v3.26.1
SYNTHETIC GUARANTEED INVESTMENT CONTRACTS
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025
EBP 002  
EBP, Fully Benefit-Responsive Investment Contract [Line Items]  
SYNTHETIC GUARANTEED INVESTMENT CONTRACTS SYNTHETIC GUARANTEED INVESTMENT CONTRACTS
The Master Trust includes the Stable Value Fund (“SVF”), which is managed by Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. (“GSAM”). The SVF holds synthetic GICs.
A synthetic GIC, also known as a wrap contract, is an investment contract issued by an insurance company or other financial institution, backed by diversified fixed income and cash portfolios that are owned by the SVF. These contracts provide that realized and unrealized gains and losses on the underlying assets are not reflected immediately in the net assets of the SVF, but rather are amortized, over the duration of the underlying assets or other agreed upon period, through adjustments to the contracts’ future crediting rates. Primary variables impacting the future crediting rate of the SVF include the crediting rates of the various wrap contracts, broader market interest rates, the current yield and historical investment performance of the underlying assets, the duration of the underlying assets covered by the wrap contracts, the existing difference between the market value of the SVF’s investment portfolios and the associated wrap contracts’ book value, the timing and amount of participant contributions and withdrawals made to or from the SVF, the percentage of the SVF invested in cash, and SVF expenses, among other factors. The contract issuers guarantee (subject to the terms, conditions and exceptions in the wrap contracts) that all qualified participant withdrawals will occur at contract value (or book value), which represents contributions made under the contract, plus credited interest, less withdrawals made under the contract, and less administrative expenses.
The synthetic GICs are included in the Master Trust’s statements of net assets, as discussed in Note 2, at contract value. There are no reserves against contract value for credit risk of the contract issuers. The fixed income securities underlying the contracts are valued based on the valuation methodology stated in Note 2.
The assets underlying the synthetic GICs are owned by the SVF, which is part of the Master Trust. NT is the custodian for the Master Trust assets. The underlying assets of the synthetic GICs are invested in diversified fixed income and cash portfolios managed by BlackRock Financial Management, Voya Investment Management Co., J.P. Morgan Investment Management (“JPM”), Pacific Investment Management Company, and PGIM (the global investment management business of Prudential Financial). In addition to the diversified fixed income portfolios, GSAM oversees an allocation to a cash component, which is invested in a separately managed account, managed by JPM.
The wrap providers are each contractually obligated to pay the principal and specified crediting rate that is guaranteed to the SVF, subject to the terms, conditions and exceptions of each wrap contract. The respective crediting rates are each based on a formula agreed upon with each wrap contract issuer; each contract provides an interest rate floor of 0%. Such contract crediting rates are reset on a monthly basis while the crediting rate for the SVF is reset on a daily basis.
Certain events, including but not limited to a Plan termination or a Plan merger outside the Master Trust initiated by the Company, could limit the ability of the SVF to transact at contract value or may allow for the termination of the wrap contract at less than contract value. The Company does not believe that any events are probable of occurring that could limit the ability of the SVF to transact at contract value.