12. Commitments & Contingent Liabilities

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

12. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENT LIABILITIES

Deferred Profit Sharing Retirement Plan

We have a profit sharing plan covering substantially all U.S. employees. Contributions are made at the discretion of the Board of Directors. Bio-Rad has no liability other than for the current year’s contribution. Contribution expense was $16.1 million, $15.9 million and $16.0 million in 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Purchase Obligations

As of December 31, 2019, we had purchase obligations that have not been recognized on our balance sheet of $35.8 million, which include agreements to purchase goods or services that are enforceable and legally binding to Bio-Rad and that specify all significant terms and exclude agreements that are cancelable without penalty. Recognition of purchase obligations occurs when products or services are delivered to Bio-Rad.

The annual future fixed and determinable portion of our purchase obligations that have not been recognized on our balance sheet as of December 31, 2019 are as follows: 2020 - $34.0 million, 2021 - $1.0 million, 2022 - $0.2 million, 2023 - $0.2 million, 2024 - $0.2 million and after 2024 - $0.2 million.

Long-Term Liabilities

As of December 31, 2019, we had obligations that have been recognized on our balance sheet of $118.4 million, which primarily represent recognized long-term obligations for other post-employment benefits as indicated below that are mostly due in more than 5 years, and long-term deferred revenue. Excluded are tax liabilities for uncertain tax positions and contingencies. We are not able to reasonably estimate the timing of future cash flows of these tax liabilities, therefore, our income tax obligations are excluded.

The annual future fixed and determinable portion of our obligations that have been recognized on our balance sheet as of December 31, 2019 were as follows: 2020 - $5.2 million, 2021 - $12.8 million, 2022 - $4.5 million, 2023 - $4.3 million, 2024 - $3.3 million and after 2024 - $88.3 million.

Letters of Credit/Guarantees

In the ordinary course of business, we are at times required to post letters of credit/guarantees. The letters of credit/guarantees are issued by financial institutions to guarantee our obligations to various parties. We were contingently liable for $4.2 million of standby letters of credit/guarantees with financial institutions as of December 31, 2019.

Other Post-Employment Benefits

In several foreign locations we are statutorily required to provide retirement benefits or a lump sum termination indemnity to our employees upon termination for virtually any reason. These plans are accounted for as defined benefit plans and the associated net benefit obligation at December 31, 2019 and 2018 of $81.5 million and $70.4 million, respectively, has been included in Accrued payroll and employee benefits and Other long-term liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Most plans are not required to be funded, and as such, there is no trust or other device used to accumulate assets or settle these obligations. However, some of these plans require funding based on local laws in which there is a trust or other device administered by an external plan manager that is used to accumulate assets to assist in settling these obligations. The following disclosures include such plans, which are located in France, Switzerland, Germany, Korea, India, Thailand, Italy, Dubai and Japan.

Obligations and Funded Status

The following table sets forth the change in benefit obligations, fair value of plan assets and amounts recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets for the plans (in millions):



Change in benefit obligation:	2019		2018
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	$137.3		$136.6
Service cost	6.9		7.5
Interest cost	1.5		1.1
Plan participants' contributions	3.5		3.1
Actuarial (gain) loss	11.9		(5.4	)
Gross benefits paid	(2.1	)	(3.1	)
Plan amendments	0.2		(0.5	)
Settlements	(3.8	)	—
Change attributable to foreign exchange	(1.6	)	(2.0	)

Benefit obligation at end of year	153.8		137.3

Change in plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets at beginning year	66.9		61.7
Actual return on plan assets	0.9		0.3
Employer contributions	4.7		4.0
Plan participants' contributions	3.8		3.1
Gross benefits paid	(0.8	)	(1.5	)
Settlements	(3.8	)	—
Change attributable to foreign exchange	0.6		(0.7	)

Fair value of plan assets at end of year	72.3		66.9

Under funded status of plans	$(81.5)		$(70.4)

Amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets:
Current liabilities (Accrued payroll and employee benefits)	$(1.1)		$(1.1)
Noncurrent liabilities (Other long-term liabilities)	(80.4	)	(69.3	)

Net liability, end of fiscal year	$(81.5)		$(70.4)

Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost

The following sets forth the net periodic benefit cost (income) for the periods indicated (in millions):



	2019		2018		2017
Service costs	$6.9		$7.5		$6.5
Interest costs	1.5		1.1		1.1
Expected returns on plan assets	(1.2	)	(1.1	)	(1.1	)
Amortization of actuarial losses	1.0		1.3		1.4
Amortization of prior service costs	—		0.1		—
Settlements	0.9		—		1.2

Net periodic benefit costs	$9.1		$8.9		$9.1

Assumptions

The weighted-average assumptions used in computing the benefit obligations are as follows:



	2019		2018
Discount rate	0.5	%	1.1	%
Compensation rate increase	1.7	%	1.8	%

The weighted-average assumptions used in computing the net periodic benefit costs are as follows:



	2019		2018		2017
Discount rate	1.1	%	0.8	%	0.9	%
Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets	1.8	%	1.8	%	1.9	%

In some foreign locations we have service award plans that are paid based upon the number of years of employment. Under these plans, the liability at December 31, 2019 and 2018 was $3.5 million and $3.1 million, respectively, and has been included in Accrued payroll and employee benefits and Other long-term liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Concentrations of Labor Subject to Collective Bargaining Agreements

At December 31, 2019, approximately seven percent of Bio-Rad's approximately 3,180 U.S. employees were covered by a collective bargaining agreement, which will expire on November 14, 2023. Many of Bio-Rad's non-U.S. full-time employees, especially in France, are covered by collective bargaining agreements.