Employee Retirement Plans

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2025

Retirement Benefits [Abstract]

Employee Retirement Plans

11. Employee Retirement Plans

Defined Benefit Plans

Corning has defined benefit pension plans covering certain domestic and international employees. The Company may contribute, as necessary, an amount exceeding the minimum requirements to achieve the Company’s long-term funding targets. During the year ended December 31, 2025, $50 million of voluntary cash contributions were made to our domestic defined benefit pension plan and cash contributions of $18 million were made to international pension plans. During the year ended December 31, 2024, no voluntary cash contributions were made to domestic plans and $9 million were made to international pension plans. In 2026, the Company plans to make voluntary cash contributions of $40 million to our domestic defined benefit pension plan and $12 million to international pension plans.

Corning offers postretirement plans that provide health care and life insurance benefits for retirees and eligible dependents. Certain employees may become eligible for such postretirement benefits upon reaching retirement age and service requirements. In 2025 and 2024, no voluntary cash contributions were made to domestic postretirement plans. For current retirees (including surviving spouses) and active employees eligible for the salaried retiree medical program, Corning has placed a “cap” on the amount to be contributed toward retiree medical coverage in the future. The cap is equal to 120% of the 2005 contributions toward retiree medical benefits. Once contributions toward salaried retiree medical costs reach this cap, impacted retirees will have to pay the excess amount in addition to their regular contributions for coverage. This cap was attained for post-65 retirees in 2008 and attained for pre-65 retirees in 2010. Furthermore, employees hired or rehired on or after January 1, 2007 will be eligible for Corning retiree medical benefits upon retirement; however, these employees will pay 100% of the cost.

Obligations and Funded Status

The following table presents the change in benefit obligation and the funded status of the defined benefit pension and post-retirement benefit plans (in millions):

	Domestic pension benefits				International pension benefits				Postretirement benefits
	2025		2024		2025		2024		2025		2024
Change in benefit obligation
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	3,220	$	3,311	$	525	$	578	$	362	$	425
Service cost	77		79		19		20		2		3
Interest cost	172		165		20		20		17		19
Plan participants’ contributions									10		9
Plan amendments											(26)
Actuarial loss (gain)	153		(100)		(8)		(17)		(18)		(32)
Divestiture							(1)				(3)
Other (1)	2		6		(18)		(8)
Benefits paid	(237)		(241)		(20)		(31)		(34)		(33)
Foreign currency translation					36		(36)
Benefit obligation at end of year	$	3,387	$	3,220	$	554	$	525	$	339	$	362
Change in plan assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	$	2,842	$	2,760	$	362	$	405	$	—	$	—
Actual gain (loss) on plan assets	282		303		14		(6)
Employer contributions	72		20		27		17		9		24
Plan participants’ contributions									10		9
Benefits paid	(237)		(241)		(34)		(28)		(12)		(33)
Foreign currency translation					18		(26)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	$	2,959	$	2,842	$	387	$	362	$	7	$	—
Funded status at end of year
Fair value of plan assets	$	2,959	$	2,842	$	387	$	362	$	7	$	—
Benefit obligations	(3,387)		(3,220)		(554)		(525)		(339)		(362)
Funded status of plans	$	(428)	$	(378)	$	(167)	$	(163)	$	(332)	$	(362)
Amounts recognized on the consolidated balance sheets consist of:
Noncurrent asset					$	23	$	16
Current liability	$	(20)	$	(18)	(12)		(7)		$	(18)	$	(27)
Noncurrent liability	(408)		(360)		(178)		(172)		(314)		(335)
Recognized liability	$	(428)	$	(378)	$	(167)	$	(163)	$	(332)	$	(362)
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss consist of:
Net actuarial loss (gain)	$	118	$	64	$	13	$	12	$	(208)	$	(220)
Prior service cost (credit)	25		29						(22)		(29)
Amounts recognized at end of year	$	143	$	93	$	13	$	12	$	(230)	$	(249)

(1)Other consists of domestic plan special termination benefits charge and curtailment and international plan settlements. Refer to Note 2 (Restructuring, Impairment and Other Charges and Credits) in the notes to the consolidated financial statements for more information.

Across total pension benefits, an actuarial loss of $0.1 billion was recognized in 2025 primarily due to decreases in bond yields during the year, leading to domestic plan weighted-average discount rates that were 28 basis points lower than 2024, partially offset by international plan weighted-average discount rates that were 15 basis points higher than 2024. In 2024, an actuarial gain of $0.1 billion was recognized primarily due to increases in bond yields during the year, leading to domestic plan weighted-average discount rates that were 51 basis points higher than 2023, partially offset by international plan weighted-average discount rates that were 20 basis points lower than 2023. The accumulated benefit obligation for defined benefit pension plans was $3.7 billion and $3.6 billion as of December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.

