Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

v3.8.0.1
EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
Defined Benefit Pension Plans
Rollins, Inc. Retirement Income Plan
The Company maintains several noncontributory tax-qualified defined benefit pension plans (the “Plans”) covering employees meeting certain age and service requirements. The Plans provide benefits based on the average compensation for the highest five years during the last ten years of credited service (as defined) in which compensation was received, and the average anticipated Social Security covered earnings. The Company funds the Plans with at least the minimum amount required by ERISA. The Company made no contribution for the year ended December 31, 2017 and $3.3 million and $5.0 million to the Plans during the years 2016 and 2015 respectively.
In 2005, the Company ceased all future benefit accruals under the Rollins, Inc. Retirement Income Plan, although the Company remains obligated to provide employees benefits earned through June 2005.  In 2016, the Plan was amended to allow certain vested participants the ability to elect for a limited time the commencement of their benefit in the form of a single-sum payment, not to exceed $35,000, or an annuity starting date of December 1, 2016.  In total $8.8 million was paid by the Plan during the year ended December 31, 2016, under this program.  The Plan did not offer any options for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2015.
The Company includes the Waltham Services, LLC Hourly Employee Pension Plan in the Company’s financial statements. The Company accounts for these defined benefit plans in accordance with the FASB ASC Topic 715 “Compensation- Retirement Benefits”, and engages an outside actuary to calculate its obligations and costs. With the assistance of the actuary, the Company evaluates the significant assumptions used on a periodic basis including the estimated future return on plan assets, the discount rate, and other factors, and makes adjustments to these liabilities as necessary.
In June 2005, the Company froze the Rollins, Inc. defined benefit pension plan. The Company currently uses December 31 as the measurement date for its defined benefit post-retirement plans. The funded status of the Plans and the net amount recognized in the statement of financial position are summarized as follows as of:
December 31,
2017
 
2016
(in thousands)
 
 
 
CHANGE IN ACCUMULATED BENEFIT OBLIGATION
 

 
 

Accumulated benefit obligation at beginning of year
$
197,222

 
$
200,375

Service cost
58

 
71

Interest cost
8,493

 
9,331

Actuarial (gain) loss
6,762

 
6,079

Benefits paid
(10,225
)
 
(18,634
)
Accumulated Benefit obligation at end of year
202,310

 
197,222

CHANGE IN PLAN ASSETS
 

 
 

Market value of plan assets at beginning of year
194,342

 
190,640

Actual return on plan assets
35,788

 
19,080

Employer contribution
—

 
3,256

Benefits paid
(10,225
)
 
(18,634
)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year
219,905

 
194,342

Funded status
$
17,595

 
$
(2,880
)

Amounts Recognized in the Statement of Financial Position consist of:
 
 
December 31,
2017
 
2016
(in thousands)
 

 
 

Noncurrent assets/(liabilities)
$
17,595

 
$
(2,880
)

Amounts Recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income consists of:
December 31,
2017
 
2016
(in thousands)
 

 
 

Net actuarial loss
$
61,598

 
$
80,662


The accumulated benefit obligation for the defined benefit pension plans were $202.3 million and $197.2 million at December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively. Accumulated benefit obligation and projected benefit obligation are materially the same for the Plans. Pre-tax (increases)/decreases in the pension liability which were (charged, net of tax) credited to other comprehensive income/ (loss) were $19.0 million, $3.0 million, and $14.8 million in 2017, 2016, and 2015, respectively.
 
The following weighted-average assumptions were used to determine the accumulated benefit obligation and net benefit cost:
December 31,
2017
 
2016
 
2015
ACCUMULATED BENEFIT OBLIGATION
 

 
 

 
 

Discount rate
4.00
%
 
4.45
%
 
4.70
%
Rate of compensation increase
N/A

 
N/A

 
N/A

NET BENEFIT COST
 

 
 

 
 

Discount rate
4.45
%
 
4.70
%
 
4.15
%
Expected return on plan assets
7.00
%
 
7.00
%
 
7.00
%
Rate of compensation increase
N/A

 
N/A

 
N/A


The return on plan assets reflects the weighted-average of the expected long-term rates of return for the broad categories of investments held in the plan. The expected long-term rate of return is adjusted when there are fundamental changes in the expected returns on the plan investments.
 
