Pensions

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Retirement Benefits [Abstract]

Pensions

Pensions

The Company maintains pension obligations associated with non-contributory defined benefit pension plans that are currently frozen and incur no additional service costs.

The Company updates the estimates used to measure the defined benefit pension obligation and plan assets annually or upon a remeasurement date to reflect the actual rate of return on plan assets and updated actuarial assumptions. The Company immediately recognizes actuarial gains and losses in its operating results in the year in which the gains and losses occur. The remaining components of pension costs are recorded ratably through the year. The Company estimates the interest cost component of net periodic pension cost by utilizing a full yield curve approach and applying the specific spot rates along the yield curve used in the determination of the benefit obligations of the relevant projected cash flows. This method provides a more precise measurement of interest costs by improving the correlation between projected cash flows to the corresponding spot yield curve rates.

Net Periodic Pension Cost

The following table details the other components of net periodic pension cost for the Company's pension plans (in thousands):

	Years Ended December 31,
	2020		2019		2018
Interest cost	$	13,949	$	22,146	$	20,946
Expected return on assets	(16,027)		(15,044)		(16,716)
Settlement loss (gain)	819		693		(204)
Remeasurement loss (gain)	43,495		45,366		(3,510)
Net periodic pension cost	$	42,236	$	53,161	$	516

Since all pension plans are frozen and no employees accrue future pension benefits under any of the pension plans, the rate of compensation increase assumption is no longer needed. The Company determines the weighted-average discount rate by applying a yield curve comprised of the yields on several hundred high-quality, fixed income corporate bonds available on the measurement date to expected future benefit cash flows.

In November 2020, the Company purchased a group annuity contract to transfer the pension benefit obligations and annuity administration for a select group of retirees or their beneficiaries in two of the Company’s non-contributory defined benefit pension plans to an annuity provider. Upon issuance of the group annuity contract, the pension benefit obligation of $17.8 million for approximately 500 participants was irrevocably transferred to the annuity provider. The purchase of the group annuity was funded directly by the assets of the pension plans. During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company recognized pension settlement charges of $0.8 million as a result of the transfer of the pension liability to the annuity provider and other lump sum payments made during the year.

The Company recognized settlement losses due to lump sum payments of $0.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2019 and a settlement gain of $(0.2) million for the year ended December 31, 2018.

The following table sets forth the weighted-average assumptions used for determining the Company's net periodic pension cost:

	Years Ended December 31,
	2020		2019		2018
Pension benefit obligations discount rate	3.16	%	4.30	%	3.63	%
Interest cost discount rate	2.74	%	3.93	%	3.23	%
Expected return on plan assets, net of administrative expenses	3.73	%	3.68	%	3.58	%
Rate of compensation expense increase	N/A		N/A		N/A

The following table sets forth the weighted-average assumptions used for determining the Company's pension benefit obligations:

	Years Ended December 31,
	2020		2019
Pension benefit obligations discount rate	2.39	%	3.16	%
Rate of compensation increase	N/A		N/A
Interest crediting rate	3.00	%	3.36	%

Pension Benefit Obligations and Plan Assets

The following table summarizes the benefit obligations, plan assets, and funded status associated with the Company's pension and benefit plans (in thousands):

	2020		2019
Change in Benefit Obligations
Balance as of January 1	$	643,961	$	597,077
Interest cost	13,949		22,146
Actuarial loss, net	63,164		76,161
Benefits paid	(66,746)		(51,423)
Annuity purchase	(17,831)		—
Balance as of December 31	$	636,497	$	643,961
Change in Plan Assets
Balance as of January 1	$	449,019	$	424,927
Plan contributions	44,908		30,369
Actual return on plan assets, net of administrative expenses	34,878		45,146
Benefits paid	(66,746)		(51,423)
Annuity purchase	(17,831)		—
Balance as of December 31	$	444,228	$	449,019
Funded Status as of December 31 (plan assets less benefit obligations)	$	(192,269)	$	(194,942)

The accumulated obligations for all defined pension plans was $636.5 million and $644.0 million as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company made cash contributions of $43.9 million to the qualified plans, as required under pension accounting guidelines, and contributions and associated payments of $1.0 million to the non-qualified plans. During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company made cash contributions of $29.6 million to the qualified plans, as required under pension accounting guidelines, and contributions and associated payments of $0.7 million to the non-qualified plans. During the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company made a cash contribution of $2.9 million to the qualified plans, as required under pension accounting guidelines, and contributions and associated payments of $1.0 million to the non-qualified plans.

For the fiscal year 2021, the Company expects to contribute $25.0 million to the qualified plans and $1.4 million to the non-qualified plans.

The net actuarial loss in the benefit obligations of $44.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 was a result of losses attributable to decreasing discount rates due to changes in the corporate bond markets, economic assumption updates to reflect current market conditions, plan experience different than expected, and the annuity purchases, partially offset by gains attributable to actual asset performance exceeding expectations and life expectancy updates.

The following table sets forth the amounts associated with pension plans recognized within Pension obligations, net on the Company's consolidated balance sheets (in thousands):

	December 31, 2020		December 31, 2019
Current liabilities	$	(1,442)	$	(1,409)
Long-term liabilities	(190,827)		(193,533)
Total pension liability as of December 31	$	(192,269)	$	(194,942)

The following table sets forth the amounts associated with the Company's pension plans that have accumulated pension obligations greater than plan assets (underfunded) (in thousands):

	December 31, 2020		December 31, 2019
Accumulated benefit obligations	$	636,497	$	643,961
Projected benefit obligations	636,497		643,961
Plan assets	$	444,228	$	449,019

Expected Cash Flows

The following table sets forth the expected future pension benefit payments (in thousands):

	Expected Future Pension Benefit Payments
2021	$	55,025
2022	45,097
2023	43,085
2024	40,822
2025	39,675
2026 to 2030	169,606

Pension Plan Assets

The Company's overall investment strategy is to achieve a mix of assets, which allows it to meet projected benefits payments while taking into consideration risk and return. Depending on perceived market pricing and various other factors, both active and passive approaches are utilized.

