Employee Stock Ownership Feature of 401(k) Plan

Viad has historically funded its matching contributions to employees’ 401(k) accounts through the Company’s ESOP portion of the Viad Corp Capital Accumulation Plan (the “401(k) Plan”). During 2014, the Company depleted these shares and matching contributions are now funded from shares of Viad common stock held in treasury. All eligible employees of Viad and its participating affiliates, other than certain employees covered by collective-bargaining agreements that do not expressly provide for participation of such employees in an employee stock ownership plan, may participate in the employee stock ownership feature within the 401(k) Plan.

In 1989, the ESOP borrowed $40.0 million (guaranteed by Viad) to purchase treasury shares from the Company. In 2004, Viad borrowed $12.2 million under its revolving credit agreement to pay in full the outstanding ESOP loan and obtain release of Viad from its guarantee of the loan. In connection with the loan payoff, the ESOP entered into a $12.4 million loan with Viad maturing in June 2009 calling for minimum quarterly principal payments of $250,000 plus interest. The same amount, representing unearned employee benefits, was recorded as a reduction of stockholders’ equity. In 2007, the loan agreement between the ESOP and Viad was extended to December 31, 2016. As of December 31, 2014, the Company has fully paid off the ESOP loan. For prior years, the loan liability is included in the consolidated balance sheets under the caption “Unearned employee benefits and other.” The liability was reduced as the ESOP made principal payments on the borrowing, and the amount offsetting stockholders’ equity was reduced as stock was allocated to employees and benefits were charged to expense. The 401(k) Plan repaid the loan using Viad contributions and dividends received on the unallocated Viad shares held by the 401(k) Plan.

Information regarding ESOP transactions is as follows:



(in thousands)	2014		2013		2012
Amounts paid by ESOP for:
Debt repayment	$	44	$	1,280	$	1,647
Interest	—		1		5
Amounts received from Viad as:
Contributions	44		1,202		1,604
Dividends	—		79		48

Shares were released for allocation to participants based upon the ratio of the current year’s principal and interest payments to the sum of the total principal and interest payments expected over the remaining life of the loan. Viad recorded expense of less than $0.1 million in 2014, and $1.3 million and $1.7 million in 2013 and 2012, respectively.

There were no unallocated shares held by the 401(k) Plan as of December 31, 2014 and unallocated shares held by the 401(k) Plan totaled 4,361 as of December 31, 2013. In January 2014, the 4,361 shares remaining in the ESOP as of December 31, 2013 were fully exhausted. Matching contributions on employee deferrals for the remainder of 2014 were made from shares held in treasury. Shares allocated during 2013 totaled 126,216.