XML 56 R41.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.23.3
Postretirement and Other Employee Benefits (Tables)
12 Months Ended
Aug. 31, 2023
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
Schedule of Reconciliation of Change in Benefit Obligations for Plans
The projected benefit obligations (“PBO”) and plan assets, changes to the PBO and plan assets and the funded status of the plans as of and for the fiscal years ended August 31 are as follows (in millions):
  Fiscal Year Ended August 31,
  2023 2022
Change in PBO
Beginning PBO $ 432  $ 587 
Service cost 18  25 
Interest cost 12 
Actuarial gain
(23) (119)
Settlements paid from plan assets(1)
(27) (28)
Total benefits paid (16) (13)
Plan participants’ contributions 22  21 
Effect of conversion to U.S. dollars 43  (45)
Ending PBO $ 461  $ 432 
Change in plan assets
Beginning fair value of plan assets 459  576 
Actual return on plan assets (16) (68)
Settlements paid from plan assets(1)
(27) (28)
Employer contributions 18  16 
Benefits paid from plan assets (15) (12)
Plan participants’ contributions 22  21 
Effect of conversion to U.S. dollars 45  (46)
Ending fair value of plan assets $ 486  $ 459 
Funded status $ 25  $ 27 
Amounts recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
Accrued benefit liability, current $ $
Accrued benefit asset, noncurrent $ 26  $ 28 
Accumulated other comprehensive loss(2)
Actuarial gain, before tax
$ (71) $ (85)
Prior service cost, before tax
$ 16  $ 18 
(1)The settlements recognized during fiscal years 2023 and 2022 relate primarily to the Switzerland plan.
(2)The Company anticipates amortizing $10 million and $4 million, before tax, of net actuarial gain and prior service costs balances, respectively, to net periodic cost in fiscal year 2024.
Schedule of Reconciliation of Changes in Pension Plan Assets
The projected benefit obligations (“PBO”) and plan assets, changes to the PBO and plan assets and the funded status of the plans as of and for the fiscal years ended August 31 are as follows (in millions):
  Fiscal Year Ended August 31,
  2023 2022
Change in PBO
Beginning PBO $ 432  $ 587 
Service cost 18  25 
Interest cost 12 
Actuarial gain
(23) (119)
Settlements paid from plan assets(1)
(27) (28)
Total benefits paid (16) (13)
Plan participants’ contributions 22  21 
Effect of conversion to U.S. dollars 43  (45)
Ending PBO $ 461  $ 432 
Change in plan assets
Beginning fair value of plan assets 459  576 
Actual return on plan assets (16) (68)
Settlements paid from plan assets(1)
(27) (28)
Employer contributions 18  16 
Benefits paid from plan assets (15) (12)
Plan participants’ contributions 22  21 
Effect of conversion to U.S. dollars 45  (46)
Ending fair value of plan assets $ 486  $ 459 
Funded status $ 25  $ 27 
Amounts recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
Accrued benefit liability, current $ $
Accrued benefit asset, noncurrent $ 26  $ 28 
Accumulated other comprehensive loss(2)
Actuarial gain, before tax
$ (71) $ (85)
Prior service cost, before tax
$ 16  $ 18 
(1)The settlements recognized during fiscal years 2023 and 2022 relate primarily to the Switzerland plan.
(2)The Company anticipates amortizing $10 million and $4 million, before tax, of net actuarial gain and prior service costs balances, respectively, to net periodic cost in fiscal year 2024.
Schedule of Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet
The projected benefit obligations (“PBO”) and plan assets, changes to the PBO and plan assets and the funded status of the plans as of and for the fiscal years ended August 31 are as follows (in millions):
  Fiscal Year Ended August 31,
  2023 2022
Change in PBO
Beginning PBO $ 432  $ 587 
Service cost 18  25 
Interest cost 12 
Actuarial gain
(23) (119)
Settlements paid from plan assets(1)
(27) (28)
Total benefits paid (16) (13)
Plan participants’ contributions 22  21 
Effect of conversion to U.S. dollars 43  (45)
Ending PBO $ 461  $ 432 
Change in plan assets
Beginning fair value of plan assets 459  576 
Actual return on plan assets (16) (68)
Settlements paid from plan assets(1)
(27) (28)
Employer contributions 18  16 
Benefits paid from plan assets (15) (12)
Plan participants’ contributions 22  21 
Effect of conversion to U.S. dollars 45  (46)
Ending fair value of plan assets $ 486  $ 459 
Funded status $ 25  $ 27 
Amounts recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
Accrued benefit liability, current $ $
Accrued benefit asset, noncurrent $ 26  $ 28 
Accumulated other comprehensive loss(2)
Actuarial gain, before tax
$ (71) $ (85)
Prior service cost, before tax
$ 16  $ 18 
(1)The settlements recognized during fiscal years 2023 and 2022 relate primarily to the Switzerland plan.
(2)The Company anticipates amortizing $10 million and $4 million, before tax, of net actuarial gain and prior service costs balances, respectively, to net periodic cost in fiscal year 2024.
