Expense for employee benefits
The expenses recognized for employee benefits are:
| | 2017 | | | 2016 | | | 2015 | |
Salaries, benefits and inherent | | $ | 550,491 | | | $ | 654,677 | | | $ | 674,512 | |
Pensions – defined benefit plans | | | 21,284 | | | | (14,764 | ) | | | 22,805 | |
| | $ | 571,775 | | | $ | 639,913 | | | $ | 697,317 | |
The liabilities recognized for pensions and other employee remunerations in the consolidated statement of financial position are comprised as follows:
| | 2017 | | | 2016 | |
Long-term: | | | | | | |
Pensions and seniority premium | | $ | 150,873 | | | $ | 142,398 | |
Termination of employment | | | 24,687 | | | | 21,809 | |
| | $ | 175,560 | | | $ | 164,207 | |
The liabilities for employee benefits, short term, are included in the line ‘Accounts payable and accrued liabilities’ in the consolidated statements of financial position, which at December 31, 2017 and 2016 are $1,678 and $3,893, respectively.
Remunerations on the termination of employment
The seniority premiums and the retirement plan (‘pensions’) obligations are based on actuarial calculations using the projected unit credit method. Pension benefits are based mainly on years of service, age, and salary level upon retirement.
The amounts charged to operations include the amortization of the cost of past services over the average time of service remaining. The Company continues with its policy of recognizing actuarial losses and gains for seniority premiums and pensions in the consolidated statement of operations, the actuarial (loss) gain net of taxes for 2017 and 2016 was $223 and $17,404, respectively.
The plan exposes Grupo TMM to such risks as interest rate, investment, mortality, and inflation.
Interest rate risk
The present value of the defined benefits obligation is calculated using a discount rate making reference to the market performance of high-quality corporate bonds.
The estimated term for the bonds is consistent with the estimated term for the defined benefits obligation and is denominated in pesos. A decrease in the market performance of high-quality corporate bonds will increase the defined benefits obligation of Grupo TMM, although this is expected to be partially compensated by an increase in the fair value of certain of the plan’s assets.
Investment risk
The plan assets are predominantly capital and debt instruments traded on the Mexican Stock Exchange which are considered low risk.
Mortality risk
Grupo TMM provides benefits for life to those who are covered by the defined benefits liability. An increase in the life expectancy of such persons will increase the defined benefits liability.
Inflation risk
A significant proportion of the defined benefits obligation is linked to inflation. An increase in the inflation rate will increase the Company’s obligation.
The details of the net cost for the period for seniority premiums and termination of employment, and also the basic actuarial estimates for the calculation of these labor obligations is shown as follows:
| | 2017 | | | 2016 | |
| | Pensions and seniority premiums | | | Termination of employment | | | Pensions and seniority premiums | | | Termination of employment | |
Current service cost | | $ | 5,460 | | | $ | 1,868 | | | $ | (29,914 | ) | | $ | (1,717 | ) |
Interest cost | | | 12,015 | | | | 1,941 | | | | 15,072 | | | | 1,795 | |
Net cost for the period | | $ | 17,475 | | | $ | 3,809 | | | $ | (14,842 | ) | | $ | 78 | |
At December 31, 2017 and 2016, the reserve for pensions and seniority premiums, and also for the termination of employment, is comprised as follows:
| | 2017 | | | 2016 | |
| | Pensions and seniority premiums | | | Termination of employment | | | Pensions and seniority premiums | | | Termination of employment | |
Defined benefit obligations | | $ | 153,572 | | | $ | 24,687 | | | $ | 144,049 | | | $ | 21,809 | |
Plan assets | | | (2,699 | ) | | | - | | | | (1,651 | ) | | | - | |
Total reserve | | $ | 150,873 | | | $ | 24,687 | | | $ | 142,398 | | | $ | 21,809 | |
At December 31, 2017 and 2016, the DBO for pensions and seniority premiums, and also for the reserve for termination of employment, are comprised as follows:
| | 2017 | | | 2016 | |
| | Pensions and seniority premiums | | | Termination of employment | | | Pensions and seniority premiums | | | Termination of employment | |
