Notes to Financial Statements
December 31, 2015
1. Description of the Plan
The 401(k) Plan (the Plan) is a defined contribution plan and is subject to the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). The Plan’s sponsor is Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (ATI, the Plan Sponsor). The following brief description of the Plan is provided for general information purposes only. Participants should refer to the summary plan description for more complete information regarding eligibility, vesting, contributions, and withdrawals.
The purpose of the Plan is to provide retirement benefits to eligible employees through company contributions and to encourage employee thrift by permitting eligible employees to defer a part of their compensation and contribute such deferral to the Plan. The Plan allows employees to contribute a portion of eligible wages each pay period through payroll deductions subject to Internal Revenue Code (the Code) limitations.
The Plan allows participants to direct their contributions, and contributions made on their behalf, to any of the investment options offered by the Plan. Unless otherwise specified by the participant, contributions are made to the QDIA (Qualified Default Investment Alternative), The Vanguard Target Retirement Fund that most closely matches the participants 65
th
birthday date (e.g. Vanguard Target Retirement 2030 Fund). Separate accounts are maintained by the Plan Sponsor for each participating employee. Trustee fees and asset management fees charged by the Plan’s trustee, Mercer Trust Company, for the administration of all funds are charged against net assets available for benefits of the respective fund. Certain other expenses of administering the Plan are paid by the Plan Sponsor. Participants may make “in-service” and hardship withdrawals as outlined in the Plan document.
All employees in the Plan are vested immediately in their entire participant account balance. Effective January 1, 2015, all non-represented employees in the Plan became immediately vested in all company contributions, including the company match and non-elective contribution. The non-elective contribution for non-represented employees represents 6.5% of eligible earnings while the company match is made at a rate of 50% on up to 6% of the employee’s eligible earnings deferral. This same non-represented group was transferred into the ATI 401(k) Savings Plan effective November 30, 2015.
For represented employees in the plan, qualifying employee contributions are matched by the respective employing companies that are affiliates of ATI based on various formulas including as a percentage of employee contributions, or as a flat dollar amount based on years of service. Represented employees at certain ATI operations also receive an employer contribution to the Plan based on hours worked. The specific conditions, amounts and criteria governing eligibility for the various employer contributions are set forth in the Plan documents or union agreements. Vesting in the Company’s contribution for represented employees varies based on employee group classification and years of service. Participant forfeitures are used to reduce future employer contributions
Active employees can borrow up to 50% of their vested account balances minus any outstanding loans. The loan amounts are further limited to a minimum of $500 and a maximum of $50,000, and an employee can obtain no more than three loans at one time. Interest rates are determined based on commercially accepted criteria, and payment schedules vary based on the type of loan. General-purpose loans are repaid over 6 to 60 months, and primary residence loans are repaid over periods up to 180 months. Principal and interest payments are made by payroll deductions.
2. Significant Accounting Policies
Use of Estimates and Basis of Accounting
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements, accompanying notes and supplemental schedules. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The financial statements are prepared under the accrual basis of accounting.
Investment Valuation
Certain assets of the Plan have been commingled in the Allegheny Technologies Incorporated Master Trust (the Master Trust) with the assets of various ATI sponsored defined contribution plans for investment and administrative purposes. The investment in the Master Trust represents the Plan’s interest in the net assets of the Master Trust, and is stated at fair value or for fully benefit-responsive investment contracts, at contract value. Contract value is the relevant measurement attributable to fully benefit-responsive investment contracts because contract value is the amount participants would receive if they were to initiate
permitted transactions under the terms of the Plan. The contract value represents contributions plus earnings, less participant withdrawals and administrative expenses.
Master Trust assets as well as income/losses are allocated among the participating plans by assigning to each plan those transactions (primarily contributions, benefit payments, and plan-specific expenses) that can be specifically identified and by allocating among all plans, in proportion to the fair value of the assets assigned to each plan, income and expenses resulting from the collective investment of the assets of the Master Trust.
Payment of Benefits
Benefits are recorded when paid.
Notes Receivable from Participants
Notes receivable from participants represent participant loans that are recorded at their unpaid principal balance plus any accrued but unpaid interest. Interest income on notes receivable from participants is recorded when it is earned. Related fees are recorded as administrative expenses and are expensed when they are incurred. No allowance for credit losses were recorded as of
December 31, 2015
or
2014
. If a participant ceases to make a note repayment and the Plan administrator deems the note to be a distribution, the note receivable balance is reduced and a benefit payment is recorded.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In May 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued ASU 2015-07, “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosures for Investments in Certain Entities That Calculate Net Asset Value per Share (or Its Equivalent).” This FASB pronouncement removes the requirement to categorize within the fair value hierarchy all investments for which fair value is measured using the net asset value per share as a practical expedient. ASU 2015-07 also removes the requirement to make certain disclosures for all investments that are eligible to be measured at fair value using the net asset value per share as a practical expedient, and is effective for public businesses beginning after December 15, 2015, with early adoption permitted. ASU 2015-07 requires retrospective application by removing investments measured using net asset value as a practical expedient from the fair value hierarchy in all periods presented. The Plan has elected to early adopt this ASU in the current year and as such, these financial statements have revised disclosures to reflect this adoption.
