v3.3.1.900
Pensions and Other Benefit Plans
 12 Months Ended
Jan. 03, 2016
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]  
Pensions and Other Benefit Plans
Pensions and Other Benefit Plans
The Company sponsors various retirement and pension plans, including defined benefit, defined contribution and termination indemnity plans, which cover most employees worldwide. The Company also provides post-retirement benefits, primarily health care, to all eligible U.S. retired employees and their dependents.
Many international employees are covered by government-sponsored programs and the cost to the Company is not significant.
Retirement plan benefits for employees hired before January 1, 2015 are primarily based on the employee’s compensation during the last three to five years before retirement and the number of years of service. In 2014, the Company announced that the U.S. Defined Benefit plan was amended to adopt a new benefit formula, effective for employees hired on or after January 1, 2015. The benefits are calculated using a new formula based on employee compensation over total years of service.
International subsidiaries have plans under which funds are deposited with trustees, annuities are purchased under group contracts, or reserves are provided.
The Company does not fund retiree health care benefits in advance and has the right to modify these plans in the future.
As described in Note 1 to the Consolidated Financial Statements, the Company has elected to early adopt a practical expedient beginning for the fiscal year end 2015 to measure its defined benefit plans using the calendar month end closest to its fiscal year end. In 2015 and 2014 the Company used December 31, 2015 and December 28, 2014, respectively, as the measurement date for all U.S. and international retirement and other benefit plans.
Net periodic benefit costs for the Company’s defined benefit retirement plans and other benefit plans for 2015, 2014 and 2013 include the following components:
 
 
Retirement Plans
 
Other Benefit Plans
(Dollars in Millions)
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
Service cost
 
$
1,037

 
882

 
906

 
257

 
211

 
196

Interest cost
 
988

 
1,018

 
908

 
186

 
197

 
151

Expected return on plan assets
 
(1,809
)
 
(1,607
)
 
(1,447
)
 
(7
)
 
(7
)
 
(6
)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)
 
2

 
6

 
6

 
(33
)
 
(34
)
 
(2
)
Amortization of net transition obligation
 
—

 
1

 
1

 
—

 
—

 
—

Recognized actuarial losses
 
745

 
460

 
681

 
201

 
136

 
111

Curtailments and settlements
 
8

 
(17
)
 
—

 
—

 
—

 
2

Net periodic benefit cost
 
$
971

 
743

 
1,055

 
604

 
503

 
452








Amounts expected to be recognized in net periodic benefit cost in the coming year for the Company’s defined benefit retirement plans and other post-retirement plans:
(Dollars in Millions)
 
Amortization of net transition obligation
$
—

Amortization of net actuarial losses
638

Amortization of prior service credit
29



Unrecognized gains and losses for the U.S. pension plans are amortized over the average remaining future service for each plan. For plans with no active employees, they are amortized over the average life expectancy. The amortization of gains and losses for the other U.S. benefit plans is determined by using a 10% corridor of the greater of the market value of assets or the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation. Total unamortized gains and losses in excess of the corridor are amortized over the average remaining future service.
Prior service costs/benefits for the U.S. pension plans are amortized over the average remaining future service of plan participants at the time of the plan amendment. Prior service cost/benefit for the other U.S. benefit plans is amortized over the average remaining service to full eligibility age of plan participants at the time of the plan amendment.

The following table represents the weighted-average actuarial assumptions:
 
 
Retirement Plans
 
Other Benefit Plans
Worldwide Benefit Plans
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
Net Periodic Benefit Cost
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Discount rate
 
3.78
%
 
4.78
 
4.25
 
4.31
 
5.25
 
4.55
Rate of increase in compensation levels
 
4.05
%
 
4.08
 
4.08
 
4.11
 
4.29
 
4.28
Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets
 
8.53
%
 
8.46
 
8.45
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Benefit Obligation
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Discount rate
 
4.11
%
 
3.78
 
4.78
 
4.63
 
4.31
 
5.25
Rate of increase in compensation levels
 
4.01
%
 
4.05
 
4.08
 
4.28
 
4.11
 
4.29


The Company’s discount rates are determined by considering current yield curves representing high quality, long-term fixed income instruments. The resulting discount rates are consistent with the duration of plan liabilities. For the fiscal year 2016, the Company will change its methodology in determining service and interest cost from the single weighted average discount rate approach to duration specific spot rates along that yield curve to the plans’ liability cash flows, which management has concluded is a more precise estimate. Prior to this change in methodology, the Company measured service and interest costs utilizing a single weighted-average discount rate derived from the yield curve used to measure the plan obligations. The Company has accounted for this change as a change in accounting estimate and, accordingly, has accounted for it on a prospective basis. This change will not impact the benefit obligation and will not have a material impact to the 2016 full year results.
The expected rates of return on plan asset assumptions represent the Company's assessment of long-term returns on diversified investment portfolios globally. The assessment is determined using projections from external financial sources, long-term historical averages, actual returns by asset class and the various asset class allocations by market.
In 2014, for measurement of U.S. retirement benefit obligations, the mortality assumption was updated to a newly established 2014 mortality table resulting in an increase to the projected benefit obligation.















The following table displays the assumed health care cost trend rates, for all individuals:
Health Care Plans
 
2015
 
2014
Health care cost trend rate assumed for next year
 
6.60
%
 
6.00
%
Rate to which the cost trend rate is assumed to decline (ultimate trend)
 
4.50
%
 
4.50
%
Year the rate reaches the ultimate trend rate
 
2038

 
2032




A one-percentage-point change in assumed health care cost trend rates would have the following effect:
 
 
One-Percentage-
 
One-Percentage-
(Dollars in Millions)
 
Point Increase
 
Point Decrease
Health Care Plans
 
 

 
 

Total interest and service cost
 
$
36

 
(29
)
Post-retirement benefit obligation
 
$
417

 
(326
)


The following table sets forth information related to the benefit obligation and the fair value of plan assets at year-end 2015 and 2014 for the Company’s defined benefit retirement plans and other post-retirement plans:
 
 
Retirement Plans
 
Other Benefit Plans
(Dollars in Millions)
 
2015
 
2014
 
2015
 
2014
Change in Benefit Obligation
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Projected benefit obligation — beginning of year
 
$
26,889

 
21,488

 
5,081

 
4,407

Service cost
 
1,037

 
882

 
257

 
211

Interest cost
 
988

 
1,018

 
186

 
197

Plan participant contributions
 
48

 
59

 
—

 
—

Amendments
 
60

 
(60
)
 
—

 
(254
)
Actuarial (gains) losses
 
(1,578
)
 
5,395

 
(400
)
 
1,030

Divestitures & acquisitions
 
(5
)
 
(121
)
 
—

 
—

Curtailments, settlements & restructuring
 
(20
)
 
(53
)
 
(3
)
 
—

Benefits paid from plan
 
(773
)
 
(813
)
 
(420
)
 
(493
)
Effect of exchange rates
 
(791
)
 
(906
)
 
(32
)
 
(17
)
Projected benefit obligation — end of year
 
$
25,855

 
26,889

 
4,669

 
5,081

Change in Plan Assets
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Plan assets at fair value — beginning of year
 
$
22,575

 
20,901

 
79

 
87

Actual return on plan assets
 
298

 
2,078

 
1

 
8

Company contributions
 
752

 
1,176

 
414

 
477

Plan participant contributions
 
48

 
59

 
—

 
—

Settlements
 
(20
)
 
(40
)
 
—

 
—

Divestitures & acquisitions
 
(5
)
 
(109
)
 
—

 
—

Benefits paid from plan assets
 
(773
)
 
(813
)
 
(420
)
 
(493
)
Effect of exchange rates
 
(621
)
 
(677
)
 
—

 
—

Plan assets at fair value — end of year
 
$
22,254

 
22,575

 
74

 
79

Funded status — end of year
 
$
(3,601
)
 
(4,314
)
 
(4,595
)
 
(5,002
)
Amounts Recognized in the Company’s Balance Sheet consist of the following:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Non-current assets
 
$
256

 
233

 
—

 
—

Current liabilities
 
(77
)
 
(74
)
 
(324
)
 
(309
)
Non-current liabilities
 
(3,780
)
 
(4,473
)
 
(4,271
)
 
(4,693
)
Total recognized in the consolidated balance sheet — end of year
 
$
(3,601
)
 
(4,314
)
 
(4,595
)
 
(5,002
)
Amounts Recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income consist of the following:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net actuarial loss
 
$
6,501

 
7,547

 
2,013

 
2,611

Prior service cost (credit)
 
34

 
(33
)
 
(185
)
 
(225
)
Unrecognized net transition obligation
 
—

 
1

 
—

 
—

Total before tax effects
 
$
6,535

 
7,515

 
1,828

 
2,386

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Accumulated Benefit Obligations — end of year
 
$
23,262

 
23,816

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Retirement Plans
 
Other Benefit Plans
(Dollars in Millions)
 
2015
 
2014
 
2015
 
2014
Amounts Recognized in Net Periodic Benefit Cost and Other Comprehensive Income
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net periodic benefit cost
 
$
971

 
743

 
604

 
503

Net actuarial (gain) loss
 
(75
)
 
4,942

 
(389
)
 
1,015

Amortization of net actuarial loss
 
(745
)
 
(460
)
 
(201
)
 
(136
)
Prior service cost (credit)
 
60

 
(60
)
 
—

 
(253
)
Amortization of prior service (cost) credit
 
(2
)
 
(6
)
 
33

 
34

Effect of exchange rates
 
(218
)
 
(273
)
 
(1
)
 
—

Total recognized in other comprehensive income, before tax
 
$
(980
)
 
4,143

 
(558
)
 
660

Total recognized in net periodic benefit cost and other comprehensive income
 
$
(9
)
 
4,886

 
46

 
1,163



The Company plans to continue to fund its U.S. Qualified Plans to comply with the Pension Protection Act of 2006. International Plans are funded in accordance with local regulations. Additional discretionary contributions are made when deemed appropriate to meet the long-term obligations of the plans. For certain plans, funding is not a common practice, as funding provides no economic benefit. Consequently, the Company has several pension plans that are not funded.
In 2015, the Company contributed $435 million and $317 million to its U.S. and international pension plans, respectively.
The following table displays the funded status of the Company's U.S. Qualified & Non-Qualified pension plans and international funded and unfunded pension plans at December 31, 2015 and December 28, 2014, respectively:

 
U.S. Plans
International Plans
 
Qualified Plans
Non-Qualified Plans
Funded Plans
Unfunded Plans
(Dollars in Millions)
2015
2014
2015
2014
2015
2014
2015
2014
Plan Assets
$
15,113

15,201

—

—

7,141

7,374

—

—

Projected Benefit Obligation
15,280

15,571

1,675

1,683

8,542

9,203

358

432

Accumulated Benefit Obligation
13,876

13,875

1,411

1,363

7,661

8,205

314

373

Over (Under) Funded Status
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Projected Benefit Obligation
$
(167
)
(370
)
(1,675
)
(1,683
)
(1,401
)
(1,829
)
(358
)
(432
)
Accumulated Benefit Obligation
1,237

1,326

(1,411
)
(1,363
)
(520
)
(831
)
(314
)
(373
)

Plans with accumulated benefit obligations in excess of plan assets have an accumulated benefit obligation, projected benefit obligation and plan assets of $4.5 billion, $5.3 billion and $1.9 billion, respectively, at the end of 2015, and $8.2 billion, $9.4 billion and $5.3 billion, respectively, at the end of 2014.

The following table displays the projected future benefit payments from the Company’s retirement and other benefit plans:
(Dollars in Millions)
 
2016
 
2017
 
2018
 
2019
 
2020
 
2021-2025
Projected future benefit payments
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Retirement plans
 
$
839

 
872

 
911

 
967

 
1,031

 
6,098

Other benefit plans 
 
$
331

 
322

 
315

 
312

 
310

 
1,499



The following table displays the projected future minimum contributions to the unfunded retirement plans. These amounts do not include any discretionary contributions that the Company may elect to make in the future.
(Dollars in Millions)
 
2016
 
2017
 
2018
 
2019
 
2020
 
2021-2025
Projected future contributions
 
$
76

 
77

 
82

 
88

 
93

 
559




Each pension plan is overseen by a local committee or board that is responsible for the overall administration and investment of the pension plans. In determining investment policies, strategies and goals, each committee or board considers factors including, local pension rules and regulations; local tax regulations; availability of investment vehicles (separate accounts, commingled accounts, insurance funds, etc.); funded status of the plans; ratio of actives to retirees; duration of liabilities; and other relevant factors including: diversification, liquidity of local markets and liquidity of base currency. A majority of the Company’s pension funds are open to new entrants and are expected to be on-going plans. Permitted investments are primarily liquid and/or listed, with little reliance on illiquid and non-traditional investments such as hedge funds.
The Company’s retirement plan asset allocation at the end of 2015 and 2014 and target allocations for 2016 are as follows:
 
 
Percent of
Plan Assets
 
Target
Allocation
 
 
2015
 
2014
 
2016
Worldwide Retirement Plans
 
 
 
 
 
 
Equity securities
 
79
%
 
77
%
 
74
%
Debt securities
 
21

 
23

 
26

Total plan assets
 
100
%
 
100
%
 
100
%

Determination of Fair Value of Plan Assets
The Plan has an established and well-documented process for determining fair values. 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.
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.
Valuation Hierarchy
The authoritative literature establishes a three-level hierarchy to prioritize the inputs used in measuring fair value. The levels within the hierarchy are described in the table below with Level 1 having the highest priority and Level 3 having the lowest.
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.
Following is a description of the valuation methodologies used for the investments measured at fair value.
•
Short-term investments — Cash and quoted short-term instruments are valued at the closing price or the amount held on deposit by the custodian bank. Other investments are through investment vehicles valued using the Net Asset Value (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. The NAV is a quoted price in a market that is not active and classified as Level 2.
•
Government and agency securities — A limited number of these investments are valued at the closing price reported on the major market on which the individual securities are traded. Where quoted prices are available in an active market, the investments are classified within Level 1 of the valuation hierarchy. If quoted market prices are not available for the specific security, then fair values are estimated by using pricing models, quoted prices of securities with similar characteristics or discounted cash flows. When quoted market prices for a security are not available in an active market, they are classified as Level 2.
•
Debt instruments — A limited number of these investments are valued at the closing price reported on the major market on which the individual securities are traded. Where quoted prices are available in an active market, the investments are classified as Level 1. If quoted market prices are not available for the specific security, then fair values are estimated by using pricing models, quoted prices of securities with similar characteristics or discounted cash flows and are classified as Level 2. Level 3 debt instruments are priced based on unobservable inputs.
•
Equity securities — Common stocks are valued at the closing price reported on the major market on which the individual securities are traded. Substantially all common stock is classified within Level 1 of the valuation hierarchy.
•
Commingled funds — These investment vehicles are valued using the NAV provided by the fund administrator. 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. Assets in the Level 2 category have a quoted market price in a market that is not active.
•
Insurance contracts — The instruments are issued by insurance companies. The fair value is based on negotiated value and the underlying investments held in separate account portfolios as well as considering the credit worthiness of the issuer. The underlying investments are government, asset-backed and fixed income securities. In general, insurance contracts are classified as Level 3 as there are no quoted prices nor other observable inputs for pricing.
•
Other assets — Other assets are represented primarily by limited partnerships and real estate investments, as well as commercial loans and commercial mortgages that are not classified as corporate debt. Other assets that are exchange listed and actively traded are classified as Level 1, while inactively traded assets are classified as Level 2. Most limited partnerships represent investments in private equity and similar funds that are valued by the general partners. Certain of these limited partnerships, as well as any other assets valued using unobservable inputs, are classified as Level 3.