For the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, postretirement benefits actuarial gains of $18 million and $32 million, respectively, were recognized. The increase in actuarial gain recognized is primarily due to changes in weighted-average discount rates in response to bond yields during the year. For the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, the changes in weighted-average discount rates were a decrease of 31 basis points and an increase of 42 basis points, respectively.

The following table presents information for the domestic and international pension plans where the projected benefit obligation or the accumulated benefit obligation exceeded the fair value of plan assets (in millions):

	December 31,
	2025		2024
Projected benefit obligation	$	3,613	$	3,432
Fair value of plan assets	$	2,995	$	2,875
Accumulated benefit obligation	$	542	$	494
Fair value of plan assets	$	36	$	33

The following table presents the components of net periodic benefit expense (income) for employee retirement plans, which other than the service cost component is recorded in other (expense) income, net on the consolidated statements of income (in millions):

	Domestic pension benefits						International pension benefits						Postretirement benefits
	2025		2024		2023		2025		2024		2023		2025		2024		2023
Service cost	$	77	$	79	$	80	$	19	$	20	$	18	$	2	$	3	$	5
Interest cost	172		165		168		20		20		20		17		19		23
Expected return on plan assets	(184)		(179)		(176)		(17)		(16)		(13)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	4		6		6								(7)		(7)		(5)
Amortization of actuarial gain													(31)		(24)		(22)
Recognition of actuarial (gain) loss			(31)		(16)		(8)		6		1
Total net periodic benefit expense (income)	$	69	$	40	$	62	$	14	$	30	$	26	$	(19)	$	(9)	$	1
Curtailment charge					$	3	$	1
Special termination benefit charge	$	2	$	6	15												$	1
Total expense (income)	$	71	$	46	$	80	$	15	$	30	$	26	$	(19)	$	(9)	$	2
Other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations    recognized in other comprehensive loss:
Curtailment effects			$	(1)	$	(4)
Settlements							$	(1)
Current year actuarial loss (gain)	$	55	(225)		(16)		(4)		$	5	$	14	$	(19)	$	(32)	$	(8)
Amortization of actuarial (loss) gain									(9)				31		24		22
Recognition of actuarial gain			31		16		7		2		1
Current year prior service credit															(26)
Amortization of prior service (cost) credit	(4)		(6)		(6)								7		7		5
Total recognized in other comprehensive income (loss)	$	51	$	(201)	$	(10)	$	2	$	(2)	$	15	$	19	$	(27)	$	19

Corning uses a hypothetical yield curve and associated spot rate curve to discount the plan’s projected benefit payments. Once the present value of projected benefit payments is calculated, the suggested discount rate is equal to the level rate that results in the same present value. The yield curve is based on actual high-quality corporate bonds across the full maturity spectrum, which also includes private placements and eurobonds that are denominated in U.S. currency. The curve is developed from yields on hundreds of bonds from four grading sources, Moody’s, S&P, Fitch and the Dominion Bond Rating Service. A bond will be included if at least half of the grades from these sources are Aa, non-callable bonds. The very highest 10% yields and the lowest 40% yields are excluded from the curve to eliminate outliers in the bond population.

Mortality is one of the key assumptions used in valuing liabilities of retirement plans. It is used to assign a probability of payment for benefits that are contingent upon participants’ survival. To make this assumption, benefit plan sponsors typically use a base mortality table and an improvement scale to mortality rates for future anticipated changes to historical death rates.

Corning uses the base mortality assumption (PRI-2012 white collar table and PRI-2012 blue collar table for non-union and union participants, respectively) to value its U.S. benefit plan obligation. In addition, Corning uses the MP-2020 projection scale and the mortality assumption applied to disabled participants (PRI-2012 disabled mortality base table with future improvements using MP-2020). As the Society of Actuaries publishes additional mortality improvement scales and base mortality tables, Corning considers these revised schedules in setting its mortality assumptions.

Measurement of postretirement benefit expense is based on assumptions used to value the postretirement benefit obligation at the beginning of the year.