In July 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2015-12, “Plan Accounting: Defined Benefit Pension Plans (Topic 960), Defined Contribution Pension Plans (Topic 962), Health and Welfare Benefit Plans (Topic 965): (Part I) Fully Benefit-Responsive Investment Contracts, (Part II) Plan Investment Disclosures, (Part III) Measurement Date Practical Expedient (consensuses of the Emerging Issues Task Force).” These FASB pronouncements attempt to reduce complexity in employee benefit plan accounting. Such changes include: (1) measuring and presenting fully benefit-responsive investment contracts at contract value; (2) eliminating various requirements for plan investment disclosures, such as net appreciation/depreciation by general investment by type and individual investments that represent 5% or more of net assets; and (3) a practical expedient that permits a plan to measure investments as of a month-end date closest to the plan’s fiscal year-end. ASU 2015-12 is effective for the Plan beginning after December 15, 2015, with early adoption permitted and retrospective application required. The Plan has elected to early adopt Parts I and II of this ASU in the current year and as such, these financial statements reflect this adoption.
3. Investments
Certain assets of the Plan along with the assets of various other ATI sponsored plans are part of the Master Trust. The Plan’s interest in the net assets of the Master Trust was approximately
6%
at
December 31, 2015
and
31%
at
December 31, 2014
. The Plan also permits self-directed investments in registered investment companies that are maintained in accounts separate from the Master Trust.
The Plan’s approximate share of the various investment types at fair value held by the Master Trust at
December 31, 2015
and
2014
was as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2015
|
2014
|
|
Corporate common stock
|
11
|
%
|
36
|
%
|
|
Common collective trusts
|
7
|
%
|
36
|
%
|
|
Registered investment companies
|
4
|
%
|
30
|
%
|
The Plan’s approximate share of the various investment types at contract value held by the Master Trust at
December 31, 2015
and
2014
was as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2015
|
2014
|
|
Synthetic investment contracts
|
3
|
%
|
18
|
%
|
|
Guaranteed investment contracts
|
3
|
%
|
18
|
%
|
The following table is a summary, at fair value, of the net assets of the Master Trust by investment type as of
December 31, 2015
and
2014
:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2015
|
2014
|
|
Common collective trusts
|
$
|
463,917,622
|
|
$
|
426,729,102
|
|
|
Registered investment companies
|
228,064,975
|
|
287,768,013
|
|
|
Corporate common stocks
|
37,937,779
|
|
79,471,712
|
|
|
Other
|
786,109
|
|
1,018,588
|
|
|
Total investments held by the Master Trust at fair value
|
$
|
730,706,485
|
|
$
|
794,987,415
|
|
The following table is a summary, at contract value, of the net assets of the Master Trust by investment type as of
December 31, 2015
and
2014
:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2015
|
2014
|
|
Synthetic investment contracts
|
$
|
162,965,928
|
|
$
|
165,415,452
|
|
|
Guaranteed investment contracts
|
33,537,563
|
|
36,938,462
|
|
|
Total investments held by the Master Trust at contract value
|
$
|
196,503,491
|
|
$
|
202,353,914
|
|
Investment income (loss) attributable to the Master Trust for the year ended
December 31, 2015
was as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net depreciation in fair value of investments
|
$
|
(52,372,705
|
)
|
|
Income from investments at contract value
|
4,453,219
|
|
|
Expenses
|
|
|
Administrative expenses and other, net
|
(1,635,038
|
)
|
|
Total investment loss
|
$
|
(49,554,524
|
)
|
The BNY Mellon Stable Value Fund (the Fund) investment alternative invests in guaranteed investment contracts (GICs), a pooled separate account, actively managed structured or synthetic investment contracts (SICs), and a common collective trust (CCT). The GICs are promises by a bank or insurance company to repay principal plus a fixed rate of return through contract maturity. SICs differ from GICs in that there are specific assets supporting the SICs and these assets are owned by the Plan. The bank or insurance company issues a wrapper contract that allows participant-directed transactions to be made at contract value. The assets supporting the SICs were comprised of government agency bonds, corporate bonds, residential mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities (ABOs), common collective trusts (CCT), and collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs).