The following tables set forth the fair values of the Company's pension plan assets by asset category (in thousands):

	December 31, 2020
	Total		Level 1 (quoted market prices in active markets)		Level 2 (significant observable input)		Level 3 (Unobservable inputs)
Cash and cash equivalents	$	17,831	$	17,831	$	—	$	—
Equity funds	88,118		88,118		—		—
U.S. treasuries and agencies	35,797		—		35,797		—
Corporate bond funds	170,552		170,552		—		—
Total	$	312,298	$	276,501	$	35,797	$	—
Hedge funds-investments measured at NAV as a practical expedient	131,930
Total plan assets	$	444,228

	December 31, 2019
	Total		Level 1 (quoted market prices in active markets)		Level 2 (significant observable input)		Level 3 (Unobservable inputs)
Cash and cash equivalents	$	8,029	$	8,029	$	—	$	—
Equity funds	99,963		99,963		—		—
U.S. treasuries and agencies	29,610		—		29,610		—
Corporate bond funds	187,272		187,272		—		—
Total	$	324,874	$	295,264	$	29,610	$	—
Hedge funds-investments measured at NAV as a practical expedient	124,145
Total plan assets	$	449,019

Cash and cash equivalents are comprised of cash and high-grade money market instruments with short-term maturities. Equity funds are mutual funds invested in equity securities. U.S. treasuries and agencies are fixed income investments in U.S. government or agency securities. Corporate bonds are mutual fund investments in corporate debt. Hedge funds are private investment vehicles that use a variety of investment strategies with the objective of providing positive total returns regardless of market performance.

Pension Plan Hedge Fund Investments

The Company's hedge fund investments are made through limited partnership interests in various hedge funds that employ different trading strategies. Examples of strategies followed by hedge funds include directional strategies, relative value strategies and event driven strategies. A directional strategy entails taking a net long or short position in a market. Relative value seeks to take advantage of mis-pricing between two related and often correlated securities with the expectation that the pricing discrepancy will be resolved over time. Relative value strategies typically involve buying and selling related securities. An event driven strategy uses different investment approaches to profit from reactions to various events. Typically, events can include acquisitions, divestitures or restructurings that are expected to affect individual companies and may include long and short positions in common and preferred stocks, as well as debt securities and options. The Company has no unfunded commitments to these investments and has redemption rights with respect to its investments that range up to three years. As of December 31, 2020, and 2019, no single hedge fund made up more than 3% of total pension plan assets.

The Company uses net asset value (“NAV”) to determine the fair value of all the underlying investments which do not have a readily determinable fair market value, and either have the attributes of an investment company or prepare their financial statements consistent with the measurement principles of an investment company. As of December 31, 2020, and 2019, the Company used NAV to value its hedge fund investments.

The following table sets forth the weighted asset allocation percentages for the pension plans by asset category:

	December 31,
	2020		2019
Cash and cash equivalents	4.0	%	1.8	%
U.S. treasuries and agencies, corporate bond funds, and other fixed income	46.4	%	48.3	%
Equity funds	19.9	%	22.3	%
Hedge funds	29.7	%	27.6	%
Total	100.0	%	100.0	%

Prospective Pension Plan Investment Strategy

The Company uses a liability driven investment (“LDI”) strategy and as part of the strategy the Company may invest in hedge fund investments, fixed income investments, equity investments and will hold an adequate amount of cash and cash equivalents to meet daily pension obligations.

Expected Rate of Return for Pension Assets

The expected rate of return for the pension assets represents the average rate of return to be earned on plan assets over the period the benefits are expected to be paid. The expected rate of return on the plan assets is developed from the expected future return on each asset class, weighted by the expected allocation of pension assets to that asset class. Historical performance is considered for the types of assets in which the plan invests. Independent market forecasts and economic and capital market considerations are also utilized.

For 2021, the expected rates of return, net of administrative expenses, for the Consolidated Pension Plan of Dex Media and the YP Pension Plan are 2.61% and 3.04%, respectively, with a weighted-average expected rate of return of 2.69%. In 2020, the actual rates of return on assets for the Consolidated Pension Plan of Dex Media and the YP Pension Plan were 7.4% and 11.1%, respectively. In 2019, the actual rates of return on assets for the Consolidated Pension Plan of Dex Media and the YP Pension Plan were 9.8% and 18.2%, respectively.

Savings Plan Benefits

The Company sponsors a defined contribution savings plan to provide opportunities for eligible employees to save for retirement. Substantially all of the Company's employees are eligible to participate in the plan. Participant contributions may be made on a pre-tax, after-tax, or Roth basis. Under the plan, a certain percentage of eligible employee contributions are matched with Company cash contributions that are allocated to the participants' current investment elections. The Company recognizes its contributions as savings plan expense based on its matching obligation to participating employees. For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, the Company recorded total savings plan expense of $3.0 million, $10.8 million, and $12.6 million, respectively. The decline in savings plan expense for year ended December 31, 2020 was due to the Company's suspension of the employee matching program in April 2020, as part of managing costs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.