The following table presents the weighted-average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations:

	Pension benefits
	Domestic						International						Postretirement benefits
	2025		2024		2023		2025		2024		2023		2025		2024		2023
Discount rate	5.39	%	5.67	%	5.16	%	2.25	%	2.10	%	2.30	%	5.35	%	5.66	%	5.24	%
Rate of compensation increase	3.50	%	3.50	%	3.97	%	2.64	%	2.61	%	3.74	%
Cash balance crediting rate	4.43	%	4.44	%	4.22	%	0.93	%	0.93	%	0.82	%
Employee contributions crediting rate	5.04	%	5.10	%	5.25	%

The following table presents the weighted-average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit expense (income):

	Pension benefits
	Domestic						International						Postretirement benefits
	2025		2024		2023		2025		2024		2023		2025		2024		2023
Discount rate	5.67	%	5.16	%	5.50	%	2.10	%	2.30	%	2.46	%	4.66	%	5.24	%	5.58	%
Expected return on plan assets	6.75	%	6.75	%	6.75	%	4.90	%	4.34	%	3.85	%
Rate of compensation increase	3.50	%	3.98	%	3.87	%	2.61	%	3.74	%	3.73	%
Cash balance crediting rate	4.44	%	4.21	%	3.86	%	0.93	%	0.82	%	0.82	%
Employee contributions crediting rate	5.04	%	5.25	%	4.62	%

The following table presents the assumed health care trend rates:

Assumed health care trend rates as of December 31	2025		2024
Health care cost trend rate assumed for next year (pre-65 / post-65 retirees)	7.50% / 7.50%		7.00% / 7.00%
Ultimate health care trend rate	5	%	5	%
Year that the rate reaches the ultimate trend rate	2036		2033

Plan Assets

The Company’s primary objective is to ensure the plan has sufficient return on assets to fund the plan’s current and future obligations as they become due. Investments are primarily made in public securities to ensure adequate liquidity to support benefit payments. Corning has a diversification to the portfolio through the investment in domestic stocks. The target allocation range for equity investment is 50% which includes large, mid and small-cap companies. The target allocation for bond investments is 50% in a diversified portfolio, which includes corporate bonds.

The following table presents the fair values of domestic defined benefit and post-retirement benefit plan assets, by asset category (in millions):

	December 31, 2025								December 31, 2024
	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Equity securities:
U.S. companies	$	1,610	$	222	$	1,388			$	1,261			$	1,261
International companies
Fixed income:
U.S. treasury bonds	223		223						294		$	294
U.S. corporate bonds	911				911				876				876
Real estate (1)	1						$	1	2						$	2
Cash equivalents	221		221						409		357		52
Total	$	2,966	$	666	$	2,299	$	1	$	2,842	$	651	$	2,189	$	2

(1)This category includes industrial, office, apartments, hotels, infrastructure and retail investments which are limited partnerships predominately in the U.S. The inputs are valued by discounted cash flow analysis; comparable sale analysis and periodic external appraisals.

The following table presents the fair values of international defined benefit plan assets, by asset category (in millions):

	December 31, 2025								December 31, 2024
	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Fixed income:
International fixed income	$	102	$	102					$	94	$	94
Insurance contracts	174						$	174	167						$	167
Mortgages	52						52		33						33
Cash equivalents	42		42						52		52
Other	17		1				16		16						16
Total	$	387	$	145	$	—	$	242	$	362	$	146	$	—	$	216

The following table presents the changes in the fair value of the Level 3 assets relating to the Company’s international defined benefit plans (in millions):

	International
	Mortgages		Insurance contracts		Other
Balance as of December 31, 2023	$	43	$	195	$	12
Actual return on plan assets relating to assets still held at the reporting date	2
Asset (sales) purchases	(12)		(1)		4
Change in insurance contract valuation			(27)
Balance as of December 31, 2024	$	33	$	167	$	16
Actual return on plan assets relating to assets still held at the reporting date	2
Asset purchases	17		1
Change in insurance contract valuation			6
Balance as of December 31, 2025	$	52	$	174	$	16

Credit Risk

38% of domestic plan assets are invested in bonds with an average credit rating of AA-. These bonds are subject to both credit and default risk and changes in the risk could lead to a decline in the value of these bonds.

Liquidity Risk

Less than 1% of the domestic securities are invested in Level 3 securities. These are long-term investments in private equity and private real estate investments that may not mature or be sellable in the near-term without significant loss.

As of December 31, 2025 and 2024, the amount of Corning common stock included in equity securities was not significant.

Cash Flow Data

The following table presents the gross benefit payments expected to be paid for domestic and international defined benefit pension plans and the postretirement medical and life plans (in millions):

	Expected benefit payments
	Domestic pension benefits		International pension benefits		Postretirement benefits
2026	$	259	$	32	$	25
2027	$	267	$	40	$	26
2028	$	270	$	39	$	26
2029	$	276	$	40	$	26
2030	$	274	$	42	$	26
2031-2035	$	1,406	$	225	$	131

Other Benefit Plans

Corning offers defined contribution plans covering employees meeting certain eligibility requirements. Total consolidated defined contribution plan expense was $128 million, $110 million and $118 million for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively.