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RETIREMENT PLANS
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2024
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
RETIREMENT PLANS RETIREMENT PLANS
As described below, Eastman offers various postretirement benefits to its employees.

Defined Contribution Plans

Eastman sponsors a defined contribution employee stock ownership plan (the "ESOP"), which is a component of the Eastman Investment Plan and Employee Stock Ownership Plan ("EIP/ESOP"), under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. Eastman made a contribution in February 2025 to the EIP/ESOP for substantially all U.S. employees equal to 5 percent of their eligible compensation for the 2024 plan year. Employees may allocate contributions to other investment funds within the EIP from the ESOP at any time without restrictions. Allocated shares in the ESOP totaled 1,865,375; 1,899,512; and 1,871,624 shares as of December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively. Dividends on shares held by the EIP/ESOP are charged to retained earnings. All shares held by the EIP/ESOP are treated as outstanding in computing earnings per share ("EPS").

In 2006, the Company amended its EIP/ESOP to provide a Company match of 50 percent of the first 7 percent of an employee's compensation contributed to the plan for employees who are hired on or after January 1, 2007. Employees who are hired on or after January 1, 2007, are also eligible for the contribution to the ESOP as described above.

Charges for domestic contributions to the EIP/ESOP were $81 million, $79 million, and $81 million for 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively.

Defined Benefit Pension Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans

Pension Plans

Eastman maintains defined benefit pension plans that provide eligible employees with retirement benefits.

Effective January 1, 2000, the Company's Eastman Retirement Assistance Plan, a U.S. defined benefit pension plan, was amended. Employees' accrued pension benefits earned prior to January 1, 2000 are calculated based on previous plan provisions using the employee's age, years of service, and final average compensation as defined in the plans. The amended plan uses a pension equity formula to calculate an employee's retirement benefits from January 1, 2000 forward. Benefits payable will be the combined pre-2000 and post-1999 benefits. Employees hired on or after January 1, 2007 are not eligible to participate in Eastman's U.S. defined benefit pension plans.

Benefits are paid to employees from trust funds. Contributions to the trust funds are made as permitted by laws and regulations. The pension trust funds do not directly own any of the Company's common stock.

Pension coverage for employees of Eastman's non-U.S. operations is provided, to the extent deemed appropriate, through separate plans. The Company systematically provides for obligations under such plans by depositing funds with trustees, under insurance policies, or by book reserves.

Other Postretirement Benefit Plans

Under its other postretirement benefit plans in the U.S., Eastman provides life insurance for eligible retirees hired prior to January 1, 2007. Company funding is also provided for eligible Medicare retirees hired prior to January 1, 2007 with a health reimbursement arrangement. Certain of the Company's non-U.S. operations have supplemental health benefit plans for retirees, the cost of which is not significant to the Company.
Below is a summary balance sheet of the change in benefit obligation and plan assets during 2024 and 2023, the funded status of the plans and amounts recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position.

Summary of Changes
Pension Plans
Postretirement Benefit Plans
2024202320242023
(Dollars in millions)U.S.Non-U.S.U.S.Non-U.S.
Change in projected benefit obligation:
Benefit obligation, beginning of year$1,468 $661 $1,471 $602 $480 $509 
Service cost21 9 23 7 $— — 
Interest cost73 24 77 26 $24 26 
Actuarial loss (gain)
(29)(55)54 36 $(17)(11)
Settlement— — — (11)$— — 
Plan participants' contributions— 1 — 1 $2 2 
Effect of currency exchange— (25)— 27 $— — 
Benefits paid(148)(23)(157)(27)(43)(46)
Benefit obligation, end of year$1,385 $592 $1,468 $661 $446 $480 
Change in plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets, beginning of year$1,348 $639 $1,405 $589 $104 $106 
Actual return on plan assets62 16 93 40 $3 12 
Effect of currency exchange— (26)— 27 $— — 
Company contributions4 17 7 20 $35 35 
Reserve for third party contributions— — — — $— (5)
Plan participants' contributions— 1 — 1 $2 2 
Benefits paid(148)(23)(157)(27)$(43)(46)
Settlements— — — (11)— — 
Fair value of plan assets, end of year$1,266 $624 $1,348 $639 $101 $104 
Funded status at end of year$(119)$32 $(120)$(22)$(345)$(376)
Amounts recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position consist of:
Other noncurrent assets$— $58 $— $18 $57 $56 
Current liabilities(4)— (3)— (36)(36)
Post-employment obligations(115)(26)(117)(40)(366)(396)
Net amount recognized, end of year$(119)$32 $(120)$(22)$(345)$(376)
Accumulated benefit obligation$1,324 $569 $1,404 $635 
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income consist of:
Prior service (credit) cost$— $(5)$— $(6)$— $(10)