The discount rate reflects the current rate at which the pension liabilities could be effectively settled at the end of the year.  In estimating this rate, for fiscal year’s 2017, 2016, and 2015 the Company utilized a yield curve analysis.
 
The components of net periodic benefit cost are summarized as follows:

Years ended December 31,
2017
 
2016
 
2015
(in thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
Service cost
$
58

 
$
71

 
$
86

Interest cost
8,493

 
9,331

 
8,915

Expected return on plan assets
(13,368
)
 
(13,219
)
 
(12,788
)
Amortization of net loss
3,322

 
3,263

 
3,761

Preliminary net periodic benefit cost/(income)
$
(1,495
)
 
$
(554
)
 
$
(26
)
Settlement expense
53

 
—

 
—

Net periodic benefit cost
$
(1,442
)
 
$
(554
)
 
$
(26
)

The benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015 are summarized as follows:
(in thousands)
2017
 
2016
 
2015
Pretax (income)/loss
$
(15,650
)
 
$
218

 
$
(11,035
)
Amortization of net loss
(3,322
)
 
(3,263
)
 
(3,761
)
Total recognized in other comprehensive income
(18,972
)
 
(3,045
)
 
(14,796
)
Total recognized in net periodic benefit (income)/cost and other comprehensive income
$
(20,414
)
 
$
(3,599
)
 
$
(14,822
)

The Company expects to amortize a net loss of $3.1 million in 2018. At December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Plan’s assets were comprised of listed common stocks and U.S. government and corporate securities, real estate and other. Included in the assets of the Plan were shares of Rollins, Inc. Common Stock with a market value of $32.0 million and $42.1 million at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.
 
The Plans’ weighted average asset allocation at December 31, 2017 and 2016 by asset category, along with the target allocation for 2018, are as follows:
 
Target
allocations for
 
Percentage of plan assets as of
December 31,
Asset category
2018
 
2017
 
2016
Cash and cash equivalents
0.0
%
-
5.0%
 
2.4
%
 
3.5
%
Equity securities - Rollins stock
0.0
%
-
40.0%
 
14.7
%
 
20.7
%
Domestic equity - all other
0.0
%
-
40.0%
 
21.8
%
 
21.7
%
International equity
0.0
%
-
30.0%
 
16.4
%
 
21.0
%
Debt securities - core fixed income
15.0
%
-
50.0%
 
35.2
%
 
23.5
%
Real estate
0.0
%
-
20.0%
 
6.5
%
 
6.4
%
Alternative/Opportunistic/Special
0.0
%
-
20.0%
 
3.0
%
 
3.2
%
Total
 

 

 
100.0
%
 
100.0
%

 
For each of the asset categories in the pension plan, the investment strategy is identical – maximize the long-term rate of return on plan assets with an acceptable level of risk in order to minimize the cost of providing pension benefits.  The investment policy establishes a target allocation for each asset class which is rebalanced as required. The plans utilize a number of investment approaches, including individual market securities, equity and fixed income funds in which the underlying securities are marketable, and debt funds to achieve this target allocation. The Company and management are not considering making contributions to the pension plans during fiscal 2018.
 