DBO at period start | | $ | 144,049 | | | $ | 21,809 | | | $ | 191,134 | | | $ | 22,029 | |
Current service cost | | | 5,460 | | | | 1,868 | | | | (29,914 | ) | | | (1,717 | ) |
Interest cost | | | 12,015 | | | | 1,941 | | | | 15,072 | | | | 1,795 | |
Benefits paid | | | (296 | ) | | | - | | | | (1,128 | ) | | | - | |
Benefits paid from plan assets | | | (9,272 | ) | | | - | | | | (13,739 | ) | | | - | |
Miscellaneous | | | 908 | | | | - | | | | (269 | ) | | | (1 | ) |
Actuarial losses and gains | | | 708 | | | | (931 | ) | | | (17,107 | ) | | | (297 | ) |
DBO at period end | | $ | 153,572 | | | $ | 24,687 | | | $ | 144,049 | | | $ | 21,809 | |
The plan assets at December 31, 2017 and 2016 are comprised as follows:
| | 2017 | | | 2016 | |
Value of the fund at year start | | $ | 1,651 | | | $ | 1,921 | |
Expected return on assets | | | 908 | | | | (294 | ) |
Plan contributions | | | 9,272 | | | | 13,739 | |
Benefits paid | | | (9,272 | ) | | | (13,739 | ) |
Interests of plan assets | | | 140 | | | | 24 | |
Value of the fund at year end | | $ | 2,699 | | | $ | 1,651 | |
The changes in the pension plan, seniority premium, and termination of employment plan at December 31, 2017 and 2016 are as follows:
| | 2017 | | | 2016 | |
Reserve for obligations at year start | | $ | 164,207 | | | $ | 211,242 | |
Total cost for the year | | | 21,284 | | | | (14,764 | ) |
Contributions to the plan | | | (9,272 | ) | | | (13,739 | ) |
Benefits paid charged to the reserve | | | (296 | ) | | | (1,128 | ) |
Actuarial gain | | | (223 | ) | | | (17,404 | ) |
Reserve for obligations at year end | | $ | 175,560 | | | $ | 164,207 | |
The significant actuarial assumptions used for the valuation are:
| | 2017 | | | 2016 | |
Discount rate | | | 9.25 | % | | | 9.00 | % |
Salary increase rate | | | 4.00 | % | | | 4.00 | % |
Inflation rate | | | 3.50 | % | | | 3.50 | % |
Average working life expectancy | | | 19.80 | | | | 19.80 | |
These assumptions were prepared by Management with the assistance of independent actuaries. The discount factors are determined near the end of each year making reference to the market performance of high-quality corporate bonds denominated in the currency in which the benefits will be paid and which have similar maturities to the terms for the pension obligation corresponding. Other assumptions are based on actual reference parameters and Management’s historical experience.
At December 31, 2017 and 2016, approximately 17% and 25%, respectively, of the Company’s employees work under collective bargaining agreements that are subject to annual salary reviews and biannually for other compensations. At December 31, 2017 and 2016, Grupo TMM has 1,494 and 1,499 employees, respectively.
The significant actuarial assumptions to determine the defined benefits obligation are the discount rate, the salary increase rate, and the average life expectancy. The calculation of the defined benefits obligation is sensitive to these assumptions.
The following table summarizes the effects of changes to these actuarial assumptions on the defined benefits obligations at December 31, 2017:
| | 1.0% increase | | | 1.0% decrease | |
Discount rate | | | | | | |
(Decrease) increase in the defined benefits obligation | | $ | (6,161 | ) | | $ | 6,565 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | 1.0% increase | | | 1.0% decrease | |
Salary increase rate | | | | | | | | |
Increase (decrease) in the defined benefits obligation | | $ | 4,416 | | | $ | (4,173 | ) |
| | One year Increase | | | One year decrease | |
Average life expectancies | | | | | | |
Increase (decrease) in the defined benefits obligation | | $ | 5,583 | | | $ | (5,736 | ) |
The present value of the defined benefits obligation and also the defined benefits obligation recognized in the consolidated statement of financial position are calculated using the same method (projected unit credit). The sensitivity analyses are based on a change in one assumption without changing the others. This sensitivity analysis may not be representative of the real variance in the defined benefits obligation, as it is unlikely that the change to the assumptions would occur on its own, as some of the assumptions may be correlated.