RITE AID CORP | 2013 | FY | 3


16. Retirement Plans

        The Company and its subsidiaries sponsor several retirement plans that are primarily 401(k) defined contribution plans covering nonunion associates and certain union associates. The Company does not contribute to all of the plans. In accordance with those plan provisions, the Company matches 100% of a participant's pretax payroll contributions, up to a maximum of 3% of such participant's pretax annual compensation. Thereafter, the Company will match 50% of the participant's additional pretax payroll contributions, up to a maximum of 2% of such participant's additional pretax annual compensation. Total expense recognized for the above plans was $56,480 in fiscal 2013, $57,036 in fiscal 2012 and $58,035 in fiscal 2011.

        The Company sponsors a Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan ("SERP") for its officers, which is a defined contribution plan that is subject to a five year graduated vesting schedule. The expense recognized for the SERP was $7,469 in fiscal 2013, $4,582 in fiscal 2012, and $9,433 in fiscal 2011.

        The Company and its subsidiaries also sponsor a qualified defined benefit pension plan that requires benefits to be paid to eligible associates based upon years of service and, in some cases, eligible compensation. The Company's funding policy for The Rite Aid Pension Plan (The "Defined Benefit Pension Plan") is to contribute the minimum amount required by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. However, the Company may, at its sole discretion, contribute additional funds to the plan. The Company made contributions of $5,583 in fiscal 2013, $14,878 in fiscal 2012, and $13,451 in fiscal 2011.

        The Company also maintains a nonqualified executive retirement plan for certain former employees who, pursuant to their employment agreements, did not participate in the SERP. The Company no longer enrolls new participants into this plan. These participants generally receive an annual benefit payable monthly over fifteen years. This nonqualified defined benefit plan is unfunded.

        Net periodic pension expense and other changes recognized in other comprehensive income for the defined benefit pension plans and the nonqualified executive retirement plan included the following components:

 
  Defined Benefit Pension Plan   Nonqualified Executive
Retirement Plan
 
 
  2013   2012   2011   2013   2012   2011  

Service cost

  $ 2,908   $ 2,988   $ 2,972   $   $ 21   $ 72  

Interest cost

    6,128     6,501     6,124     616     771     847  

Expected return on plan assets

    (6,719 )   (6,192 )   (4,819 )            

Amortization of unrecognized prior service cost

    240     639     861              

Amortization of unrecognized net loss (gain)

    3,926     2,435     2,114     866     (582 )   (926 )
                           

Net pension expense(income)

  $ 6,483   $ 6,371   $ 7,252   $ 1,482   $ 210   $ (7 )

Other changes recognized in other comprehensive loss:

                                     

Unrecognized net (gain) loss arising during period

  $ 12,901   $ 24,664   $ 279   $ 866   $ 595   $ 593  

Prior service cost arising during period

        (275 )                

Amortization of unrecognized prior service costs

    (240 )   (639 )   (861 )            

Amortization of unrecognized net (loss) gain

    (3,926 )   (2,435 )   (2,114 )   (866 )   582     925  
                           

Net amount recognized in other comprehensive loss

    8,735     21,315     (2,696 )       1,177     1,518  
                           

Net amount recognized in pension expense and other comprehensive loss

  $ 15,218   $ 27,686   $ 4,556   $ 1,482   $ 1,387   $ 1,511  
                           

        The table below sets forth reconciliation from the beginning of the year for both the benefit obligation and plan assets of the Company's defined benefit plans, as well as the funded status and amounts recognized in the Company's balance sheet as of March 2, 2013 and March 3, 2012:

 
  Defined Benefit
Pension Plan
  Nonqualified Executive
Retirement Plan
 
 
  2013   2012   2013   2012  

Change in benefit obligations:

                         

Benefit obligation at end of prior year

  $ 142,310   $ 115,499   $ 14,509   $ 14,822  

Service cost

    2,908     2,988         21  

Interest cost

    6,128     6,501     616     771  

Distributions

    (6,644 )   (6,957 )   (1,659 )   (1,700 )

Change due to change in assumptions

    13,979     23,574     756     823  

Change due to Plan amendments

        (275 )        

Actuarial (gain) loss

    (159 )   980     110     (228 )
                   

Benefit obligation at end of year

  $ 158,522   $ 142,310   $ 14,332   $ 14,509  
                   

Change in plan assets:

                         

Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year

  $ 108,196   $ 94,195   $   $  

Employer contributions

    5,583     14,878     1,659     1,700  

Actual return on plan assets

    9,067     7,507          

Distributions (including expenses paid by the plan)

    (8,073 )   (8,384 )   (1,659 )   (1,700 )
                   

Fair value of plan assets at end of year

  $ 114,773   $ 108,196   $   $  
                   

Funded status

  $ (43,749 ) $ (34,114 ) $ (14,331 ) $ (14,509 )
                   

Net amount recognized

  $ (43,749 ) $ (34,114 ) $ (14,331 ) $ (14,509 )
                   

Amounts recognized in consolidated balance sheets consisted of:

                         

Prepaid pension cost

  $   $   $   $  

Accrued pension liability

    (43,749 )   (34,114 )   (14,331 )   (14,509 )
                   

Net amount recognized

  $ (43,749 ) $ (34,114 ) $ (14,331 ) $ (14,509 )

Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss consist of:

                         

Net actuarial loss

  $ (59,143 ) $ (50,168 ) $   $  

Prior service cost

    (547 )   (787 )        
                   

Amount recognized

  $ (59,690 ) $ (50,955 ) $   $  
                   

        The estimated net actuarial loss and prior service cost amounts that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive loss into net periodic pension expense in fiscal 2014 are $4,810 and $240, respectively.

