The reduced pension recipient headcount will lower FedEx's flat rate premium to PBGC, which is set on the number of plan participants. Other pension plan sponsors could follow FedEx's lead in transferring risk to insurance companies. (Photo: Shutterstock)
FedEx will transfer about $6 billion of pension obligations for 41,000 U.S. retired employees to MetLife, in the largest annuity pension de-risking purchase booked since 2012.
FedEx sponsors two defined benefit retirement plans for about 270,000 participants. At the end of fiscal year 2017, the company reported $29.9 billion in plan obligations, and $26.3 billion in plan assets, for a funded ratio of nearly 88 percent, according to the firm's most recent annual report.
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Nick Thornton
Nick Thornton is a financial writer covering retirement and health care issues for BenefitsPRO and ALM Media. He greatly enjoys learning from the vast minds in the legal, academic, advisory and money management communities when covering the retirement space. He's also written on international marketing trends, financial institution risk management, defense and energy issues, the restaurant industry in New York City, surfing, cigars, rum, travel, and fishing. When not writing, he's pushing into some land or water.
