 $32,587
Net intersegment revenues 1,846
 57
 
 (1,903) 
Net interest and dividend revenue 135
 55
 
 
 190
Other, net (16) (1) 
 
 (17)
Total revenues $27,087
 $7,576
 $
 $(1,903) $32,760
Economic Earnings $13,111
 $1,457
 $(2,323) $
 $12,245
Less:   Restricted stock expense         3,776
Intangible amortization         418
Deferred taxes on goodwill         59
Net income         $7,992
           
Segment assets $214,051
 $59,605
 $16,056
 $(105,445) $184,267
Segment goodwill $3,403
 $16,401
 $
 $
 $19,804
           
Three Months Ended June 30, 2017          
Net fee revenues from external sources $25,525
 $7,919
 $
 $
 $33,444
Net intersegment revenues 1,998
 52
 
 (2,050) 
Net interest and dividend revenue 122
 15
 
 
 137
Other, net 172
 3
 
 
 175
Total revenues $27,817
 $7,989
 $
 $(2,050) $33,756
Economic Earnings $11,800
 $1,519
 $(1,609) $
 $11,710
Less:   Restricted stock expense         4,168
Intangible amortization         490
Deferred taxes on goodwill         156
Net income         $6,896
           
Segment assets $192,247
 $71,808
 $14,798
 $(102,921) $175,932
Segment goodwill $5,219
 $21,925
 $
 $
 $27,144
(in thousands) Advisory Trust Westwood
Holdings
 Eliminations Consolidated
Three Months Ended September 30, 2017          
Net fee revenues from external sources $25,334
 $7,858
 $
 $
 $33,192
Net intersegment revenues 2,026
 57
 
 (2,083) 
Net interest and dividend revenue 111
 43
 
 
 154
Other, net 157
 (11) 
 
 146
Total revenues $27,628
 $7,947
 $
 $(2,083) $33,492
Economic Earnings $8,786
 $1,560
 $(1,356) $
 $8,990
Less:   Restricted stock expense         4,233
Intangible amortization         469
Deferred taxes on goodwill         156
Net income         $4,132
           
Segment assets $208,444
 $73,170
 $18,388
 $(108,640) $191,362
Segment goodwill $5,219
 $21,925
 $
 $
 $27,144
           
Three Months Ended September 30, 2016          
Net fee revenues from external sources $23,673
 $7,690
 $
 $
 $31,363
Net intersegment revenues 5,275
 41
 
 (5,316) 
Net interest and dividend revenue 128
 5
 
 
 133
Other, net 279
 2
 
 
 281
Total revenues $29,355
 $7,738
 $
 $(5,316) $31,777
Economic Earnings $10,270
 $1,690
 $(1,345) $
 $10,615
Less:   Restricted stock expense         4,082
Intangible amortization         490
Deferred taxes on goodwill         156
Net income         $5,887
           
Segment assets $163,826
 $65,986
 $13,046
 $(73,160) $169,698
Segment goodwill $5,219
 $21,925
 $
 $
 $27,144

WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
(Unaudited)

(in thousands) Advisory Trust Westwood
Holdings
 Eliminations Consolidated Advisory Trust Westwood
Holdings
 Eliminations Consolidated
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2017          
Six Months Ended June 30, 2018          
Net fee revenues from external sources $75,036
 $23,570
 $
 $
 $98,606
 $50,940
 $15,074
 $
 $
 $66,014
Net intersegment revenues 6,050
 160
 
 (6,210) 
 3,883
 112
 
 (3,995) 
Net interest and dividend revenue 391
 67
 
 
 458
 276
 100
 
 
 376
Other, net 811
 (4) 
 
 807
Other (58) (5) 
 
 (63)
Total revenues $82,288
 $23,793
 $
 $(6,210) $99,871
 $55,041
 $15,281
 $
 $(3,995) $66,327
Economic Earnings $31,372
 $4,528
 $(4,592) $
 $31,308
 $26,910
 $2,677
 $(4,700) $
 $24,887
Less: Restricted stock expense         12,298
         7,963
Intangible amortization         1,449
         836
Deferred taxes on goodwill         469
         118
Net income         $17,092
         $15,970
                    
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016          
Six Months Ended June 30, 2017          
Net fee revenues from external sources $68,563
 $22,798
 $
 $
 $91,361
 $49,701
 $15,713
 $
 $
 $65,414
Net intersegment revenues 14,455
 82
 
 (14,537) 
 4,024
 103
 
 (4,127) 
Net interest and dividend revenue 360
 9
 
 
 369
 280
 24
 
 
 304
Other, net 462
 (263) 
 
 199
Other 654
 7
 
 
 661
Total revenues $83,840
 $22,626
 $
 $(14,537) $91,929
 $54,659
 $15,847
 $
 $(4,127) $66,379
Economic Earnings $30,493
 $4,160
 $(5,559) $
 $29,094
 $22,587
 $2,967
 $(3,236) $
 $22,318
Less: Restricted stock expense         12,164
         8,065
Intangible amortization         1,470
         980
Deferred taxes on goodwill         390
         313
Net income         $15,070
         $12,960
We are providing a performance measure that we refer to as Economic Earnings. Our management and the Board of Directors review Economic Earnings to evaluate our ongoing performance, allocate resources and determine our dividend policy. We also believe that this performance measure is useful for management and investors when evaluating our underlying operating and financial performance and our available resources.
In calculating Economic Earnings, we add to net income the non-cash expense associated with equity-based compensation awards of restricted stock, amortization of intangible assets and the deferred taxes related to the tax-basis amortization of goodwill. Although depreciation on property and equipment is a non-cash expense, we do not add it back when calculating Economic Earnings because depreciation charges represent a decline in the value of the related assets that will ultimately require replacement.
The following tables provide a reconciliation of Net income to Economic Earnings (in thousands):
 Three Months Ended September 30, Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30,
 2017 2016 2018 2017 2018 2017
Net income $4,132
 $5,887
 $7,992
 $6,896
 $15,970
 $12,960
Add: Stock-based compensation expense 4,233
 4,082
 3,776
 4,168
 7,963
 8,065
Add: Intangible amortization 469
 490
 418
 490
 836
 980
Add: Tax benefit from goodwill amortization 156
 156
 59
 156
 118
 313
Economic Earnings $8,990
 $10,615
 $12,245
 $11,710
 $24,887
 $22,318
WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
(Unaudited)

  Nine Months Ended September 30,
  2017 2016
Net Income $17,092
 $15,070
Add: Stock-based compensation expense 12,298
 12,164
Add: Intangible amortization 1,449
 1,470
Add: Tax benefit from goodwill amortization 469
 390
Economic Earnings $31,308
 $29,094
14.15. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
Dividend Declared
In October 2017,July 2018, Westwood’s Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.68 per common share, an increase of 10% from the previous quarterly dividend rate, payable on January 2,October 1, 2018, to stockholders of record on December 8, 2017.
AGF Lawsuits
On October 13, 2017, we reached a settlement with AGF regarding their lawsuits and our related counterclaim. See Note 12 “Commitments and Contingencies” for additional discussion of the settlement.September 7, 2018.

ITEM 2.MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this report and the Annual Report to Stockholders that are not purely historical facts, including, without limitation, statements about our expected future financial position, results of operations or cash flows, as well as other statements including, without limitation, words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “plan,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “should,” “could,” “goal,” “may,” “target,” “designed,” “on track,” “comfortable with,” “optimistic” and other similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Actual results and the timing of some events could differ materially from those projected in or contemplated by the forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including, without limitation, the risks described under “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016,2017, filed with the SEC, and those risks set forth below:
the composition and market value of our assets under management;
regulations adversely affecting the financial services industry;
competition in the investment management industry;
our assets under management includes investments in foreign companies;
our ability to develop and market new investment strategies successfully;
our reputation and our relationships with current and potential customers;
our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel;
our ability to perform operational tasks;
our ability to maintain effective cyber security;
our ability to maintain effective information systems;identify and execute on our strategic initiatives;
our ability to pursueselect and properly integrate acquired businesses;oversee third-party vendors;
our ability to maintain effective information systems;
litigation risks;
our ability to properly address conflicts of interest;
our ability to maintain adequate insurance coverage;
our ability to maintain an effective system of internal controls;
our ability to maintain our fee structure in light of competitive fee pressures;
our relationships with investment consulting firms; and
the significant concentration of our revenues in a small number of customers.
You should not unduly rely on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this report. We are not obligated and do not undertake an obligation to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this report or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events or otherwise.

Overview
We manage investment assets and provide services for our clients through our subsidiaries, Westwood Management Corp. and Westwood Advisors, L.L.C. (each of which is an SEC-registered investment advisor and referred to hereinafter together as “Westwood Management”), Westwood International Advisors Inc. (“Westwood International”) and Westwood Trust. Westwood Management provides investment advisory services to institutional investors, a family of mutual funds called the Westwood Funds®, other mutual funds, an Ireland-domiciled fund organized pursuant to the European Union’s Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities (the “UCITS Fund”), individual investors and clients of Westwood Trust. Westwood International provides investment advisory services to institutional clients, the Westwood Funds®, other mutual funds, the UCITS Fund and clients of Westwood Trust. Westwood Trust provides trust and custodial services and participation in self-sponsored common trust funds to institutions and high net worth individuals. Our revenues are generally derived from fees based on a percentage of assets under management.
Divestiture of our Omaha Operations
On September 6, 2017, we entered into an agreement to sell the Omaha-based component of our Private Wealth business. The sale is expected to closeclosed on December 31, 2017, subject to usual and customary closing conditions and the receipt of regulatory approval from the Nebraska Department of Banking.January 12, 2018. We expect to receivereceived proceeds of $7$10.0 million, to $10.5 million, subject to client consents and net of working capital requirements; however, we do not expect to recordrequirements, and recorded a material gain or loss on the sale withinof $524,000, which is included as “Gain on sale of operations” on our Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income. The sale will reduce our goodwill and intangible assets but is not expected to have a material impact to our Consolidated Balance Sheet. The component is reported within both our Advisory and Trust segments. The sale doesdid not represent a major strategic shift in our business and doesdid not qualify for discontinued operations reporting.
Revenues
We derive our revenues from investment advisory fees, trust fees, and other revenues. Our advisory fees are generated by Westwood Management and Westwood International, which manage client accounts under investment advisory and subadvisory agreements. Advisory fees are typically calculated based on a percentage of assets under management and are paid in accordance with the terms of the agreements. Advisory fees are paid quarterly in advance based on assets under management on the last day of the preceding quarter, quarterly in arrears based on assets under management on the last day of the quarter just ended or are based on a daily or monthly analysis of assets under management for the stated period. We recognize advisory fee revenues as services are rendered. A limited number of our clients have a contractual performance-based fee component in their contracts, which generates additional revenues if we outperform a specified index over a specific period of time. We record revenues from performance-based fees at the end of the measurement period. Since our advance paying clients' billing periods coincide with the calendar quarter to which such payments relate, revenue is recognized within the quarter and our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements contain no deferred advisory fee revenues.
Our trust fees are generated by Westwood Trust pursuant to trust or custodial agreements. Trust fees are separately negotiated with each client and are generally based on a percentage of assets under management. Westwood Trust also provides trust services to a small number of clients on a fixed fee basis. During the first quarter of 2016, Westwood Trust changed the billing termsfees for most of our trust clients from quarterly in advance, based on assets under management on the last day of the preceding quarter, toare calculated quarterly in arrears, based on a daily average of assets under management for the quarter. Since billing periods for most of Westwood Trust’s clients coincide with the calendar quarter, revenue is fully recognized within the quarter and our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements do not contain a significant amount of deferred trust fee revenues.
Our other revenues generally consist of interest and investment income. Although we generally invest most of our cash in U.S. Treasury securities, we also invest in equity and fixed income instruments and money market funds, including seed money for new investment strategies.
Employee Compensation and Benefits
Employee compensation and benefits costsexpenses generally consist of salaries, incentive compensation, equity-based compensation expense and benefits.
Sales and Marketing