        The accumulated benefit obligation for the defined benefit pension plan was $158,368 and $142,117 as of March 2, 2013 and March 3, 2012, respectively. The accumulated benefit obligation for the nonqualified executive retirement plan was $14,331 and $14,509 as of March 2, 2013 and March 3, 2012, respectively.

        The significant actuarial assumptions used for all defined benefit plans to determine the benefit obligation as of March 2, 2013, March 3, 2012, and February 26, 2011 were as follows:

 
  Defined Benefit
Pension Plan
  Nonqualified Executive
Retirement Plan
 
 
  2013   2012   2011   2013   2012   2011  

Discount rate

    4.00 %   4.50 %   5.50 %   4.00 %   4.50 %   5.50 %

Rate of increase in future compensation levels

    4.50 %   5.00 %   5.00 %   N/A %   3.00 %   3.00 %

        Weighted average assumptions used to determine net cost for the fiscal years ended March 2, 2013, March 3, 2012 and February 26, 2011 were:

 
  Defined Benefit
Pension Plan
  Nonqualified Executive
Retirement Plan
 
 
  2013   2012   2011   2013   2012   2011  

Discount rate

    4.50 %   5.50 %   6.00 %   4.50 %   5.50 %   6.00 %

Rate of increase in future compensation levels

    5.00 %   5.00 %   5.00 %   N/A     3.00 %   3.00 %

Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets

    7.75 %   7.75 %   7.75 %   N/A     N/A     N/A  

        To develop the expected long-term rate of return on assets assumption, the Company considered the historical returns and the future expectations for returns for each asset class, as well as the target asset allocation of the pension portfolio. This resulted in the selection of the 7.75% long-term rate of return on plan assets assumption for fiscal 2013, 2012 and 2011.

        The Company's pension plan asset allocations at March 2, 2013 and March 3, 2012 by asset category were as follows:

 
  March 2,
2013
  March 3,
2012
 

Equity securities

    60 %   60 %

Fixed income securities

    40 %   40 %
           

Total

    100 %   100 %
           

        The investment objectives of the Defined Benefit Pension Plan, the only defined benefit plan with assets, are to:

        The asset allocation established for the pension investment program reflects the risk tolerance of the Company, as determined by:

        Investments in both the equity and fixed income markets will be maintained, recognizing that historical results indicate that equities (primarily common stocks) have higher expected returns than fixed income investments. It is also recognized that the correlation between assets and liabilities must be balanced to address higher volatility of equity investments (return risk) and interest rate risk.

        The following targets are to be applied to the allocation of plan assets.

Category
  Target
Allocation
 

U.S. equities

    45 %

International equities

    15 %

U.S. fixed income

    40 %
       

Total

    100 %
       

        The Company expects to contribute $833 to the Defined Benefit Pension Plan and make payments of $1,654 to participants of the Nonqualified Executive Retirement Plan during fiscal 2014.

        The following table sets forth by level within the fair value hierarchy a summary of the plan's investments measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of March 2, 2013 and March 3, 2012:

 
  Fair Value Measurements at March 2, 2013  
 
  Quoted Prices in
Active Markets
for Identical
Assets (Level 1)
  Significant
Observable
Inputs (Level 2)
  Significant
Unobservable
Inputs (Level 3)
  Total  

Equity Securities

                         

International equity

  $   $ 17,199   $   $ 17,199  

Large Cap

        35,098         35,098  

Mid Cap

        12,562         12,562  

Small Cap

        4,236         4,236  

Fixed Income

                         

Long Term Credit Bond Index

        45,664         45,664  

Other types of investments

                         

Short Term Investments

        14         14  
                   

Total

  $   $ 114,773   $   $ 114,773  
                   

 

 
  Fair Value Measurements at March 3, 2012  
 
  Quoted Prices in
Active Markets
for Identical
Assets (Level 1)
  Significant
Observable
Inputs (Level 2)
  Significant
Unobservable
Inputs (Level 3)
  Total  

Equity Securities

                         

International equity

  $   $ 16,265   $   $ 16,265  

Large Cap

        33,350         33,350  

Mid Cap

        11,765         11,765  

Small Cap

        3,733         3,733  

Fixed Income

                         

Long Term Credit Bond Index

        42,924         42,924  

Other types of investments

                         

Short Term Investments

        159         159  
                   

Total

  $   $ 108,196   $   $ 108,196  
                   

        The following is a description of the valuation methodologies used for instruments measured at fair value, as well as the general classification of such instruments pursuant to the valuation hierarchy.

Common and Collective Trusts

        Common collective trust funds are stated at fair value as determined by the issuer of the common collective trust funds based on the fair market value of the underlying investments.

        Following are the future benefit payments expected to be paid for the Defined Benefit Pension Plan and the nonqualified executive retirement plan during the years indicated:

Fiscal Year
  Defined Benefit
Pension Plan
  Nonqualified
Executive
Retirement Plan
 

2014

  $ 6,764   $ 1,654  

2015

    6,943     1,597  

2016

    7,128     1,539  

2017

    7,351     1,344  

2018

    7,565     1,150  

2019 - 2023

    41,146     4,377  
           

Total

  $ 76,897   $ 11,661  
           

        The Company participates in various multi-employer union pension plans that are not sponsored by the Company. Total expenses recognized for the multi-employer plans were $19,787 in fiscal 2013, $14,594 in fiscal 2012 and $19,053 in fiscal 2011.


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