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Pension plans and other postretirement benefits
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2024
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
Pension plans and other postretirement benefits Pension plans and other postretirement benefits
The Company provides defined pension and other postretirement benefits (including health care and life insurance benefits) to qualified retired employees. The Company uses a December 31 measurement date for all of its plans.
Net periodic pension expense for defined benefit plans consisted of the following:
Year Ended December 31,
(Dollars in millions)202420232022
Service cost$10 $11 $18 
Interest cost on benefit obligation114 115 82 
Expected return on plan assets(200)(201)(188)
Amortization of prior service cost— — 1 
Amortization of net actuarial (gain) loss(2)(2)20 
Settlement gain(12)— — 
Net periodic pension benefit$(90)$(77)$(67)
Net other postretirement benefits expense for defined benefit plans consisted of the following:
Year Ended December 31,
(Dollars in millions)202420232022
Service cost$1 $2 $3 
Interest cost on benefit obligation3 3 2 
Amortization of prior service credit(2)(2)(3)
Amortization of net actuarial gain(3)(3)(1)
Net other postretirement (benefit) cost$(1)$— $1 
Service cost is reflected in Salaries and employee benefits and the other components of net periodic benefit cost are reflected in Other costs of operations in the Consolidated Statement of Income. In 2024, the Company recognized a $12 million settlement gain associated with the solicited election of certain participants in the Company's defined benefit pension plan to accept a lump-sum distribution in lieu of future retirement benefit payments. Those lump-sum distributions reduced each of the plan's assets and its benefit obligations by $171 million.
Data relating to the funding position of the defined benefit plans were as follows:
Pension Benefits
Other
Postretirement Benefits
(Dollars in millions)2024202320242023
Change in benefit obligation:
Benefit obligation at beginning of year$2,369 $2,379 $57 $60 
Service cost10 11 1 2 
Interest cost114 115 3 3 
Plan participants’ contributions— — — 1 
Actuarial (gain) loss(132)13 (7)(5)
Settlements paid(171)— — — 
Benefits paid(148)(149)(3)(4)
Benefit obligation at end of year2,042 2,369 51 57 
Change in plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year3,145 2,942 — — 
Actual return on plan assets366 334 — — 
Employer contributions16 18 2 3 
Plan participants’ contributions— — 1 1 
Settlements paid(171)— — — 
Benefits paid(148)(149)(3)(4)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year3,208 3,145 — — 
Funded status$1,166 $776 $(51)$(57)
Prepaid asset recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheet
$1,298 $922 $— $— 
Accrued liability recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheet
(132)(146)(51)(57)
Net accrued asset (liability) recognized
   in the Consolidated Balance Sheet
$1,166 $776 $(51)$(57)
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income were:
Net (gain) loss$(93)$191 $(41)$(37)
Net prior service cost — — 3 1 
Pre-tax adjustment to accumulated other comprehensive income(93)191 (38)(36)
Taxes23 (49)10 9 
Net adjustment to accumulated other comprehensive income
$(70)$142 $(28)$(27)
The Company has an unfunded supplemental pension plan for certain key executives and others. The projected benefit obligation and accumulated benefit obligation included in the preceding data related to such plan were $132 million as of December 31, 2024 and $146 million as of December 31, 2023. The accumulated benefit obligation for all defined benefit pension plans was $2.0 billion at December 31, 2024 and $2.4 billion at December 31, 2023.
GAAP requires an employer to recognize in its balance sheet as an asset or liability the overfunded or underfunded status of a defined benefit postretirement plan, measured as the difference between the fair value of plan assets and the benefit obligation. For a pension plan, the benefit obligation is the projected benefit obligation; for any other postretirement benefit plan, such as a retiree health care plan, the benefit obligation is the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation.
Gains or losses and prior service costs or credits that arise during the period, but are not included as components of net periodic benefit expense, are recognized as a component of other comprehensive income. Amortization of net gains and losses is included in annual net periodic benefit expense if, as of the beginning of the year, the net gain or loss exceeds 10% of the greater of the benefit obligation or the market-related fair value of the plan assets. The net gain in 2024 was mainly the result of a return on plan assets that was greater than the assumed expected return and an increase to the assumed discount rate used to value plan liabilities. The table below reflects the changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income related to the Company’s postretirement benefit plans.