Sales and marketing costsexpenses relate to our marketing efforts, including travel and entertainment, direct marketing and advertising costs.

Westwood Mutual Funds
Westwood Mutual Funds expenses relate to our marketing, distribution and administration of the Westwood Funds®.
Information Technology
Information technology expenses are generally costs associated with proprietary investment research tools, maintenance and support, computing hardware, software licenses, telecommunications and other related costs.
Professional Services
Professional services expenses generally consist of costs associated with subadvisory fees, audit, tax, legal and other professional services.
Legal Settlement
Legal settlement expenses consist of settlements related to litigation claims, net of any portions covered by our insurance policies.
General and Administrative
General and administrative expenses generally consist of costs associated with the lease of our office space, amortization, depreciation, insurance, custody expense, Board of DirectorsDirectors' fees, investor relations, licenses and fees, office supplies, foreign currency transaction gains/losses and other miscellaneous expenses.
Gain on Sale of Operations
Gain on sale of operations includes the gain on the sale of our Omaha-based component of our Private Wealth business.

Assets Under Management
Assets under management (“AUM”) increased $2.3decreased $1.0 billion to $23.6$21.6 billion at SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 compared with $21.3$22.6 billion at SeptemberJune 30, 2016 as a result of market appreciation, partially offset by net outflows over the last twelve months.2017. The average of beginning and ending assets under management for the thirdsecond quarter of 20172018 was $23.1$22.1 billion compared to $21.1$22.3 billion for the thirdsecond quarter of 2016. The increase in average assets under management is2017. These decreases are due to net outflows, including $928 million of outflows related to the sale of the Omaha-based component of our Private Wealth business, partially offset by market appreciation, over the last twelve months and $713 million in a long-only convertibles fund that transitioned from assets under advisement (“AUA”) to AUM during the third quarter of 2017.months.
The following table displays assets under management as of SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and 2016:2017:
     % Change     % Change
   September 30, 2017   June 30, 2018
 As of September 30, vs. As of June 30, vs.
 2017 2016 September 30, 2016 2018 2017 June 30, 2017
 (in millions)   (in millions)  
Institutional $13,658
 $12,192
 12% $12,457
 $12,773
 (2)%
Private Wealth 5,822
 5,327
 9
 4,935
 5,685
 (13)
Mutual Funds 4,144
 3,753
 10
 4,199
 4,092
 3
Total Assets Under Management(1)
 $23,624
 $21,272
 11% $21,591
 $22,550
 (4)%
________________
(1)
AUM excludes $362$259 million of assets under advisement (AUA) as of SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 related to our model portfolios for which we provided consulting advice but for which we did not have direct discretionary investment authority. During the third quarter of 2017, approximately $713 million related to a long-only convertibles fund transitioned from AUA to AUM. AUM excluded approximately $1.1$1.0 billion of AUA as of SeptemberJune 30, 20162017 related to model portfolios, including theapproximately $692 million in a long-only convertibles fund for which we provided consulting advice but for which we did not have direct discretionary investment authority. The long-only convertibles fund transitioned to AUM during the third quarter of 2017.

