Brown & Brown
BRO
#979
Rank
$24.61 B
Marketcap
$72.10
Share price
0.00%
Change (1 day)
-31.33%
Change (1 year)

Brown & Brown - 10-Q quarterly report FY


Text size:
FORM 10-Q

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549


[ X ] QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the quarterly period ended September 30, 1998.
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 0-7201.


POE & BROWN, INC.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)


Florida 59-0864469
________________________________ _________________________
(State or Other Jurisdiction of (I.R.S. Employer
Incorporation or Organization) Identification Number)


220 S. Ridgewood Ave., Daytona Beach, FL 32115
________________________________________ ____________
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)



Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (904) 252-9601


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, and (2) has been subject to
such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes X No ___
____

The number of shares of the Registrant's common stock, $.10 par value,
outstanding as of November 1, 1998 was 13,500,857.

<PAGE2>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

POE & BROWN, INC.

Index to Form 10-Q
For The Quarter Ended September 30, 1998
________________________________________
<S> <C>
Page
____

PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1. Financial Statements (Unaudited)

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income for the
three and nine months ended September 30, 1998 and 1997 3

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30,
1998 and December 31, 1997 4

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for
the nine months ended September 30, 1998 and 1997 5

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements 6

Item 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations 9

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk 11

PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1. Legal Proceedings 12

Item 2. Changes in Securities and Use of Proceeds 12

Item 6. Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K 12

SIGNATURES 14
</TABLE>
<PAGE 3>

ITEM 1: FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


POE & BROWN, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (Unaudited)
(In thousands, except per share data)

<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
For the three months For the nine months
ended September 30, ended September 30,
____________________ ___________________

1998 1997 1998 1997
____ ____ ____ ____
REVENUES

Commissions and fees $37,868 $30,920 $111,928 $94,440
Investment income 896 933 2,484 3,087
Other income 54 213 9 747
_______ _______ ________ _______
Total revenues 38,818 32,066 114,421 98,274
_______ _______ ________ _______

EXPENSES

Employee compensation and
benefits 20,183 16,175 58,938 49,505
Other operating expenses 7,074 6,406 22,845 20,605
Interest and amortization 1,788 1,254 4,751 4,718
_______ _______ _______ _______

Total expenses 29,045 23,835 86,534 74,828
_______ _______ _______ _______

Income before income taxes 9,773 8,231 27,887 23,446
Income taxes 3,764 3,128 10,919 9,138
_______ _______ _______ _______

NET INCOME $ 6,009 $ 5,103 $ 16,968 $14,308
======= ======= ======== =======

Other comprehensive income, net
of tax:
Unrealized (loss) gain on
securities:
Unrealized holding (loss)
gain, net of tax benefit of
$598 and tax effect of $(528)
for the three-month periods
ended September 30, 1998 and
1997, respectively, and net
of tax benefit of $2,030 and
tax effect of $(27) for the
nine-month periods ended
September 30, 1998 and 1997,
respectively (916) 945 (3,248) 43
_______ _______ ________ ______

Comprehensive Income $ 5,093 $ 6,048 $ 13,720 $14,351
======= ======= ======== =======

Basic and diluted earnings
per share $ .45 $ .39 $ 1.27 $ 1.10
======= ======= ======== =======

Dividend declared per share $ .11 $ .0933 $ .31 $ .2667
======= ======= ======== =======

Diluted shares outstanding 13,476 13,169 13,408 13,056




</TABLE>
See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.


<PAGE 4>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

POE & BROWN, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(In thousands)
<S> <C> <C>

(Unaudited)
September 30, December 31,
1998 1997
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents $ 32,339 $ 47,726
Short-term investments 933 1,299
Premiums, commissions and fees
receivable 63,295 62,148
Other current assets 10,023 6,507
________ ________

Total current assets 106,590 117,680

Fixed assets, net 13,335 11,863
Intangible assets, net 76,476 49,593
Investments 7,220 11,480
Other assets 5,166 3,513
________ ________

Total assets $208,787 $194,129
======== ========

LIABILITIES
Premiums payable to insurance
companies $ 88,285 $ 74,598
Premium deposits and credits due
customers 6,935 7,035
Accounts payable and accrued expenses 18,972 15,826
Current portion of long-term debt 3,825 5,339
________ ________

Total current liabilities 118,017 102,798

Long-term debt 4,804 4,093
Deferred income taxes 1,922 3,951
Other liabilities 7,243 6,145
________ ________

Total liabilities 131,986 116,987
________ ________

SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Common stock, par value $.10
per share: authorized 70,000
shares; issued 13,501 shares
at 1998 and 13,107 shares at 1997 1,350 1,311
Retained earnings 71,955 69,087
Accumulated other comprehensive income 3,496 6,744
________ ________

Total shareholders' equity 76,801 77,142
________ ________

Total liabilities and
shareholders' equity $208,787 $194,129
======== ========
</TABLE>


See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements
<PAGE 5>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

POE & BROWN, INC.


CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Unaudited)
(In thousands)
<S> <C> <C>
For the nine months ended September 30,
_______________________________________

1998 1997
____ ____

CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net income $ 16,968 $ 14,308
Adjustments to reconcile net income
to net cash provided by
operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization 6,960 6,299
Net gains on sales of investments,
fixed assets and customer accounts (6) (990)
Premiums, commissions and fees
receivable, decrease 3,567 10,231
Other assets (decrease) (1,000) (718)
Premiums payable to insurance
companies, increase (decrease) 5,566 (6,231)
Premium deposits and credits due
customers (decrease) (100) (2,065)
Accounts payable and accrued
expenses, increase 468 2,669
Other liabilities, increase (decrease) 604 (186)
_______ _______

NET CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES 33,027 23,317
_______ _______

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Additions to fixed assets (3,034) (2,079)
Payments for businesses acquired,
net of cash acquired (26,088) (1,837)
Proceeds from sales of fixed assets
and customer accounts 213 435
Purchases of investments (1,097) (252)
Proceeds from sales of investments 754 557
________ _______

NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES (29,252) (3,176)
________ _______

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Payments on long-term debt (7,596) (2,458)
Exercise of stock options and issuances
of stock 1,278 1,044
Purchases of stock for stock option
plan, employee stock purchase plan
and performance stock plan (8,835) (1,664)
Cash dividends paid (4,009) (3,398)
________ _______

NET CASH USED IN FINANCING ACTIVITIES (19,162) (6,476)
________ _______
Net (decrease) increase in cash and
cash equivalents (15,387) 13,665

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning
of period 47,726 31,786
________ _______

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD $ 32,339 $ 45,451
======== ========
</TABLE>

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

<PAGE 6>

POE & BROWN, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)

SEPTEMBER 30, 1998

Note 1 - Basis of Financial Reporting

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial
statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles for interim financial information and with the
instructions for Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X.
Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and
footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles
for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management,
all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered
necessary for a fair presentation have been included. For further
information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and
the notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 1997.

Results of operations for the three- and nine-month periods
ended September 30, 1998 are not necessarily indicative of the results
that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 1998.

Note 2 - Basic and Diluted Earnings Per Share

All share and per-share information in the financial statements
has been adjusted to give effect to the 3-for-2 common stock split
which became effective on February 27, 1998.

Basic earnings per share is based upon the weighted average
number of shares outstanding. Diluted earnings per share is adjusted
for the dilutive effect of stock options. Earnings per share is the
same on both a basic and a diluted basis.

As of December 31, 1997, the Company adopted Statement of Financial
Accounting Standards No. 128, "Earnings per Share" (SFAS 128). All
prior-period EPS information is required to be restated. The Company's
basic and fully diluted earnings per share (EPS) for the period ended
September 30, 1997 computed under SFAS 128 is not different than
previously computed.

