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Employee Benefit And Retirement Plans
 12 Months Ended
Nov. 30, 2019
Retirement Benefits, Description [Abstract]  
Employee Benefit And Retirement Plans EMPLOYEE BENEFIT AND RETIREMENT PLANS
We sponsor defined benefit pension plans in the U.S. and certain foreign locations. In addition, we sponsor defined contribution plans in the U.S. We contribute to defined contribution plans in locations outside the U.S., including government-sponsored retirement plans. We also currently provide postretirement medical and life insurance benefits to certain U.S. employees and retirees.
During fiscal years 2018 and 2017, we made the following significant changes to our employee benefit and retirement plans:
2018
•
On December 1, 2017, our Management Committee approved the freezing of benefits under our pension plans in Canada. The effective date of this freeze was November 30, 2019. Although those plans have been frozen, employees who are participants in the plans retained benefits accumulated up to the date of the freeze, based on credited service and eligible earnings, in accordance with the terms of the plans.
2017
•
On December 1, 2016, our Management Committee approved the freezing of benefits under the McCormick U.K. Pension and Life Assurance Scheme (the U.K. plan). The effective date of this freeze was December 31, 2016. Although the U.K. plan has been frozen, employees who are participants in that plan
retained benefits accumulated up to the date of the freeze, based on credited service and eligible earnings, in accordance with the terms of the plan.
•
On January 3, 2017, our Management Committee approved the freezing of benefits under the McCormick Pension Plan, the defined benefit pension plan available to U.S. employees hired on or prior to December 31, 2011. The effective date of this freeze was November 30, 2018. Employees who are participants in that plan retained benefits accumulated up to the date of the freeze, based on credited service and eligible earnings, in accordance with the terms of the plan.
•
On January 3, 2017, the Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors approved the freezing of benefits under the McCormick Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (the “SERP”). The effective date of this freeze was January 31, 2017. Executives who are participants in the SERP as of the date of the freeze, including certain named executive officers, retained benefits accumulated up to that date, based on credited service and eligible earnings, in accordance with the SERP’s terms.

As a result of these changes, we remeasured pension assets and benefit obligations as of the dates of the approvals indicated above and (i) in fiscal year 2018, we reduced the Canadian plan benefit obligations by $17.5 million; and (ii) in fiscal year 2017, we reduced the U.S. and U.K. plan benefit obligations by $69.9 million and $7.8 million, respectively. These remeasurements resulted in non-cash, pre-tax net actuarial gains of $17.5 million and $77.7 million for fiscal years 2018 and 2017, respectively. These net actuarial gains consist principally of curtailment gains of $18.0 million and $76.7 million, which are included in our consolidated statement of comprehensive income for 2018 and 2017, respectively, as a component of Other comprehensive income (loss) on the line entitled Unrealized components of pension plans. Deferred taxes associated with these actuarial gains, together with other unrealized components of pension plans recognized during 2018 and 2017, are also included in that statement as a component of Other comprehensive income (loss).
Included in accumulated other comprehensive loss at November 30, 2019 was $303.0 million ($234.0 million net of tax) related to net unrecognized actuarial losses that have not yet been recognized in net periodic pension or postretirement benefit cost. We expect to recognize $5.6 million ($4.1 million net of tax) in net periodic pension and postretirement benefit costs during 2020 related to the amortization of actuarial losses of $9.6 million and the amortization of prior service cost credits of $4.0 million.
Defined Benefit Pension Plans
The significant assumptions used to determine benefit obligations are as follows as of November 30:
  
United States
International
  
2019
2018
2019
2018
Discount rate—funded plan
3.4
%
4.7
%
2.2
%
3.3
%
Discount rate—unfunded plan
3.3
%
4.6
%
—

—

Salary scale
—

—

2.9
%
3.0-3.5%



The significant assumptions used to determine pension expense for the years ended November 30 are as follows:
  
United States
International
  
2019
2018
2017
2019
2018
2017
Discount rate—funded plan
4.7
%
4.0
%
4.6
%
3.3
%
2.9
%
3.2
%
Discount rate—unfunded plan
4.6
%
3.9
%
4.5
%
—

—

—

Salary scale
—
%
3.8
%
3.8
%
3.4
%
3.5
%
3.4
%
Expected return on plan assets
7.0
%
7.3
%
7.3
%
5.5
%
5.6
%
5.5
%