Institutional includes (i) separate accounts of corporate pension and profit sharing plans, public employee retirement funds, Taft Hartley plans, endowments, foundations and individuals; (ii) subadvisory relationships where Westwood provides investment management services for funds offered by other financial institutions; (iii) pooled investment vehicles, including the UCITS Fund and collective investment trusts; and (iv) managed account relationships with brokerage firms and other registered investment advisors that offer Westwood products to their customers.
Private Wealth includes assets for which Westwood Trust provides trust and custodial services and participation in common trust funds that it sponsors to institutions and high net worth individuals pursuant to trust or agencycustodial agreements and assets for which Westwood Advisors, L.L.C. provides advisory services in ten limited liability companies to high net worth individuals. Investment subadvisory services are provided for the common trust funds by Westwood Management, Westwood International and external, unaffiliated subadvisors. For certain assets in this category, Westwood Trust currently provides limited custody services for a minimal or no fee, viewing these assets as potentially converting to fee-generating managed assets in the future. As an example, some assets in this category consist of low-basis stock currently held in custody for clients where we believe such assets may convert to fee-generating managed assets upon an inter-generational transfer of wealth.
Mutual Funds include the Westwood Funds®, a family of mutual funds for which Westwood Management serves as advisor. These funds are available to individual investors, as well as offered as part of our investment strategies for institutional and private wealth accounts.

Roll-Forward of Assets Under Management
 
 Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30,
(in millions) 2017 2016 2017 2016 2018 2017 2018 2017
Institutional                
Beginning of period assets $12,773
 $11,921
 $11,911
 $11,752
 $13,377
 $12,435
 $14,421
 $11,911
Inflows(1)
 1,113
 420
 2,173
 1,133
Inflows 392
 690
 785
 1,060
Outflows (659) (606) (1,954) (1,902) (1,204) (688) (2,593) (1,295)
Net flows 454
 (186) 219
 (769) (812) 2
 (1,808) (235)
Market appreciation 431
 457
 1,528
 1,209
Market appreciation (depreciation) (108) 336
 (156) 1,097
Net change 885
 271
 1,747
 440
 (920) 338
 (1,964) 862
End of period assets $13,658
 $12,192
 $13,658
 $12,192
 $12,457
 $12,773
 $12,457
 $12,773
                
Private Wealth                
Beginning of period assets $5,685
 $5,361
 $5,520
 $5,393
 $5,001
 $5,675
 $5,566
 $5,520
Inflows 194
 104
 509
 274
 122
 121
 187
 315
Outflows(1) (216) (245) (710) (626) (236) (249) (820) (494)
Net flows (22) (141) (201) (352) (114) (128) (633) (179)
Market appreciation 159
 107
 503
 286
 48
 138
 2
 344
Net change 137
 (34) 302
 (66) (66) 10
 (631) 165
End of period assets $5,822
 $5,327
 $5,822
 $5,327
 $4,935
 $5,685
 $4,935
 $5,685
                
Mutual Funds                
Beginning of period assets $4,092
 $3,690
 $3,810
 $3,617
 $4,244
 $3,963
 $4,242
 $3,810
Inflows 293
 214
 792
 674
 209
 257
 552
 499
Outflows (334) (224) (803) (798) (283) (220) (568) (469)
Net flows (41) (10) (11) (124) (74) 37
 (16) 30
Market appreciation 93
 73
 345
 260
Market appreciation (depreciation) 29
 92
 (27) 252
Net change 52
 63
 334
 136
 (45) 129
 (43) 282
End of period assets $4,144
 $3,753
 $4,144
 $3,753
 $4,199
 $4,092
 $4,199
 $4,092
                
Total        
Total AUM        
Beginning of period assets $22,550
 $20,972
 $21,241
 $20,762
 $22,622
 $22,073
 $24,229
 $21,241
Inflows 1,600
 738
 3,474
 2,081
 723
 1,068
 1,524
 1,874
Outflows (1,209) (1,075) (3,467) (3,326) (1,723) (1,157) (3,981) (2,258)
Net flows 391
 (337) 7
 (1,245) (1,000) (89) (2,457) (384)
Market appreciation 683
 637
 2,376
 1,755
Market appreciation (depreciation) (31) 566
 (181) 1,693
Net change 1,074
 300
 2,383
 510
 (1,031) 477
 (2,638) 1,309
End of period assets $23,624
 $21,272
 $23,624
 $21,272
 $21,591
 $22,550
 $21,591
 $22,550
________________
(1)Institutional inflowsPrivate Wealth outflows include approximately $713$78 million and $531 million of assets related to a long-only convertibles fund, which transitioned from AUA to AUM during the third quartersale of 2017.the Omaha-based component of our Private Wealth business for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018, respectively.


Three months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and 20162017
The $1.1$1.0 billion increasedecrease in assets under management for the three months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 was due to market appreciationdepreciation of $683$31 million and net inflowsoutflows of $391 million.$1.0 billion. Net inflowsoutflows were primarily related to approximately $713 million in our Strategic Global Convertibles strategy that transitioned from AUA to AUM in the third quarter of 2017, as well as net inflows to our Market Neutral Income and Emerging Markets strategies. Inflows were partially offset by net outflows to our SMidCap, strategies,LargeCap Value and Income Opportunity strategystrategies and LargeCap Value strategy.

