Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

COMPANY-SPONSORED EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

v3.3.1.900
COMPANY-SPONSORED EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMPANY-SPONSORED EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
COMPANY-SPONSORED EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
We sponsor various retirement and pension plans, including defined benefit and defined contribution plans which cover our employees worldwide.
U.S. Pension Benefits
In the U.S. we maintain the following single-employer defined benefit pension plans: The UPS Retirement Plan, the UPS Pension Plan, the UPS IBT Pension Plan and the UPS Excess Coordinating Benefit Plan, a non-qualified plan.
The UPS Retirement Plan is noncontributory and includes substantially all eligible employees of participating domestic subsidiaries who are not members of a collective bargaining unit, as well as certain employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement. This plan generally provides for retirement benefits based on average compensation levels earned by employees prior to retirement. Benefits payable under this plan are subject to maximum compensation limits and the annual benefit limits for a tax-qualified defined benefit plan as prescribed by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”).
The UPS Excess Coordinating Benefit Plan is a non-qualified plan that provides benefits to certain participants in the UPS Retirement Plan for amounts that exceed the benefit limits described above.
The UPS Pension Plan is noncontributory and includes certain eligible employees of participating domestic subsidiaries and members of collective bargaining units that elect to participate in the plan. This plan generally provides for retirement benefits based on service credits earned by employees prior to retirement.
The UPS IBT Pension Plan is noncontributory and includes employees that were previously members of the Central States Pension Fund, a multiemployer pension plan, in addition to other eligible employees who are covered under certain collective bargaining agreements. This plan generally provides for retirement benefits based on service credits earned by employees prior to retirement.
International Pension Benefits
We also sponsor various defined benefit plans covering certain of our international employees. The majority of our international obligations are for defined benefit plans in Canada and the United Kingdom. In addition, many of our international employees are covered by government-sponsored retirement and pension plans. We are not directly responsible for providing benefits to participants of government-sponsored plans.
U.S. Postretirement Medical Benefits
We also sponsor postretirement medical plans in the U.S. that provide healthcare benefits to our retirees who meet certain eligibility requirements and who are not otherwise covered by multiemployer plans. Generally, this includes employees with at least 10 years of service who have reached age 55 and employees who are eligible for postretirement medical benefits from a Company-sponsored plan pursuant to collective bargaining agreements. We have the right to modify or terminate certain of these plans. These benefits have been provided to certain retirees on a noncontributory basis; however, in many cases, retirees are required to contribute all or a portion of the total cost of the coverage.
Defined Contribution Plans
We also sponsor several defined contribution plans for all employees not covered under collective bargaining agreements, and for certain employees covered under collective bargaining agreements. The Company matches, in shares of UPS common stock or cash, a portion of the participating employees’ contributions. Matching contributions charged to expense were $104, $95 and $90 million for 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
Contributions are also made to defined contribution money purchase plans under certain collective bargaining agreements. Amounts charged to expense were $83, $82 and $80 million for 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
Net Periodic Benefit Cost
Information about net periodic benefit cost for the company-sponsored pension and postretirement benefit plans is as follows (in millions):
 
U.S. Pension Benefits
 
U.S. Postretirement
Medical Benefits
 
International
Pension Benefits
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
Net Periodic Benefit Cost:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Service cost
$
1,527

 
$
1,137

 
$
1,349

 
$
34

 
$
62

 
$
103

 
$
48

 
$
43

 
$
47

Interest cost
1,694

 
1,604

 
1,449

 
117

 
152

 
185

 
44

 
49

 
44

Expected return on assets
(2,489
)
 
(2,257
)
 
(2,147
)
 
(17
)
 
(25
)
 
(33
)
 
(61
)
 
(61
)
 
(55
)
Amortization of:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Transition obligation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prior service cost
168

 
169

 
172

 
5

 

 
4

 
1

 
1

 
2

Actuarial (gain) loss
70

 
991

 

 
17

 
767

 

 
31

 
48

 

Curtailment and settlement loss

 

 

 

 
356

 

 

 

 

Other

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
4

 
(5
)
Net periodic benefit cost
$
970

 
$
1,644

 
$
823

 
$
156

 
$
1,312

 
$
259

 
$
63

 
$
84

 
$
33



The curtailment and settlement loss in 2014 for the U.S. postretirement medical benefit plans is discussed further in note 5 under the section entitled "Accounting Impact of Health and Welfare Plan Changes".
Actuarial Assumptions
The table below provides the weighted-average actuarial assumptions used to determine the net periodic benefit cost.
 
U.S. Pension Benefits
 
U.S. Postretirement
Medical Benefits
 
International
Pension Benefits
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
Discount rate
4.40
%
 
5.32
%
 
4.42
%
 
4.18
%
 
4.89
%
 
4.21
%
 
3.56
%
 
4.35
%
 
4.00
%
Rate of compensation increase
4.29
%
 
4.29
%
 
4.16
%
 
N/A

 
N/A

 
N/A

 
3.08
%
 
3.22
%
 
3.03
%
Expected return on assets
8.75
%
 
8.75
%
 
8.75
%
 
8.75
%
 
8.75
%
 
8.75
%
 
6.03
%
 
6.29
%
 
6.90
%

The table below provides the weighted-average actuarial assumptions used to determine the benefit obligations of our plans.
 
U.S. Pension Benefits
 
U.S. Postretirement
Medical Benefits
 
International
Pension Benefits
 
2015
 
2014
 
2015
 
2014
 
2015
 
2014
Discount rate
4.86
%
 
4.40
%
 
4.79
%
 
4.18
%
 
3.51
%
 
3.56
%
Rate of compensation increase
4.29
%
 
4.29
%
 
N/A

 
N/A

 
3.04
%
 
3.08
%
A discount rate is used to determine the present value of our future benefit obligations. To determine our discount rate for our U.S. pension and postretirement benefit plans, we use a bond matching approach to select specific bonds that would satisfy our projected benefit payments. We believe the bond matching approach reflects the process we would employ to settle our pension and postretirement benefit obligations. For our international plans, the discount rate is determined by matching the expected cash flows of a sample plan of similar duration to a yield curve based on long-term, high quality fixed income debt instruments available as of the measurement date. These assumptions are updated each measurement date, which is typically annually.
As of December 31, 2015, the impact of each basis point change in the discount rate on the projected benefit obligation of the pension and postretirement medical benefit plans are as follows (in millions):
 
Increase (Decrease) in the Projected Benefit Obligation
 
Pension Benefits
 
Postretirement Medical Benefits
One basis point increase in discount rate
$
(60
)
 
$
(2
)
One basis point decrease in discount rate
$
66

 
$
3


The Society of Actuaries ("SOA") published mortality tables and improvement scales are used in developing the best estimate of mortality for plans in the U.S. On October 27, 2014, the SOA published updated mortality tables and an updated improvement scale, both of which reflect longer anticipated lifetimes. Based on an evaluation of these new tables and our perspective of future longevity, we updated the mortality assumptions for purposes of measuring pension and other postretirement benefit obligations at December 31, 2014. The change to the mortality assumption increased the year-end pension and other postretirement benefit obligations by $1.119 billion and $51 million, respectively. At December 31, 2014, we also revised the retirement assumptions for non-union plan participants based on recent retirement experience. The change to the retirement assumption decreased the year-end pension and other postretirement benefit obligations by $383 and $234 million, respectively.
Assumptions for the expected return on plan assets are used to determine a component of net periodic benefit cost for the fiscal year. The assumption for our U.S. plans was developed using a long-term projection of returns for each asset class, and taking into consideration our target asset allocation. The expected return for each asset class is a function of passive, long-term capital market assumptions and excess returns generated from active management. The capital market assumptions used are provided by independent investment advisors, while excess return assumptions are supported by historical performance, fund mandates and investment expectations.
On September 25, 2015, the Central States Pension Fund ("CSPF") submitted a proposed pension suspension plan to the U.S. Department of Treasury under the Multiemployer Pension Reform Act of 2014 ("MPRA"). The CSPF plan proposes to make retirement benefit reductions to the CSPF participants, including to the benefits of UPS employee participants retiring on or after January 1, 2008. In 2007, UPS fully funded its allocable share of the unfunded vested benefits in the CSPF when it was agreed that UPS could withdraw from the CSPF in consideration of a $6.100 billion withdrawal liability. Under a collective bargaining agreement with the IBT, UPS agreed to provide supplemental benefits under the UPS/IBT Full-Time Employee Pension Plan to offset the effect of certain benefit reductions by the CSPF applicable to UPS participants retiring on or after January 1, 2008, which resulted in the initial recognition of a $1.701 billion pension liability in 2007. UPS has reviewed the CSPF’s proposed plan to evaluate the validity of the actions taken by the CSPF, the plan’s compliance with the MPRA (and proposed regulations thereunder) and its potential impact on UPS’s funding obligations under the UPS/IBT Full-Time Employee Pension Plan.
We are vigorously challenging the proposed suspension plan because it does not fully comply with the law and we do not believe certain actions by the CSPF are valid. Accordingly, we have not assumed or recognized a liability for supplemental benefits within the UPS/IBT Full-Time Employee Pension Plan due to the submission of the CSPF’s proposed plan to the U.S. Department of Treasury. Further we are not able to estimate a range of potential additional obligations, if any, or determine whether any such amounts are material, due to uncertainties regarding the validity of actions taken by the CSPF, incomplete information regarding the CSPF’s proposed benefit reductions, uncertainties regarding the process and standards under the MPRA, whether the proposed plan complies with the MPRA (and proposed regulations thereunder) and the effect of various discount rates and other actuarial assumptions.
For plans outside the U.S., consideration is given to local market expectations of long-term returns. Strategic asset allocations are determined by plan based on the nature of liabilities and considering the demographic composition of the plan participants.
Healthcare cost trends are used to project future postretirement benefits payable from our plans. For year-end 2015 U.S. plan obligations, future postretirement medical benefit costs were forecasted assuming an initial annual increase of 7.0%, decreasing to 4.5% by the year 2021 and with consistent annual increases at those ultimate levels thereafter.

Assumed healthcare cost trends can have a significant effect on the amounts reported for our postretirement medical plans. A one percent change in assumed healthcare cost trend rates would have had the following effects on 2015 results (in millions):
 
1% Increase
 
1% Decrease
Effect on total of service cost and interest cost
$
4

 
$
(4
)
Effect on postretirement benefit obligation
$
73

 
$
(79
)

Funded Status
The following table discloses the funded status of our plans and the amounts recognized in our consolidated balance sheets as of December 31 (in millions):
 
U.S. Pension Benefits
 
U.S. Postretirement
Medical Benefits
 
International
Pension Benefits
 
2015
 
2014
 
2015
 
2014
 
2015
 
2014
Funded Status:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fair value of plan assets
$
28,887

 
$
28,828

 
$
130

 
$
259

 
$
1,014

 
$
1,042

Benefit obligation
(36,846
)
 
(37,521
)
 
(2,673
)
 
(2,883
)
 
(1,219
)
 
(1,274
)
Funded status recognized at December 31
$
(7,959
)
 
$
(8,693
)
 
$
(2,543
)
 
$
(2,624
)
 
$
(205
)
 
$
(232
)
Funded Status Recognized in our Balance Sheet:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other non-current assets
$

 
$

 
$

 
$

 
$
48

 
$
25

Other current liabilities
(16
)
 
(17
)
 
(98
)
 
