Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFIT PLANS (Tables)

v2.4.1.9
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFIT PLANS (Tables)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans [Abstract]  
Changes in benefit obligations and the fair value of plan assets for our benefit plans
The following table sets forth the changes in benefit obligations and the fair value of plan assets for our benefit plans (in millions):
 
Pension Benefits  
 
Other Benefits  
 
2014

 
2013

 
2014

 
2013

Benefit obligation at beginning of year1
$
8,845

 
$
9,693

 
$
946

 
$
1,104

Service cost
261

 
280

 
26

 
36

Interest cost
406

 
378

 
43

 
42

Foreign currency exchange rate changes
(183
)
 
(69
)
 
(4
)
 
(2
)
Amendments

 
(1
)
 
(31
)
 
(73
)
Actuarial loss (gain)
1,519

 
(899
)
 
88

 
(91
)
Benefits paid2
(522
)
 
(538
)
 
(62
)
 
(77
)
Business combinations
4

 

 

 

Settlements
(7
)
 
(9
)
 
(1
)
 

Special termination benefits
5

 
2

 

 

Other
18

 
8

 
1

 
7

Benefit obligation at end of year1
$
10,346

 
$
8,845

 
$
1,006

 
$
946

Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year
$
8,746

 
$
7,584

 
$
243

 
$
202

Actual return on plan assets
574

 
1,043

 
2

 
40

Employer contributions
214

 
639

 

 

Foreign currency exchange rate changes
(203
)
 
(43
)
 

 

Benefits paid
(435
)
 
(474
)
 
(3
)
 
(2
)
Settlements
(1
)
 
(5
)
 

 

Other
7

 
2

 
4

 
3

Fair value of plan assets at end of year
$
8,902

 
$
8,746

 
$
246

 
$
243

Net liability recognized
$
(1,444
)
 
$
(99
)
 
$
(760
)
 
$
(703
)
1 
For pension benefit plans, the benefit obligation is the projected benefit obligation. For other benefit plans, the benefit obligation is the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation. The accumulated benefit obligation for our pension plans was $10,028 million and $8,523 million as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
2 
Benefits paid to pension plan participants during 2014 and 2013 included $87 million and $64 million, respectively, in payments related to unfunded pension plans that were paid from Company assets. Benefits paid to participants of other benefit plans during 2014 and 2013 included $59 million and $75 million, respectively, that were paid from Company assets.
Pension and other benefit amounts recognized in consolidated balance sheets
Pension and other benefit amounts recognized in our consolidated balance sheets are as follows (in millions):
 
Pension Benefits  
 
Other Benefits  
December 31,
2014

 
2013

 
2014

 
2013

Noncurrent asset
$
479

 
$
1,067

 
$

 
$

Current liability
(78
)
 
(76
)
 
(20
)
 
(21
)
Long-term liability
(1,845
)
 
(1,090
)
 
(740
)
 
(682
)
Net liability recognized
$
(1,444
)
 
$
(99
)
 
$
(760
)
 
$
(703
)
Schedule of pension plans with projected benefit obligation in excess of fair value of plan assets
Certain of our pension plans have projected benefit obligations in excess of the fair value of plan assets. For these plans, the projected benefit obligations and the fair value of plan assets were as follows (in millions):
December 31,
2014

 
2013

Projected benefit obligation
$
8,753

 
$
1,521

Fair value of plan assets
6,854

 
374

Accumulated benefit obligations in excess of fair value of plan assets
Certain of our pension plans have accumulated benefit obligations in excess of the fair value of plan assets. For these plans, the accumulated benefit obligations and the fair value of plan assets were as follows (in millions):
December 31,
2014

 
2013

Accumulated benefit obligation
$
8,501

 
$
1,446

Fair value of plan assets
6,820

 
351

Total pension assets for U.S. and non-U.S. plans
The following table presents total assets for our U.S. and non-U.S. pension plans (in millions):
 
U.S. Plans  
 
Non-U.S. Plans  
December 31,
2014

 
2013

 
2014

 
2013

Cash and cash equivalents
$
186

 
$
240

 
$
75

 
$
274

Equity securities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
U.S.-based companies
1,274

 
1,422

 
542

 
280

International-based companies
558

 
698

 
505

 
586

Fixed-income securities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Government bonds
455

 
464

 
411

 
304

Corporate bonds and debt securities
1,379

 
1,369

 
187

 
137

Mutual, pooled and commingled funds1
863

 
1,134

 
400

 
453

Hedge funds/limited partnerships
756

 
526

 
43

 
17

Real estate
391

 
245

 
17

 
6

Other
481

 
245

 
379

 
346

Total pension plan assets2
$
6,343

 
$
6,343

 
$
2,559

 
$
2,403

1 
Mutual, pooled and commingled funds include investments in equity securities, fixed-income securities and combinations of both. There are a significant number of mutual, pooled and commingled funds from which investors can choose. The selection of the type of fund is dictated by the specific investment objectives and needs of a given plan. These objectives and needs vary greatly between plans.
2 
Fair value disclosures related to our pension assets are included in Note 16. Fair value disclosures include, but are not limited to, the levels within the fair value hierarchy in which the fair value measurements in their entirety fall; a reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of Level 3 assets; and information about the valuation techniques and inputs used to measure the fair value of our pension assets.
Other postretirement benefit plan assets
The following table presents total assets for our other postretirement benefit plans (in millions):
December 31,
2014

 
2013

Cash and cash equivalents
$
10

 
$
10

Equity securities:
 
 
 
U.S.-based companies
114

 
112

International-based companies
7

 
8

Fixed-income securities:
 
 
 
Government bonds
79

 
79

Corporate bonds and debt securities
9

 
9

Mutual, pooled and commingled funds
16

 
18

Hedge funds/limited partnerships
5

 
3

Real estate
3

 
2

Other
3

 
2

Total other postretirement benefit plan assets1
$
246

 
$
243

1 
Fair value disclosures related to our other postretirement benefit plan assets are included in Note 16. Fair value disclosures include, but are not limited to, the levels within the fair value hierarchy in which the fair value measurements in their entirety fall; a reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of Level 3 assets; and information about the valuation techniques and inputs used to measure the fair value of our other postretirement benefit plan assets.
Net periodic benefit cost for pension and other postretirement benefit plans
Net periodic benefit cost for our pension and other postretirement benefit plans consisted of the following (in millions):
 
Pension Benefits  
 
Other Benefits  
Year Ended December 31,
2014

 
2013

 
2012

 
2014

 
2013

 
2012

Service cost
$
261

 
$
280

 
$
291

 
$
26

 
$
36

 
$
34

Interest cost
406

 
378

 
388

 
43

 
42

 
43

Expected return on plan assets1
(713
)
 
(659
)
 
(573
)
 
(11
)
 
(9
)
 
(8
)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)
(2
)
 
(2
)
 
(2
)
 
(17
)
 
(10
)
 
(52
)
Amortization of actuarial loss
73

 
197

 
137

 
2

 
13

 
6

Net periodic benefit cost
$
25

 
$
194

 
$
241

 
$
43

 
$
72

 
$
23

Settlement charge
4

 
1

 
3

 

 

 

Curtailment charge

 

 
6

 

 

 

Special termination benefits2
5

 
2

 
1

 

 

 

Total cost recognized in statements of income
$
34

 
$
197

 
$
251

 
$
43

 
$
72

 
$
23

1 
The Company has elected to use the actual fair value of plan assets as the market-related value of assets in the determination of the expected return on plan assets.
2 
The special termination benefits were primarily related to the Company's productivity, restructuring and integration initiatives. Refer to Note 18 for additional information related to our productivity, restructuring and integration initiatives.
Changes in AOCI for benefit plans
The following table sets forth the changes in AOCI for our benefit plans (in millions, pretax):
 