outflows related to the divestiture of our Omaha operations.
The $300$477 million increase in assets under management for the three months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20162017 was due to net outflowsmarket appreciation of $337$566 million, partially offset by market appreciationnet outflows of $637$89 million. Net outflows were primarily related to our SMidCap strategies and LargeCap Value strategy, partially offset by net inflows to our SmallCap Value, Market Neutral Income, and Emerging Markets strategies.
NineSix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and 20162017
The $2.4$2.6 billion decrease in assets under management for the six months ended June 30, 2018 was due to net outflows of $2.5 billion and market depreciation of $181 million. Net outflows were primarily related to our Emerging Markets, SMidCap and LargeCap Value strategies and outflows related to the divestiture of our Omaha operations, partially offset by net inflows to our SmallCap Value strategy.
The $1.3 billion increase in assets under management for the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2017 was due to market appreciation of $2.4$1.7 billion and net inflows of of $7 million. Net inflows were primarily related to approximately $713 million in our Strategic Global Convertibles strategy that transitioned from AUA to AUM in the third quarter of 2017 and net inflows to our SmallCap Value, Market Neutral Income, and Emerging Markets strategies, partially offset by net outflows to our SMidCap strategies and LargeCap Value strategy.
The $510 million increase in assets under management for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 was due to market appreciation of $1.8 billion, offset by net outflows of $1.2 billion.$384 million. Net outflows were primarily related to our SMidCap, SmidCap Plus, LargeCap Value AllCapstrategy and SMidCap strategies and were partially offset by inflows to our Market Neutral Income and SmallCap Value and Income Opportunity strategies.

Results of Operations
The following table (dollars in thousands) and discussion of our results of operations isare based upon data derived from the condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income contained in our condensed consolidated financial statements and should be read in conjunction with those statements included elsewhere in this report.
         % Change % Change         % Change % Change
         Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended         Three Months Ended Six Months Ended
 Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended September 30, 2017 September 30, 2017 Three Months Ended Six Months Ended June 30, 2018 June 30, 2018
 September 30, September 30, vs. vs. June 30, June 30, vs. vs.
 2017 2016 2017 2016 September 30, 2016 September 30, 2016 2018 2017 2018 2017 June 30, 2017 June 30, 2017
Revenues:                        
Advisory fees: asset-based $25,334
 $23,447
 $73,619
 $67,928
 8 % 8 % $23,473
 $24,496
 $47,956
 $48,285
 (4)% (1)%
Advisory fees: performance-based 
 226
 1,417
 635
 (100) 123
 1,649
 1,031
 2,984
 1,417
 60
 111
Trust fees 7,858
 7,690
 23,570
 22,798
 2
 3
 7,465
 7,917
 15,074
 15,712
 (6) (4)
Other revenues 300
 414
 1,265
 568
 NM NM 173
 312
 313
 965
 NM NM
Total revenues 33,492
 31,777
 99,871
 91,929
 5
 9
 32,760
 33,756
 66,327
 66,379
 (3) 
Expenses:                        
Employee compensation and benefits 15,601
 15,637
 48,875
 47,239
 
 3
 14,654
 15,557
 32,413
 33,274
 (6) (3)
Sales and marketing 457
 408
 1,447
 1,423
 12
 2
 409
 513
 852
 990
 (20) (14)
Westwood mutual funds 977
 755
 2,749
 2,282
 29
 20
 1,002
 909
 1,987
 1,772
 10
 12
Information technology 1,855
 1,874
 5,494
 6,039
 (1) (9) 2,383
 1,883
 4,421
 3,639
 27
 21
Professional services 1,681
 1,903
 4,495
 4,707
 (12) (5) 1,277
 1,318
 2,305
 2,814
 (3) (18)
Legal settlement 4,009
 
 4,009
 
 100
 100
General and administrative 3,160
 2,147
 8,697
 7,028
 47
 24
 2,099
 2,993
 3,450
 5,537
 (30) (38)
Total expenses 27,740
 22,724
 75,766
 68,718
 22
 10
 21,824
 23,173
 45,428
 48,026
 (6) (5)
Net operating income 10,936
 10,583
 20,899
 18,353
 3
 14
Gain on sale of operations 
 
 524
 
 NM NM
Income before income taxes 5,752
 9,053
 24,105
 23,211
 (36) 4
 10,936
 10,583
 21,423
 18,353
 3
 17
Provision for income taxes 1,620
 3,166
 7,013
 8,141
 (49) (14) 2,944
 3,687
 5,453
 5,393
 (20) 1
Net income $4,132
 $5,887
 $17,092
 $15,070
 (30)% 13 % $7,992
 $6,896
 $15,970
 $12,960
 16 % 23 %
_________________________
NM    Not meaningful

Three months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 compared to three months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20162017
Total Revenues. Our Total revenues increased $1.7decreased $1.0 million, or 5%3%, to $33.5$32.8 million for the three months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 compared with $31.8$33.8 million for the three months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2016.2017. Asset-based advisory fees increased $1.9decreased $1.0 million, or 8%, and Trust fees increased $0.2 million, or 2%4%, primarily due to higherlower average assets under managementmanagement. Trust fees decreased $0.4 million, or 6%, primarily due to asset appreciation.the sale of the Omaha-based component of our Private Wealth business. Performance-based advisory fees increased by $0.6 million.
Legal SettlementEmployee Compensation and Benefits. . We recorded a net $4.0Employee compensation and benefits decreased$0.9 million charge related, or 6%, to a legal settlement and associated insurance coverage recorded during$14.7 million for the third quarter ofthree months ended June 30, 2018 compared with $15.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2017. See further discussionThe decrease was due to reductions in compensation from the sale of the settlementOmaha-based component of our Private Wealth business and short- and long-term incentive compensation as a result of lower asset-based revenues as compared to the prior year quarter.
Information Technology. Information technology costs increased $0.5 million, or 27%, to $2.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2018 compared with $1.9 million for the three months ended June 30, 2017 primarily due to implementation costs as we continue to invest in Note 12 “Commitmentsour technology infrastructure and Contingencies” to our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part I. Financial Information.increased research expenses.
General and Administrative. General and administrative costs increased $1.1decreased $0.9 million, or 47.2%30%, to $3.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 compared with $2.1 million for the three months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2016,2018 compared with $3.0 million for the three months ended June 30, 2017 primarily due to a $0.9$0.3 million foreign currency transaction gain recorded in the second quarter of 2018 as compared to a $0.6 million foreign currency transaction loss recorded in the thirdsecond quarter of 2017 as a result of a 4% decrease in the Canadian dollar exchange rate.2017.
Provision for Income Taxes. The effective tax rate decreased to 28.2%26.9% for the three months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 from 35.0%34.8% for the three months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2016.2017. The decrease is primarily related tocurrent quarter rate benefited from the tax impact of our legal settlement with AGFdecrease in the third quarter of 2017U.S. corporate income tax rate under the Tax Cuts and adjustments to uncertain tax positions (net of federal tax benefit) recordedJobs Act signed into law in the third quarter of 2016.December 2017.
NineSix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 compared to ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20162017
Total Revenues. Our Total revenues increased $8.0 million, or 9%, to $99.9of $66.3 million for the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2017 compared2018 were essentially flat with $91.9 million for the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2016. This increase was primarily related to a $5.7 million, or 8%, increase in2017. Asset-based advisory fees and a $0.8decreased $0.3 million, or 3%1%, increase in Trust fees related to higherlower average assets under management, and Trust fees decreased $0.6 million, or 4%, due to market appreciation. Performance-basedthe sale of the Omaha-based component of our Private Wealth business. These decreases were offset by a $1.6 million increase in performance-based advisory fees increased by $0.8 million.fees.
Employee Compensation and Benefits. Employee compensation and benefits costs increaseddecreased $0.9 million, or 2.6%, to $48.9$32.4 million for the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 compared with $47.2$33.3 million for the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2016.2017. The increasedecrease is due to higherreductions in compensation from the sale of the Omaha-based component of our Private Wealth business and short- and long-term incentive compensation and performance-based restricted stock expense as a result of improved pre-tax incomelower asset-based revenues as compared to the prior year, as well as merit increases.year.
Legal SettlementInformation Technology. . We recorded a net $4.0Information technology costs increased $0.8 million, charge relatedor 21%, to a legal settlement$4.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2018 compared with $3.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017 primarily due to implementation costs as we continue to invest in our technology infrastructure and associated insurance coverage recorded during the third quarter of 2017. See further discussion of the settlement in Note 12 “Commitments and Contingencies” to our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part I. Financial Information.increased research expenses.
General & Administrative. General and administrative expenses increased $1.7decreased $2.0 million, or 24%38%, to $8.7 million
for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 compared to $7.0$3.5 million for the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2016,
2018 compared to $5.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017 primarily due to a $1.6$1.4 million foreign currency transaction gain recorded in the first six months of 2018 as compared to a $0.7 million foreign currency transaction loss recorded in the first ninesix months of 2017 as2017.
Gain on Sale of Operations. The six months ended June 30, 2018 includes a result$0.5 million gain on the sale of an 8% decrease in the Canadian dollar exchange rate.our Omaha-based component of our Private Wealth business.

Provision for Income Taxes. The effective tax rate decreased to 29.1%25.5% for the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 from 35.1%29.4% for the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2016. During2017. The current year-to-date rate benefited from the decrease in the U.S. corporate income tax rate under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act signed into law in December 2017, while the first quarter of 2017 we recordedincluded a $1.0 million adjustment to income tax expensebenefit related to excess tax benefits as a result of the adoption of ASU 2016-09 Compensation-StockCompensation - Stock Compensation: Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which decreased our effective. Excluding this discrete tax rate to 29.1%. Without the adjustment,benefit, our effective tax rate for the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20162017 would have been 33.0%34.5%. Prior to adoption of ASU 2016-09, excess tax benefits were recorded through Additional paid-in capital, with no impact to the effective tax rate. The remaining decrease is related to the tax impact of our legal settlement with AGF in the third quarter of 2017 and adjustments to uncertain tax positions (net of federal tax benefit) recorded in the first and third quarters of 2016.


Supplemental Financial Information
As supplemental information, we provide a non-U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“non-GAAP”) performance measure that we refer to as Economic Earnings. We provide this measure in addition to, but not as a substitute for, net income reported on a U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) basis. Our management and Board of Directors review Economic Earnings to evaluate our ongoing performance, allocate resources and review the dividend policy. We believe that this non-GAAP performance measure, while not a substitute for GAAP net income, is useful for management and investors when evaluating our underlying operating and financial performance and our available resources. We do not advocate that investors consider this non-GAAP measure without also considering financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP.
In calculating Economic Earnings, we add back to net income the non-cash expense associated with equity-based compensation awards of restricted stock, amortization of intangible assets and deferred taxes related to the tax-basis amortization of goodwill. Although depreciation on property and equipment is a non-cash expense, we do not add it back when calculating Economic Earnings because depreciation charges represent a decline in the value of the related assets that will ultimately require replacement.
The following tables provide a reconciliation of Net income to Economic Earnings (in thousands, except share and per share amounts):
  Three Months Ended June 30, %
Change
  2018 2017 
Net income $7,992
 $6,896
 16 %
Add: Stock-based compensation expense 3,776
 4,168
 (9)
Add: Intangible amortization 418
 490
 (15)
Add: Tax benefit from goodwill amortization 59
 156
 (62)
Economic Earnings $12,245
 $11,710
 5 %
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding 8,543,353
 8,316,508
  
Economic Earnings per share $1.43
 $1.41
  
  Three Months Ended September 30, %
Change
  2017 2016 
Net income $4,132
 $5,887
 (30)%
Add: Stock-based compensation expense 4,233
 4,082
 4
Add: Intangible amortization 469
 490
 (4)
Add: Tax benefit from goodwill amortization 156
 156
 
Economic Earnings $8,990
 $10,615
 (15)%
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding 8,420,749
 8,179,956
  
Economic Earnings per share $1.07
 $1.30
  
 Nine Months Ended September 30, %
Change
 Six Months Ended June 30, %
Change
 2017 2016  2018 2017 
Net Income $17,092
 $15,070
 13 % $15,970
 $12,960
 23 %
Add: Stock-based compensation expense 12,298
 12,164
 1
 7,963
 8,065
 (1)
Add: Intangible amortization 1,449
 1,470
 (1) 836
 980
 (15)
Add: Tax benefit from goodwill amortization 469
 390
 20
 118
 313
 (62)
Economic Earnings $31,308
 $29,094
 8 % $24,887
 $22,318
 12 %
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding 8,350,926
 8,212,468
   8,543,401
 8,315,722
  
Economic Earnings per share $3.75
 $3.54
   $2.91
 $2.68
  

Liquidity and Capital Resources
We fund our operations and cash requirements with cash generated from operating activities. We may also use cash from operations to pay dividends to our stockholders. As of SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and December 31, 2016,2017, we had no debt. The changes in net cash provided by operating activities generally reflect the changes in earnings plus the effects of non-cash items and changes in working capital. Changes in working capital, especially accounts receivable and accounts payable, are generally the result of timing differences between collection of fees billed and payment of operating expenses.
During the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2017,2018, cash flow provided by operating activities, principally our investment advisory business, was $39.4$8.4 million. Cash flow used inprovided by investing activities of $537,000$4.6 million during the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 was primarily related to purchasesthe sale of fixed assets.the Omaha-based component of our private wealth business, partially offset by our strategic investment in a private company. Cash flow used in financing activities of $23.3$18.5 million for the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2017 was due to2018 reflected the payment of dividends, purchases of restricted stock returned for payment of taxes and purchases of treasury shares for our Canadian share award plan.
We had cash and short-term investments of $99.5$108.8 million as of SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and $90.2$105.6 million as of December 31, 2016.2017. Cash and cash equivalents as of SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and December 31, 2016 includes2017 included approximately $30$29 million and $20$33 million, respectively, of undistributed income from Westwood International thatInternational. If these funds were needed for our U.S. operations, we considerwould be required to beaccrue and pay incremental Canadian withholding taxes to repatriate a portion of these funds. Our current intention is to permanently invested in Canada.reinvest the funds subject to withholding taxes outside of the U.S., and our current forecasts do not demonstrate a need to repatriate them to fund our U.S. operations. At SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and December 31, 2016,2017, working capital aggregated $98.3$113.5 million and $86.3$106.6 million, respectively.
As discussed in Note 4 “Investments” in our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part I, Item 1. “Financial Statements” of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, we entered into a strategic investment in a private company during the second quarter of 2018. As part of the agreement, we committed to an additional $5.0 million purchase of equity securities to be invested no later than August 31, 2018. Our intent is to offer this investment opportunity to our current and prospective clients, Board of Directors and employees, but to the extent these parties do not invest the full $5.0 million, we are obligated to make an additional investment to cover any shortfall.
Westwood Trust must maintain cash and investments in an amount equal to the minimum restricted capital of $4.0 million, as required by the Texas Finance Code. Restricted capital is included in Investments in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. At SeptemberJune 30, 2017,2018, Westwood Trust had approximately $20.4$15.5 million in excess of its minimum capital requirement.
Our future liquidity and capital requirements will depend upon numerous factors, including our results of operations, the timing and magnitude of capital expenditures or strategic initiatives, our dividend policy and other business and risk factors described under “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016,2017, filed with the SEC. We believe that current cash and short-term investment balances andplus cash generated from operations will be sufficient to meet both the operating and capital requirements of our ordinary business operations through at least the next twelve months. However, there can be no assurance that we will not require additional financing within this time frame. The failure to raise needed capital on attractive terms, if at all, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Contractual Obligations
As discussed in Note 4 “Investments” in our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part I, Item 1. “Financial Statements” of September 30, 2017, therethis Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, we entered into a strategic investment in a private company during the second quarter of 2018. As part of the agreement, we committed to an additional $5.0 million purchase of equity securities to be invested no later than August 31, 2018. Our intent is to offer this investment opportunity to our current and prospective clients, Board of Directors and employees, but to the extent these parties do not invest the full $5.0 million, we are obligated to make an additional investment to cover any shortfall.
There have been no other material changes outside the ordinary course of business to our contractual obligations since December 31, 2016.2017. For information regarding our contractual obligations, refer to “Contractual Obligations” in Part II, Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016.2017.
Critical and Significant Accounting Policies and Estimates
Effective January 1, 2017,2018, we adopted ASU 2016-09,2014-09, Compensation-Stock Compensation: Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting.Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). Refer to Note 2 “Summary of Accounting Policies”9 “Revenue” in our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part I, Item 1. “Financial Statements” of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for a detailed description of the adoption of ASU 2016-09.2014-09.
Otherwise, thereThere have been no other significant changes in our critical or significant accounting policies and estimates since December 31, 2016.2017. Information with respect to our critical accounting policies and estimates that we believe could have the most significant effect on our reported consolidated results and require difficult, subjective or complex judgment by management areis described under “Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates” in Part II, Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016.2017.