The following table sets forth the Retirement Plans' investments measured at fair value as of December 31, 2015 and December 28, 2014:
 
 
Quoted Prices
in Active
Markets for
Identical Assets
 
Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
 
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
 
 
 
 
 
 
(Level 1)
 
(Level 2)
 
(Level 3)
 
Total Assets
(Dollars in Millions)
 
2015
 
2014
 
2015
 
2014
 
2015
 
2014
 
2015
 
2014
Short-term investment funds
 
$
184

 
168

 
312

 
551

 
—

 
—

 
496

 
719

Government and agency securities
 
—

 
—

 
1,767

 
1,934

 
—

 
—

 
1,767

 
1,934

Debt instruments
 
—

 
—

 
1,050

 
1,143

 
1

 
1

 
1,051

 
1,144

Equity securities
 
11,317

 
11,204

 
11

 
21

 
—

 
—

 
11,328

 
11,225

Commingled funds
 
—

 
—

 
7,189

 
7,205

 
33

 
46

 
7,222

 
7,251

Insurance contracts
 
—

 
—

 
—

 
—

 
23

 
24

 
23

 
24

Other assets
 
—

 
1

 
314

 
214

 
53

 
63

 
367

 
278

Investments at fair value
 
$
11,501

 
11,373

 
10,643

 
11,068

 
110

 
134

 
22,254

 
22,575



The Company's Other Benefit Plans are unfunded except for U.S. commingled funds (Level 2) of $74 million and $79 million at December 31, 2015 and December 28, 2014, respectively.
The fair value of Johnson & Johnson Common Stock directly held in plan assets was $751 million (3.4% of total plan assets) at December 31, 2015 and $778 million (3.4% of total plan assets) at December 28, 2014.
Level 3 Gains and Losses
The table below sets forth a summary of changes in the fair value of the Plan’s Level 3 assets for the years ended December 31, 2015 and December 28, 2014:
(Dollars in Millions)
 
Debt Instruments
 
Equity Securities
 
Commingled Funds
 
Insurance Contracts
 
Other Assets
 
Total Level 3
Balance December 29, 2013
 
$
1

 
4

 
44

 
23

 
69

 
141

Realized gains (losses)
 
—

 
—

 
—

 
—

 
(5
)
 
(5
)
Unrealized gains (losses)
 
—

 
—

 
2

 
—

 
—

 
2

Purchases, sales, issuances and settlements, net
 
—

 
—

 
(2
)
 
3

 
(1
)
 
—

Transfers in/out and exchange rate changes
 
—

 
(4
)
 
2

 
(2
)
 
—

 
(4
)
Balance December 28, 2014
 
1

 
—

 
46

 
24

 
63

 
134

Realized gains (losses)
 
—

 
—

 
1

 
—

 
(2
)
 
(1
)
Unrealized gains (losses)
 
—

 
—

 
(11
)
 
—

 
(5
)
 
(16
)
Purchases, sales, issuances and settlements, net
 
—

 
—

 
(2
)
 
1

 
(2
)
 
(3
)
Transfers in/out and exchange rate changes
 
—

 
—

 
(1
)
 
(2
)
 
(1
)
 
(4
)
Balance December 31, 2015
 
$
1

 
—

 
33

 
23

 
53

 
110