PENSION BENEFITS |
8. Pension Benefits
Components of Net Periodic
Pension Cost:
|
Three Months Ended |
Six Months Ended |
|
04/30/13 |
|
04/30/12 |
04/30/13 |
|
04/30/12 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Service Cost |
$14,231 |
|
$12,276 |
$28,462 |
|
$24,552 |
Interest Cost |
87,653 |
|
96,235 |
175,306 |
|
192,470 |
Expected return on plan assets |
(109,836) |
|
(102,812) |
(219,672) |
|
(205,624) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net amortization and deferral: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amortization of accumulated loss |
127,775 |
|
83,568 |
255,551 |
|
167,136 |
Net amortization and deferral |
127,775 |
|
83,568 |
255,551 |
|
167,136 |
Total net periodic pension cost |
$119,823 |
|
$89,267 |
$239,647 |
|
$178,534 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Companies expect
to contribute $279,000 to their pension plan in the fiscal year ending October 31, 2013 (“Fiscal 2013”). As of April
30, 2013, the Companies made contributions totaling $93,000 and anticipate contributing an additional $186,000 to fund their pension
plan in Fiscal 2013. |
8. PENSION BENEFITS:
Effective July 15, 2010 the Companies’
sponsored defined benefit pension plan was amended such that future benefit accruals ceased effective as of August 31, 2010. Benefits
under the plan were based on average compensation and years of service. The Companies’
funding policy is to contribute annually at least the minimum amounts required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act
of 1974.
|
|
|
|
Weighted Average Assumptions |
10/31/12 |
10/31/11 |
10/31/10 |
Discount Rates used to determine net periodic pension cost as of October 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010 |
4.48% |
5.26% |
5.67% |
Expected long-term rates of return on assets |
7.50% |
7.50% |
7.50% |
Rates of increase in compensation levels |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
|
Change in Benefit Obligation |
10/31/12 |
10/31/11 |
Benefit obligation at beginning of year |
$8,765,206 |
$7,583,064 |
Service cost (net of expenses) |
49,106 |
55,788 |
Interest cost |
384,941 |
391,258 |
Curtailment |
0 |
0 |
Actuarial loss |
1,347,138 |
1,010,136 |
Benefits paid |
(344,797) |
(275,040) |
Benefit obligation at end of year |
$10,201,594 |
$8,765,206 |
|
|
|
Change in Plan Assets |
10/31/12 |
10/31/11 |
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year |
$5,452,890 |
$4,869,192 |
Actual return on plan assets |
359,371 |
267,951 |
Employer contributions |
564,358 |
637,600 |
Benefits paid |
(344,797) |
(275,040) |
Administrative expenses |
(71,192) |
(46,813) |
Fair value of plan assets at end of year |
$5,960,630 |
$5,452,890 |
|
|
|
Reconciliation of Funded Status of the Plan |
10/31/12 |
10/31/11 |
Funded status at end of year |
($4,240,964) |
($3,312,316) |
Unrecognized transition obligation |
0 |
0 |
Unrecognized net prior service cost |
0 |
0 |
Unrecognized net actuarial loss |
4,960,745 |
3,824,812 |
Net amount recognized at end of year |
$719,781 |
$512,496 |
|
|
|
Amounts Recognized in the Combined Balance Sheet |
10/31/12 |
10/31/11 |
Accrued pension expense |
($4,240,964) |
($3,312,316) |
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (pre-tax) |
4,960,745 |
3,824,812 |
Net amount recognized |
$719,781 |
$512,496 |
|
|
|
Additional Year-End Information for Pension Plan with Accumulated Benefit Obligation in Excess of Plan Assets |
10/31/12 |
10/31/11 |
Projected benefit obligation |
$10,201,594 |
$8,765,206 |
Accumulated benefit obligation |
$10,201,594 |
$8,765,206 |
Fair value of plan assets |
$5,960,630 |
$5,452,890 |
|
|
|
Amounts Recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss |
10/31/12 |
10/31/11 |
Net actuarial loss |
$4,960,745 |
