7. PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS

The company has several defined benefit pension plans and postretirement health care and life insurance plans covering its U.S. employees and employees in certain foreign countries. The company uses an October 31 measurement date for these plans.

The components of net periodic pension cost and the assumptions related to the cost consisted of the following in millions of dollars and in percents:


	2017		2016		2015
Pensions
Service cost	$	274	$	254	$	282
Interest cost		361		391		474
Expected return on plan assets		(790)		(775)		(769)
Amortization of actuarial loss		247		211		223
Amortization of prior service cost		12		16		25
Other postemployment benefits				2		1
Settlements/curtailments		2		11		11
Net cost	$	106	$	110	$	247
Weighted-average assumptions
Discount rates - service cost		3.5%		4.3%		4.0%
Discount rates - interest cost		3.0%		3.4%		4.0%
Rate of compensation increase		3.8%		3.8%		3.8%
Expected long-term rates of return		7.3%		7.3%		7.3%

The components of net periodic postretirement benefits cost and the assumptions related to the cost consisted of the following in millions of dollars and in percents:


	2017		2016		2015
Health care and life insurance
Service cost	$	42	$	38	$	46
Interest cost		194		204		259
Expected return on plan assets		(17)		(35)		(55)
Amortization of actuarial loss		99		73		91
Amortization of prior service credit		(77)		(78)		(77)
Settlements/curtailments						1
Net cost	$	241	$	202	$	265
Weighted-average assumptions
Discount rates - service cost		4.7%		5.0%		4.2%
Discount rates - interest cost		3.2%		3.5%		4.2%
Expected long-term rates of return		6.3%		6.6%		7.0%

In 2016, the company changed the method used to estimate the service and interest cost components of the net periodic pension and postretirement benefits cost. This method uses the spot yield curve approach to estimate the service and interest cost by applying the specific spot rates along the yield curve used to determine the benefit plan obligations to relevant projected cash outflows. For 2015, the service and interest cost components were determined using a single weighted-average discount rate. The change did not affect the measurement of the total benefit plan obligations as the change in service and interest cost offsets in the actuarial gains and losses recorded in other comprehensive income. The spot yield curve approach provides a more precise measure of service and interest cost by improving the correlation between the projected benefit cash flows and the discrete spot yield curve rates. The company accounted for this change as a change in estimate prospectively beginning in 2016. The decrease in the 2016 total service and interest cost was approximately $175 million compared to the previous method.

The previous pension cost in net income and other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations in other comprehensive income in millions of dollars were as follows:


	2017		2016		2015
Pensions
Net cost	$	106	$	110	$	247
Retirement benefit adjustments included in other comprehensive (income) loss:
Net actuarial (gain) loss		(702)		1,140		361
Prior service cost				1		66
Amortization of actuarial loss		(247)		(211)		(223)
Amortization of prior service cost		(12)		(16)		(25)
Settlements/curtailments		(2)		(14)		(11)
Total (gain) loss recognized in other comprehensive (income) loss		(963)		900		168
Total recognized in comprehensive (income) loss	$	(857)	$	1,010	$	415

The previous postretirement benefits cost in net income and other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations in other comprehensive income in millions of dollars were as follows:


	2017		2016		2015
Health care and life insurance
Net cost	$	241	$	202	$	265
Retirement benefit adjustments included in other comprehensive (income) loss:
Net actuarial (gain) loss		(309)		496		(141)
Prior service credit				(3)		(3)
Amortization of actuarial loss		(99)		(73)		(91)
Amortization of prior service credit		77		78		77
Settlements/curtailments						(2)
Total (gain) loss recognized in other comprehensive (income) loss		(331)		498		(160)
Total recognized in comprehensive (income) loss	$	(90)	$	700	$	105

The benefit plan obligations, funded status, and the assumptions related to the obligations at October 29, 2017 and October 30, 2016, respectively, in millions of dollars follow:


					Health Care
					and
	Pensions				Life Insurance
	2017		2016		2017		2016
Change in benefit obligations
Beginning of year balance	$	(13,086)	$	(12,186)	$	(6,500)	$	(6,084)
Service cost		(274)		(254)		(42)		(38)
Interest cost		(361)		(391)		(194)		(204)
Actuarial gain (loss)		(35)		(1,001)		280		(478)
Amendments				(1)				3
Benefits paid		704		702		312		321
Health care subsidies						(9)		(16)
Other postemployment benefits				(2)
Settlements/curtailments		2		6
Foreign exchange and other		(116)		41		(9)		(4)
End of year balance		(13,166)		(13,086)		(6,162)		(6,500)