<PAGE 7>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>

Three Months Ended Sept. 30, Nine Months Ended Sept. 30,
1998 1997 1998 1997
BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE

Net Income $ 6,009 $ 5,103 $16,968 $14,308
======= ======= ======= =======
Weighted average shares
outstanding 13,476 13,167 13,408 13,053
======= ======= ======= =======

Basic earnings per share $ .45 $ .39 $ 1.27 $ 1.10
======= ======= ======= =======
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE

Weighted average number of
shares outstanding 13,476 13,167 13,408 13,053

Net effect of dilutive
stock options, based on
the treasury stock method - 2 - 3
_______ _______ _______ _______
Total diluted shares used
in computation 13,476 13,169 13,408 13,056
======= ======= ======= =======

Diluted earnings per share $ .45 $ .39 $ 1.27 $ 1.10
======= ======= ======= =======

</TABLE>

The Company has adopted SFAS No. 130, "Reporting Comprehensive
Income", in the first quarter of 1998, and has reported comprehensive
income on the accompanying consolidated statements of income.

Note 3 - Acquisitions

During the third quarter of 1998, the Company acquired
substantially all of the assets of MacMillan-Buchanan Insurance
Agency, of Melbourne, Florida; Lake Sumter Insurance, of Wildwood,
Florida; Franchini Consolidated Agency, of Albuquerque, New Mexico;
Gulfcoast Commercial Insurance, of Naples, Florida and KRB
& Associates, of Houston, Texas. There were no acquisitions
of agency assets during the third quarter of 1997.

During the second quarter of 1998, the Company acquired
substantially all of the assets of the John F. Phillips Insurance
Agency, of Prescott, Arizona; Harris Insurance Services, of Las Vegas,
Nevada; the Fordham Agency, of St. Petersburg, Florida; Adlerman,
Click & Co., of Princeton, New Jersey; Zel Schwanz & Associates, of
Phoenix, Arizona; and the Fort Lauderdale office of Hilb, Rogal and
Hamilton Company. There were no acquisitions of agency assets during
the second quarter of 1997.

During the first quarter of 1998, the Company acquired
substantially all of the assets of Arizona General Insurance,
of Tucson, Arizona; Boynton Brothers & Company, of Perth Amboy,
New Jersey; Great Northern Insurance, of Phoenix, Arizona; and
the Heine-Miles Insurance Agency, of Phoenix, Arizona. During the first
quarter of 1997, the Company acquired substantially all of the assets
of Dade Underwriters Insurance Agency, of Aventura, Florida and
Willits Insurance Agency, of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

<PAGE 8>

These acquisitions have been accounted for using the purchase
method of accounting. The results of operations for the acquired
companies have been combined with those of the Company since their
respective acquisition dates. If the acquisitions had occurred at
the beginning of the periods presented, the Company's results of
operations would be as shown in the following table. These unaudited
pro forma results are not necessarily indicative of the actual results
of operations that would have occurred had the acquisitions actually
been made at the beginning of the respective periods

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

NINE-MONTH PERIOD ENDED SEPTEMBER 30 (Unaudited),
(In thousands, except per share data)

<S> <C> <C>
1998 1997
____ ____

Operating revenue $119,782 $112,367
Income before income taxes 28,250 25,117
Net income 17,232 15,321
Earnings per share $ 1.29 $ 1.16

</TABLE>

During the third quarter of 1998, the Company issued 92,188
shares of its common stock in exchange for all of the outstanding
stock of Jerry F. Nichols & Associates, located in Naples, Florida.
During the quarter, the Company also issued 65,131 shares of its
common stock for all of the outstanding stock of Boulton Agency, Inc.,
located in Miami, Florida. During the third quarter of 1997 the Company
issued 25,471 shares of its common stock for all of the outstanding stock
of Shanahan, McGrath & Bradley, Inc., an Arizona corporation.

During the second quarter of 1998, the Company issued 278,765
shares of its common stock in exchange for all of the outstanding
stock of Daniel-James Insurance Agency, Inc., an Ohio corporation with
offices in Perrysburg, Ohio and Indianapolis, Indiana, and for all of
the outstanding membership interests of Becky-Lou Realty Limited,
an Ohio limited liability company with offices in Perrysburg, Ohio.

During the first quarter of 1998, the Company issued 22,500 shares
of its common stock in exchange for all of the outstanding stock of
Thim Insurance Agency, Inc., an Arizona corporation.