$3,824,812 |
Prior service cost |
0 |
0 |
Unrecognized net initial obligation |
0 |
0 |
Total (before tax effects) |
$4,960,745 |
$3,824,812 |
|
|
|
|
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost |
10/31/12 |
10/31/11 |
10/31/10 |
Service cost |
$49,106 |
$55,788 |
$186,427 |
Interest cost |
384,941 |
391,258 |
415,441 |
Expected return on plan assets |
(411,247) |
(369,382) |
(316,795) |
Amortization of transition obligation |
0 |
0 |
2,868 |
Amortization of prior service cost |
0 |
0 |
274 |
Amortization of accumulated loss |
334,273 |
200,829 |
268,919 |
Total net periodic benefit expense |
$357,073 |
$278,493 |
$557,134 |
|
|
|
Other changes in plan assets and benefit obligationsrecognized in other comprehensive loss |
10/31/12 |
10/31/11 |
Net loss |
$1,470,206 |
$1,111,567 |
Recognized net actuarial loss |
(334,273) |
(200,829) |
Prior service cost (credit) |
0 |
0 |
Recognized prior service (cost) credit |
0 |
0 |
Recognized net transition (obligation) asset |
0 |
0 |
Total recognized in other comprehensive loss (before tax effects) |
$1,135,933 |
$910,738 |
|
|
|
Total recognized in net periodic benefit cost and other comprehensive income (before tax effects) |
$1,493,006 |
$1,189,231 |
|
|
|
Amounts expected to be recognized into net periodic cost in the coming year |
10/31/12 |
10/31/11 |
Loss recognition |
$511,101 |
$334,273 |
Prior service cost recognition |
$0 |
$0 |
Net initial obligation/(asset) recognition |
$0 |
$0 |
|
|
|
Estimated Future Benefits Payments |
Fiscal Year |
Benefits |
|
2013 |
$366,113 |
|
2014 |
$376,461 |
|
2015 |
$396,040 |
|
2016 |
$479,580 |
|
2017 |
$530,877 |
|
2018-2022 |
$2,772,082 |
The Companies
expect to contribute $278,913 to the pension plan in fiscal 2013.
Measurement Date October
31
|
|
|
Weighted Average Assumptions |
For Determination of: |
|
Benefit Obligations as of October 31, 2012 |
Benefit Obligations as of October 31, 2011 |
Discount rate |
3.50% |
4.48% |
Rate of compensation increase |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
|
Weighted-Average Asset Allocations |
10/31/12 |
10/31/11 |
Asset Category |
|
|
Equity |
49.77% |
62.86% |
Fixed Income |
46.93% |
35.92% |
Cash Equivalents |
3.30% |
1.22% |
Total |
100.00% |
100.00% |
The Companies’
goal is to conservatively invest the plan assets in high-grade securities with a minimum risk of market fluctuation. Based
on the allocation of our assets between equity, fixed income and money market funds, we estimate our long term rate of return to
be approximately 7.5%.
Fair value is the exchange price that
would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for
the asset or liability in an orderly transaction value hierarchy which requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs
when measuring fair value.
The standard describes three levels of
inputs that may be used to measure fair value:
Level 1 –
Fair value is based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible to the Plan for identical assets. These
generally provide the most reliable evidence and are used to measure fair value whenever available.
Level 2 –
Fair value is based on significant inputs, other than level 1 inputs, that are observable either directly or indirectly for substantially
the full term of the asset through corroboration with observable market data. Level 2 inputs include quoted market prices
in active markets for similar assets, quoted market prices in markets that are not active for identical or similar assets, and
other observable inputs.
Level 3 –
Fair value would be based on significant unobservable inputs. Examples of valuation methodologies that would result in level
3 classification include option pricing models, discounted cash flows, and other similar techniques.