(Dollars in millions)
Pension Plans
Other
Postretirement
Benefit Plans
Total
2024
Net gain$(298)$(7)$(305)
Amortization of prior service credit— 2 2 
Amortization of actuarial gain2 3 5 
Settlement gain12 — 12 
Total recognized in other comprehensive income, pre-tax$(284)$(2)$(286)
2023
Net gain$(120)$(5)$(125)
Amortization of prior service credit— 2 2 
Amortization of actuarial gain2 3 5 
Total recognized in other comprehensive income, pre-tax$(118)$— $(118)
Assumptions
The assumed weighted-average rates used to determine benefit obligations at December 31 were:
Pension
Benefits 		Other
Postretirement
Benefits
2024202320242023
Discount rate5.50 %5.00 %5.50 %5.00 %
Rate of increase in future compensation levels3.30 3.32 — — 
The assumed weighted-average rates used to determine net benefit expense for the years ended December 31 were:
Pension Benefits
Other
Postretirement Benefits
202420232022202420232022
Discount rate5.02 %5.00 %2.75 %5.00 %5.00 %2.75 %
Long-term rate of return on plan assets6.23 6.25 6.25 — — — 
Rate of increase in future compensation levels3.32 3.33 3.35 — — — 
The discount rate used by the Company to determine the present value of the Company’s future benefit obligations reflects specific market yields for a hypothetical portfolio of highly rated corporate bonds that would produce cash flows similar to the Company’s benefit plan obligations and the level of market interest rates in general as of the year-end.
The expected long-term rate of return assumption as of each measurement date was developed through analysis of historical market returns, current market conditions, anticipated future asset allocations, the funds’ past experience, and expectations on potential future market returns. The expected rate of return assumption represents a long-term average view of the performance of the plan assets, a return that may or may not be achieved during any one calendar year.
The Company’s defined benefit pension plan is sensitive to the long-term rate of return on plan assets and the discount rate. To demonstrate the sensitivity of the net periodic pension benefit for 2024 to changes in these assumptions, with all other assumptions held constant, 25 basis-point increases in: the rate of return on plan assets would have resulted in an increase in the net periodic pension benefit of approximately $8 million; and the discount rate would have resulted in a decrease in net periodic pension benefit of approximately $1 million. Decreases of 25 basis points in those assumptions would have resulted in similar changes in amount, but in the opposite direction from the changes presented in the preceding sentence. Additionally, an increase of 25 basis points in the discount rate would have decreased the benefit obligation by $48 million and a decrease of 25 basis points in the discount rate would have increased the benefit obligation by $50 million at December 31, 2024.
For measurement of other postretirement benefits, a 7.00% annual rate of increase in the per capita cost of covered health care benefits was assumed for 2024. The rate was assumed to decrease to 5.00% over eight years.
Plan assets
The Company’s policy is to invest the pension plan assets in a prudent manner for the purpose of providing benefit payments to participants and mitigating reasonable expenses of administration. The Company’s investment strategy is designed to provide a total return that, over the long-term, places an emphasis on the preservation of capital. The strategy attempts to maximize investment returns on assets at a level of risk deemed appropriate by the Company while complying with applicable regulations and laws. The investment strategy utilizes asset diversification as a principal determinant for establishing an appropriate risk profile while emphasizing total return realized from capital appreciation, dividends and interest income. The target allocations for plan assets are generally 25 to 60 percent equity securities, 10 to 65 percent debt securities, and 5 to 60 percent money-market investments/cash equivalents and other investments, although holdings could be more or less than these general guidelines based on market conditions at the time and actions taken or recommended by the investment managers providing advice to the Company. Assets are managed by a combination of internal and external investment managers. Equity securities may include investments in domestic and international equities through individual securities, mutual funds and exchange-traded funds. Debt securities may include investments in corporate bonds of companies from diversified industries, mortgage-backed securities guaranteed by government agencies and U.S. Treasury securities through individual securities and mutual funds. Additionally, the Company’s defined benefit pension plan held $828 million (26% of total assets) of real estate funds, private investments, hedge funds and other investments at December 31, 2024. No investment in securities of a non-U.S. Government or government agency issuer exceeded ten percent of plan assets at December 31, 2024. Returns on invested assets are periodically compared with target market indices for each asset type to aid management in evaluating such returns. Furthermore, management regularly reviews the investment policy and may, if deemed appropriate, make changes to the target allocations noted above.
The fair values of the Company’s pension plan assets at December 31, 2024 and 2023, by asset category, were as follows:
Fair Value Measurement of Plan Assets At December 31, 2024
(Dollars in millions)TotalQuoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2)Significant Unobservable Inputs
(Level 3)
Asset category:
Money-market investments$76 $50 $26 $— 
Equity securities:
M&T135 135 — — 
Domestic (a)440 440 — — 
International (b)17 17 — — 
Mutual funds:    
Domestic (a)282 282 — — 
International (b)481 481 — — 
1,355 1,355 — — 
Debt securities:
Corporate (c)222 — 222 — 
Government281 — 281 — 
International16 — 16 — 
Mutual funds:    
Domestic (d)425 425 — — 
944 425 519 — 
Other:
Diversified mutual fund110 110 — — 
Common and collective funds145 — 145 — 
Real estate partnerships31 5 — 26 
Private equity/debt265 — — 265 
Hedge funds267 83 — 184 
Guaranteed deposit fund10 — — 10 
828 198 145 485 
Total (e)$3,203 $2,028 $690 $485 
Fair Value Measurement of Plan Assets At December 31, 2023
(Dollars in millions)TotalQuoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2)Significant Unobservable Inputs
(Level 3)
Asset category:
Money-market investments$65 $41 $24 $— 
Equity securities:
M&T112 112 — — 
Domestic (a)512 512 — — 
International (b)17 17 — — 
Mutual funds:
Domestic (a)307 307 — — 
International (b)501 501 — — 
1,449 1,449 — — 
Debt securities:
Corporate (c)227 — 227 — 
Government276 — 276 — 
International6 — 6 — 
Mutual funds:    
Domestic (d)450 450 — — 
959 450 509 — 
Other:
Diversified mutual fund110 110 — — 
Real estate partnerships29 7 — 22 
Private equity/debt235 — — 235 
Hedge funds285 107 — 178 
Guaranteed deposit fund9 — — 9 
668 224 — 444 
Total (e)$3,141 $2,164 $533 $444 
__________________________________________________________________________________
(a)This category is mainly comprised of equities of companies primarily within the small-cap, mid-cap and large-cap sectors of the U.S. economy and range across diverse industries.
(b)This category is comprised of equities in companies primarily within the mid-cap and large-cap sectors of international markets mainly in developed and emerging markets in Europe and the Pacific Rim.
(c)This category represents investment grade bonds of U.S. issuers from diverse industries.
(d)Approximately 73% of the mutual funds were invested in investment grade bonds and 27% in high-yielding bonds at each of December 31, 2024 and 2023. The holdings within the funds were spread across diverse industries.
(e)Excludes dividends and interest receivable totaling $5 million and $4 million at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
The changes in Level 3 pension plan assets measured at estimated fair value on a recurring basis during the year ended December 31, 2024 were as follows:
(Dollars in millions)Balance — January 1, 2024
Net Purchases
(Sales)
Realized/Unrealized
Gains(Losses)		Balance — December 31, 2024
Real estate partnerships$22 $3 $1 $26 
Private equity/debt235 5 25 265 
Hedge funds178 (18)24 184 
Guaranteed deposit fund9 — 1 10 
Total$444 $(10)$51 $485 
The Company makes contributions to its funded qualified defined benefit pension plan as required by government regulation or as deemed appropriate by management after considering factors such as the fair value of plan assets, expected returns on such assets and the present value of benefit obligations of the plan. The Company is not required to make contributions to the qualified defined benefit plan in 2025, however, subject to the impact of actual events and circumstances that may occur in 2025, the Company may make contributions, but the amount of any such contributions has not been determined. The Company regularly funds the payment of benefit obligations for the supplemental defined benefit pension and postretirement benefit plans because such plans do not hold assets for investment. Payments made by the Company for supplemental pension benefits were $16 million and $18 million in 2024 and 2023, respectively. Payments made by the Company for postretirement benefits were $2 million in 2024 and $3 million in 2023. Payments for supplemental pension and other postretirement benefits for 2025 are not expected to differ from those made in 2024 by an amount that will be material to the Company’s consolidated financial position.
Estimated benefits expected to be paid in future years related to the Company’s defined benefit pension and other postretirement benefits plans are as follows:
(Dollars in millions)
Pension
Benefits
Other
Postretirement
Benefits
Year ending December 31:
2025$159 $4 
2026152 4 
2027154 4 
2028156 4 
2029157 4 
2030 through 2034778 18 
The Company also provides a qualified defined contribution pension plan to eligible employees who were not participants in the defined benefit pension plan as of December 31, 2005 and to other employees who have elected to participate in the defined contribution plan. The Company makes contributions to the defined contribution plan each year in an amount that is based on an individual participant’s total compensation (generally defined as total wages, incentive compensation, commissions and bonuses) and years of service. Company contributions to the plan are discretionary for participants for which eligibility occurred after January 1, 2020. Participants do not contribute to the defined contribution pension plan. Pension expense recorded in 2024, 2023 and 2022 associated with the defined contribution pension plan was $62 million, $56 million and $45 million, respectively.
The Company has a retirement savings plan that is a defined contribution plan in which eligible employees of the Company may defer up to 50% of qualified compensation via contributions to the plan. The retirement savings plan provides for employer matching contributions of 100% of an employee's qualified compensation up to 5%. Employees’ accounts, including employee contributions, employer matching contributions and accumulated earnings thereon, are at all times fully vested and nonforfeitable. Employee benefits expense resulting from the Company’s contributions to the retirement savings plan totaled $100 million, $96 million and $84 million in 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.