(102
)
 
(3
)
 
(3
)
Pension and postretirement benefit obligations
(7,943
)
 
(8,676
)
 
(2,445
)
 
(2,522
)
 
(250
)
 
(254
)
Net liability at December 31
$
(7,959
)
 
$
(8,693
)
 
$
(2,543
)
 
$
(2,624
)
 
$
(205
)
 
$
(232
)
Amounts Recognized in AOCI:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unrecognized net prior service cost
$
(954
)
 
$
(1,122
)
 
$
(26
)
 
$
(32
)
 
$
(4
)
 
$
(7
)
Unrecognized net actuarial gain (loss)
(3,263
)
 
(3,752
)
 
32

 
(89
)
 
(103
)
 
(103
)
Gross unrecognized cost at December 31
(4,217
)
 
(4,874
)
 
6

 
(121
)
 
(107
)
 
(110
)
Deferred tax assets (liabilities) at December 31
1,585

 
1,833

 
(2
)
 
45

 
26

 
29

Net unrecognized cost at December 31
$
(2,632
)
 
$
(3,041
)
 
$
4

 
$
(76
)
 
$
(81
)
 
$
(81
)

The accumulated benefit obligation for our pension plans as of the measurement dates in 2015 and 2014 was $35.320 and $35.867 billion, respectively.
Benefit payments under the pension plans include $22 and $19 million paid from employer assets in 2015 and 2014, respectively. Benefit payments (net of participant contributions) under the postretirement medical benefit plans include $111 and $122 million paid from employer assets in 2015 and 2014, respectively. Such benefit payments from employer assets are also categorized as employer contributions.
At December 31, 2015 and 2014, the projected benefit obligation, the accumulated benefit obligation and the fair value of plan assets for pension plans with benefit obligations in excess of plan assets were as follows (in millions):
 
Projected Benefit Obligation
Exceeds the Fair Value of Plan Assets
 
Accumulated Benefit Obligation
Exceeds the Fair Value of Plan Assets
2015
 
2014
 
2015
 
2014
U.S. Pension Benefits:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Projected benefit obligation
$
36,846

 
$
37,521

 
$
36,846

 
$
37,521

Accumulated benefit obligation
34,210

 
34,725

 
34,210

 
34,725

Fair value of plan assets
28,887

 
28,828

 
28,887

 
28,828

International Pension Benefits:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Projected benefit obligation
$
493

 
$
510

 
$
477

 
$
474

Accumulated benefit obligation
416

 
426

 
401

 
398

Fair value of plan assets
247

 
261

 
232

 
232


The accumulated postretirement benefit obligation exceeds plan assets for all of our U.S. postretirement medical benefit plans.
Benefit Obligations and Fair Value of Plan Assets
The following table provides a reconciliation of the changes in the plans’ benefit obligations and fair value of plan assets as of the respective measurement dates in each year (in millions).
 
U.S. Pension Benefits
 
U.S. Postretirement
Medical Benefits
 
International
Pension
Benefits
 
2015
 
2014
 
2015
 
2014
 
2015
 
2014
Benefit Obligations:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Projected benefit obligation at beginning of year
$
37,521

 
$
29,508

 
$
2,883

 
$
4,046

 
$
1,274

 
$
1,076

Service cost
1,527

 
1,137

 
34

 
62

 
48

 
43

Interest cost
1,694

 
1,604

 
117

 
152

 
44

 
49

Gross benefits paid
(1,056
)
 
(924
)
 
(262
)
 
(255
)
 
(30
)
 
(26
)
Plan participants’ contributions

 

 
21

 
15

 
6

 
5

Plan amendments

 
5

 

 
65

 
(2
)
 

Actuarial (gain)/loss
(2,840
)
 
6,191

 
(120
)
 
1,069

 
13

 
194

Foreign currency exchange rate changes

 

 

 

 
(138
)
 
(103
)
Curtailments and settlements

 

 

 
(2,271
)
 
(3
)
 
(2
)
Other

 

 

 

 
7

 
38

Projected benefit obligation at end of year
$
36,846

 
$
37,521

 
$
2,673

 
$
2,883

 
$
1,219

 
$
1,274

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
U.S. Pension Benefits
 
U.S. Postretirement
Medical Benefits
 
International
Pension
Benefits
 
2015
 
2014
 
2015
 
2014
 
2015
 
2014
Fair Value of Plan Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year
$
28,828

 
$
26,224

 
$
259

 
$
355

 
$
1,042

 
$
931

Actual return on plan assets
67

 
2,471

 

 
22

 
43

 
106

Employer contributions
1,048

 
1,057

 
111

 
122

 
70

 
79

Plan participants’ contributions

 

 
21

 
15

 
3

 
3

Gross benefits paid
(1,056
)
 
(924
)
 
(261
)
 
(255
)
 
(30
)
 
(26
)
Foreign currency exchange rate changes

 

 

 

 
(113
)
 
(79
)
Curtailments and settlements

 

 

 

 
(3
)
 
(2
)
Other

 

 

 

 
2

 
30

Fair value of plan assets at end of year
$
28,887

 
$
28,828

 
$
130

 
$
259

 
$
1,014

 
$
1,042


The curtailments and settlements amount in 2014 for the U.S. postretirement medical benefit plans is discussed further in note 5 under the section entitled "Accounting Impact of Health and Welfare Plan Changes".
Pension and Postretirement Plan Assets
The applicable benefit plan committees establish investment guidelines and strategies, and regularly monitor the performance of the funds and portfolio managers. Our investment guidelines address the following items: governance, general investment beliefs and principles, investment objectives, specific investment goals, process for determining/maintaining the asset allocation policy, long-term asset allocation, rebalancing, investment restrictions/prohibited transactions, portfolio manager structure and diversification (which addresses limits on the amount of investments held by any one manager to minimize risk), portfolio manager selection criteria, plan evaluation, portfolio manager performance review and evaluation, and risk management (including various measures used to evaluate risk tolerance).
We invest pension assets in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. The long-term primary investment objectives for our pension assets are to: (1) provide for a reasonable amount of long-term growth of capital, with prudent exposure to risk; and protect the assets from erosion of purchasing power; (2) provide investment results that meet or exceed the plans’ expected long-term rate of return; and (3) match the duration of the liabilities and assets of the plans to reduce the potential risk of large employer contributions being necessary in the future. The plans strive to meet these objectives by employing portfolio managers to actively manage assets within the guidelines and strategies set forth by the benefit plan committees. These managers are evaluated by comparing their performance to applicable benchmarks.
Fair Value Measurements
Pension assets utilizing Level 1 inputs include equity investments, corporate debt instruments, and U.S. government securities. Fair values were determined by closing prices for those securities traded on national stock exchanges, while securities traded in the over-the-counter market and listed securities for which no sale was reported on the valuation date are valued at the mean between the last reported bid and asked prices.
Level 2 assets include certain bonds that are valued based on yields currently available on comparable securities of other issues with similar credit ratings, mortgage-backed securities that are valued based on cash flow and yield models using acceptable modeling and pricing conventions, and certain investments that are pooled with other investments held by the trustee in a commingled employee benefit trust fund. The investments in the commingled funds are valued by taking the percentage owned by the respective plan in the underlying net asset value of the trust fund, which was determined in accordance with the paragraph above.
Certain investments’ estimated fair value is based on unobservable inputs that are not corroborated by observable market data and are thus classified as Level 3. These investments include commingled funds comprised of corporate and government bonds, hedge funds, real estate investments and private equity funds. The fair values may, due to the inherent uncertainty of valuation for those alternative investments, differ significantly from the values that would have been used had a ready market for the alternative investments existed, and the differences could be material. These investments are described further below:
Hedge Funds: We maintain plan assets invested in hedge funds that pursue multiple strategies to diversify risk and reduce volatility. Investments in hedge funds are valued using reported net asset values as of December 31. These assets are primarily invested in a portfolio of diversified, direct investments and funds of hedge funds. Most of these funds allow redemptions either quarterly or semi-annually after a two to three month notice period, while other funds allow for redemption after only a brief notification period with no restriction on redemption frequency. At December 31, 2015, unfunded commitments to these hedge funds totaling approximately $234 million are expected to be contributed over the remaining investment period, typically ranging between two and four years.
Risk Parity Funds: We maintain plan assets invested in risk parity strategies in order to provide diversification and balance risk / return objectives.  Investments in risk parity funds are valued using reported net asset values as of December 31. These strategies reflect a multi-asset class balanced risk approach generally consisting of equity, interest rates, credit, and commodities.  These funds allow for monthly redemptions with only a brief notification period. No unfunded commitments existed with respect to these funds as of December 31, 2015.
Real Estate and Private Equity Funds: We maintain plan assets invested in limited partnership interests in various private equity and real estate funds. These private equity and real estate investment funds are valued using fair values per the most recent partnership audited financial reports, adjusted as appropriate for any lag between the date of the financial reports and December 31. The real estate and private equity investments consist of U.S. and non-U.S. investments and are broadly diversified. Limited provision exists for the redemption of these interests by the limited partners that invest in these funds until the end of the term of the partnerships, typically ranging between 10 and 15 years from the date of inception. An active secondary market exists for similar partnership interests, although no particular value (discount or premium) can be guaranteed. At December 31, 2015, unfunded commitments to such limited partnerships totaling approximately $1.855 billion are expected to be contributed over the remaining investment period, typically ranging between three and six years.
The fair values of U.S. and international pension and postretirement benefit plan assets by asset category as of December 31, 2015 are presented below (in millions), as well as the percentage that each category comprises of our total plan assets and the respective target allocations.
 
Level 1
 
Level 2
 
Level 3
 
Total
Assets
 
Percentage of
Plan Assets -
2015
 
Target
Allocation
2015
Asset Category (U.S. Plans):
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cash and cash equivalents
$
716

 
$
95

 
$

 
$
811

 
2.8
%
 
0-5
Equity Securities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
U.S. Large Cap
2,542

 
1,704

 

 
4,246

 
 
 
 
U.S. Small Cap
310

 
42

 

 
352

 
 
 
 
Emerging Markets
1,271

 
155

 

 
1,426

 
 
 
 
Global Equity
2,935

 

 

 
2,935

 
 
 
 
International Equity
2,308

 
781

 

 
3,089

 
 
 
 
Total Equity Securities
9,366

 
2,682

 

 
12,048

 
41.5

 
35-55
Fixed Income Securities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
U.S. Government Securities
3,257

 
212

 

 
3,469

 
 
 
 
Corporate Bonds

 
3,682

 
279

 
3,961

 
 
 
 
Global Bonds

 
147

 
586

 
733

 
 
 
 
Municipal Bonds

 
36

 

 
36

 
 
 
 
Total Fixed Income Securities
3,257

 
4,077

 
865

 
8,199

 
28.2

 
25-35
Other Investments:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hedge Funds

 

 
3,617

 
3,617

 
12.5

 
5-15
Private Equity

 

 
1,415

 
1,415

 
4.9

 
1-10
Real Estate
126

 
155

 
1,567

 
1,848

 
6.4

 
1-10
Structured Products(1)

 
324

 

 
324

 
1.1

 
0-5
Risk Parity Funds

 

 
755

 
755

 
2.6

 
1-10
Total U.S. Plan Assets
$
13,465

 
$
7,333

 
$
8,219

 
$
29,017

 
100.0
%
 
 
Asset Category (International Plans):
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cash and cash equivalents
$
9