These acquisitions have been accounted for as poolings-of-interests;
however, due to the immaterial nature of the transactions, the Company's
consolidated financial statements have not been restated for all periods
prior to the transactions. The operating results of each company for
periods prior to their respective acquisitions are not material to
the Company's consolidated operating results.

Note 4 - Long-Term Debt

The Company continues to maintain its credit agreement with a
major insurance company under which $4 million (the maximum amount
available for borrowing) was outstanding at September 30, 1998, at
an interest rate equal to the prime lending rate plus one percent
(9.0% at September 30, 1998). In accordance with the amendment
to the loan agreement dated August 1, 1998, the available amount
will decrease by $1 million each October beginning in 2000.

In November, 1994, the Company entered into a revolving credit
facility with a national banking institution that provides for
borrowings of up to $10 million. As of September 30, 1998, there were no
outstanding borrowings against the line of credit.


<PAGE 9>

Note 5 - Contingencies

The Company is not a party to any legal proceedings other than
various claims and lawsuits arising in the normal course of business.
Management of the Company does not believe that any such claims or
lawsuits will have a material effect on the Company's financial
condition or results of operations.

Note 6 - Supplemental Disclosures of Cash Flow Information

The Company's significant non-cash investing and financing
activities are as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C>
For the nine-month period ended Sept. 30,
_________________________________________

(in thousands) 1998 1997
____ ____
Unrealized (depreciation)
appreciation of available-
for-sale securities net of
tax benefit of $2,030
for 1998 and tax effect of
$(27) in 1997 $(3,248) $ 43

Long-term debt issued for
purchased customer accounts 3,463 -

Notes received on the sale of
fixed assets and customer
accounts 1,011 228

Common stock issued in
acquisitions 12,128 144

Cash paid during the year for:
Interest 745 464
Income taxes 9,992 8,314

</TABLE>

Item 2: MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Results of Operations

Net Income. Net income for the third quarter of 1998 was
$6,009,000, or $.45 per share, compared with net income in the third
quarter of 1997 of $5,103,000, or $.39 per share, an 18% increase.
Net income for the nine months ended September 30, 1998 was $16,968,000,
or $1.27 per share, compared with 1997 same period net
income of $14,308,000, or $1.10 per share, a 19% increase.

Commissions and Fees. Commissions and fees for the third quarter
of 1998 increased $6,948,000, or 22%, from the same period in 1997.
This increase is primarily attributable to revenues from acquired agencies.
Commissions and fees for the nine months ended September 30, 1998 were
$111,928,000 compared to $94,440,000 for the same period in 1997, a 19%
increase. The 1998 increase is due to approximately $15,372,000 of revenues
from acquired agencies, with the remainder due to new business production.

Investment Income. Investment income for the quarter and
nine-month periods ended September 30, 1998 decreased $37,000
and $603,000, respectively, from the same periods in 1997, primarily
due to a decrease in available cash to invest and a decrease in
recorded gains in the sale of certain investments.



<PAGE 10>

Other Income. Other income for the third quarter ended
September 30, 1998 decreased $159,000 over the same period in
1997, primarily due to reductions in gains from the sale of
customer accounts and other assets. Other income for the nine-month
period ended September 30, 1998 decreased $738,000 over the same
period in 1997, due primarily to the disposition of the assets of
the Company's Charlotte, North Carolina office, in the first quarter of
1998, which resulted in a loss of $518,000.

Employee Compensation and Benefits Employee compensation and
benefits increased 25% and 19%, respectively, during the three-month
and nine-month periods ended September 30, 1998 over the same periods in
1997. These increases primarily relate to the addition of new employees
as a result of acquisitions. Employee compensation and benefits as a
percentage of total revenue increased to 52% in both the three- and
nine-month periods ended September 30, 1998, compared to 50% in each
of the same periods in 1997.

Other Operating Expenses. Other operating expenses for the
third quarter of 1998 increased $668,000, or 10%, over the same period
in 1997, primarily due to acquisitions, but decreased as a percentage
of total revenues from 20% to 18%. Other operating expenses increased
$2,240,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 1998 versus the
prior year, but decreased as a percentage of total revenues from 21%
to 20%.

Interest and Amortization. Interest and amortization increased
$534,000, or 43%, and $33,000, or 1%, for the three-and nine-month
periods ended September 30, 1998, respectively, over the same periods
in 1997. The increase for the three-month period is primarily due to
increased amortization from acquisitions. The change for the
nine-month period is due to increased amortization from acquisitions,
offset by the effect of a one-time write-off of the remaining
intangible assets related to a terminated agreement in the second
quarter of 1997.

Liquidity and Capital Resources
________________________________

The Company's cash and cash equivalents of $32,339,000 at
September 30, 1998 decreased by $15,387,000 from $47,726,000 at
December 31, 1997. During the nine months ended September 30,
1998, $33,027,000 of cash was provided from operating activities.
From both this amount and existing cash balances, $26,088,000 was used to
acquire businesses, $8,835,000 was used for purchases of the Company's
stock, $7,596,000 was used to repay long-term debt, $4,009,000 was
used for payment of dividends, and $3,034,000 was used for additions
to fixed assets. The current ratio at September 30, 1998 was 0.90
compared to 1.14 as of December 31, 1997.

The Company has a revolving credit agreement with a major
insurance company under which up to $4 million presently may be
borrowed at an interest rate equal to the prime lending rate plus
one percent. The amount of available credit will decrease by
$1 million each year beginning in October 2000 in accordance
with the August 1, 1998 amendment to the original loan agreement.
As of September 30, 1998, the maximum amount of borrowings
was outstanding. In November 1994, the Company entered into a
revolving credit facility with a national banking institution that
provides for available borrowings of up to $10 million. As of
September 30, 1998, there were no borrowings against this line of
credit. The Company believes that its existing cash, cash equivalents,
short-term investments portfolio, funds generated from operations, and
available credit facility borrowings are sufficient to satisfy its
normal financial needs.

Year 2000 Date Conversion
__________________________

Year 2000 issues relate to system failures or errors resulting
from computer programs and embedded computer chips which utilize
dates with only two digits instead of four digits to represent a
year. A data field with two digits representing a year may result
in an error or failure due to the inability of a system to
recognize "00" as the Year 2000. The Company is reviewing its
computer systems for Year 2000 readiness and is implementing a
plan to resolve existing issues.

<PAGE 11>

The Company has evaluated and identified the risks of failure
of its information and financial systems which may be adversely
affected by Year 2000 issues. This internal assessment is approximately
60% complete at present and the Company expects to finish the assessment
process by the end of January 1999. To date, limited testing of
systems has been performed. The Company may conduct further testing
and/or an external evaluation following the conclusion of its internal
assessment. To date, approximately $120,000 has been expended in
systems upgrades directly relating to Year 2000 issues. Present
estimates for further expenditures to address Year 2000 issues are
between $300,000 and $750,000.

Based on its assessments to date, the Company believes it will
not experience any material disruption as a result of Year 2000 issues
in processing information, interfacing with key vendors, or with
processing orders and billing. However, the Year 2000 issue creates
risk for the Company from unforeseen problems in its own computer
systems and from third parties on which the Company relies.
Accordingly, the Company is requesting assurances from software
vendors from which it has purchased or from which it may purchase
software that the software sold to the Company will continue to
correctly process date information through the Year 2000 and beyond.
In addition, the Company is querying its independent brokers and
insurance carriers as to their progress in identifying and
addressing problems that their computer systems may experience
in correctly processing date information as the year 2000
approaches and thereafter. However, there are no assurances that
the Company will identify all date-handling problems in its business
systems or that the Company will be able to successfully remedy Year
2000 compliance issues that are discovered.

To the extent that the Company is unable to resolve its
Year 2000 issues prior to January 1, 2000, operating results could
be adversely affected. In addition, the Company could be adversely
affected if other entities (e.g., insurance carriers and independent
agents through which the Company brokers business) not affiliated with the
Company do not appropriately address their own Year 2000 compliance
issues in advance of their occurrence. There is also risk that
insureds may attempt to recover damages from the Company if their
insurance policies procured with the assistance of the Company
are believed by such insureds to cover Year 2000-related claims,
but do not do so. The impact of these potential legal disputes
cannot be reasonably estimated. At present, the
Company has not developed contingency plans but intends to determine
whether to develop any such plan early in 1999. There can be no
assurance that Year 2000 issues will not have a material adverse
effect on the Company's business, results of operation and financial
condition.

ITEM 3: QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET
RISK

Not Applicable.


<PAGE 12>

POE & BROWN, INC.
PART II - OTHER INFORMATION


ITEM 1 - LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

The Company is involved in various pending or threatened
proceedings by or against the Company or one or more of its
subsidiaries which involve routine litigation relating to insurance
risks placed by the Company and other contractual matters. The
Company's management does not believe that any of such pending or
threatened proceedings will have a material adverse effect on the
Company's financial position or results of operations.

ITEM 2 - CHANGE IN SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS

Effective July 1, 1998 and August 4, 1998, the Company acquired
all of the outstanding shares of Jerry F. Nichols & Associates, Inc.
(Nichols) and Boulton Agency, Inc. (Boulton), respectively. In exchange
for all of the outstanding stock of Nichols and Boulton, the Company
issued 92,188 and 65,131 shares, respectively, of the Company's common
stock to the former shareholders of those agencies. The Company's
shares were offered and sold privately in both transactions and no
underwriting was involved in either transaction.

The Company issued the shares without registration under the
Securities Act of 1993 (the "Act"). The Company relied upon the
exemptions set forth in Section 4(2) of the Act and Rule 505 (in
the case of the Boulton transaction) and Rule 506 (in the case of
the Nichols transaction) of Regulation D, promulgated thereunder. In
each transaction, the Company (i) made available to the purchasers the
information required by Rule 502(b) of Regulation D, (ii) did not offer
the shares by means of any advertisement, general solicitation or other
means proscribed by Rule 502(c) of Regulation D, (iii) informed the
purchasers of the limitations on resale of the shares and placed an
appropriate restrictive legend on the share certificates, and (iv) filed
a notice on Form D with the Securities and Exchange Commission within
15 days after the sale.

In the Nichols transaction, the Company shares were offered
privately by the issuer to fewer than 35 purchasers and the issuer
reasonably believed that each purchaser (or representative of such
purchaser) had such knowledge and experience in financial and business
matters that he was capable of evaluating the merits and risks
of the prospective investment. In the Boulton transaction, (i) the
aggregate offering price of the Company shares offered to the
purchasers, together with all other Company shares offered during
the prior twelve months in reliance on an exemption under Rule 505,
did not exceed $5 million, and (ii) the shares were offered privately to
fewer than 35 purchasers.

ITEM 6 - EXHIBITS AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K

(a) Exhibits

Exhibit 3a - Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation (filed herewith)

Exhibit 3b - Amended and Restated Bylaws (incorporated
by reference to Exhibit 3b to Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 1996)

Exhibit 10c(2) - Extension to Loan Agreement, dated
August 1, 1998, between the
Registrant and Continental Casualty
Company (filed herewith)

Exhibit 10k - Employment Agreement, dated May 6, 1998,
between the Registrant and Kenneth E. Hill
(filed herewith)
<PAGE 13>

Exhibit 10l - Deferred Compensation Agreement,
dated May 6, 1998, between Brown &
Brown, Inc. and Kenneth E. Hill
(filed herewith)

Exhibit 10m - Letter Agreement, dated May 4, 1998,
between the Registrant and Kenneth E.
Hill (filed herewith)

Exhibit 11 - Statement re: Computation of Basic
and Diluted Earnings Per Share

Exhibit 27 - Financial Data Schedule (for SEC use only)

(b) There were no reports filed on Form 8-K during the quarter
ended September 30, 1998.
<PAGE 14>

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.

POE & BROWN, INC.



Date: November 13, 1998 /s/ WILLIAM A. ZIMMER
___________________________________
William A. Zimmer
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
(duly authorized officer, principal
financial officer and principal
accounting officer)