Schedule of Accumulated Benefit Obligations
The following table summarizes the total accumulated benefit obligations (“ABO”), the ABO and fair value of plan assets for defined benefit pension plans with ABO in excess of plan assets, and the PBO and fair value of plan assets for defined benefit pension plans with PBO in excess of plan assets for fiscal years 2023 and 2022 (in millions):
  August 31, 2023 August 31, 2022
ABO $ 441  $ 417 
Plans with ABO in excess of plan assets
ABO $ 41  $ 41 
Fair value of plan assets $ 15  $ 19 
Plans with PBO in excess of plan assets
PBO $ 52  $ 51 
Fair value of plan assets $ 15  $ 19 
Schedule of Information About Net Periodic Benefit Cost for Plans The following table provides information about the net periodic benefit cost for the plans for fiscal years 2023, 2022 and 2021 (in millions):
  Fiscal Year Ended August 31,
  2023 2022 2021
Service cost(1)
$ 18  $ 25  $ 25 
Interest cost(2)
12 
Expected long-term return on plan assets(2)
(17) (17) (16)
Recognized actuarial gain(2)
(7) (6) (10)
Amortization of actuarial gains(2)(3)
(7) (8) (6)
Net settlement loss(2)
— 
Amortization of prior service costs(2)
Net periodic benefit cost
$ $ $ — 
(1)Service cost is recognized in cost of revenue in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
(2)Components are recognized in other expense in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
(3)Actuarial gains and losses are amortized using a corridor approach. The gain/loss corridor is equal to 10 percent of the greater of the projected benefit obligation and the fair value of plan assets. Gains and losses in excess of the corridor are generally amortized over the average future working lifetime of the plan participants.
Schedule of Weighted-Average Actuarial Assumptions
Weighted-average actuarial assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit cost and PBO for the plans for the fiscal years 2023, 2022 and 2021 were as follows:
  Fiscal Year Ended August 31,
  2023 2022 2021
Net periodic benefit cost:
       Expected long-term return on plan assets(1)
3.6  % 3.0  % 2.9  %
Rate of compensation increase 2.1  % 2.2  % 2.1  %
Discount rate 2.6  % 0.7  % 0.8  %
PBO:
Expected long-term return on plan assets 3.7  % 3.6  % 3.0  %
Rate of compensation increase 1.9  % 2.1  % 2.2  %
       Discount rate(2)
2.8  % 2.6  % 0.7  %
(1)The expected return on plan assets assumption used in calculating net periodic benefit cost is based on historical return experience and estimates of future long-term performance with consideration to the expected investment mix of the plan.
(2)The discount rate is used to state expected cash flows relating to future benefits at a present value on the measurement date. This rate represents the market rate for high-quality fixed income investments whose timing would match the cash outflow of retirement benefits. Other assumptions include demographic factors such as retirement, mortality and turnover.
Schedule of Fair Values of Plan Assets by Asset Category
The fair values of the plan assets held by the Company by asset category are as follows (in millions):
    August 31, 2023 August 31, 2022
  Fair Value
Hierarchy
Fair Value Asset
Allocation
Fair Value Asset
Allocation
Asset Category
Cash and cash equivalents(1)
Level 1 $ 17  % $ 13  %
Equity Securities:
Global equity securities(2)(3)
Level 2 213  44  % 197  43  %
Debt Securities:
Corporate bonds(3)
Level 2 216  45  % 203  44  %
Government bonds(3)
Level 2 30  % 34  %
Other Investments:
Insurance contracts(4)
Level 3 10  % 12  %
Fair value of plan assets
$ 486  100  % $ 459  100  %
 
(1)Carrying value approximates fair value.
(2)Investments in equity securities by companies incorporated, listed or domiciled in developed and/or emerging market countries.
(3)Investments in global equity securities, corporate bonds, government securities and government bonds are valued using the quoted prices of securities with similar characteristics.
(4)Consist of an insurance contract that guarantees the payment of the funded pension entitlements, as well as provides a profit share to the Company. The profit share in this contract is not based on actual investments, but, instead on a notional investment portfolio that is expected to return a pre-defined rate. Insurance contract assets are recorded at fair value and is determined based on the cash surrender value of the insured benefits which is the present value of the guaranteed funded benefits. Insurance contracts are valued using unobservable inputs (Level 3 inputs), primarily by discounting expected future cash flows relating to benefits paid from a notional investment portfolio in order to determine the cash surrender value of the policy. The unobservable inputs consist of estimated future benefits to be paid throughout the duration of the policy and estimated discount rates, which both have an immaterial impact on the fair value estimate of the contract.
Schedule of Estimated Future Benefit Payments
The Company expects to make cash contributions between $25 million and $30 million to its funded pension plans during fiscal year 2024. The estimated future benefit payments, which reflect expected future service, are as follows (in millions):
Fiscal Year Ended August 31, Amount
2024
$ 34 
2025
$ 29 
2026
$ 29 
2027
$ 33 
2028
$ 31 
2029 through 2033
$ 156