 
$
16

 
$

 
25

 
2.5

 
0-5
Equity Securities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Local Markets Equity
133

 
107

 

 
240

 
 
 
 
U.S. Equity
16

 

 

 
16

 
 
 
 
Emerging Markets
16

 

 

 
16

 
 
 
 
International / Global Equity
84

 
92

 

 
176

 
 
 
 
Total Equity Securities
249

 
199

 

 
448

 
44.1

 
50-65
Fixed Income Securities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Local Government Bonds
72

 

 

 
72

 
 
 
 
Corporate Bonds
56

 
93

 

 
149

 
 
 
 
Total Fixed Income Securities
128

 
93

 

 
221

 
21.8

 
15-35
Other Investments:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Real Estate

 
111

 

 
111

 
10.9

 
0-17
Other

 
160

 
49

 
209

 
20.7

 
0-20
Total International Plan Assets
$
386

 
$
579

 
$
49

 
$
1,014

 
100.0
%
 
 
Total Plan Assets
$
13,851

 
$
7,912

 
$
8,268

 
$
30,031

 
 
 
 
(1) Represents mortgage and asset-backed securities.


The fair values of U.S. and international pension and postretirement benefit plan assets by asset category as of December 31, 2014 are presented below (in millions), as well as the percentage that each category comprises of our total plan assets and the respective target allocations.
 
Level 1
 
Level 2
 
Level 3
 
Total
Assets
 
Percentage of
Plan Assets -
2014
 
Target
Allocation
2014
Asset Category (U.S. Plans):
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cash and cash equivalents
$
744

 
$
1,028

 
$

 
$
1,772

 
6.1
%
 
0-5
Equity Securities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
U.S. Large Cap
2,066

 
2,082

 

 
4,148

 
 
 
 
U.S. Small Cap
322

 
44

 

 
366

 
 
 
 
Emerging Markets
1,270

 
116

 

 
1,386

 
 
 
 
Global Equity
2,788

 

 

 
2,788

 
 
 
 
International Equity
1,154

 
792

 

 
1,946

 
 
 
 
Total Equity Securities
7,600

 
3,034

 

 
10,634

 
36.6

 
35-55
Fixed Income Securities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
U.S. Government Securities
4,541

 
239

 

 
4,780

 
 
 
 
Corporate Bonds
6

 
2,921

 
269

 
3,196

 
 
 
 
Global Bonds

 
159

 
613

 
772

 
 
 
 
Municipal Bonds

 
100

 

 
100

 
 
 
 
Total Fixed Income Securities
4,547

 
3,419

 
882

 
8,848

 
30.4

 
25-35
Other Investments:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hedge Funds

 

 
3,595

 
3,595

 
12.4

 
5-15
Private Equity

 

 
1,323

 
1,323

 
4.5

 
1-10
Real Estate
412

 
47

 
1,307

 
1,766

 
6.1

 
1-10
Structured Products(1)

 
332

 

 
332

 
1.1

 
0-5
Risk Parity Funds

 

 
817

 
817

 
2.8

 
1-10
Total U.S. Plan Assets
$
13,303

 
$
7,860

 
$
7,924

 
$
29,087

 
100.0
%
 
 
Asset Category (International Plans):
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cash and cash equivalents
$
6

 
$
26

 
$

 
32

 
3.1

 
0-5
Equity Securities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Local Markets Equity
145

 
105

 

 
250

 
 
 
 
U.S. Equity
17

 

 

 
17

 
 
 
 
Emerging Markets
19

 

 

 
19

 
 
 
 
International / Global Equity
82

 
95

 

 
177

 
 
 
 
Total Equity Securities
263

 
200

 

 
463

 
44.3

 
50-65
Fixed Income Securities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Local Government Bonds
78

 

 

 
78

 
 
 
 
Corporate Bonds
55

 
94

 

 
149

 
 
 
 
Total Fixed Income Securities
133

 
94

 

 
227

 
21.8

 
15-35
Other Investments:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Real Estate

 
108

 

 
108

 
10.4

 
0-17
Other

 
159

 
53

 
212

 
20.4

 
0-20
Total International Plan Assets
$
402

 
$
587

 
$
53

 
$
1,042

 
100.0
%
 
 
Total Plan Assets
$
13,705

 
$
8,447

 
$
7,977

 
$
30,129

 
 
 
 

(1) Represents mortgage and asset-backed securities.

The following table presents the changes in the Level 3 instruments measured on a recurring basis for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 (in millions).
 
Corporate
Bonds
 
Hedge
Funds
 
Real
Estate
 
Private
Equity
 
Global Bonds
 
Risk Parity Funds
 
Other
 
Total
Balance on January 1, 2014
$
223

 
$
3,738

 
$
1,091

 
$
1,397

 
$

 
$
756

 
$
55

 
$
7,260

Actual Return on Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Assets Held at End of Year

 
71

 
104

 
11

 

 
61

 
(2
)
 
245

Assets Sold During the Year

 
(9
)
 
23

 
126

 

 

 

 
140

Purchases
108

 
1,043

 
350

 
166

 
735

 

 

 
2,402

Sales
(62
)
 
(1,248
)
 
(261
)
 
(377
)
 
(122
)
 

 

 
(2,070
)
Transfers Into (Out of) Level 3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance on December 31, 2014
$
269

 
$
3,595

 
$
1,307

 
$
1,323

 
$
613

 
$
817

 
$
53

 
$
7,977

Actual Return on Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Assets Held at End of Year
(8
)
 
62

 
79

 
(39
)
 
11

 
(62
)
 
(4
)
 
39

Assets Sold During the Year

 
39

 
45

 
149

 
(2
)
 

 

 
231

Purchases
22

 
283

 
545

 
347

 
130

 

 

 
1,327

Sales
(4
)
 
(362
)
 
(409
)
 
(365
)
 
(166
)
 

 

 
(1,306
)
Transfers Into (Out of) Level 3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance on December 31, 2015
$
279

 
$
3,617

 
$
1,567

 
$
1,415

 
$
586

 
$
755

 
$
49

 
$
8,268


There were no UPS class A or B shares of common stock directly held in plan assets as of December 31, 2015 or December 31, 2014.
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
The estimated amounts of prior service cost in AOCI expected to be amortized and recognized as a component of net periodic benefit cost in 2016 are as follows (in millions):
 
U.S. Pension Benefits
 
U.S. Postretirement
Medical Benefits
 
International Pension
Benefits
Prior service cost / (benefit)
$
166

 
$
5

 
$
1


Expected Cash Flows
Information about expected cash flows for the pension and postretirement benefit plans is as follows (in millions):
 
U.S.
Pension Benefits
 
U.S. Postretirement
Medical Benefits
 
International Pension
Benefits
Expected Employer Contributions:
 
 
 
 
 
2016 to plan trusts
$
1,161

 
$

 
$
55

2016 to plan participants
16

 
101

 
3

Expected Benefit Payments:
 
 
 
 
 
2016
$
1,067

 
$
237

 
$
23

2017
1,168

 
236

 
23

2018
1,278

 
232

 
26

2019
1,398

 
232

 
29

2020
1,529

 
228

 
32

2021 - 2025
9,822

 
1,005

 
222


Our funding policy for U.S. plans is to contribute amounts annually that are at least equal to the amounts required by applicable laws and regulations, or to directly fund payments to plan participants, as applicable. International plans will be funded in accordance with local regulations. Additional discretionary contributions may be made when deemed appropriate to meet the long-term obligations of the plans. Expected benefit payments for pensions will be primarily paid from plan trusts. Expected benefit payments for postretirement medical benefits will be paid from plan trusts and corporate assets.