Some of our assets, primarily our private equity, real estate, and hedge funds, do not have readily determinable market values given the specific investment structures involved and the nature of the underlying investments.  For the December 31, 2017 plan asset reporting, publicly traded asset pricing was used where possible.  For assets without readily determinable values, estimates were derived from investment manager statements combined with discussions focusing on underlying fundamentals and significant events.   Additionally, these investments are categorized as NAV investments and are valued using significant non-observable inputs which do not have a readily determinable fair value.  In accordance with ASU No. 2011-12 “Investments In Certain Entities That Calculate Net Asset Value per Share (Or Its Equivalent),” these investments are valued based on the net asset value per share calculated by the funds in which the plan has invested. These valuations are subject to judgments and assumptions of the funds which may prove to be incorrect, resulting in risks of incorrect valuation of these investments. The Company seeks to mitigate against these risks by evaluating the appropriateness of the funds’ judgments and assumptions by reviewing the financial data included in the funds’ financial statements for reasonableness. 

Fair Value Measurements
 
The Company’s overall investment strategy is to achieve a mix of approximately 70 percent of investments for long-term growth and 30 percent for near-term benefit payments, with a wide diversification of asset types, fund strategies and fund managers.  Equity securities primarily include investments in large-cap and small-cap companies domiciled domestically and internationally.  Fixed-income securities include corporate bonds, mortgage-backed securities, sovereign bonds, and U.S. Treasuries.  Other types of investments include real estate funds and private equity funds that follow several different investment strategies. For each of the asset categories in the pension plan, the investment strategy is identical – maximize the long-term rate of return on plan assets with an acceptable level of risk in order to minimize the cost of providing pension benefits.  The investment policy establishes a target allocation for each asset class which is rebalanced as required.  The plans utilize a number of investment approaches, including but not limited to individual market securities, equity and fixed income funds in which the underlying securities are marketable, and debt funds to achieve this target allocation.
 
The following table presents our plan assets using the fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2017. The fair value hierarchy has three levels based on the reliability of the inputs used to determine fair value. See note 7 for a brief description of the three levels under the fair value hierarchy.
(in thousands)
Total
 
Level 1
 
Level 2
 
NAV
(1)   Cash and cash equivalents
$
5,432

 
$
5,432

 


 


(2)   Fixed income securities
77,214

 


 
77,214

 


Domestic equity securities
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Rollins, Inc. stock
32,049

 
32,049

 


 


Other securities
48,511

 
16,243

 
32,268

 


(3)   International equity securities
36,156

 


 
36,156

 


(4)   Real estate
14,074

 


 


 
14,074

(5)   Alternative/opportunistic/special
6,469

 


 


 
6,469

Total
$
219,905

 
$
53,724

 
$
145,638

 
$
20,543


 
The following table presents our plan assets using the fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2016. The fair value hierarchy has three levels based on the reliability of the inputs used to determine fair value.
(in thousands)
Total
 
Level 1
 
Level 2
 
NAV
(1)   Cash and cash equivalents
$
6,834

 
$
6,834

 
$
—

 
$
—

(2)   Fixed income securities
45,673

 
—

 
45,673

 
—

Domestic equity securities
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Rollins, Inc. stock
42,120

 
42,120

 
—

 
—

Other securities
40,178

 
11,614

 
28,564

 
—

(3)   International equity securities
40,767

 
—

 
40,767

 
—

(4)   Real estate
12,527

 
—

 
—

 
12,527

(5)   Alternative/opportunistic/special
6,243

 
—

 
—

 
6,243

Total
$
194,342

 
$
60,568

 
$
115,004

 
$
18,770


(1)
Cash and cash equivalents, which are used to pay benefits and plan administrative expenses, are held in Rule 2a-7 money market funds.
(2)
Fixed income securities are primarily valued using a market approach with inputs that include broker quotes, benchmark yields, base spreads and reported trades.
(3)
International equity securities are valued using a market approach based on the quoted market prices of identical instruments in their respective markets.
(4)
Real estate fund values are primarily reported by the fund manager and are based on valuation of the underlying investments, which include inputs such as cost, discounted future cash flows, independent appraisals and market based comparable data.
(5)
Alternative/Opportunistic/Special funds can invest across the capital structure in both liquid and illiquid securities that are valued using a market approach based on the quoted market prices of identical instruments, or if no market price is available, instruments will be held at their fair market value (which may be cost) as reasonably determined by the investment manager, independent dealers, or pricing services.
There were no purchases, sales or transfers of assets classified as Level 3 in 2017 or 2016.

