RETIREMENT PLANS AND POSTRETIREMENT COSTS

We have a qualified, noncontributory defined benefit pension plan (“Qualified Pension Plan”) covering substantially all U.S. associates employed by us before January 1, 2010. Benefits under the Qualified Pension Plan are based on credited years of service and final average compensation. Our policy is to fund the Qualified Pension Plan with at least the minimum actuarially computed annual contribution required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Plan assets consist primarily of listed equity and fixed income securities. Effective December 31, 2009, the Board of Directors amended the Qualified Pension Plan to freeze benefit accruals and future eligibility. The Board of Directors has approved the termination of the Qualified Pension Plan with a proposed termination date of December 31, 2017. The termination of the Qualified Pension Plan is contingent upon receipt of an IRS determination letter that the Qualified Pension Plan was qualified upon termination and approval by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (“PBGC”). The date the termination will be approved and benefits can be distributed will not be known until we receive all required regulatory approvals. We intend to submit our request to the IRS for a determination letter that the Qualified Pension Plan is qualified upon termination prior to the end of the 2017 calendar year. Depending on the time receipt of IRS and PBGC approval, we intend to distribute Qualified Pension Plan assets prior to the end of the 2018 calendar year. Additionally, in connection with preparing for the termination of the Qualified Pension Plan, we have amended the plan to provide that participants are 100 percent vested in their accrued benefits as of the effective date of the plan termination, to adopt a new standard for disability benefits that will apply when the plan’s assets are distributed due to the termination, to add a lump sum distribution for employees and terminated vested participants who are not in payment status when Qualified Pension Plan assets are distributed due to the termination and to make certain other conforming amendments to the Qualified Pension Plan to comply with applicable laws that may be required by the IRS or may be deemed necessary or advisable to improve the administration of the Qualified Pension Plan or facilitate its termination and liquidation. We will contribute to the Trust Fund for the Qualified Pension Plan as necessary to ensure there are sufficient assets to provide all Qualified Pension Plan benefits as required by the PBGC. The financial impact of the Qualified Pension Plan termination will be recognized as a settlement of the Qualified Pension Plan liabilities. The settlement date and related financial impact have not yet been determined.

We have historically had in place a noncontributory supplemental executive retirement plan (“SERP”), which prior to January 1, 2014 was a nonqualified defined benefit plan that essentially mirrored the Qualified Pension Plan, but provided benefits in excess of certain limits placed on our Qualified Pension Plan by the Internal Revenue Code. As noted above, we froze our Qualified Pension Plan effective as of December 31, 2009 and the SERP provided benefits to participants as if the Qualified Pension Plan had not been frozen. Because the Qualified Pension Plan was frozen and because new employees were not eligible to participate in the Qualified Pension Plan, our Board of Directors adopted amendments to the SERP on October 8, 2013 that were effective as of December 31, 2013 to simplify the SERP calculation. The SERP is funded through a Rabbi Trust with BMO Harris Bank N.A. Under the amended SERP, participants received an accrued lump-sum benefit as of December 31, 2013 which was credited to each participant’s account. Subsequent to December 31, 2013, each eligible participant receives a supplemental retirement benefit equal to the foregoing lump sum benefit, plus an annual benefit accrual equal to 8 percent of the participant’s base salary and cash bonus, plus annual credited interest on the participant’s account balance. All then current participants as of December 31, 2013 are fully vested in their account balances with any new individuals participating in the SERP effective on or after January 1, 2014 being subject to a five year vesting period. The SERP, which is considered a defined benefit plan under applicable rules and regulations of the Internal Revenue Code, will continue to be funded through use of a Rabbi Trust to hold investment assets to be used in part to fund any future required lump sum benefit payments to participants. The Rabbi Trust assets had a value of $2.6 million at July 2, 2017 and $2.3 million at July 3, 2016, and are included in Other Long-Term Assets in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. The projected benefit obligation under the amended SERP was $1.8 million at both July 2, 2017 and July 3, 2016. The SERP liabilities are included in the pension tables below. However, the Rabbi Trust assets are excluded from the tables as they do not qualify as plan assets.

We also sponsor a postretirement health care plan for all U.S. associates hired prior to June 1, 2001. The expected cost of retiree health care benefits is recognized during the years the associates who are covered under the plan render service. Effective January 1, 2010, an amendment to the postretirement health care plan limited the benefit for future eligible retirees to $4,000 per plan year and the benefit is further subject to a maximum five year coverage period based on the associate’s retirement date and age. The postretirement health care plan is unfunded.

Amounts included in accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax, at July 2, 2017, which have not yet been recognized in net periodic benefit cost were as follows (thousands of dollars):

	Pension and SERP		Postretirement
Prior service cost (credit)	$	7	$	(768	)
Net actuarial loss		17,279		2,232
	$	17,286	$	1,464

Prior service cost (credit) and unrecognized net actuarial losses included in accumulated other comprehensive loss at July 2, 2017 which are expected to be recognized in net periodic benefit cost (credit) in fiscal 2018, net of tax, for the pension, SERP and postretirement plans are as follows (thousands of dollars):

	Pension and SERP		Postretirement
Prior service cost (credit)	$	7	$	(481	)
Net actuarial loss		1,282		302
	$	1,289	$	(179	)

The following tables summarize the pension, SERP and postretirement plans’ income and expense, funded status and actuarial assumptions for the years indicated (thousands of dollars). We use a June 30 measurement date for our pension and postretirement plans.

	Pension and SERP Benefits									Postretirement Benefits
	Years Ended									Years Ended
	July 2, 2017			July 3, 2016			June 28, 2015			July 2, 2017			July 3, 2016			June 28, 2015
COMPONENTS OF NET PERIODIC BENEFIT COST (CREDIT):
Service cost	$	54		$	50		$	64		$	13		$	12		$	14
Interest cost		3,926			4,387			4,173			55			87			114
Expected return on plan assets		(5,854	)		(5,509	)		(6,174	)		—			—			—
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)		11			11			11			(764	)		(764	)		(764	)
Amortization of unrecognized net loss		3,228			2,443			2,775			538			616			693
Net periodic benefit cost (credit)	$	1,365		$	1,382		$	849		$	(158	)	$	(49	)	$	57

	Pension and SERP Benefits						Postretirement Benefits
	2017			2016			2017			2016
WEIGHTED-AVERAGE ASSUMPTIONS:
Benefit Obligations:
Discount rate		3.91	%		3.79	%		3.91	%		3.79	%
Rate of compensation increases - SERP		3.0	%		3.0	%	n/a			n/a
Net Periodic Benefit Cost:
Discount rate		3.79	%		4.53	%		3.79	%		4.53	%
Expected return on plan assets		5.45	%		5.45	%	n/a			n/a
Rate of compensation increases - SERP		3.0	%		3.0	%	n/a			n/a
CHANGE IN PROJECTED BENEFIT OBLIGATION:
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	106,152		$	99,329		$	1,602		$	2,179
Service cost		54			50			13			12
Interest cost		3,926			4,387			55			87
Actuarial (gain) loss		(4,342	)		6,783			(80	)		(281	)
Benefits paid		(4,524	)		(4,397	)		(322	)		(395	)
Benefit obligation at end of year	$	101,266		$	106,152		$	1,268		$	1,602
CHANGE IN PLAN ASSETS:
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	$	104,460		$	105,472		$	—		$	—
Actual return on plan assets		7,574			371			—			—
Employer contribution		5,014			3,014			322			395
Benefits paid		(4,524	)		(4,397	)		(322	)		(395	)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	$	112,524		$	104,460		$	—		$	—
Funded status – prepaid (accrued) benefit obligations	$	11,258		$	(1,692	)	$	(1,268	)	$	(1,602	)
AMOUNTS RECOGNIZED IN CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS:
Other long-term assets	$	13,082		$	72		$	—		$	—
Accrued payroll and benefits (current liabilities)		(332	)		(299	)		(265	)		(340	)
Accrued benefit obligations (long-term liabilities)		(1,492	)		(1,465	)		(1,003	)		(1,262	)
Net amount recognized	$	11,258		$	(1,692	)	$	(1,268	)	$	(1,602	)
CHANGES IN PLAN ASSETS AND BENEFIT OBLIGATIONS RECOGNIZED IN OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME:
Net periodic benefit cost (credit)	$	1,365		$	1,382		$	(158	)	$	(49	)
Net actuarial (gain) loss		(6,063	)		11,921			(80	)		(281	)
Amortization of prior service (cost) credits		(11	)		(11	)		764			764
Amortization of unrecognized net loss		(3,228	)		(2,443	)		(538	)		(616	)
Total recognized in other comprehensive (income) loss, before tax		(9,302	)		9,467			146			(133	)
Total recognized in net periodic benefit cost and other comprehensive (income) loss, before tax	$	(7,937	)	$	10,849		$	(12	)	$	(182	)

The pension benefits have a separately determined accumulated benefit obligation, which is the actuarial present value of benefits based on service rendered and current and past compensation levels. This differs from the projected benefit obligation in that it includes no assumptions about future compensation levels. The following table summarizes the accumulated benefit obligations and projected benefit obligations for the pension and SERP (thousands of dollars):

	Pension				SERP
	July 2, 2017		July 3, 2016		July 2, 2017		July 3, 2016
Accumulated benefit obligation	$	99,442	$	104,388	$	1,591	$	1,435
Projected benefit obligation	$	99,442	$	104,388	$	1,824	$	1,764

For measurement purposes as it pertains to the estimated obligation associated with retirees prior to January 1, 2012, a 7.2 percent annual rate increase in the per capita cost of covered health care benefits was assumed for fiscal 2018; the rate was assumed to decrease gradually to 4.5 percent by the year 2025 and remain at that level thereafter.

The health care cost trend assumption has a minimal effect on our postretirement benefit amounts reported. A 1% change in the health care cost trend rates would have the following effects (thousands of dollars):

1% Increase

1% Decrease

Effect on total of service and interest cost components

in fiscal 2017

—

Effect on postretirement benefit obligation as of

July 2, 2017

)

We employ a total return investment approach whereby a mix of equities and fixed income investments are used to maximize the long-term return of plan assets for a prudent level of risk. Risk tolerance is established through careful consideration of short and long-term plan liabilities, plan funded status and corporate financial condition. The investment portfolio primarily contains a diversified blend of equity and fixed income investments. Furthermore, equity investments are diversified across U.S. and non-U.S. stocks, as well as growth and value style managers, and small, mid and large market capitalizations. The investment portfolio does not include any real estate holdings. The investment policy of the plan prohibits investment in STRATTEC stock. Investment risk is measured and monitored on an ongoing basis through periodic investment portfolio reviews, annual liability measurements and periodic asset/liability studies. The pension plan weighted-average asset allocations by asset category were as follows for 2017 and 2016:

	Target Allocation			July 2, 2017			July 3, 2016
Equity investments		35	%		38	%		38	%
Fixed-income Investments		30			56			27
Cash		35			6			35
Total		100	%		100	%		100	%

The following is a summary, by asset category, of the fair value of pension plan assets at the June 30, 2017 and June 30, 2016 measurement dates (thousands of dollars):

	June 30, 2017								June 30, 2016
Asset Category	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Cash and cash equivalents	$	—	$	7,233	$	—	$	7,233	$	—	$	36,706	$	—	$	36,706
Equity securities/funds:
Small cap		1,008		—		—		1,008		1,714		—		—		1,714
Mid cap		12,414		—		—		12,414		12,341		—		—		12,341
Large cap		19,961		—		—		19,961		18,678		—		—		18,678
International		8,941		—		—		8,941		7,132		—		—		7,132
Fixed income: Bond funds/bonds		5,718		57,249		—		62,967		4,837		23,052		—		27,889
Total	$	48,042	$	64,482	$	—	$	112,524	$	44,702	$	59,758	$	—	$	104,460

There were no transfers in or out of Level 3 investments during the measurement year ended June 30, 2017.

The expected long-term rate of return on U.S. pension plan assets used to calculate net periodic benefit cost was 5.45 percent for 2018 and 2017. The target asset allocation is 35 percent public equity and 65 percent fixed income/cash. The 5.45 percent is approximated by applying returns of 10 percent on public equity and 3 percent on fixed income/cash to the target allocation. The actual historical returns are also relevant. Annualized returns for periods ended June 30, 2017 were 5.22 percent for 5 years, 3.71 percent for 10 years, 4.83 percent for 15 years, 4.96 percent for 20 years, 5.90 percent for 25 years and 6.33 percent for 30 years.

We expect to contribute approximately $3.0 million to our qualified pension plan, $333,000 to our SERP and $265,000 to our postretirement health care plan in fiscal 2018. The following benefit payments, which reflect expected future service, as appropriate, are expected to be paid during the fiscal years noted below (thousands of dollars):

	Pension and SERP Benefits		Postretirement Benefits
2018	$	5,308	$	265
2019	$	5,304	$	217
2020	$	5,668	$	164
2021	$	6,239	$	146
2022	$	6,257	$	132
2023-2027	$	29,998	$	315

All U.S. associates may participate in our 401(k) Plan. We contribute 100 percent up to the first 5 percent of eligible compensation that a participant contributes to the plan. Our contributions to the 401(k) Plan were as follows (thousands of dollars):

	Years Ended
	July 2, 2017		July 3, 2016		June 28, 2015
Company contributions	$	1,805	$	1,783	$	1,729