Accounting Developments
Refer to Note 2 “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” in our condensed consolidated financial statementsCondensed Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part I, Item 1. “Financial Statements” of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for a description of recently issued accounting guidance.
ITEM 3.QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
There have been no significant changes in our Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk from those previously reported in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016.2017.
ITEM 4.CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Our disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the reports we file or submit under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), (1) is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms and (2) is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. An evaluation was performed under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) as of the end of the period covered by this report. Based on this evaluation, our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, concluded that, as of the end of the period covered by this report, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the reports we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms and is accumulated and communicated to management, including our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Changes in Internal Controls over Financial Reporting
For the quarter ended SeptemberJune 30, 2017,2018, there were no changes in our internal controls over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
PART II. OTHER INFORMATION
 
ITEM 1.LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
On October 13, 2017, we reached a settlement with AGF regarding their lawsuits and our related counterclaim. See additional discussion of the settlement and our legal proceedings and procedures in Note 12 “Commitments and Contingencies” in our condensed consolidated financial statements included in Part I, Item 1. “Financial Statements” of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.None.
ITEM 1A.RISK FACTORS
We face a number of significant risks and uncertainties in our business, including those detailed under “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 20162017 and summarized in this report under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” These risks and uncertainties may affect our current position and future prospects and should be considered carefully in evaluating us, including making an investment in our common stock.

ITEM 2.UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS
The following table displays information with respect to the treasury shares we purchased during the three months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2017:2018:
Period 
Total
number of
shares
purchased
 
Average
price paid
per share
 
Total number
of shares
purchased as
part of publicly
announced
plans or
programs
 
Maximum number (or
approximate
dollar value)
of shares that
may yet be
purchased
under the
plans or
programs (1)
 
Total
number of
shares
purchased
 
Average
price paid
per share
 
Total number
of shares
purchased as
part of publicly
announced
plans or
programs
 
Maximum number (or
approximate
dollar value)
of shares that
may yet be
purchased
under the
plans or
programs (1)
Repurchase program (1)
 
 $
 
 $9,366,000
 
 $
 
 $9,366,000
Canadian Plan (2)
 
 $
 
CDN$4,296,000
 
 $
 
CDN$3,448,000
Employee transactions (3)
         
 $
 
 
July 1-31, 2017 713
 $59.97
 
 
May 1-31, 2018 139
 $57.05
 
 

(1)On July 20, 2012, our Board of Directors authorized management to repurchase up to $10.0 million of our outstanding common stock on the open market or in privately negotiated transactions. In July 2016, Westwood's Board of Directors authorized an additional $5.0 million of repurchases under the share repurchase program. The share repurchase program has no expiration date and may be discontinued at any time by the Board of Directors.
(2)On April 18, 2013, our stockholders approved the Share Award Plan of Westwood Holdings Group, Inc. for Service Provided in Canada to its Subsidiaries (the “Canadian Plan”), which contemplates a trustee purchasing up to $10.0 million CDN of our outstanding common stock on the open market for the purpose of making share awards to our Canadian employees. The Canadian Plan has no expiration date and may be discontinued at any time by the Board of Directors.
(3)Consists of shares of common stock tendered by an employee at the market close price on the date of vesting in order to satisfy the employee’s minimum tax withholding obligations from vested restricted shares. We anticipate having additional shares tendered in subsequent periods for the same purpose.


ITEM 6.EXHIBITS
10.1*
31.1* 
   
31.2* 
   
32.1** 
   
32.2** 
   
101.INS* XBRL Instance Document
   
101.SCH* XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
   
101.CAL* XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
   
101.DEF* XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
   
101.LAB* XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
   
101.PRE* XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document
*Filed herewith.
**Furnished herewith.


SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
 
Dated:OctoberJuly 25, 20172018WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP, INC.
     
  By: /s/ Brian O. Casey
    Brian O. Casey
    President and Chief Executive Officer
     
  By: /s/ Tiffany B. Kice
    Tiffany B. Kice
    Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

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