The estimated future benefit payments over the next five years are as follows:
 
(in thousands)
 
2018
$
11,500

2019
11,798

2020
12,105

2021
12,342

2022
12,597

Thereafter
63,788

Total
$
124,130


 
Defined Contribution 401(k) Savings Plan
The Company sponsors a defined contribution 401(k) Savings Plan that is available to a majority of the Company’s full-time employees the first day of the calendar quarter following completion of three months of service. The Plan is available to non full-time employees the first day of the calendar quarter following one year of service upon completion of 1000 hours in that year.  The Plan provides for a matching contribution of fifty cents ($0.50) for each one dollar ($1.00) of a participant’s contributions to the Plan that do not exceed 6 percent of his or her eligible compensation (which includes commissions, overtime and bonuses). The charge to expense for the Company match was approximately $12.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2017 and $11.0 million and $10.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. At December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015 approximately, 38.8%, 36.4%, and 33.5%, respectively of the plan assets consisted of Rollins, Inc. Common Stock. Total administrative fees paid by the Company for the Plan were less than $0.1 million for each of the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015.
 
Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan
 
The Deferred Compensation Plan provides that participants may defer up to 50% of their base salary and up to 85% of their annual bonus with respect to any given plan year, subject to a $2 thousand per plan year minimum. The Company may make discretionary contributions to participant accounts. The Company credited accounts of participants of long service to the Company with certain discretionary amounts (“Pension Plan Benefit Restoration Contributions”) in lieu of benefits that previously accrued under the Company’s Retirement Income Plan up to a maximum of $245 thousand.
 
Accounts will be credited with hypothetical earnings, and/or debited with hypothetical losses, based on the performance of certain “Measurement Funds.” Account values are calculated as if the funds from deferrals and Company credits had been converted into shares or other ownership units of selected Measurement Funds by purchasing (or selling, where relevant) such shares or units at the current purchase price of the relevant Measurement Fund at the time of the participant’s selection. Deferred Compensation Plan benefits are unsecured general obligations of the Company to the participants, and these obligations rank in parity with the Company’s other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness. The Company has established a “rabbi trust,” which it uses to voluntarily set aside amounts to indirectly fund any obligations under the Deferred Compensation Plan. To the extent that the Company’s obligations under the Deferred Compensation Plan exceed assets available under the trust, the Company would be required to seek additional funding sources to fund its liability under the Deferred Compensation Plan.
 
Generally, the Deferred Compensation Plan provides for distributions of any deferred amounts upon the earliest to occur of a participant’s death, disability, retirement or other termination of employment (a “Termination Event”). However, for any deferrals of salary and bonus (but not Company contributions), participants would be entitled to designate a distribution date which is prior to a Termination Event. Generally, the Deferred Compensation Plan allows a participant to elect to receive distributions under the Deferred Compensation Plan in installments or lump-sum payments.
 
At December 31, 2017 the Deferred Compensation Plan had 70 life insurance policies with a net face value of $43.4 million. The cash surrender value of these life insurance policies were worth $18.3 million and $15.7 million at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

The estimated life insurance premium payments over the next five years are as follows:
(in thousands)
 
2018
$
590

2019
614

2020
638

2021
664

2022
690

Total
$
3,196


Total expense related to deferred compensation was $241 thousand, $230 thousand and $231 thousand in 2017, 2016, and 2015, respectively. The Company had $18.4 million and $15.9 million in deferred compensation assets as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, included within other assets on the Company’s consolidated statements of financial position and $18.4 million and $15.7 million in deferred compensation liability as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, located within long-term accrued liabilities on the Company’s consolidated statements of financial position. The amounts of assets were marked to fair value.