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Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits (Notes)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits
Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits
Defined Benefit Plans
Employees of the Company participate in various defined benefit pension and other postretirement benefit plans.
U.S. Pension Plan
The Vishay Precision Group Non-Qualified Retirement Plan, like all nonqualified plans, is considered to be unfunded. The Company maintains a nonqualified trust, referred to as a “rabbi” trust, to fund benefits under this plan. Rabbi trust assets are subject to creditor claims under certain conditions and are not the property of employees. Therefore, they are accounted for as other noncurrent assets within the consolidated balance sheets. The assets held in the rabbi trust are invested in money market funds and company-owned life insurance policies. The consolidated balance sheets include assets held in trust related to the nonqualified pension plan of $1.7 million at December 31, 2017 and $1.6 million at December 31, 2016, and the related liabilities of $2.3 million and $2.0 million at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.
The Vishay Precision Group Non-Qualified Retirement Plan is frozen. Accordingly, no new employees may participate in the plan, no further participant contributions are permitted, and no further benefits accrue. Benefits accumulated prior to the freezing of the U.S. pension plan will be paid to employees upon retirement, and the Company will likely need to make additional cash contributions to the rabbi trust to fund this accumulated benefit obligation.
Non-U.S. Pension Plans
The Company provides pension and similar benefits to employees of certain non-U.S. subsidiaries consistent with local practices. Pension benefits earned are generally based on years of service and compensation during active employment.
Other Postretirement Benefit Plans
In the U.S., the Company maintains two unfunded non-pension other postretirement benefit plans (“OPEB”) which are funded as costs are incurred. These plans provide medical and death benefits to retirees.
The following table sets forth a reconciliation of the benefit obligation, plan assets, and funded status related to pension and other postretirement benefit plans (in thousands):
 
December 31, 2017
 
December 31, 2016
 
Pension
Plans
 
OPEB
Plans
 
Pension
Plans
 
OPEB
Plans
Change in benefit obligation:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Benefit obligation at beginning of year
$
25,187

 
$
3,833

 
$
23,348

 
$
3,373

Service cost (adjusted for actual employee contributions)
513

 
96

 
403

 
100

Interest cost
674

 
142

 
784

 
130

Contributions by participants
35

 

 
42

 

Actuarial (gains) losses
673

 
900

 
4,809

 
525

Benefits paid
(564
)
 
(245
)
 
(732
)
 
(295
)
Curtailments and settlements

 

 
(20
)
 

Currency translation
2,099

 

 
(3,447
)
 

Benefit obligation at end of year
$
28,617

 
$
4,726

 
$
25,187

 
$
3,833

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Change in plan assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year
$
14,553

 
$

 
$
15,122

 
$

Actual return on plan assets
957

 

 
1,441

 

Company contributions
1,013

 
245

 
1,240

 
295

Contributions by participants
35

 

 
42

 

Benefits paid
(564
)
 
(245
)
 
(732
)
 
(295
)
Currency translation
1,460

 

 
(2,560
)
 

Fair value of plan assets at end of year
$
17,454

 
$

 
$
14,553

 
$

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Funded status at end of year
$
(11,163
)
 
$
(4,726
)
 
$
(10,634
)
 
$
(3,833
)

Amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets consist of the following pre-tax amounts (in thousands):
 
December 31, 2017
 
December 31, 2016
 
Pension
Plans
 
OPEB
Plans
 
Pension
Plans
 
OPEB
Plans
Accrued pension and other postretirement costs
$
(11,163
)
 
$
(4,726
)
 
$
(10,634
)
 
$
(3,833
)


Unrecognized actuarial gains and losses arise from several factors, including experience and assumption changes with respect to the obligations and from the difference between expected returns and actual returns on plan assets.  Actuarial items consist of the following (in thousands):
 
