Anixter International Inc. Financial Statement Analysis
ANIXTER INTERNATIONAL INC.
The measurement date for all of our plans is December 31st. Accordingly, at the end of each fiscal year, we determine the
discount rate to be used to discount the plan liabilities to their present value. The discount rate reflects the current rate at which
the pension liabilities could be effectively settled at the end of the year. In estimating this rate at the end of 2019 and 2018, we
reviewed rates of return on relevant market indicies and concluded the Willis Towers Watson Global Rate Link Model was
consistent with observable market conditions and industry standards for developing spot rate curves. These rates are adjusted to
match the duration of the liabilities associated with the pension plans.
In 2019 and 2018, the Society of Actuaries released new mortality tables and improvement projection scales. After
reviewing the new information as well as the defined benefit plan's population, the Company updated U.S. mortality
improvement assumptions in 2019 and 2018 for purposes of determining its mortality assumption used in the U.S. defined
benefit plans' liability calculation. In 2019, the Company selected the white collar version of the Pri-2012 tables projected
generationally using the Society of Actuaries' MP-2019 projection scale. The updated U.S. mortality assumptions resulted in an
increase of $5.2 million to the benefit obligation as of the end of 2019, prior to reflecting the discount rate change. In 2018, the
Company adjusted the long term mortality improvement projection assumption to 80% of the Society of Actuaries' mortality
improvement scale to reflect the Company's long-term expectations. The updated U.S. mortality assumptions resulted in a
decrease of $2.8 million to the benefit obligation as of the end of 2018, prior to reflecting the discount rate change.
We recognized net periodic cost of $6.4 million in 2019, $4.3 million in 2018 and $10.4 million in 2017.
A significant element in determining our net periodic benefit cost in accordance with U.S. GAAP is the expected return
on plan assets. For 2019, we had assumed that the weighted-average expected long-term rate of return on plan assets would be
6.01%. This expected return on plan assets is included in the net periodic benefit cost for the fiscal year ended 2019. As a result
of the combined effect of valuation changes in both the equity and bond markets, the plan assets produced an actual gain of
approximately 16.8% in 2019 and an actual loss of approximately 4.2% in 2018. The fair value of plan assets is $515.5 million
at the end of fiscal 2019, compared to $448.9 million at the end of fiscal 2018. The difference between the expected return and
the actual return on plan assets is amortized into expense over the service lives of the plan participants. These amounts are
reflected on our balance sheet through charges to "Accumulated other comprehensive loss," a component of "Stockholders'
Equity" in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
At January 3, 2020 and December 28, 2018, we determined the consolidated weighted-average discount rate of all plans
to be 2.75% and 3.59%, respectively, and used these rates to measure the pension benefit obligation ("PBO") at the end of each
respective fiscal year end. Due primarily to actuarial losses, the PBO increased to $586.5 million at the end of fiscal 2019 from
$504.1 million at the end of fiscal 2018. Our consolidated net unfunded status was $71.0 million at the end of fiscal 2019
compared to $55.2 million at the end of 2018.
The assets of the various defined benefit plans are held in separate independent trusts and managed by independent third
party advisors. The investment objective of both the Domestic and Foreign Plans is to ensure, over the long-term life of the
plans, an adequate level of assets to fund the benefits to employees and their beneficiaries at the time they are payable. In
meeting this objective, we seek to achieve a level of absolute investment return consistent with a prudent level of portfolio risk.
Our risk preference is to refrain from exposing the plans to higher volatility in pursuit of potential higher returns.
Due to its long duration, the pension liability is very sensitive to changes in the discount rate. As a sensitivity measure,
the effect of a 50-basis-point decline in the assumed discount rate would result in an increase in the 2020 pension expense of
approximately $4.0 million, and an increase in the projected benefit obligations at January 3, 2020 of $54.0 million. A 50-basis-
point decline in the assumed rate of return on assets would result in an increase in the 2020 expense of approximately $2.0
million.
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