Actuarial gains in the projected benefit obligations for 2024 were primarily due to higher discount rates. Actuarial losses in the projected benefit obligations for the pension plans in 2023 were primarily due to lower discount rates. Actuarial gains in benefit obligations for the postretirement benefit plans in 2023 were primarily due to changes in actuarial assumptions partially offset by lower discount rates.
Information for pension plans with projected benefit obligations in excess of plan assets:
(Dollars in millions)20242023
U.S.Non-U.S.U.S.Non-U.S.
Projected benefit obligation$1,385 $79 $1,468 $434 
Fair value of plan assets1,266 53 1,348 394 

Information for pension plans with accumulated benefit obligations in excess of plan assets:
(Dollars in millions)20242023
U.S.Non-U.S.U.S.Non-U.S.
Accumulated benefit obligation$1,324 $55 $1,404 $408 
Fair value of plan assets1,266 40 1,348 385 

Postretirement benefit plans with accumulated benefit obligations in excess of plan assets are $402 million and $432 million at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The plans have no assets.

Summary of Benefit Costs and Other Amounts Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income
 Pension PlansPostretirement Benefit Plans
202420232022202420232022
(Dollars in millions)U.S.Non-U.S.U.S.Non-U.S.U.S.Non-U.S.
Components of net periodic benefit (credit) cost:
Service cost$21 $9 $23 $7 $25 $11 $— $— $— 
Interest cost73 24 77 26 45 14 24 26 14 
Expected return on plan assets(95)(28)(88)(22)(128)(31)(5)(4)(4)
Amortization of:
Prior service (credit) cost— (1)— — 1 — (10)(27)(31)
Mark-to-market pension and other postretirement benefits loss (gain), net (1)
4 (43)49 18 112 10 (15)(14)(103)
Net periodic benefit (credit) cost$3 $(39)$61 $29 $55 $4 $(6)$(19)$(124)
Other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income:
Curtailment gain $— $— $— $— $— $(4)$— $— $— 
Amortization of:
Prior service (credit) cost— (1)— — 1 — (10)(27)(31)
Total$— $(1)$— $— $1 $(4)$(10)$(27)$(31)
(1)Includes a curtailment in 2022 triggered by the sale of the adhesives resins business which is included in "Other components of post-employment (benefit) cost, net" on the Consolidated Statements of Earnings, Comprehensive Income and Retained Earnings.

In 2022, subsequent to the adhesives resins divestiture, the Company retained pension liabilities of certain plan participants. As such, the status of those participants changed in a Non-U.S. pension plan which triggered a curtailment and an interim MTM remeasurement of the impacted Non-U.S. pension plan's assets and liabilities. A curtailment gain of $7 million, including $3 million reduction in the pension benefit obligation and $4 million of prior service credits recognized immediately, and a MTM gain of $3 million were recognized in 2022.

Settlements are triggered in a plan when distributions exceed the sum of service cost and interest cost of the respective plan. Lump sum payments from a U.S. pension plan resulted in a plan settlement in 2022. The settlement was not material. However, the settlement triggered an interim remeasurement of the impacted U.S. pension plan's assets and liabilities and, as such, the Company recognized a MTM loss of $7 million in 2022.
Plan Assumptions