December 31, 2017
 
December 31, 2016
 
Pension
Plans
 
OPEB
Plans
 
Pension
Plans
 
OPEB
Plans
Unrecognized net actuarial loss
$
8,169

 
$
2,370

 
$
7,763

 
$
1,588

Unrecognized prior service cost
2

 

 
2

 

Unamortized transition obligation
3

 

 
3

 

 
$
8,174

 
$
2,370

 
$
7,768

 
$
1,588


The following table sets forth additional information regarding the projected and accumulated benefit obligations for the pension plans (in thousands):
 
December 31,
 
2017
 
2016
Accumulated benefit obligation, all plans
$
26,907

 
$
23,633

Plans for which the accumulated benefit obligation exceeds plan assets:


 


Projected benefit obligation
$
27,317

 
$
24,102

Accumulated benefit obligation
26,074

 
22,963

Fair value of plan assets
16,274

 
13,491


Unrecognized gains and losses are amortized into future net periodic pension cost using the 10% corridor method over the expected remaining service life of the employee group.  The following table sets forth the components of net periodic cost of pension and other postretirement benefit plans (in thousands):
 
Years ended December 31,
 
2017
 
2016
 
2015
 
Pension
Plans
 
OPEB
Plans
 
Pension
Plans
 
OPEB
Plans
 
Pension
Plans
 
OPEB
Plans
Annual service cost
$
548

 
$
96

 
$
445

 
$
100

 
$
457

 
$
88

Less: employee contributions
35

 

 
42

 

 
44

 

Net service cost
513

 
96

 
403

 
100

 
413

 
88

Interest cost
674

 
142

 
784

 
130

 
857

 
126

Expected return on plan assets
(536
)
 

 
(630
)
 

 
(656
)
 

Amortization of actuarial losses
463

 
119

 
192

 
75

 
232

 
72

Amortization of transition obligation
1

 

 
5

 

 
1

 

Curtailment and settlement losses

 

 

 

 
1

 

Net periodic benefit cost
$
1,115

 
$
357

 
$
754

 
$
305

 
$
848

 
$
286


See Note 8 for the pre-tax, tax effect, and after tax amounts included in other comprehensive income during the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015. The estimated actuarial items that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive loss into net periodic pension cost during 2018 is $0.7 million.
The following weighted-average assumptions were used to determine benefit obligations at December 31 of the respective years:
 
2017
 
2016
 
Pension
Plans
 
OPEB
Plans
 
Pension
Plans
 
OPEB
Plans
Discount rate
2.42
%
 
3.33
%
 
2.59
%
 
3.77
%
Rate of compensation increase
2.66
%
 
N/A

 
2.63
%
 
N/A

Expected return on plan assets
3.46
%
 
N/A

 
4.49
%
 
N/A


The following weighted-average assumptions were used to determine the net periodic pension costs for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016:
 
2017
 
2016
 
Pension
Plans
 
OPEB
Plans
 
Pension
Plans
 
OPEB
Plans
Discount rate
2.59
%
 
3.77
%
 
3.65
%
 
3.98
%
Rate of compensation increase
2.63
%
 
N/A

 
2.82
%
 
N/A

Expected return on plan assets
4.49
%
 
N/A

 
4.47
%
 
N/A

Health care trend rate
N/A

 
6.36
%
 
N/A

 
4.81
%

The health care trend ultimate rate is 4.00% per the terms of the plan. The impact of a one-percentage-point change in assumed health care cost trend rates on the net periodic benefit cost and postretirement benefit obligation is not material.
The plans’ expected return on assets is based on management’s expectation of long-term average rates of return to be achieved by the underlying investment portfolios. In establishing this assumption, management considers historical and expected returns for the asset classes in which the plans are invested, advice from pension consultants and investment advisors, and current economic and capital market conditions.
The investment mix between equity securities and fixed income securities is based upon achieving a desired return, balancing higher return, more volatile equity securities, and lower return, less volatile fixed income securities. The target allocation of plan assets approximates the actual allocation of plan assets at December 31, 2017 and 2016.
Plan assets are comprised of:
 
December 31, 2017
 
December 31, 2016
 
Pension
Plans
 
OPEB
Plans
 
Pension
Plans
 
OPEB
Plans
Equity securities
53
%
 
 
55
%
 
Fixed income securities
38
%
 
 
36
%
 
Cash and cash equivalents
9
%
 
 
9
%
 
Total
100
%
 
 
100
%
 

The Company maintains defined benefit retirement plans in certain of its subsidiaries. The assets of the plans are measured at fair value.
Equity securities held by the defined benefit retirement plans consist of equity securities that are valued based on quoted market prices on the last business day of the year. The fair value measurement of the equity securities is considered a Level 1 measurement within the fair value hierarchy.
Fixed income securities held by the defined benefit retirement plans consist of government bonds and corporate notes that are valued based on quoted market prices on the last business day of the year. The fair value measurement of the fixed income securities is considered a Level 1 measurement within the fair value hierarchy.
Cash held by the defined benefit retirement plans consists of deposits on account in various financial institutions. The carrying amount of the cash approximates its fair value. A summary of the Company’s pension plan assets for each fair value hierarchy level are as follows for the periods presented (see Note 15 for further description of the levels within the fair value hierarchy (in thousands)):
As of December 31, 2017
 
 
Fair value measurements at reporting date using:
 
Total Fair Value
 
Level 1 Inputs
 
Level 2 Inputs
 
Level 3 Inputs
Defined benefit pension plan assets
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Equity securities
$
9,271

 
$
9,271

 
$

 
$

Fixed income securities
6,629

 
6,629

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents
1,554

 
1,554

 

 

 
$
17,454

 
$
17,454

 
$

 
$


As of December 31, 2016
 
 
Fair value measurements at reporting date using:
 
Total Fair Value
 
Level 1 Inputs
 
Level 2 Inputs
 
Level 3 Inputs
Defined benefit pension plan assets
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Equity securities
$
8,047

 
$
8,047

 
$

 
$

Fixed income securities
5,203

 
5,203

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents
1,303

 
1,303

 

 

 
$
14,553

 
$
14,553

 
$

 
$


Estimated future benefit payments are as follows (in thousands):
 
Pension
Plans
 
OPEB
Plans
2018
$
659

 
$
346

2019
595

 
337

2020
599

 
366

2021
761

 
412

2022
783

 
368

2023 - 2027
4,464

 
1,643


The Company anticipates making contributions to its funded and unfunded pension and postretirement benefit plans of approximately $1.5 million during 2018.
Other Retirement Obligations
The Company participates in various other defined contribution and government-mandated retirement plans based on local law or custom. The Company periodically makes required contributions for certain of these plans. At December 31, 2017 and 2016, the consolidated balance sheets include $1.2 million and $0.8 million, respectively, within accrued pension and other postretirement costs related to these plans.
Most of the Company’s U.S. employees are eligible to participate in 401(k) savings plans which provide company matching under various formulas. The Company’s matching expense for the plans was $0.7 million, $0.7 million, and $0.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015, respectively. No material amounts are included in the consolidated balance sheets related to unfunded 401(k) contributions.
Certain key employees participate in a nonqualified deferred compensation plan, which allows these employees to defer a portion of their compensation until retirement, or elect shorter deferral periods. The accompanying consolidated balance sheets include a liability within other noncurrent liabilities related to these deferrals. The Company maintains a nonqualified trust, referred to as a “rabbi” trust, to fund payments under this plan. Rabbi trust assets are subject to creditor claims under certain conditions and are not the property of employees. Therefore, they are accounted for as other noncurrent assets within the consolidated balance sheets. The assets held in the rabbi trust are invested in money market funds and company-owned life insurance policies. The consolidated balance sheets include assets held in trust related to the nonqualified deferred compensation plan of $3.3 million at December 31, 2017 and $3.2 million at December 31, 2016, and the related liabilities of $4.4 million and $4.1 million at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.