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Employee Retirement Plans
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
Employee Retirement Plans Employee Retirement Plans
Defined Contribution Plans

The Quad/Graphics, Inc. Diversified Plan is comprised of participant-directed 401(k) contributions, Company match and profit sharing contributions, with total participant assets of $2.3 billion as of December 31, 2021. Company 401(k) matching contributions were $13.2 million and $11.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. The Company’s ESOP holds profit sharing contributions of Company stock, which are made at the discretion of the Company’s Board of Directors. There were no profit sharing contributions for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.

Defined Benefit Plans

The Company assumed various funded and unfunded frozen pension plans for a portion of its full-time employees in the United States as part of the acquisition of World Color Press in 2010. Benefits are generally based upon years of service and compensation. These plans are funded in conformity with the applicable government regulations. The Company funds at least the minimum amount required for all qualified plans using actuarial cost methods and assumptions acceptable under government regulations.
The components of net pension income for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, were as follows:
Pension Benefits
20212020
Interest cost$(8.8)$(13.6)
Expected return on plan assets24.2 24.2 
Net periodic benefit income 15.4 10.6 
Settlement charge(0.9)(0.1)
Net pension income$14.5 $10.5 

The Company made $0.8 million in benefit payments to its non-qualified defined benefit pension plans and made $0.8 million in contributions to its qualified defined benefit pension plans during the year ended December 31, 2021.
The Company incurred non-cash settlement charges of $0.9 million during the year ended December 31, 2021 due to the significance of lump sum payments made in the current year. The non-cash settlement charges result in accelerated recognition of actuarial losses on the consolidated statement of operations.

The underfunded pension obligations are calculated using generally accepted actuarial methods and are measured annually as of December 31. The following table provides a reconciliation of the projected benefit obligation, fair value of plan assets and the funded status of the pension plans as of December 31, 2021 and 2020:
Pension Benefits
20212020
Changes in benefit obligation
Projected benefit obligation, beginning of year$(525.6)$(515.7)
Interest cost(8.8)(13.6)
Actuarial gain (loss)23.1 (40.5)
Benefits paid47.5 43.6 
Liability benefit from settlement1.1 0.6 
Projected benefit obligation, end of year(462.7)(525.6)
Changes in plan assets
Fair value of plan assets, beginning of year469.0 436.8 
Actual return on plan assets20.4 68.0 
Employer contributions1.6 7.8 
Benefits paid(47.5)(43.6)
Fair value of plan assets, end of year443.5 469.0 
Funded status$(19.2)$(56.6)

The net underfunded defined benefit plan obligations decreased by $37.4 million during the year ended December 31, 2021. This decrease was primarily due to a 40 basis point increase in the pension discount rate from 2.37% at December 31, 2020, to 2.77% at December 31, 2021 and $1.6 million of employer contributions. The asset increase was partially offset by an actual return on pension plan assets of 5.11% during the year ended December 31, 2021, which was below the expected return on plan assets assumption of 5.50%.
Amounts recognized on the consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, were as follows:
Pension Benefits
20212020
Current liabilities$(1.6)$(1.7)
Noncurrent liabilities(17.6)(54.9)
Total amount recognized$(19.2)$(56.6)

The following table provides a reconciliation of the Company’s accumulated other comprehensive loss prior to any deferred tax effects at December 31, 2021 and 2020:
Actuarial Gain / (Loss), net
Balance at January 1, 2020$(41.4)
Amount arising during the period3.2 
Impact of pension plan settlement charge included in net loss0.1 
Balance at December 31, 2020(38.1)
Amount arising during the period20.3 
Impact of pension plan settlement charge included in net earnings0.9 
Balance at December 31, 2021$(16.9)

Actuarial gains and losses in excess of 10% of the greater of the projected benefit obligation or the market-related value of plan assets are recognized as a component of net periodic benefit costs over the average remaining service period of a plan’s active employees. Unrecognized prior service costs or credits are also recognized as a component of net periodic benefit cost over the average remaining service period of a plan’s active employees.

The weighted average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit costs for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, were as follows:
Pension Benefits
20212020
Discount rate2.37 %3.20 %
Expected long-term return on plan assets5.50 %5.75 %

The weighted average assumptions used to determine pension benefit obligations at December 31, 2021 and 2020, were as follows:
Pension Benefits
20212020
Discount rate (end of year rate)2.77 %2.37 %

The Company determines its assumed discount rate based on an index of high-quality corporate bond yields and matched-funding yield curve analysis as of the measurement date.
Estimated Company Contributions and Benefit Payments

In 2022, the Company does not expect to make any cash contributions to its qualified defined benefit pension plans and expects to make estimated benefit payments of $1.6 million to its non-qualified defined benefit pension plans. The actual pension contributions may differ based on the funding calculations, and the Company may choose to make additional discretionary contributions. The estimated benefit payments may differ based on actual experience.

Estimated Future Benefit Payments by the Plans to or on Behalf of Plan Participants

An estimate of the Plans’ present value of future benefit payments to be made from funded qualified plans and unfunded non-qualified plans to plan participants at December 31, 2021, were as follows:
Future Pension
Benefit Payments
2022$37.0 
202334.9 
202433.9 
202533.1 
202632.0 
2027 - 2031141.0 
Thereafter150.8 
Total$462.7 

Plan Assets and Investment Strategy

The Company follows a disciplined investment strategy, which provides diversification of investments by asset class, foreign currency, sector and company. The Pension Committee has an approved investment policy for the pension plan that establishes long-term asset mix targets based on several factors including the following: the funded status, historical returns achieved by worldwide investment markets, the time horizon of the pension plan’s obligations, and the investment risk. An allocation range by asset class is developed whereby a mix of equity securities and debt securities are used to provide an appropriate risk-adjusted long-term return on plan assets. Third-party investment managers are employed to invest assets in both passively-indexed and actively-managed strategies and investment returns and risks are monitored on an ongoing basis. Derivatives are used at certain times to hedge foreign currency exposure. Gains or losses on the derivatives are offset by a corresponding change in the value of the hedged assets. Derivatives are strictly used for hedging purposes and not speculative purposes.

The current target allocations for plan assets on a weighted average basis are 25% equity securities and 75% debt securities, including cash and cash equivalents. The actual asset allocation as of December 31, 2021, and as of December 31, 2020, was approximately 26% equity securities and 74% debt securities. Equity investments are diversified by country, issuer and industry sector. Debt securities primarily consist of government bonds and corporate bonds from diversified industries.

The expected long-term rate of return on assets assumption is selected by first identifying the expected range of long-term rates of return for each major asset class. Expected long-term rates of return are developed based on long-term historical averages, current expectations of future returns and anticipated inflation rates. The expected long-term rate of return on plan assets is then calculated by weighting each asset class.
The fair values of the Company’s pension plan assets at December 31, 2021 and 2020, by asset category were as follows:
December 31, 2021December 31, 2020
Asset CategoryTotalLevel 1Level 2Level 3TotalLevel 1Level 2Level 3
Cash and cash equivalents$3.2 $3.2 $— $— $5.3 $5.3 $— $— 
Debt securities120.6 — 120.6 — 125.7 — 125.7 — 
Equity securities22.2 — 22.2 — 28.9 — 28.9 — 
Total pension plan assets, excluding those measured at net asset value (“NAV”)
146.0 $3.2 $142.8 $— 159.9 $5.3 $154.6 $— 
Investments measured at NAV (1)
297.5 309.1 
Total pension plan assets
$443.5 $469.0 
______________________________
(1)These investments consist of privately placed funds that are valued based on NAV. NAV of the funds is based on the fair value of each fund’s underlying investments. In accordance with ASC Subtopic 820-10, certain investments that are measured at fair value using the NAV per share (or its equivalent) practical expedient have not been classified in the fair value hierarchy.

There were no Level 3 assets as of December 31, 2021 and 2020. See Note 15, “ Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements,” for definitions of fair value levels.

The Company segregated its plan assets by the following major categories and levels for determining their fair value as of December 31, 2021:

Cash and cash equivalents. Carrying value approximates fair value and these assets are classified as Level 1.

Debt Securities. This category consists of bonds, short-term fixed income securities and fixed income pooled funds fair valued based on a compilation of primarily observable market information or broker quotes in over-the-counter markets and are classified as Level 2.

Equity Securities. This category consists of equity pooled funds that are classified as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy. Level 2 assets are valued using quoted prices in markets that are not active, broker dealer quotations, and other methods by which all significant input was observable at the measurement date.

