PCS U.S.
EMPLOYEES’ SAVINGS PLAN
FOR COLLECTIVELY BARGAINED EMPLOYEES
Notes to the Financial Statements
December 31, 2019 and 2018
(US dollars)
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b) |
Change in fair values levels
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The availability of observable market data is monitored to assess
the appropriate classification of financial instruments within the
fair value hierarchy. Changes in economic conditions or model-based
valuation techniques may require transfer of financial instruments
from one fair value level to another. In such instances, the
transfer is reported at the end of the reporting period.
Plan management evaluated the significance of transfers between
levels based upon the nature of the financial instrument and size
of the transfer relative to total net assets available for plan
benefits. For the year ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, there
were no significant transfers in or out of levels 1, 2, or 3.
The Fidelity Managed Income Portfolio II — The Portfolio is
a stable value fund that is a commingled pool of the Fidelity Group
Trust for Employee Benefit Plans. The Portfolio is invested in
fixed interest insurance company investment contracts, money market
funds, corporate and government bonds, mortgage-backed securities,
bond funds, and other fixed income securities, with the objective
of providing a high level of return that is consistent with also
providing stability of investment return and preservation of
capital and liquidity to pay the Plan benefits of its retirement
plan investors.
Certain events limit the ability of the Plan to transact at
contract value with the Portfolio issuer. Such events include the
following: (a) the Plan’s failure to qualify under the IRC;
(b) the establishment of a defined contribution plan that
competes with the Plan for employee contributions; (c) any
substantive modification of the Portfolio or the administration of
the Portfolio that is not consented to by the wrap issuer;
(d) any change in law, regulation, or administrative ruling
applicable to the Plan that could have a material adverse effect on
the Portfolio’s cash flow; (e) any communication given to
unitholders that is designed to induce or influence unitholders not
to invest in the Portfolio or to transfer assets out of the
Portfolio; (f) any transfer of assets from the Portfolio
directly to a competing investment option; or (g) the
inability of the Portfolio to maintain wrap contracts covering its
underlying assets. The Plan administrator does not believe the
occurrence of any such value event, which would limit the Plan’s
ability to transact at contract value with participants, is
probable.
Participants may ordinarily direct the withdrawal or transfer of
all or a portion of their investment in the Portfolio at contract
value. The crediting interest rates were 2.24 percent and
2.17 percent at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively,
which were based on the interest rates of the underlying portfolio
of assets. The average yield for the year ended December 31, 2019,
was 2.71 percent. The participants in the Plan are able to
redeem from the Portfolio immediately. The Portfolio has no
redemption restrictions and there is no redemption notice period
required for participants.
7. |
RELATED PARTY AND PARTY-IN-INTEREST
TRANSACTIONS
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Certain Plan investments are shares of investment funds
administered by Fidelity Investments Institutional Operations
Company, Inc., an affiliate of the Trustee, investment manager and
recordkeeper. These transactions qualify as exempt party-in-interest transactions.
Fees paid by the Plan for the investment management services were
included as a reduction of the return earned on each fund.
At December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Plan held approximately 110,299
and 114,334 shares, respectively, of Nutrien common stock, with a
fair value of $5,284,421 and $5,373,689, respectively. During the
year ended December 31, 2019, the Plan recorded dividend income of
$196,471.
8. |
RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES
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The Plan utilizes various investment instruments, including mutual
funds, a pooled investment stable value fund, a common collective
trust, short term funds and common stock. Investment securities, in
general, are exposed to various risks, such as interest rate,
credit, and overall market volatility. Due to the level of risk
associated with certain investment securities, it is reasonably
possible that changes in the values of investment securities will
occur in the near term and that such changes could materially
affect the amounts reported in the financial statements. As of
December 31, 2019, there was a significant concentration of
participant-directed investments in the common stock of Nutrien (11
percent), a collective investment fund (15 percent), a
passively managed S&P 500 index fund (13 percent) and two
passively managed vintage target date funds (11 and
10 percent).
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