The assumptions used to develop the projected benefit obligation for Eastman's significant U.S. and non-U.S. defined benefit pension plans and U.S. postretirement benefit plans are provided in the following tables.
Pension PlansPostretirement Benefit Plans
202420232022202420232022
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations for years ended December 31:
U.S.Non-U.S.U.S.Non-U.S.U.S.Non-U.S.
Discount rate5.64 %4.40 %5.22 %3.83 %5.58 %4.27 %5.60 %5.21 %5.55 %
Interest crediting rate5.44 %N/A5.46 %N/A5.48 %N/AN/AN/AN/A
Rate of compensation increase3.00 %3.04 %3.00 %3.04 %3.00 %3.04 %N/AN/AN/A
Health care cost trend
Initial6.25 %6.50 %6.00 %
Decreasing to ultimate trend of5.00 %5.00 %5.00 %
in year203020302030
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine net periodic cost for years ended December 31:
U.S.Non-U.S.U.S.Non-U.S.U.S.Non-U.S.
Discount rate5.22 %3.83 %5.58 %4.27 %2.88 %1.57 %5.21 %5.55 %2.83 %
Discount rate for service cost5.22 %3.38 %5.59 %3.95 %2.95 %1.31 %N/AN/AN/A
Discount rate for interest cost5.15 %3.83 %5.46 %4.27 %2.46 %1.57 %5.16 %5.43 %2.35 %
Expected return on assets7.50 %4.74 %6.62 %3.86 %7.07 %3.81 %4.50 %3.50 %3.50 %
Rate of compensation increase3.00 %3.04 %3.00 %3.04 %3.00 %3.00 %N/AN/AN/A
Interest crediting rate5.46 %N/A5.48 %N/A5.50 %N/AN/AN/AN/A
Health care cost trend
Initial6.50 %6.00 %6.00 %
Decreasing to ultimate trend of5.00 %5.00 %5.00 %
in year203020302026

The Company calculates service and interest cost components of net periodic benefit costs for its significant defined benefit pension and other postretirement benefit plans by applying the specific spot rates along the yield curve to the plans' projected cash flows.

The fair value of plan assets for the U.S. pension plans at both December 31, 2024 and 2023 was $1.3 billion, while the fair value of plan assets at December 31, 2024 and 2023 for non-U.S. pension plans was $624 million and $639 million, respectively. At both December 31, 2024 and 2023, the expected weighted-average long-term rate of return on U.S. pension plans assets was 7.50 percent. The expected weighted-average long-term rate of return on non-U.S. pension plan assets was 5.01 percent and 4.74 percent at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
Plan Assets

The following tables reflect the fair value of the defined benefit pension plans assets.
(Dollars in millions)
Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2024
DescriptionTotal Fair ValueQuoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)Significant Unobservable Inputs
(Level 3)
Pension Assets:U.S.Non-U.S.U.S.Non-U.S.U.S.Non-U.S.U.S.Non-U.S.
Cash and Cash Equivalents (1)
$18 $40 $18 $40 $— $— $— $— 
Public Equity - United States (2)
6 — 6 — — — — — 
Other Investments (3)
— 49 — — — — — 49 
Total Assets at Fair Value$24 $89 $24 $40 $— $— $— $49 
Investments Measured at Net Asset Value (4)
1,242 535 
Total Assets$1,266 $624 
(Dollars in millions)
Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2023
DescriptionTotal Fair ValueQuoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)Significant Unobservable Inputs
(Level 3)
Pension Assets:U.S.Non-U.S.U.S.Non-U.S.U.S.Non-U.S.U.S.Non-U.S.
Cash and Cash Equivalents (1)
$25 $49 $25 $49 $— $— $— $— 
Public Equity - United States (2)
4 — 4 — — — — — 
Other Investments (3)
— 51 — — — — — 51 
Total Assets at Fair Value$29 $100 $29 $49 $— $— $— $51 
Investments Measured at Net Asset Value (4)
1,319 539 
Total Assets$1,348 $639 
(1)Cash and Cash Equivalents: Funds generally invested in actively managed collective trust funds or interest bearing accounts.
(2)Public Equity - United States: Common stock equity securities which are primarily valued using a market approach based on the quoted market prices.
(3)Other Investments: Primarily consist of insurance contracts which are generally valued using a crediting rate that approximates market returns and investments in underlying securities whose market values are unobservable and determined using pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies, or similar techniques.
(4)Investments Measured at Net Asset Value: The underlying debt, public equity, and public real asset investments in this category are generally held in common trust funds, which are either actively or passively managed investment vehicles, that are valued at the net asset value per unit/share multiplied by the number of units/shares held as of the measurement date. The other alternative investments in this category are valued under the practical expedient method which is based on the most recently reported net asset value provided by the management of each private investment fund, adjusted as appropriate, for any lag between the date of the financial reports and the measurement date.
The following tables reflect the fair value of the postretirement benefit plan assets. The postretirement benefit plan is for the voluntary employees' beneficiary association ("VEBA") trust the Company assumed as part of the Solutia acquisition.
(Dollars in millions)
Fair Value Measurements at
 December 31, 2024
DescriptionTotal Fair ValueQuoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets
(Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs
(Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs
(Level 3)
Postretirement Benefit Plan Assets:
Debt (1):
Fixed Income (U.S.)$64 $— $64 $— 
Fixed Income (Non-U.S.)22 — 22 — 
Total$86 $— $86 $— 
(Dollars in millions)
Fair Value Measurements at
December 31, 2023
DescriptionTotal Fair ValueQuoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets
(Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs
(Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs
(Level 3)
Postretirement Benefit Plan Assets:
Cash and Cash Equivalents (2)
$2 $2 $— $— 
Debt (1):
Fixed Income (U.S.)65 — 65 — 
Fixed Income (Non-U.S.)22 — 22 — 
Total$89 $2 $87 $— 
(1)Debt: The fixed income securities are primarily valued upon a market approach, using matrix pricing and considering a security's relationship to other securities for which quoted prices in an active market may be available, or an income approach, converting future cash flows to a single present value amount. Inputs used in developing fair value estimates include reported trades, broker quotes, benchmark yields, and base spreads.
(2)Cash and Cash Equivalents: Funds generally invested in actively managed collective trust funds or interest bearing accounts.

The Company valued assets with unobservable inputs (Level 3), primarily insurance contracts, using a crediting rate that approximates market returns and investments in underlying securities whose market values are unobservable and determined using pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies, or similar techniques.
Fair Value Measurements Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Other Investments(1)
(Dollars in millions)Non-U.S. Pension Plans
Balance at December 31, 2022
$45 
Unrealized gains5 
Purchases, issuances, sales, and settlements1 
Balance at December 31, 2023
51 
Unrealized gains
(3)
Purchases, issuances, sales, and settlements1 
Balance at December 31, 2024
$49 
(1)Primarily consists of insurance contracts.
The following table reflects the target allocation for the Company's U.S. and non-U.S. pension and postretirement benefit plans assets for 2025 and the asset allocation at December 31, 2024 and 2023, by asset category.
U.S. Pension PlansNon-U.S. Pension PlansPostretirement Benefit Plan
2025 Target Allocation
Plan Assets at
December 31, 2024
Plan Assets at December 31, 2023
2025 Target AllocationPlan Assets at
December 31, 2024		Plan Assets at December 31, 20232025 Target AllocationPlan Assets at
December 31, 2024		Plan Assets at December 31, 2023
Asset category
Equity securities41%42%40%25%23%22%—%—%—%
Debt securities36%37%39%57%60%62%100%100%100%
Real estate8%6%6%4%4%4%—%—%—%
Other investments (1)
15%15%15%14%13%12%—%—%—%
Total100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%
(1)U.S. primarily consists of private equity and natural resource and energy related limited partnership investments and public real assets. Non-U.S. primarily consists of annuity contracts and alternative investments.

Investment Strategy

Eastman's investment strategy for its defined benefit pension plans is to maximize the long-term rate of return on plan assets within an acceptable level of risk in order to meet or exceed the plan's actuarially assumed long-term rate of return and to minimize the cost of providing pension benefits. A periodic asset/liability study is conducted in order to assist in the determination and, if necessary, modification of the appropriate long-term investment policy for the plan. The investment policy establishes a target allocation range for each asset class and the fund is managed within those ranges. The plans use a number of investment approaches including investments in equity, real estate, and fixed income funds in which the underlying securities are marketable in order to achieve this target allocation. The plans also invest in private equity and other funds. Diversification is created through investments across various asset classes, geographies, fund managers, and individual securities. This investment process is designed to provide for a well-diversified portfolio with no significant concentration of risk. The investment process is monitored by an investment committee that includes senior management.

Eastman's investment strategy for its VEBA trust is to invest in intermediate-term, well diversified, high quality investment instruments, with a primary objective of capital preservation.

The expected rate of return for all plans was determined primarily by modeling the expected long-term rates of return for the categories of investments held by the plans and the targeted allocation percentage against various potential economic scenarios.

The Company made no contributions to its U.S. defined benefit pension plans in 2024 or 2023. For 2025 calendar year, there are no minimum required cash contributions for the U.S. defined benefit pension plans under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Benefit payments are made using a combination of plan assets and cash payments. Most of the Company's pension plans have plan assets that predominately cover pension benefit obligations. The estimated future benefit payments, reflecting expected future service, as appropriate, are as follows:
Pension PlansPostretirement 
Benefit Plans
(Dollars in millions)U.S.Non-U.S.
2025$142 $24 $44 
2026134 25 43 
2027132 29 43 
2028130 30 42 
2029133 32 41 
2030-2034
607 176 184