Interest crediting rates on the GICs in the Fund are determined at the time of purchase. Such interest rates are reviewed and may be reset on a quarterly basis. Interest crediting rates on the SICs are either: (1) set at the time of purchase for a fixed term and crediting rate, (2) set at the time of purchase for a fixed term and variable crediting rate, or (3) set at the time of purchase and reset monthly within a “constant duration.” A constant duration contract may specify a duration of 2.5 years, and the crediting rate is adjusted monthly based upon quarterly rebalancing of eligible 2.5 year duration investment instruments at the time of each resetting; in effect the contract never matures.
Although it is management’s intention to hold the investment contracts in the Fund until maturity, certain investment contracts provide for adjustments to contract value for withdrawals made prior to maturity. If the Plan was deemed to be in violation of ERISA or lose its tax exempt status, among other events, the issuers of the fully responsive investment contracts would have the ability to terminate the contracts and settle at an amount different from contract value.
Certain investments are subject to restrictions or limitations if the Plan Sponsor decided to entirely exit an investment. Investments in registered investment companies and the Fund may require at least 30 days prior notice to completely withdraw from the investments. The targeted date fund investments held in common collective trusts currently do not require the prior approval of the investment manager if the Plan Sponsor decides to entirely exit these investments, but prior
trade date notification is necessary to effect timely securities settlement or delivery of an investment’s liquidation and transfer to another investment. The Plan had no unfunded commitments as of December 31, 2015 and 2014.
4. Fair Value Measurement
In accordance with accounting standards, fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.
The accounting standards establish a three-level hierarchy for fair value measurements based upon the transparency of inputs to the valuation of an asset or liability as of the measurement date.
Determination of Fair Value
Fair value is based upon quoted market prices, where available. If listed prices or quotes are not available, fair value is based upon models that primarily use, as inputs, market-based or independently sourced market parameters, including yield curves, interest rates, volatilities, equity or debt prices, foreign exchange rates and credit curves. In addition to market information, models may also incorporate transaction details, such as maturity. Valuation adjustments, such as liquidity valuation adjustments, may be necessary when the Plan is unable to observe a recent market price for a financial instrument that trades in inactive (or less active) markets. Liquidity adjustments are not taken for positions classified within Level 1 (as defined below) of the fair value hierarchy.
The methods described below may produce a fair value calculation that may not be indicative of net realizable value or reflective of future fair values. Furthermore, while the Plan believes its valuation methods are appropriate and consistent with other market participants, the use of different methodologies or assumptions to determine the fair value of certain financial instruments could result in a different estimate of fair value at the reporting date. There have been no changes in the methodologies used at
December 31, 2015
and
2014
.
Valuation Hierarchy
The three levels of inputs to measure fair value are as follows:
Level 1 – Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities.
Level 2 – Observable inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1, such as quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for identical assets and liabilities in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data.
Level 3 – Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets and liabilities. This includes certain pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies and similar techniques that use significant unobservable inputs.
A financial instrument’s categorization within the valuation hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.
Valuation Methodologies
The valuation methodologies used for assets and liabilities measured at fair value, including their general classification based on the fair value hierarchy, include the following:
|
|
|
|
•
|
Cash and cash equivalents – Where the net asset value (NAV) is a quoted price in a market that is active, it is classified within Level 1 of the valuation hierarchy. In certain cases, NAV is a quoted price in a market that is not active, or is based on quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, and these investments are classified within Level 2 of the valuation hierarchy.
|
|
|
|
|
•
|
Corporate common stocks – These investments are valued at the closing price reported on the major market on which the individual securities are traded. Common stock is classified within Level 1 of the valuation hierarchy.
|
|
|
|
|
•
|
Common collective trust funds – These investments are investment vehicles valued using the NAV, as a practical expedient, provided by the administrator of the fund. The NAV is based on the value of the underlying assets owned by the fund, minus its liabilities, and then divided by the number of shares outstanding.
|
|
|
|
|
•
|
Registered investment companies – These investments are public investment vehicles valued using the NAV provided by the administrator of the fund. The NAV is based on the value of the underlying assets owned by the fund, minus its liabilities, and then divided by the number of shares outstanding. Where the NAV is a quoted price in a market that is active, it is classified within Level 1 of the valuation hierarchy.
|
The following table presents the financial instruments of the Master Trust at fair value by caption on the statements of net assets available for benefits and by category of the valuation hierarchy (as described above) as of
December 31, 2015
and
2014
. The Master Trust had no assets classified within Level 2 or Level 3 of the valuation hierarchy. There were no reclassifications of assets between levels of the fair value hierarchy for the period presented.
Master Trust assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis: