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LLB Annual Report 2022 de

Pension plans and other long-term benefits

Information checkedInformation unaudited Information geprüft Information ungeprüft Pension plans and other
long-term benefits

Pension plans

Post-employment benefits

The LLB Group has established a number of pension plans, in compliance with prevailing legal provisions, which insure most employees in the event of death, invalidity and retirement. In addition, further plans exist for long-service anniversaries, which qualify as other long-term employee benefits. In the case of the pension plans, contributions are made by employees, which are then supplemented by corresponding contributions from the LLB Group. The pension schemes are financed in compliance with the local legal and fiscal regulations. The risk benefits are based on the insured salary and the pension benefits on the accumulated capital. The assets of the funded pension plans are held within separate foundations or insurances and may not revert to the employer. For the calculation of mortality, life expectancy and disability, the technical bases BVG 2020 (previous year: BVG 2020) were used for all significant pension plans. The last actuarial valuations were performed on 31 December 2022. The actuarial gains and losses are included in other comprehensive income.

Joint committees are set up for pension plans, which are administered via collective foundations. The foundation board of the autonomous pension foundation is also composed of an equal number of employee and employer representatives. On the basis of the legal provisions and the pension plan regulations, the foundation board is obligated to act solely in the interest of the foundation and the actively insured persons and pensioners. Consequently, in this pension plan the employer itself may not decide on benefits and their financing, rather decisions must be taken on equal terms.

The foundation board is responsible for determining the investment strategy, for amendments to the pension plan regulations, and especially for the financing of the pension plan benefits. The foundation board members of the pension plans specify investment guidelines for the investment of the pension plan assets, which contain the tactical asset allocation and the benchmarks for the comparison of performance with a general investment universe. The assets of the pension plans are well diversified. With regard to diversification and security, the legal provisions of the BPVG Pension Law apply to pension plans in Liechtenstein, and the legal provisions of the BVG Pension Law apply to pension plans in Switzerland. The foundation board members continually monitor whether the selected investment strategy is suitable for the provision of the pension plan benefits and whether the risk budget corresponds to the demographic structure. The observance of the investment guidelines and the investment performance of the investment advisers are reviewed on a quarterly basis. In addition, the investment strategy and its suitability and effectiveness are periodically checked by an external consultant.

The pension plan is designed as a defined contribution plan, i.e. a savings account is maintained for all the retirement benefits of each employee. The annual savings contributions and interest (no negative interest is possible) are credited to the pension savings account annually. At the time of retirement, the insured person may choose between a life-long pension, which includes a reversionary spouse pension, or the withdrawal of the savings capital. In addition to the retirement benefits, the pension plan also includes invalidity and partner pensions. These are calculated on the basis of the insured annual salary (defined benefit plan). Furthermore, the insured employee may purchase improvements to his pension plan up to a maximum sum specified in the regulations. If the employee leaves the company, the savings credit balance is transferred to the new employer’s pension plan or to a blocked pension savings account. When determining the benefits, the minimum provisions of the Professional Pension Plans Law (BPVG) for Liechtenstein, as well as the Federal Law on Occupational Retirement, Survivors’ and Disability Pension Plans (BVG) for Switzerland and their implementing ordinances are to be observed. The minimum salary to be insured and the minimum pension savings balance sum are stipulated in the BPVG and BVG. On account of the pension plan structure and the legal provisions of the BPVG and BVG, the employer is subject to actuarial risks. The most important of these are investment risk, interest rate risk and longevity risk. The risks of death and invalidity are congruently re-insured. Currently, the individually accumulated pension capital is converted into a life-long pension at age 65 at a pension conversion rate of 5.22 per cent. The conversion rate will gradually decrease to 4.82 per cent at age 65 by 1 January 2028. Amendments to the contribution payments made by the bank, the associated companies, or the employees require, in accordance with the regulations, the approval of the bank, the associated companies and a majority of the foundation board. The pension plans are financed through contributions made by the employer and the employees. The amount of the contributions is specified in the pension plan regulations. The employer must bear at least half of the contributions. In the event of underfunding, financial recovery contributions may be charged to both the employer and the employee to eliminate the shortfall in coverage.

The following amounts were recognised in the income statement and in equity as pension costs:

Benefit expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pensions plans

Other long-term benefits

in CHF thousands

2022

2021

2022

2021

Defined benefit costs

 

 

 

 

Service cost

 

 

 

 

Current service cost

– 15'467

– 16'759

– 563

– 553

Past service cost including effects of curtailment

0

613

0

0

Total service cost

– 15'467

– 16'146

– 563

– 553

Net interest

 

 

 

 

Interest cost on defined benefit obligation

– 1'740

– 1'390

– 17

– 9

Interest income on plan assets

1'620

1'246

0

0

Total net interest

– 120

– 144

– 17

– 9

Administration expense

– 615

– 616

0

0

Net actuarial (losses) / gains recognised

0

0

446

– 100

Total defined benefit cost

– 16'202

– 16'906

– 134

– 662

of which personnel expenses

– 16'202

– 16'906

– 134

– 662

of which financial expense

0

0

0

0

Contributions to defined contribution plans

– 733

– 200

0

0

 

 

 

 

 

Remeasurement of the defined benefit liability

 

 

 

 

Actuarial (gains) / losses

 

 

 

 

Arising from changes in demographic assumptions

0

14'997

0

0

Arising from changes in economic assumptions

119'448

7'132

0

0

Arising from experience

– 18'944

– 15'480

0

0

Return on plan assets (excl. amounts in interest income)

– 75'950

44'123

0

0

Total defined benefit cost recognised in other comprehensive income

24'554

50'772

0

0

 

 

 

 

 

Total benefit cost

7'619

33'666

– 134

– 662

Development of plan obligations

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pensions plans

Other long-term benefits

in CHF thousands

2022

2021

2022

2021

As at 1 January

598'282

600'460

4'200

4'359

Current service cost

15'467

16'759

563

553

Plan participation contributions

8'585

8'070

0

0

Interest costs

1'740

1'390

17

9

Benefits paid through pension assets

– 17'246

– 21'052

0

0

Benefits paid by employer

– 22

– 96

– 536

– 759

Actuarial (gains) / losses

– 100'504

– 6'649

– 446

101

Plan amendments

0

– 613

0

0

Exchange rate differences

– 22

13

– 61

– 63

As at 31 December

506'280

598'282

3'736

4'200

of which active employees

345'578

409'091

 

 

of which pensioners

160'701

189'190

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Average term of obligation

12.7

15.1

 

 

Development of plan assets

 

 

 

 

Pension plans

in CHF thousands

2022

2021

As at 1 January

546'641

499'320

Plan participation contributions

8'585

8'070

Company contributions

15'784

15'550

Interest income on plan assets

1'620

1'246

Administration expense

– 615

– 616

Assets assumed in a business combination

0

0

Benefits paid through pension assets

– 17'246

– 21'052

Return on plan assets (excl. amounts in interest income)

– 75'950

44'123

As at 31 December

478'819

546'641

The pension fund assets as at 31 December 2022 include shares of LLB with a market value of CHF thousands 18 (31.12. 2021: CHF thousands 14). The expected Group contributions for the 2023 financial year amount to CHF thousands 15'712 for the pension plans and CHF thousands 270 for the other long-term benefits.

Overview of net debt recognised in the balance sheet

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pension plans

Other long-term benefits

in CHF thousands

31.12.2022

31.12.2021

31.12.2022

31.12.2021

Present value of funded obligations

504'764

596'723

0

0

Minus fair value of plan assets

478'819

546'641

0

0

Under- / (Over-)funded

25'945

50'082

0

0

Present value of unfunded obligations

1'516

1'559

3'734

4'199

Net debt recognised in the balance sheet

27'461

51'641

3'734

4'199

Asset classes

 

Share of total assets

in CHF thousands

31.12.2022

31.12.2021

Equities

 

 

listed market prices (Level 1)

162'476

187'993

other than listed market prices

0

0

Bonds

 

 

listed market prices (Level 1)

170'205

173'299

other than listed market prices

0

0

Real estate

 

 

listed market prices (Level 1)

12'908

12'003

other than listed market prices / direct investments

61'913

60'407

Alternative financial investments

31'120

48'332

Qualified insurance policies

25'679

40'808

Other financial investments

0

0

Cash and cash equivalents

14'518

23'799

Total plan assets

478'819

546'641

Weighted average of principal actuarial assumptions

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pension plans

Other long-term benefits

in per cent

31.12.2022

31.12.2021

31.12.2022

31.12.2021

Discount rate

2.24

0.30

2.69

0.45

Future salary increases

2.25

1.30

2.59

1.70

Future pension indexations

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

Interest credit rate

2.24

0.49

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life expectancy at the age of 65

 

 

 

 

Year of birth

1977

1976

 

 

men

25.0

24.9

 

 

women

26.5

26.4

 

 

Year of birth

1957

1956

 

 

men

22.7

22.6

 

 

women

24.5

24.4

 

 

The demographic assumptions correspond to those for the year 2022 based on BVG 2020.

Sensitivity analysis of significant actuarial assumptions

The following sensitivity analysis for the significant actuarial assumptions, on which calculations are based, shows how the cash value of pension obligations would change on the balance sheet date on account of a possible change in the actuarial assumptions. Only the listed assumption changes, all other assumptions remain unchanged.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pension plans

 

31.12.2022

31.12.2021

in CHF thousands

+ 0.25 %

- 0.25 %

+ 0.25 %

- 0.25 %

Discount rate

– 15'783

16'962

– 22'272

23'800

Salary increase

1'464

– 1'440

1'930

– 1'885

Interest credit rate

4'311

– 4'195

5'231

– 5'114

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

in CHF thousands

+ 1 year

- 1 year

+ 1 year

- 1 year

Life expectancy

9'009

– 9'187

14'295

– 14'446