Annually, we undertake a process, with the assistance of our external investment consultants, to evaluate the appropriate projected rates of return to use for our pension plans’ assumptions. We engage our investment consultants' research teams to develop capital market assumptions for each asset category in our plans to project investment returns into the future. The specific methods used to develop expected return assumptions vary by asset category. We adjust the outcomes for the fact that plan assets are invested with actively managed funds and subject to tactical asset reallocation.
Our pension expense for the years ended November 30 was as follows:
  
United States
International
(millions)
2019
2018
2017
2019
2018
2017
Service cost
$
2.1

$
17.0

$
14.8

$
3.6

$
4.3

$
6.2

Interest costs
34.4

31.6

31.7

9.5

9.2

10.4

Expected return on plan assets
(42.5
)
(43.4
)
(41.4
)
(16.4
)
(16.6
)
(15.3
)
Amortization of prior service costs
0.5

—

—

0.2

0.1

0.7

Amortization of net actuarial loss
2.3

9.9

5.8

1.2

2.8

4.1

Settlement/curtailment loss
—

—

—

—

0.5

0.6

 
$
(3.2
)
$
15.1

$
10.9

$
(1.9
)
$
0.3

$
6.7


A rollforward of the benefit obligation, fair value of plan assets and a reconciliation of the pension plans’ funded status as of November 30, the measurement date, follows:
  
United States
International
(millions)
2019
2018
2019
2018
Change in benefit obligation:
 
 
 
 
Benefit obligation at beginning of year
$
752.6

$
813.7

$
292.9

$
341.5

Service cost
2.1

17.0

3.6

4.3

Interest costs
34.4

31.6

9.5

9.2

Employee contributions
—

—

0.8

0.7

Plan amendments
—

5.2

(0.2
)
3.4

Plan curtailments
—

—

—

(17.5
)
Actuarial (gain) loss
134.6

(76.2
)
51.8

(20.2
)
Benefits paid
(38.9
)
(36.3
)
(14.7
)
(13.2
)
Business combinations
—

(2.4
)
—

—

Expenses paid
—

—

(0.3
)
(0.7
)
Foreign currency impact
—

—

2.2

(14.6
)
Benefit obligation at end of year
$
884.8

$
752.6

$
345.6

$
292.9

Change in fair value of plan assets:
 



Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year
$
640.4

$
654.2

$
306.5

$
331.3

Actual return on plan assets
62.2

13.6

42.7

(0.7
)
Employer contributions
8.2

8.9

3.2

4.6

Employee contributions
—

—

0.8

0.7

Benefits paid
(38.9
)
(36.3
)
(14.7
)
(13.2
)
Expenses paid
—

—

(0.3
)
(0.7
)
Foreign currency impact
—

—

2.7

(15.5
)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year
$
671.9

$
640.4

$
340.9

$
306.5

Funded status
$
(212.9
)
$
(112.2
)
$
(4.7
)
$
13.6

Pension plans in which accumulated benefit obligation exceeded plan assets
 
 
 
 
Projected benefit obligation
$
884.8

$
752.6

$
103.9

$
19.1

Accumulated benefit obligation
874.8

746.9

100.4

16.1

Fair value of plan assets
671.9

640.4

83.6

1.5


Included in the U.S. in the preceding table is a benefit obligation of $105.4 million and $94.9 million for 2019 and 2018, respectively, related to the SERP. The assets related to this plan, which totaled $85.5 million and $82.8 million as of November 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively, are held in a rabbi trust and accordingly have not been included in the preceding table.
As part of our acquisition of RB Foods in August 2017, we assumed a defined benefit pension plan that covers eligible union employees of the Reckitt Benckiser food business (the "RB Foods Union Pension Plan"). The related plan assets and benefit obligation of the RB Foods Union Pension Plan are included in the U.S. in the preceding table. At the acquisition date, the funded status of that plan was $(20.5) million, based upon a preliminary valuation. During 2018, we finalized the purchase accounting valuation for this plan which improved the funded status of this plan by $2.4 million, to $(18.1) million at the date of acquisition. During 2019 and 2018, we made contributions of $1.8 million and $2.5 million, respectively, to the RB Foods Union Pension Plan.
Amounts recorded in the balance sheet for all defined benefit pension plans as of November 30 consist of the following:
  
United States
International    
(millions)
2019
2018
2019
2018
Non-current pension asset
$
—

$
—

$
15.6

$
31.2

Accrued pension liability
212.9

112.2

20.3

17.6

Deferred income tax assets
58.5

32.7

13.3

8.8

Accumulated other comprehensive loss
183.9

97.7

60.1

40.1


The accumulated benefit obligation is the present value of pension benefits (whether vested or unvested) attributed to employee service rendered before the measurement date and based on employee service and compensation prior to that date. The accumulated benefit obligation differs from the projected benefit obligation in that it includes no assumption about future compensation or service levels. The accumulated benefit obligation for the U.S. pension plans was $874.8 million and $746.9 million as of November 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The accumulated benefit obligation for the international pension plans was $342.2 million and $286.8 million as of November 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively.
The investment objectives of the defined benefit pension plans are to provide assets to meet the current and future obligations of the plans at a reasonable cost to us. The goal is to optimize the long-term return across the portfolio of investments at a moderate level of risk. Higher-returning assets include mutual, co-mingled and other funds comprised of equity securities, utilizing both active and passive investment styles. These more volatile assets are balanced with less volatile assets, primarily mutual, co-mingled and other funds comprised of fixed income securities. Professional investment firms are engaged to provide advice on the selection and monitoring of investment funds, and to provide advice on the allocation of plan assets across the various fund managers. This advice is based in part on the duration of each plan’s liability. The investment return performances are evaluated quarterly against specific benchmark indices and against a peer group of funds of the same asset classification.
The allocations of U.S. pension plan assets as of November 30, by asset category, were as follows:
  
Actual
2019
Asset Category
2019
2018
Target
Equity securities
63.3
%
65.8
%
59.0
%
Fixed income securities
21.5
%
20.5
%
23.2
%
Other
15.2
%
13.7
%
17.8
%
Total
100.0
%
100.0
%
100.0
%

The allocations of the international pension plans’ assets as of November 30, by asset category, were as follows:
  
Actual
2019
Asset Category
2019
2018
Target    
Equity securities
50.4
%
52.1
%
53.0
%
Fixed income securities
48.9
%
47.8
%
47.0
%
Other
0.7
%
0.1
%
—
%
Total
100.0
%
100.0
%
100.0
%

The following tables set forth by level, within the fair value hierarchy as described in note 8, pension plan assets at their fair value as of November 30 for the United States and international plans:
As of November 30, 2019
United States
(millions)
Total
fair
value
Level 1
Level 2
Cash and cash equivalents
$
15.3

$
15.3

$
—

Equity securities:
 
 
 
U.S. equity securities(a)
276.5

148.5

128.0

International equity securities(b)
145.5

134.2

11.3

Fixed income securities:
 
 
 
U.S. government/corporate bonds(c)
51.2

49.1

2.1

High yield bonds(d)
40.1

—

40.1

International/government/corporate bonds(e)
26.8

26.8

—

Insurance contracts(f)
1.1

—

1.1

Other types of investments:
 
 
 
Real estate (g)
25.9

22.0

3.9

Natural resources (h)
12.0

—

12.0

Total
$
594.4

$
395.9

$
198.5

Investments measured at net asset value(i)
 
 
 
Hedge funds(j)
49.3

 
 
Private equity funds(k)
3.2

 
 
Private debt funds(l)
25.0

 
 
Total investments
$
671.9

 
 
 
As of November 30, 2019
International
(millions)
Total
fair
value
Level 1
Level 2
Cash and cash equivalents
$
2.5

$
2.5

$
—

International equity securities(b)
171.6

—

171.6

Fixed income securities:
 
 
 
  International/government/corporate bonds(e)
144.7

—

144.7

Insurance contracts(f)
22.1

—

22.1

Total investments
$
340.9

$
2.5

$
338.4

As of November 30, 2018
United States
(millions)
Total 
fair  
value 
Level 1
Level 2
Cash and cash equivalents
$
16.0

$
16.0

$
—

Equity securities:
 
 
 
U.S. equity securities(a)
283.2

149.6

133.6

International equity securities(b)
132.7

126.1

6.6

Fixed income securities:
 
 
 
U.S./government/ corporate bonds(c)
46.2

44.1

2.1

High yield bonds(d)
36.7

—

36.7

International/government/ corporate bonds(e)
27.4

27.4

—

Insurance contracts(f)
1.1

—

1.1

Other types of investments:
 
 
 
Real estate (g)
22.3

18.7

3.6

Natural resources (h)
12.6

—

12.6

Total
$
578.2

$
381.9

$
196.3

Investments measured at net asset value(i)
 
 
 
Hedge funds(j)
36.7

 
 
Private equity funds(k)
5.6

 
 
Private debt funds(l)
19.9

 
 
Total investments
$
640.4

 
 
As of November 30, 2018
 
International
 
(millions)
Total 
fair   
value 
Level 1
Level 2
Cash and cash equivalents
$
2.0

$
2.0

$
—

International equity securities(b)
159.5

—

159.5

Fixed income securities:
 
 
 
International/government/corporate bonds(e)
125.2

—

125.2

Insurance contracts(f)
19.8

—

19.8

Total investments
$
306.5

$
2.0

$
304.5

(a)
This category comprises equity funds and collective equity trust funds that most closely track the S&P index and other equity indices.
(b)
This category comprises international equity funds with varying benchmark indices.
(c)
This category comprises funds consisting of U.S. government and U.S. corporate bonds and other fixed income securities. An appropriate benchmark is the Barclays Capital Aggregate Bond Index.
(d)
This category comprises funds consisting of real estate related debt securities with an appropriate benchmark of the Barclays Investment Grade CMBS Index.
(e)
This category comprises funds consisting of international government/corporate bonds and other fixed income securities with varying benchmark indices.
(f)
This category comprises insurance contracts, the majority of which have a guaranteed investment return.
(g)
This category comprises funds investing in real estate investment trusts (REIT). An appropriate benchmark is the MSCI U.S. REIT Index.
(h)
This category comprises funds investing in natural resources. An appropriate benchmark is the Alerian master limited partnership (MLP) Index.
(i)
Certain investments that are valued using the net asset value per share (or its equivalent) as a practical expedient have not been classified in the fair value hierarchy. These are included to permit reconciliation of the fair value hierarchy to the aggregate pension plan assets.
(j)
This category comprises hedge funds investing in strategies represented in various HFRI Fund Indices. The net asset value is generally based on the valuation of the underlying investment. Limitations exist on the timing from notice by the plan of its intent to redeem and actual redemptions of these funds and generally range from a minimum of one month to several months.
(k)
This category comprises private equity, venture capital and limited partnerships. The net asset is based on valuation models of the underlying securities as determined by the general partner or general partner's designee. These valuation models include unobservable inputs that cannot be corroborated using verifiable observable market data. These funds typically have redemption periods of approximately 10 years.
(l)
This category comprises limited partnerships funds investing in senior loans, mezzanine and distressed debt. The net asset is based on valuation models of the underlying securities as determined by the general partner or general partner's designee. These valuation models include unobservable inputs that cannot be corroborated using verifiable observable market data. These funds typically have redemption periods of approximately 10 years.
For the plans’ hedge funds, private equity funds and private debt funds, we engage an independent advisor to compare the funds’ returns to other funds with similar strategies. Each fund is required to have an annual audit by
an independent accountant, which is provided to the independent advisor. This provides a basis of comparability relative to similar assets.
Equity securities in the U.S. pension plans included McCormick stock with a fair value of $64.4 million (0.4 million shares and 9.6% of total U.S. pension plan assets) and $57.2 million (0.4 million shares and 8.9% of total U.S. pension plan assets) at November 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Dividends paid on these shares were $0.9 million and $0.8 million in 2019 and 2018, respectively.
Pension benefit payments in our most significant plans are made from assets of the pension plans. It is anticipated that future benefit payments for the U.S. and International plans for the next 10 fiscal years will be as follows:
(millions)
United States
International
2020
$
41.4

$
14.1

2021
41.6

14.2

2022
43.1

14.4

2023
44.8

15.4

2024
46.7

15.3

2025-2029
243.8

77.3


U.S. Defined Contribution Retirement Plans
Effective December 1, 2018 for the U.S. defined contribution retirement plan, we match 100% of a participant’s contribution up to the first 3% of the participant’s salary, and 66.7% of the next 3% of the participant’s salary. In addition, we make contributions of 3% of the participant's salary for all U.S. employees who are employed on December 31 of each year. Prior to December 1, 2018, for the U.S. defined contribution retirement plan, we matched 100% of a participant’s contribution up to the first 3% of the participant’s salary, and 50% of the next 2% of the participant’s salary. In addition, we made contributions of 3% of the participant's salary for U.S. employees not covered by the defined benefit plan. Some of our smaller U.S. subsidiaries sponsor separate 401(k) retirement plans. We also sponsor a non-qualified defined contribution retirement plan. Our contributions charged to expense under all U.S. defined contribution retirement plans were $28.2 million, $15.5 million and $12.2 million in 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.
At the participant’s election, 401(k) retirement plans held 1.6 million shares of McCormick stock, with a fair value of $266.1 million, at November 30, 2019. Dividends paid on the shares held in the 401(k) retirement plans in 2019 and 2018 were $3.9 million in each year.
Postretirement Benefits Other Than Pensions
We currently provide postretirement medical and life insurance benefits to certain U.S. employees who were covered under the active employees’ plan and retire after age 55 with at least five years of service. The subsidy provided under these plans is based primarily on age at date of retirement. These benefits are not pre-funded but paid as incurred. Employees hired after December 31, 2008 are not eligible for a company subsidy. They are eligible for coverage on an access-only basis.

During 2017, we made the following changes to our postretirement medical and life insurance benefits impacting certain U.S. employees:

•
On August 23, 2017, our Management Committee approved changes to our postretirement medical benefits plan for eligible U.S. employees and retirees (employees hired after December 31, 2008 are not eligible for the subsidy). These changes included consolidating benefits providers and simplifying and reducing our subsidy for postretirement medical benefits. The effective date of the change in our subsidy was January 1, 2018.
•
On August 23, 2017, our Management Committee approved the elimination of life insurance benefits under our other postretirement benefit plan to eligible U.S. active employees (that life insurance benefit was available to U.S. employees hired on or prior to December 31, 2008). The effective date of this plan amendment was January 1, 2018, unless an employee committed to their retirement date by December 31, 2017 and retired on or before December 31, 2018.

As a result of these changes, we remeasured the other postretirement benefit obligation as of August 23, 2017, resulting in a reduction of the other postretirement benefit obligation of $27.1 million. These remeasurements resulted in an aggregate non-cash, pre-tax net prior service cost credit of $27.1 million, which is included in our consolidated statement of comprehensive income for 2017, as a component of Other comprehensive income (loss)
on the line entitled Unrealized components of pension and other postretirement plans. Deferred taxes associated with these aggregate prior service cost credits, together with other unrealized components of pension plans recognized during 2017, are also included in that statement as a component of Other comprehensive income (loss).
Our other postretirement benefit (income) expense for the years ended November 30 follows:
(millions)
2019
2018
2017
Service cost
$
1.8

$
2.0

$
2.6

Interest costs
2.7

2.4

3.3

Amortization of prior service credits
(8.7
)
(8.6
)
(2.3
)
Amortization of actuarial gains
(0.9
)
(0.1
)
(0.2
)
Postretirement benefit (income) expense
$
(5.1
)
$
(4.3
)
$
3.4


Rollforwards of the benefit obligation, fair value of plan assets and a reconciliation of the plans’ funded status at November 30, the measurement date, follow:
(millions)
2019
2018
Change in benefit obligation:
 
 
Benefit obligation at beginning of year
$
62.9

$
70.9

Service cost
1.8

2.0

Interest costs
2.7

2.4

Employee contributions
0.3

0.4

Plan amendments
(0.4
)
—

Other plan assumptions
(1.0
)
(0.1
)
Discount rate change
7.6

(4.5
)
Actuarial (gain) loss
(2.5
)
(3.0
)
Benefits paid
(4.2
)
(5.2
)
Benefit obligation at end of year
$
67.2

$
62.9

Change in fair value of plan assets:
 
 
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year
$
—

$
—

Employer contributions
3.9

4.8

Employee contributions
0.3

0.4

Benefits paid
(4.2
)
(5.2
)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year
$
—

$
—

Other postretirement benefit liability
$
67.2

$
62.9


Estimated future benefit payments (net of employee contributions) for the next 10 fiscal years are as follows:
(millions)
Retiree
medical
Retiree life
insurance
Total
2020
$
3.7

$
1.4

$
5.1

2021
3.7

1.4

5.1

2022
3.7

1.4

5.1

2023
3.7

1.4

5.1

2024
3.7

1.4

5.1

2025-2029
18.0

6.5

24.5


The assumed discount rate in determining the benefit obligation was 3.1% and 4.5% for 2019 and 2018, respectively.
For 2019, the assumed annual rate of increase in the cost of covered health care benefits is 6.5% (7.3% last year). It is assumed to decrease gradually to 4.5% in the year 2030 (4.5% in 2028 last year) and remain at that level thereafter. A one percentage point increase or decrease in the assumed health care cost trend rate would have had an immaterial effect on the benefit obligation and the total of service and interest cost components for 2019.