Pension Benefits  
 
Other Benefits  
 
2014

 
2013

 
2014

 
2013

Beginning balance in AOCI
$
(1,537
)
 
$
(3,032
)
 
$
13

 
$
(186
)
Recognized prior service cost (credit)
(2
)
 
(2
)
 
(17
)
 
(10
)
Recognized net actuarial loss (gain)
77

 
198

 
2

 
13

Prior service credit (cost) arising in current year

 
1

 
31

 
73

Net actuarial (loss) gain arising in current year
(1,658
)
 
1,283

 
(97
)
 
122

Foreign currency translation gain (loss)
51

 
15

 
1

 
1

Ending balance in AOCI
$
(3,069
)
 
$
(1,537
)
 
$
(67
)
 
$
13

Amounts in AOCI for benefit plans (pretax)
The following table sets forth amounts in AOCI for our benefit plans (in millions, pretax):
 
Pension Benefits  
 
Other Benefits  
December 31,
2014

 
2013

 
2014

 
2013

Prior service credit (cost)
$
10

 
$
12

 
$
100

 
$
86

Net actuarial loss
(3,079
)
 
(1,549
)
 
(167
)
 
(73
)
Ending balance in AOCI
$
(3,069
)
 
$
(1,537
)
 
$
(67
)
 
$
13

Amounts in AOCI expected to be recognized as components of net periodic pension cost in next fiscal year

Amounts in AOCI expected to be recognized as components of net periodic pension cost in 2015 are as follows (in millions, pretax):
 
Pension Benefits
 
Other Benefits
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)
$
(2
)
 
$
(19
)
Amortization of actuarial loss
203

 
10

 
$
201

 
$
(9
)
Certain weighted average assumptions used in computing the benefit obligations and net periodic benefit cost
Certain weighted-average assumptions used in computing the benefit obligations are as follows:
 
Pension Benefits  
 
Other Benefits  
December 31,
2014

 
2013

 
2014

 
2013

Discount rate
3.75
%
 
4.75
%
 
3.75
%
 
4.75
%
Rate of increase in compensation levels
3.50
%
 
3.50
%
 
N/A

 
N/A

Certain weighted-average assumptions used in computing net periodic benefit cost are as follows:
 
Pension Benefits  
 
Other Benefits  
Year Ended December 31,
2014

 
2013

 
2012

 
2014

 
2013

 
2012

Discount rate
4.75
%
 
4.00
%
 
4.75
%
 
4.75
%
 
4.00
%
 
4.75
%
Rate of increase in compensation levels
3.50
%
 
3.50
%
 
3.25
%
 
N/A

 
N/A

 
N/A

Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets
8.25
%
 
8.25
%
 
8.25
%
 
4.75
%
 
4.75
%
 
4.75
%
Assumed health care cost trend rates
The assumed health care cost trend rates are as follows:
December 31,
2014

 
2013

Health care cost trend rate assumed for next year
7.50
%
 
8.00
%
Rate to which the cost trend rate is assumed to decline (the ultimate trend rate)
5.00
%
 
5.00
%
Year that the rate reaches the ultimate trend rate
2020

 
2020

Estimated future benefit payments for funded and unfunded plans
Our estimated future benefit payments for funded and unfunded plans are as follows (in millions):
Year Ended December 31,
2015

 
2016

 
2017

 
2018

 
2019

 
2020-2024

Pension benefit payments
$
494

 
$
518

 
$
551

 
$
560

 
$
584

 
$
3,137

Other benefit payments1
61

 
65

 
67

 
67

 
68

 
343

Total estimated benefit payments
$
555

 
$
583

 
$
618

 
$
627

 
$
652

 
$
3,480

1 
The expected benefit payments for our other postretirement benefit plans are net of estimated federal subsidies expected to be received under the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003. Federal subsidies are estimated to be approximately $5 million for the period 2015–2019, and $4 million for the period 2020–2024.