The valuation methodologies described above may generate a fair value calculation that may not be indicative of net realizable value or future fair values. While the Company believes the valuation methodologies used are appropriate, the use of different methodologies or assumptions in calculating fair value could result in different amounts. The Company invests in various assets in which valuation is determined by NAV. The Company believes that NAV is representative of fair value at the reporting date, as there are no significant restrictions on redemption on these investments or other reasons to indicate that the investment would be redeemed at an amount different than NAV.
The fair value measurements in common/collective trusts, calculated using a NAV and their redemption restrictions, for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, are as follows:
Fair ValueRedemption Frequency (If Currently Eligible)Redemption Notice Period
20212020
JP Morgan Chase Bank Strategic Property Fund$12.8 $12.8 Quarterly30 days
Pyramis Long Corporate A or Better55.4 98.5 Daily15 days
Pyramis Long Duration46.9 98.8 Daily15 days
Pyramis 810 Corporate101.3 — Daily15 days
Russell 3000 Index NL81.1 99.0 Daily1 day
Total value of investments measured at NAV$297.5 $309.1 

Risk Management

For all directly invested funds, the concentration risk is monitored through specific guidelines in the investment manager mandates. The investment manager mandates were developed by the Company’s external investment advisor, and specify diversification standards such as the maximum exposure per issuer, and concentration limits per type of security, industry and country when applicable.

For the investments made through pooled funds, the investment mandates of the funds were again reviewed by the Company’s external investment advisor, to determine that the investment objectives and guidelines were consistent with the Company’s overall pension plan risk management objectives. In managing the plan assets, management reviews and manages risk associated with funded status risk, interest rate risk, market risk, counterparty risk, liquidity risk and operational risk. Liability management and asset class diversification are central to the Company’s risk management approach and are integral to the overall investment strategy.

Given the process in place to ensure a proper diversification of the portfolio, management believes that the Company pension plan assets are not exposed to significant concentration risk.

Multiemployer Pension Plans

The Company has previously participated in a number of MEPPs under terms of collective bargaining agreements that cover a number of its employees. The risks of participating in these MEPPs are different from single employer plans in the following aspects:

•Assets contributed to the MEPPs by one company may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating companies.

•If a participating company stops contributing to the plan, the unfunded obligations of the plan may be borne by the remaining participating companies.

•If the Company stops participating in some or all of its MEPPs, and continues in business, the Company would be required to pay an amount, referred to as a withdrawal liability, based on the unfunded status of the plan.
The Company has withdrawn from all significant MEPPs and replaced these union sponsored “promise to pay in the future” defined benefit plans with a Company sponsored “pay as you go” defined contribution plan. The two MEPPs, the GCIU and GCC, are significantly underfunded, and will require the Company to pay a withdrawal liability to fund its pro rata share of the underfunding as of the plan year the full withdrawal was completed. As a result of the decision to withdraw, the Company accrued the estimated withdrawal liability based on information provided by each plan’s trustee, as part of the purchase price allocation for World Color Press.

The GCIU Plan is a defined benefit plan that provides retirement benefits, total and permanent disability benefits, and pre-retirement death benefits for the participating union employees of the Company. The funded status of the GCIU Plan is classified as critical and declining based on the GCIU Plan’s 2021 certification to the United States Department of Labor, as the funded percentage for the plan is less than 65%, and the plan is projected to become insolvent in 2031. As a result, the GCIU Plan implemented a rehabilitation plan to improve the plan’s funded status. In 2019, the Company and the GCIU reached a settlement agreement for all claims, with scheduled payments until April 2032.

The GCC Plan is a defined benefit plan that provides retirement benefits, disability benefits, and early retirement benefits for the participating union employees of the Company. The funded status of the GCC Plan is classified as critical and declining based on the GCC Plan’s 2021 certification to the United States Department of Labor, as the funded percentage for the plan is less than 65%, and the plan is projected to become insolvent by 2023. As a result, the GCC Plan implemented a rehabilitation plan to improve the plan’s funded status. In 2016, the Company and the GCC reached a settlement agreement for all claims, with scheduled payments until February 2024.

The Company made payments totaling $6.2 million and $11.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. The Company has reserved $32.2 million as the total MEPPs withdrawal liability as of December 31, 2021, of which $28.4 million was recorded in other long-term liabilities and $3.8 million was recorded in other current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets.