WEST PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES INC

Note 15: Benefit Plans

Certain of our U.S. and international subsidiaries sponsor defined benefit pension plans. In addition, we pay a portion of healthcare costs for retired U.S. salaried employees and their dependents. We also sponsor a defined contribution plan for certain salaried and hourly U.S. employees. Our 401(k) plan contributions were $23.2 million for 2024, $22.7 million for 2023 and $22.8 million for 2022.

Pension and Other Retirement Benefits

The components of net periodic benefit cost and other amounts recognized in OCI were as follows:

Net periodic benefit cost by geographic location is as follows:

The service cost component included within net periodic benefit cost is considered employee compensation and is therefore presented within the selling, general, and administrative and costs of goods and services sold financial statement line items of our consolidated statements of income. The remaining components of net periodic benefit cost are reported separately and are therefore presented within the other nonoperating expense (income) financial statement line item of our consolidated statements of income.

During 2021, the Company approved the termination of our U.S. qualified defined benefit pension plan (the "U.S. pension plan"). During 2021, a Notice of Intent to Terminate was sent to all interested parties and in 2022 a favorable determination letter was received from the Internal Revenue Service. During 2022, lump sum payments were offered to all current employees and former employees with vested benefits under the U.S. pension plan. A cash contribution of $7.1 million was made by the Company to ensure the U.S. pension plan was fully funded in preparation for the group annuity contract purchase which was executed in August of 2022 to settle the outstanding benefit obligations, as well as to cover any ancillary benefits and expenses remaining. During 2022, we recorded a $52.2 million pension settlement charge within other nonoperating expense (income), which primarily related to the full settlement and relief of the historical balance sheet position, inclusive of accumulated other comprehensive income, of the U.S. pension plan.

During 2024 and 2023, we didnot contribute to our U.S. pension plan due to the termination of the plan in 2022. During 2022, we contributed $7.1 million to our U.S. pension plan.

The following table presents the changes in the benefit obligation and the fair value of plan assets, as well as the funded status of the plans:

International pension plan assets, at fair value, included in the preceding table were $29.2 million and $32.3 million at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

Amounts recognized in the balance sheet were as follows:

The amounts in accumulated other comprehensive loss, pre-tax, consisted of:

The accumulated benefit obligation for all defined benefit pension plans was $49.5 million and $53.7 million at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively, including $44.0 million and $47.7 million, respectively, for international pension plans.

As of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, our United Kingdom qualified defined benefit pension plan had plan assets in excess of its obligations. As of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, our other defined benefit pension plans had projected benefit obligations and accumulated benefit obligations in excess of plan assets.

Benefit payments expected to be paid under our defined benefit pension and other retirement benefit plans in the next ten years are as follows. The expected benefit payments listed correspond to regular ongoing benefit payments expected to be made by the plans during future years.

In 2025, we expect to contribute $0.6 million to pension plans, all of which is in the U.S. In addition, we expect to contribute $0.5 million for other retirement benefits in 2025. We periodically consider additional, voluntary contributions depending on the investment returns generated by pension plan assets, changes in benefit obligation projections and other factors.

Weighted average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit cost were as follows:

Weighted average assumptions used to determine the benefit obligations were as follows:

The discount rate used to determine the benefit obligations for U.S. pension plans was 5.60% and 5.20% as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The weighted average discount rate used to determine the benefit obligations for all international plans was 4.24% and 3.80% as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The weighted average rate of compensation increase for all international plans was 3.07% for 2024 and 3.08% for 2023, while there wasno rate increase for the U.S. plans since they are frozen. Other retirement benefits were only available to U.S. employees. The expected long-term rate of return for U.S. plans was not applicable for 2024 and 2023, and 3.70% for 2022.

The assumed healthcare cost trend rate used to determine benefit obligations was 6.50% for all participants in 2024, decreasing to 5.00% by 2031. The assumed healthcare cost trend rate used to determine net periodic benefit cost was 6.75% for all participants in 2024, decreasing to 5.00% by 2031.

The defined benefit pension plan benefit obligation decreased for the year ended December 31, 2024, due to actuarial gains and benefit payments during the period, as well as an increase in the discount rate used to calculate the obligation. The net actuarial losses will be impacted in future periods by actual asset returns, discount rate changes, currency exchange rate fluctuations, actual demographic experience, and certain other factors. The other retirement plan benefit obligation decreased due to actuarial gains and benefit payments during the period, as well as an increase in the discount rate used to calculate the obligation.

The Company has cash balance plans and other plans with promised interest crediting rates. For these plans, the interest crediting rates are set in line with plan rules or country legislation and do not change with market conditions.

The weighted average interest crediting rating used to determine net periodic benefit cost by geographic location for our pension plans, at December 31, were as follows:

The weighted average asset allocations by asset category for our pension plans, at December 31, were as follows:

Diversification across and within asset classes is the primary means by which we mitigate risk. We maintain guidelines for all asset and sub-asset categories in order to avoid excessive investment concentrations. Fund assets are monitored on a regular basis. If at any time the fund asset allocation is not within the acceptable allocation range, funds will be reallocated. We also review the fund on a regular basis to ensure that the investment returns received are consistent with the short-term and long-term goals of the fund and with comparable market returns. We are prohibited from pledging fund securities and from investing pension fund assets in our own stock, securities on margin or derivative securities.

The following are the target asset allocations and acceptable allocation ranges across:

The following tables present the fair value of our pension plan assets, utilizing the fair value hierarchy discussed in Note 12, Fair Value Measurements. In accordance with U.S. GAAP, certain pension plan assets measured at net asset value (“NAV”) have not been classified in the fair value hierarchy.

Note 16: Other Expense (Income)

Other expense (income) consisted of:

Restructuring and Related Charges

In December 2022, the Company approved a restructuring plan to adjust our operating cost base to better respond to the macroeconomic factors influencing our business. These changes were implemented over a period of approximately twenty-four months from the date of the approval. The plan provided annualized savings of approximately $17 million. As of December 31, 2024, the Company doesnot expect additional expenses or payments associated with our 2022 restructuring plan. The following table presents activity related to our restructuring obligations related to our 2022 restructuring plan:

Asset Impairments

The Company's asset impairment expense includes impairment charges to its cost method investments and expense related to fixed assets impaired or taken out of service. During the periods ended December 31, asset impairments consisted of:

Foreign Exchange Transaction Losses (Gains)

During 2024 and 2023, the Company recorded a loss on foreign exchange transactions of $10.2 million and $9.4 million, respectively. During 2024, the increase in losses on foreign exchange transactions was the result of increased expense related to exchange rate activity in Europe, partially offset by a decrease in losses related to Argentina's high inflationary environment year over year. During 2023, the loss on foreign exchange transactions was primarily driven by a highly inflationary environment in Argentina. During 2022, the Company recorded a gain on foreign exchange transactions of $4.1 million.

Contingent Consideration

Contingent consideration represents changes in the fair value of the SmartDose® contingent consideration. Please refer to Note 12, Fair Value Measurements, for additional details.

Loss on Disposal of Plant

During 2023, the Company recorded expense of $11.6 million, within other expense (income), as a result of the sale ofone of the Company’s manufacturing facilities within the Proprietary Products segment during the second quarter of 2023.