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PENSION AND PROFIT SHARING PLANS
12 Months Ended
Mar. 01, 2014
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]  
PENSION AND PROFIT SHARING PLANS
NOTE 5 – PENSION AND PROFIT SHARING PLANS
 
a.
Pension Plan - Syms sponsored a defined benefit pension plan for certain eligible employees not covered under a collective bargaining agreement. The pension plan was frozen effective December 31, 2006. As of March 1, 2014 and March 2, 2013, the Company had a recorded liability of $3.5 million and $5.5 million, respectively, within accrued expenses which represents the estimated cost to the Company of terminating the plan in a standard termination, which would require the Company to make additional contributions to the plan so that the assets of the plan are sufficient to satisfy all benefit liabilities. The Company had contemplated other courses of action, including a distress termination, whereby the PBGC takes over the plan. On February 27, 2012, the Company notified the PBGC and other affected parties of its consideration to terminate the plan in a distress termination. However, the estimated total cost associated with a distress termination was approximately $15 million. As a result of the cost savings associated with the standard termination approach, the Company elected not to terminate the plan in a distress termination and formally notified the PBGC of this decision. Although the Company has accrued the liability associated with a standard termination, it has not taken any steps to commence such a termination and has made no commitment to do so by a certain date.
 
Presented below is financial information relating to this plan for the fiscal years indicated:
 
 
 
March 1, 2014
 
March 2, 2013
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(in thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CHANGE IN BENEFIT OBLIGATION:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net benefit obligation - beginning of period
 
$
11,514
 
$
11,217
 
Interest cost
 
 
611
 
 
556
 
Actuarial return (loss)
 
 
456
 
 
(821)
 
Gross benefits received
 
 
615
 
 
562
 
Net benefit obligation - end of period
 
$
13,196
 
$
11,514
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CHANGE IN PLAN ASSETS:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fair value of plan assets - beginning of period
 
$
8,737
 
$
8,094
 
Employer contributions
 
 
868
 
 
685
 
Gross benefits paid
 
 
(615)
 
 
(562)
 
Actual return on plan assets
 
 
858
 
 
520
 
Fair value of plan assets - end of period
 
$
9,848
 
$
8,737
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Funded Status at end of year
 
$
(3,348)
 
$
(2,777)
 
 
 
 
March 1, 2014
 
 
March 2, 2013
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(in thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
COMPONENTS OF NET PERIODIC COST:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Interest cost
 
$
611
 
 
$
556
 
Loss of assets
 
 
(858)
 
 
 
(520)
 
Amortization of loss
 
 
597
 
 
 
204
 
Net periodic cost
 
$
350
 
 
$
240
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
WEIGHTED-AVERAGE ASSUMPTION USED:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Discount rate
 
 
5.0
%
 
 
5.0
%
Rate of compensation increase
 
 
0.0
%
 
 
0.0
%
 
As of March 1, 2014 the benefits expected to be paid in the next five fiscal years and in the aggregate for the five fiscal years thereafter are as follows (in thousands):
 
Year
 
Amount
 
 
 
 
 
 
2014
 
$
630
 
2015
 
 
364
 
2016
 
 
498
 
2017
 
 
327
 
2018
 
 
828
 
2019-2023
 
 
3,282
 
 
The fair values and asset allocation of the Company’s plan assets as of March 1, 2014 and the target allocation for fiscal 2014, by asset category, are presented in the following table (in thousands). All fair values are based on quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1 in the fair value hierarchy).
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
% of Plan
 
Asset Category
 
Asset Allocation
 
Fair Value
 
Assets
 
 
 
(in thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cash and equivalents
 
0% to 10%
 
$
295
 
 
3
%
Equity Securities
 
30% to 50%
 
 
4,333
 
 
44
%
Fixed Income Securities
 
35% to 55%
 
 
4,333
 
 
44
%
Alternative Investments
 
5% to 25%
 
 
887
 
 
9
%
Total
 
 
 
$
9,848
 
 
100
%
 
Under the provisions of ASC 715, the Company is required to recognize in its consolidated balance sheet the unfunded status of a benefit plan. This is measured as the difference between plan assets at fair value and the projected benefit obligation. For the pension plan, this is equal to the accumulated benefit obligation.
 
Certain employees covered by collective bargaining agreements participate in multiemployer pension plans. Syms ceased to have an obligation to contribute to these plans in 2012, thereby triggering a complete withdrawal from the plans within the meaning of section 4203 of ERISA. Consequently, the Company is subject to the payment of a withdrawal liability to these pension funds. The additional costs have been estimated at approximately $6.9 million for the multiemployer pension plans. The Company has a recorded liability of $5.3 million and $6.9 million which is reflected in accrued expenses as of March 1, 2014 and March 2, 2013, respectively. In accordance with minimum funding requirements, the Company paid approximately $1.7 million to the Syms sponsored plan and approximately $1.6 million to the multiemployer plans from September 17, 2012 through March 1, 2014.
 
b.
Profit-Sharing and 401(k) Plan - The Company maintained a profit-sharing plan and 401(k) plan for all employees other than those covered under collective bargaining agreements. In 1995, the Company established a defined contribution 401(k) savings plan for substantially all of its eligible employees. Employees were able to contribute a percentage of their salary to the plan subject to statutory limits. No contributions were made by the Company to this plan in fiscal 2013 or fiscal 2012. The 401K Plan was terminated in November 2012 and distributions were made to its participants.