Employee Benefits

12 Months Ended

Oct. 31, 2021

Retirement Benefits [Abstract]

Employee Benefits

Employee Benefits

Cooper's Retirement Income Plan

Cooper's Retirement Income Plan (Plan), a defined benefit plan, covers substantially all full-time United States employees. Cooper's contributions are designed to fund normal cost on a current basis and to fund the estimated prior service cost of benefit improvements. The unit credit actuarial cost method is used to determine the annual cost. Cooper pays the entire cost of the Plan and funds such costs as they accrue. Virtually all of the assets of the Plan are comprised of equities and participation in equity and fixed income funds.

The Company uses individual spot rates along the yield curve that correspond with the timing of each benefit payment to determine the service and interest costs of components of its net periodic benefit cost utilizing the correlation of projected cash outflows and corresponding spot rates on the yield curve.

The following table sets forth the Plan's benefit obligations and fair value of the Plan assets at October 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 and the funded status of the Plan and net periodic pension costs for each of the years in the three-year periods ended October 31, 2021.

Retirement Income Plan

Years Ended October 31, (In millions)	2021		2020		2019
Change in benefit obligation
Benefit obligation, beginning of year	$	218.8	$	189.7	$	147.1
Service cost	17.2		13.9		10.1
Interest cost	4.4		5.2		6.1
Benefits paid	(11.5)		(10.0)		(10.2)
Actuarial loss	2.0		20.0		36.6
Benefit obligation, end of year	$	230.9	$	218.8	$	189.7
Change in plan assets
Fair value of plan assets, beginning of year	$	159.5	$	136.0	$	121.0
Actual return on plan assets	38.8		10.1		12.1
Employer contributions	12.7		23.4		13.1
Benefits paid	(11.5)		(10.0)		(10.2)
Fair value of plan assets, end of year	$	199.5	$	159.5	$	136.0
Funded status at end of year	$	(31.4)	$	(59.3)	$	(53.7)

Years Ended October 31, (In millions)	2021		2020		2019
Amounts recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets consist of:
Noncurrent liabilities	$	(31.4)	$	(59.3)	$	(53.7)
Net amount recognized at year end	$	(31.4)	$	(59.3)	$	(53.7)

Years Ended October 31, (In millions)	2021		2020		2019
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income consist of:
Net loss	$	44.4	$	74.2	$	57.3
Accumulated other comprehensive income	$	44.4	$	74.2	$	57.3

Years Ended October 31, (In millions)	2021		2020		2019
Information for defined benefit plans with projected benefit obligation in excess of plan assets:
Projected benefit obligation	$	230.9	$	218.8	$	189.7
Fair value of plan assets	$	199.5	$	159.5	$	136.0

Years Ended October 31, (In millions)	2021		2020		2019
Information for defined benefit plans with accumulated benefit obligations in excess of plan assets:
Accumulated benefit obligation	$	207.6	$	195.8	$	170.8
Fair value of plan assets	$	199.5	$	159.5	$	136.0

Years Ended October 31, (In millions)	2021		2020		2019
Reconciliation of (prepaid) accrued pension cost:
(Prepaid)/Accrued pension cost at prior fiscal year end	$	(14.8)	$	(3.7)	$	2.2
Net periodic benefit cost	14.5		12.3		7.2
Contributions made during the year	(12.7)		(23.4)		(13.1)
(Prepaid)/Accrued pension cost at fiscal year end	$	(13.0)	$	(14.8)	$	(3.7)

Years Ended October 31, (In millions)	2021		2020		2019
Components of net periodic benefit cost and other amounts recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Income:
Net periodic benefit cost:
Service cost	$	17.2	$	13.9	$	10.1
Interest cost	4.4		5.2		6.1
Expected return on plan assets	(12.5)		(10.8)		(9.8)
Recognized actuarial loss	5.4		4.0		0.8
Net periodic pension cost	$	14.5	$	12.3	$	7.2

Years Ended October 31, (In millions)	2021		2020		2019
Other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income:
Net (gain) loss	$	(24.4)	$	20.8	$	34.2
Amortizations of net gain	(5.4)		(4.0)		(0.8)
Total recognized in other comprehensive (income) loss	$	(29.8)	$	16.8	$	33.4
Total recognized in net periodic benefit cost and other comprehensive (income) loss	$	(15.2)	$	29.0	$	40.6

Years Ended October 31,	2021		2020		2019
Weighted-average assumptions used in computing the net periodic pension cost and projected benefit obligation at year end:
Discount rate for determining net periodic pension cost:
Projected Benefit Obligation	2.78	%	3.13	%	4.42	%
Service Cost	2.86	%	3.18	%	4.49	%
Interest Cost	2.07	%	2.78	%	4.22	%
Discount rate for determining benefit obligations at year end	2.76	%	2.78	%	3.13	%
Rate of compensation increase for determining expense	3.60	%	3.60	%	4.00	%
Rate of compensation increase for determining benefit obligations at year end	3.60	%	3.60	%	3.60	%
Expected rate of return on plan assets for determining net periodic pension cost	8.00	%	8.00	%	8.00	%
Expected rate of return on plan assets at year end	8.00	%	8.00	%	8.00	%
Measurement date for determining assets and benefit obligations at year end	10/31/2021		10/31/2020		10/31/2019

The discount rate enables us to state expected future cash flows at a present value on the measurement date. The discount rate used for the Plan is based primarily on the yields of a universe of high-quality corporate bonds rated AA or above, with durations corresponding to the expected durations of the benefit obligations. A change in the discount rate will cause the present value of benefit obligations to change in the opposite direction. If a discount rate of 2.78%, which is 0.35% lower than prior fiscal year, had been used, the projected benefit obligation would have been $230.2 million, and the accumulated benefit obligation would have been $207.0 million.

The expected rate of return on plan assets was determined based on a review of historical returns, both for this plan and for medium- to large-sized defined benefit pension funds with similar asset allocations. This review generated separate expected returns for each asset class listed below. These expected future returns were then blended based on this Plan's target asset allocation.

Reasons for Significant Liability Gains and Losses

The projected benefit obligation experienced a net loss of approximately $2.0 million during the year. This loss is primarily due to losses from assumption changes of approximately $0.7 million, and losses of approximately $1.3 million due to demographic experience. The key assumption changes were the decrease in the discount rate (loss of $0.7 million), a change in the mortality tables projection scale (loss of $0.5 million), and changes in assumptions for lump sum determination (gain of $0.5 million). The primary reasons for demographic losses were the net effect of retirement rates, termination rates, salary increases and other experience that was different from assumed.

Plan Assets

Weighted-average asset allocations at year end, by asset category are as follows:

Years Ended October 31,	2021		2020		2019
Asset category
Cash and cash equivalents	5.0	%	11.8	%	3.2	%
Equity mutual funds	62.8	%	57.7	%	63.7	%
Hedging Strategy Funds	4.7	%	4.3	%	4.9	%
Bond mutual funds	27.5	%	26.2	%	28.2	%
Total	100.0	%	100.0	%	100.0	%

The Plan invests in a diversified portfolio of assets intended to minimize risk of poor returns while maximizing expected portfolio returns. To achieve the long-term rate of return, plan assets will be invested in a mixture of instruments, including but not limited to, corporate common stock (may include the Company's stock), investment grade bond funds, cash, balanced funds, real estate funds, small or large cap equity funds and international equity funds. The allocation of assets will be determined by the investment manager and will typically include 50% to 70% equities with the remainder invested in fixed income, real estate, alternatives and cash. Presently, this diversified portfolio is expected to return roughly 8% in the long run.

As of the measurement date of October 31, 2021, the fair value measurement of plan assets is as follows:

(In millions)	Total		Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Asset category
Cash and cash equivalents	$	10.0	$	10.0	$	—	$	—
Equity mutual funds	125.3		125.3		—		—
Hedging Strategy Funds	9.4		9.4		—		—
Bond mutual funds	54.8		24.5		30.2		0.1
Total	$	199.5	$	169.2	$	30.2	$	0.1

The Plan has an established process for determining the fair value of plan assets. Fair value is based upon quoted market prices, as Level 1 inputs, where available. For investments in equity and bond mutual funds, and real estate funds, fair value is based on observable, Level 1 inputs, as price quotes are available and the fair values of these funds were not impacted by liquidity restrictions or the fund status. Level 2 assets are those where price quotes are not readily available and the fair value would be determined based on other observable inputs. Level 3 assets are those where price quotes are not readily available and the fair value would be determined based on unobservable inputs.

While the Company 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 estimate of fair value at the reporting date.

Plan Cash Flows

Contributions

The Company contributions to the Plan were $12.7 million for fiscal 2021, $23.4 million for fiscal 2020 and, $13.1 million for fiscal 2019. The Company closely monitors the funded status of the Plan with respect to legislative and accounting rules. The Company does not expect to make a contribution to the Plan during fiscal 2022.

Estimated Future Benefit Payments

Years (In millions)
2022	$	10.7
2023	$	11.6
2024	$	12.8
2025	$	13.7
2026	$	14.4
2027-2031	$	79.6

Plan Soft Freeze

On June 18, 2019 the Board of Directors of the Company approved a soft freeze of the Plan effective August 1, 2019. The Plan was closed to employees hired on or after August 1, 2019, including former participants or employees rehired on or after August 1, 2019 and employees hired in connection with a stock or asset acquisition, merger or other similar transaction on or after August 1, 2019. Existing employees already covered by the Plan, continue to accrue their benefits.

Cooper's 401(k) Savings Plan

Cooper's 401(k) savings plan provides for the deferral of compensation as described in the Internal Revenue Code and is available to substantially all United States employees. Employees who participate in the 401(k) plan may elect to have up to 75% of their pre-tax salary or wages deferred and contributed to the trust established under the Plan. Cooper's contributions on account of participating employees, were $7.2 million, $6.8 million and $6.5 million for the years ended October 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

International Defined Benefit Plans

For its employees outside the United States, the Company also participates in country-specific defined contribution plans and government-sponsored retirement plans. The defined contribution plans are administered by third-party trustees and the Company is not directly responsible for providing benefits to participants of government-sponsored plans. The Company’s contributions to such plans are not significant individually or in the aggregate.