Information about the Plan’s
fair value levels follows as at October 31, 2012:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Level 1 |
Level 2 |
Level 3 |
Total |
Money Market Fund |
$196,903 |
|
|
$196,903 |
Common Collective Trust Funds: |
|
|
|
|
Aggressive Growth Portfolio |
|
$871,332 |
|
$871,332 |
Long Duration Portfolio |
|
748,353 |
|
748,353 |
Strategic Bond Portfolio |
|
702,525 |
|
702,525 |
Intermediate Fixed Income Portfolio |
|
677,165 |
|
677,165 |
Short Duration Portfolio |
|
669,261 |
|
669,261 |
Large Company Value Portfolio |
|
499,757 |
|
499,757 |
Fundamental Value Portfolio |
|
481,368 |
|
481,368 |
International Core Portfolio |
|
266,037 |
|
266,037 |
International Value Portfolio |
|
257,014 |
|
257,014 |
Small Company Growth Portfolio |
|
153,363 |
|
153,363 |
Small Company Value Portfolio |
|
147,235 |
|
147,235 |
Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio |
|
146,285 |
|
146,285 |
Mid-Cap Fundamental Value Portfolio |
|
144,032 |
|
144,032 |
Guaranteed Investment Contract |
|
|
$0 |
0 |
Total |
$196,903 |
$5,763,727 |
$0 |
$5,960,630 |
|
|
|
|
|
GIC Portfolio |
|
Assets at Fair Value |
Balance, beginning of year |
$172,894 |
|
$172,894 |
Purchases, sales, issuances and settlements, net |
(172,894) |
|
(172,894) |
Balance, end of year |
$0 |
|
$0 |
Information about the Plan’s
fair value levels follows as at October 31, 2011:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Level 1 |
Level 2 |
Level 3 |
Total |
Money Market Fund |
$66,594 |
|
|
$66,594 |
Common Collective Trust Funds: |
|
|
|
|
Strategic Bond Portfolio |
|
$614,794 |
|
614,794 |
Long Duration Portfolio |
|
610,900 |
|
610,900 |
Intermediate Fixed Income Portfolio |
|
559,924 |
|
559,924 |
Strategic Growth Portfolio |
|
429,711 |
|
429,711 |
Large Company Domestic Growth Portfolio |
|
428,527 |
|
428,527 |
Fundamental Value Portfolio |
|
426,977 |
|
426,977 |
Large Company Value Portfolio |
|
431,316 |
|
431,316 |
International Core Portfolio |
|
344,025 |
|
344,025 |
International Value Portfolio |
|
335,582 |
|
335,582 |
Small Company Growth Portfolio |
|
259,632 |
|
259,632 |
Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio |
|
252,851 |
|
252,851 |
Mid-Cap Fundamental Value Portfolio |
|
260,101 |
|
260,101 |
Small Company Value Portfolio |
|
259,062 |
|
259,062 |
Guaranteed Investment Contract |
|
|
$172,894 |
172,894 |
Total |
$66,594 |
$5,213,402 |
$172,894 |
$5,452,890 |
|
|
|
|
|
GIC Portfolio |
|
Fair Value |
Balance, beginning of year |
$173,652 |
|
$173,652 |
Purchases, sales, issuances and settlements, net |
(758) |
|
(758) |
Balance, end of year |
$172,894 |
|
$172,894 |
The following is a description of the
valuation methodologies used for assets measured at fair value. There have been no changes in the methodologies used at October
31, 2012 and 2011.
Money market fund is valued at cost, which
approximates fair value.
Common collective trust funds are valued
based upon the unit values of such collective trust funds held by the Plan at year end. Unit values are based on the fair
value of the underlying assets of the fund. The fair value of the level 2 funds are derived from inputs principally from
or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means. Included in the common collective trust funds is
a level 3 GIC Portfolio which includes both traditional and separate account guaranteed investment contracts (GICs) as well as
synthetic GICs. The traditional and separate account GICs are valued by calculating the sum of the present values of all
projected future cash flows of each investment. The synthetic GIC wrapper contracts are valued by determining the replacement
cost of the wrapper contract and the present value of the contractually obligated payments in the original wrapper contract. Debt
securities underlying synthetic GICs are traded primarily in the over-the-counter (“OTC”)
markets and are valued at the latest available price in the OTC market or on the basis of values obtained by an independent pricing
service.
The methods described above may produce
a fair value calculation that may not be indicative of net realizable value or reflective of future fair values. Furthermore, while
the Plan believes its valuation methods are appropriate and consistent with other market participants, the use of different methodologies
or assumptions to determine the fair value of certain financial instruments could result in a different fair value measurement
at the reporting date.
|