Change in plan assets (fair value)
Beginning of year balance		11,137		11,164		435		689
Actual return on plan assets		1,517		628		46		17
Employer contribution		62		80		366		47
Benefits paid		(704)		(702)		(312)		(321)
Settlements		(2)		(3)
Foreign exchange and other		83		(30)		4		3
End of year balance		12,093		11,137		539		435
Funded status	$	(1,073)	$	(1,949)	$	(5,623)	$	(6,065)

Weighted-average assumptions
Discount rates		3.6%		3.6%		3.7%		3.8%
Rate of compensation increase		3.8%		3.8%

In the fourth quarter of 2015, the company decided to transition Medicare eligible wage and certain Medicare eligible salaried retirees to a Medicare Advantage plan offered by a private insurance company effective in January 2016. This change did not affect the participants’ level of benefits and resulted in cost savings for the company.

The mortality assumptions for the 2017 and 2016 benefit plan obligations reflect the most recent tables issued by the Society of Actuaries at that time.

The amounts recognized at October 29, 2017 and October 30, 2016, respectively, in millions of dollars consist of the following:


					Health Care
					and
	Pensions				Life Insurance
	2017		2016		2017		2016
Amounts recognized in balance sheet
Noncurrent asset	$	538	$	94
Current liability		(40)		(33)	$	(63)	$	(32)
Noncurrent liability		(1,571)		(2,010)		(5,560)		(6,033)
Total	$	(1,073)	$	(1,949)	$	(5,623)	$	(6,065)
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income – pretax
Net actuarial loss	$	4,358	$	5,309	$	1,457	$	1,865
Prior service cost (credit)		55		67		(182)		(259)
Total	$	4,413	$	5,376	$	1,275	$	1,606

The total accumulated benefit obligations for all pension plans at October 29, 2017 and October 30, 2016, was $12,416 million and $12,410 million, respectively.

The accumulated benefit obligations and fair value of plan assets for pension plans with accumulated benefit obligations in excess of plan assets were $8,234 million and $7,345 million, respectively, at October 29, 2017 and $8,402 million and $7,016 million, respectively, at October 30, 2016. The projected benefit obligations and fair value of plan assets for pension plans with projected benefit obligations in excess of plan assets were $9,059 million and $7,448 million, respectively, at October 29, 2017 and $9,157 million and $7,114 million, respectively, at October 30, 2016.

The amounts in accumulated other comprehensive income that are expected to be amortized as net expense (income) and reported outside of income from operations during fiscal 2018 in millions of dollars follow:


			Health Care
			and
	Pensions		Life Insurance
Net actuarial loss	$	225	$	67
Prior service cost (credit)		12		(77)
Total	$	237	$	(10)

Actuarial gains and losses are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). To the extent unamortized gains and losses exceed 10% of the higher of the market-related value of assets or the benefit obligation, the excess is amortized as a component of net periodic cost over the remaining service period of the active participants. For plans in which all or almost all of the plan’s participants are inactive, the amortization period is the remaining life expectancy of the inactive participants.

The company expects to contribute approximately $63 million to its pension plans and approximately $74 million to its health care and life insurance plans in 2018, which are primarily direct benefit payments for unfunded plans.

The benefits expected to be paid from the benefit plans, which reflect expected future years of service, are as follows in millions of dollars:


			Health Care
			and
	Pensions		Life Insurance*
2018	$	721	$	334
2019		726		337
2020		713		342
2021		701		346
2022		693		352
2023 to 2027		3,458		1,758

* Net of prescription drug group benefit subsidy under Medicare Part D.

The annual rates of increase in the per capita cost of covered health care benefits (the health care cost trend rates) used to determine accumulated postretirement benefit obligations were based on the trends for medical and prescription drug claims for pre- and post-65 age groups due to the effects of Medicare. For the 2017 actuarial valuation, the weighted-average composite trend rates for these obligations were assumed to be an 8.9 percent increase from 2017 to 2018, gradually decreasing to 4.8 percent from 2024 to 2025 and all future years. The 2016 obligations and the cost in 2017 assumed an 8.3 percent increase from 2016 to 2017, gradually decreasing to 4.8 percent from 2024 to 2025 and all future years. An increase of one percentage point in the assumed health care cost trend rate would increase the accumulated postretirement benefit obligations by $791 million and the aggregate of service and interest cost component of net periodic postretirement benefits cost for the year by $36 million. A decrease of one percentage point would decrease the obligations by $615 million and the cost by $27 million.

The discount rate assumptions used to determine the postretirement obligations for all periods presented were based on hypothetical AA yield curves represented by a series of annualized individual discount rates. These discount rates represent the rates at which the company’s benefit obligations could effectively be settled at the October 31 measurement dates.

Fair value measurement levels in the following tables are defined in Note 26.

The fair values of the pension plan assets at October 29, 2017 follow in millions of dollars:


	Total		Level 1		Level 2
Cash and short-term investments	$	618	$	349	$	269
Equity:
U.S. equity securities		1,871		1,850		21
International equity securities		1,551		1,541		10
Fixed Income:
Government and agency securities		483		241		242
Corporate debt securities		1,285				1,285
Mortgage-backed securities		42				42
Real estate		103		101		2
Derivative contracts - assets*		159		28		131
Derivative contracts - liabilities**		(76)		(2)		(74)
Receivables, payables, and other		1		1
Securities lending collateral		420				420
Securities lending liability		(420)				(420)
Securities sold short		(379)		(375)		(4)
Total of Level 1 and Level 2 assets		5,658	$	3,734	$	1,924
Investments at net asset value:
Short-term investments		203
U.S. equity funds		1,704
International equity funds		921
Corporate debt funds		28
Fixed income funds		772
Real estate		567
Hedge funds		651
Private equity/venture capital		1,560
Other investments		29
Total net assets	$	12,093

* Includes contracts for interest rates of $79 million, foreign currency of $49 million, equity of $27 million, and other of $4 million.

** Includes contracts for interest rates of $48 million, foreign currency of $26 million, and other of $2 million.

The fair values of the health care assets at October 29, 2017 follow in millions of dollars:


	Total		Level 1		Level 2
Cash and short-term investments	$	30	$	28	$	2
Equity:
U.S. equity securities and funds		42		42
International equity securities		9		9
Fixed Income:
Government and agency securities		40		37		3
Corporate debt securities		21				21
Mortgage-backed securities		10				10
Real estate		1		1
Interest rate derivative contracts - assets		1				1
Securities lending collateral		25				25
Securities lending liability		(25)				(25)
Securities sold short		(2)		(2)
Total of Level 1 and Level 2 assets		152	$	115	$	37
Investments at net asset value:
Short-term investments		1
U.S. equity funds		164
International equity funds		117
Fixed income funds		87
Real estate funds		4
Hedge funds		4
Private equity/venture capital		10
Total net assets	$	539

The fair values of the pension plan assets at October 30, 2016 follow in millions of dollars:


	Total		Level 1		Level 2
Cash and short-term investments	$	684	$	322	$	362
Equity:
U.S. equity securities and funds		3,000		2,965		35
International equity securities and funds		1,711		1,697		14
Fixed Income:
Government and agency securities		440		224		216
Corporate debt securities		1,205				1,205
Mortgage-backed securities		39				39
Fixed income funds		20		20
Real estate		121		118		3
Derivative contracts - assets*		191		3		188
Derivative contracts - liabilities**		(59)		(14)		(45)
Receivables, payables, and other		6		5		1
Securities lending collateral		693		108		585
Securities lending liability		(693)		(108)		(585)
Securities sold short		(338)		(333)		(5)
Total of Level 1 and Level 2 assets		7,020	$	5,007	$	2,013
Investments at net asset value:
Short-term investments		216
U.S. equity funds		30
International equity funds		595
Corporate debt funds		25
Fixed income funds		482
Real estate		515
Hedge funds		624
Private equity/venture capital		1,603
Other investments		27
Total net assets	$	11,137

* Includes contracts for interest rates of $125 million, foreign currency of $59 million, equity of $4 million, and other of $3 million.

** Includes contracts for interest rates of $19 million, foreign currency of $33 million, equity of $6 million, and other of $1 million.

The fair values of the health care assets at October 30, 2016 follow in millions of dollars:


	Total		Level 1		Level 2
Cash and short-term investments	$	32	$	27	$	5
Equity:
U.S. equity securities and funds		138		138
International equity securities and funds		25		25
Fixed Income:
Government and agency securities		43		40		3
Corporate debt securities		30				30
Mortgage-backed securities		11				11
Real estate		2		2
Derivative contracts - assets*		3				3
Securities lending collateral		48		11		37
Securities lending liability		(48)		(11)		(37)
Securities sold short		(5)		(5)
Total of Level 1 and Level 2 assets		279	$	227	$	52
Investments at net asset value:
Short-term investments		3
International equity funds		60
Fixed income funds		20
Real estate funds		7
Hedge funds		44
Private equity/venture capital		22
Total net assets	$	435

* Includes contracts for interest rates of $2 million and foreign currency of $1 million.

Investments at net asset value in the preceding tables are measured at fair value using net asset value per share, and therefore, are not classified in the fair value hierarchy.

Fair values are determined as follows:

Cash and Short-Term Investments – Includes accounts that are valued based on the account value, which approximates fair value, and investment funds that are valued on the fund’s net asset value (NAV) based on the fair value of the underlying securities. Also included are securities that are valued using a market approach (matrix pricing model) in which all significant inputs are observable or can be derived from or corroborated by observable market data.

Equity Securities and Funds – The values are determined primarily by closing prices in the active market in which the equity investment trades, or the fund’s NAV, based on the fair value of the underlying securities.

Fixed Income Securities and Funds – The securities are valued using either a market approach (matrix pricing model) in which all significant inputs are observable or can be derived from or corroborated by observable market data such as interest rates, yield curves, volatilities, credit risk, and prepayment speeds, or they are valued using the closing prices in the active market in which the fixed income investment trades. Fixed income funds are valued using the fund’s NAV, based on the fair value of the underlying securities or closing prices in the active market in which the investment trades.

Real Estate, Venture Capital, Private Equity, Hedge Funds, and Other – The investments that are structured as limited partnerships are valued at estimated fair value based on their proportionate share of the limited partnership’s fair value that is determined by the respective general partner. These investments are valued using a combination of NAV, an income approach (primarily estimated cash flows discounted over the expected holding period), or market approach (primarily the valuation of similar securities and properties). Real estate investment trusts are primarily valued at the closing prices in the active markets in which the investment trades. Real estate funds and other investments are primarily valued at NAV, based on the fair value of the underlying securities.

Interest Rate, Foreign Currency, and Other Derivative Instruments – The derivatives are valued using either an income approach (discounted cash flow) using market observable inputs, including swap curves and both forward and spot exchange rates, or a market approach (closing prices in the active market in which the derivative instrument trades).

The primary investment objective for the pension and health care plans assets is to maximize the growth of these assets to support the projected obligations to the beneficiaries over a long period of time, and to do so in a manner that is consistent with the company’s risk tolerance. The asset allocation policy is the most important decision in managing the assets and it is reviewed regularly. The asset allocation policy considers the company’s long-term asset class risk/return expectations since the obligations are long-term in nature. The current target allocations for pension assets are approximately 49 percent for equity securities, 27 percent for debt securities, 5 percent for real estate, and 19 percent for other investments. The target allocations for health care assets are approximately 59 percent for equity securities, 29 percent for debt securities, 1 percent for real estate, and 11 percent for other investments. The allocation percentages above include the effects of combining derivatives with other investments to manage asset allocations and exposures to interest rates and foreign currency exchange. The assets are well diversified and are managed by professional investment firms as well as by investment professionals who are company employees. As a result of the company’s diversified investment policy, there were no significant concentrations of risk.

The expected long-term rate of return on plan assets reflects management’s expectations of long-term average rates of return on funds invested to provide for benefits included in the projected benefit obligations. A market related value of plan assets is used to calculate the expected return on assets. The market related value recognizes changes in the fair value of pension plan assets systematically over a five-year period. The market related value of the health care plan assets equals fair value. The expected return is based on the outlook for inflation and for returns in multiple asset classes, while also considering historical returns, asset allocation, and investment strategy. The company’s approach has emphasized the long-term nature of the return estimate such that the return assumption is not changed significantly unless there are fundamental changes in capital markets that affect the company’s expectations for returns over an extended period of time (i.e., 10 to 20 years). The average annual return of the company’s U.S. pension fund was approximately 7.2 percent during the past ten years and approximately 8.3 percent during the past 20 years. Since return premiums over inflation and total returns for major asset classes vary widely even over ten-year periods, recent history is not necessarily indicative of long-term future expected returns. The company’s systematic methodology for determining the long-term rate of return for the company’s investment strategies supports its long-term expected return assumptions.

The company has created certain Voluntary Employees’ Beneficiary Association trusts (VEBAs) for the funding of postretirement health care benefits. The future expected asset returns for these VEBAs are lower than the expected return on the other pension and health care plan assets due to investment in a higher proportion of liquid securities. These assets are in addition to the other postretirement health care plan assets that have been funded under Section 401(h) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code and maintained in a separate account in the company’s pension plan trust.

The company has defined contribution plans related to employee investment and savings plans primarily in the U.S. The company’s contributions and costs under these plans were $188 million in 2017, $193 million in 2016, and $185 million in 2015. The contribution rate varies primarily based on the company’s performance in the prior year and employee participation in the plans.