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Employee Benefit Plans
12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Employee Benefit Plans [Abstract]  
Employee Benefit Plans
 
   
(15)   Employee Benefit Plans
 
Defined Benefit Plans
 
HGI
 
HGI has a noncontributory defined benefit pension plan (the “HGI Pension Plan”) covering certain former U.S. employees. During 2006, the HGI Pension Plan was frozen which caused all existing participants to become fully vested in their benefits.
 
Additionally, HGI has an unfunded supplemental pension plan (the “Supplemental Plan”) which provides supplemental retirement payments to certain former senior executives of HGI. The amounts of such payments equal the difference between the amounts received under the HGI Pension Plan and the amounts that would otherwise be received if HGI Pension Plan payments were not reduced as the result of the limitations upon compensation and benefits imposed by Federal law. Effective December 1994, the Supplemental Plan was frozen.
 
Spectrum Brands
 
Spectrum Brands has various defined benefit pension plans (the “Spectrum Brands Pension Plans”) covering some of its employees in the United States and certain employees in other countries, primarily the United Kingdom and Germany. The Spectrum Brands Pension Plans generally provide benefits of stated amounts for each year of service. Spectrum Brands funds its U.S. pension plans in accordance with the requirements of the defined benefit pension plans and, where applicable, in amounts sufficient to satisfy the minimum funding requirements of applicable laws. Additionally, in compliance with Spectrum Brands’ funding policy, annual contributions to non-U.S. defined benefit plans are equal to the actuarial recommendations or statutory requirements in the respective countries.
 
Spectrum Brands also sponsors or participates in a number of other non-U.S. pension arrangements, including various retirement and termination benefit plans, some of which are covered by local law or coordinated with government-sponsored plans, which are not significant in the aggregate and therefore are not included in the information presented below. Spectrum Brands also has various nonqualified deferred compensation agreements with certain of its employees. Under certain of these agreements, Spectrum Brands has agreed to pay certain amounts annually for the first 15 years subsequent to retirement or to a designated beneficiary upon death. It is management’s intent that life insurance contracts owned by Spectrum Brands will fund these agreements. Under the remaining agreements, Spectrum Brands has agreed to pay such deferred amounts in up to 15 annual installments beginning on a date specified by the employee, subsequent to retirement or disability, or to a designated beneficiary upon death.
 
Spectrum Brands also provides postretirement life insurance and medical benefits to certain retirees under two separate contributory plans.
 
Consolidated
 
The recognition and disclosure provisions of ASC Topic 715: “Compensation-Retirement Benefits” (“ASC 715”) requires recognition of the overfunded or underfunded status of defined benefit pension and postretirement plans as an asset or liability in the consolidated balance sheet, and to recognize changes in that funded status in AOCI. In accordance with the measurement date provisions of ASC 715, the Company measures all of its defined benefit pension and postretirement plan assets and obligations as of September 30, which is the Company’s fiscal year end.
 
The following tables provide additional information on the Company’s pension and other postretirement benefit plans which principally relate to Spectrum Brands:
 
                                 
    Pension and Deferred
       
    Compensation Benefits     Other Benefits  
    2011     2010     2011     2010  
 
Change in benefit obligation:
                               
Benefit obligation, beginning of year
  $ 234,807     $ 132,752     $ 527     $ 476  
Obligations assumed in merger with Russell Hobbs
          54,468              
Obligations of HGI plans as of June 16, 2010
          18,691              
Service cost
    2,543       2,479       11       9  
Interest cost
    11,239       8,515       27       26  
Actuarial (gain) loss
    (9,022 )     26,474       (21 )     25  
Participant contributions
    189       495              
Benefits paid
    (10,189 )     (6,997 )     (2 )     (9 )
Foreign currency exchange rate changes
    (905 )     (2,070 )            
                                 
Benefit obligation, end of year
  $ 228,662     $ 234,807     $ 542     $ 527  
                                 
Change in plan assets:
                               
Fair value of plan assets, beginning of year
  $ 140,072     $ 78,345     $     $  
Assets acquired in merger with Russell Hobbs
          38,458              
Assets of HGI plans as of June 16, 2010
          14,433              
Actual return on plan assets
    (501 )     8,127              
Employer contributions
    13,280       6,264       2       9  
Employee contributions
    1,821       2,127              
Benefits paid
    (10,189 )     (6,997 )     (2 )     (9 )
Plan expenses paid
    (226 )     (237 )            
Foreign currency exchange rate changes
    (589 )     (448 )            
                                 
Fair value of plan assets, end of year
  $ 143,668     $ 140,072     $     $  
                                 
Accrued Benefit Cost/Funded Status
  $ (84,994 )   $ (94,735 )   $ (542 )   $ (527 )
                                 
Weighted-average assumptions:
                               
Discount rate
    4.0%-13.6%       3.8%-13.6%       5.0 %     5.0 %
Expected return on plan assets
    3.0%-7.8%       4.5%-8.8%       N/A       N/A  
Rate of compensation increase
    0%-5.5%       0%-5.5%       N/A       N/A  
 
The net underfunded status as of September 30, 2011 and September 30, 2010 of $84,994 and $94,735, respectively, is recognized in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets within “Employee benefit obligations”. Included in AOCI as of September 30, 2011 and September 30, 2010 are unrecognized net (losses) gains of $(13,788), net of tax of $11,460 and noncontrolling interest of $10,082, and $(12,404), net of tax of $5,894 and noncontrolling interest of $9,431, respectively, which have not yet been recognized as components of net periodic pension cost. The net loss in AOCI expected to be recognized during Fiscal 2012 is $(720).
 
At September 30, 2011, the Company’s total pension and deferred compensation benefit obligation of $228,662 consisted of $86,801 associated with U.S. plans and $141,861 associated with international plans. The fair value of the Company’s assets of $143,668 consisted of $56,609 associated with U.S. plans and $87,059 associated with international plans. The weighted average discount rate used for the Company’s domestic plans was approximately 5.0% and approximately 4.9% for its international plans. The weighted average expected return on plan assets used for the Company’s domestic plans was approximately 7.6% and approximately 5.4% for its international plans.
 
At September 30, 2010, the Company’s total pension and deferred compensation benefit obligation of $234,807 consisted of $81,956 associated with U.S. plans and $152,851 associated with international plans. The fair value of the Company’s assets of $140,072 consisted of $58,790 associated with U.S. plans and $81,282 associated with international plans. The weighted average discount rate used for the Company’s domestic plans was approximately 5% and approximately 4.8% for its international plans. The weighted average expected return on plan assets used for the Company’s domestic plans was approximately 7.5% and approximately 5.4% for its international plans.
 
                                                                     
    Pension and Deferred Compensation Benefits     Other Benefits  
    Successor       Predecessor     Successor       Predecessor  
                Period from
      Period from
                Period from
      Period from
 
                August 31, 2009
      October 1, 2008
                August 31, 2009
      October 1, 2008
 
                through
      through
                through
      through
 
    2011     2010     September 30, 2009       August 30, 2009     2011     2010     September 30, 2009       August 30, 2009  
Components of net periodic benefit cost:
                                                                   
Service cost
  $ 2,689     $ 2,479     $ 211       $ 2,068     $ 11     $ 9     $ 1       $ 8  
Interest cost
    11,239       8,515       612         6,517       27       26       2         24  
Expected return on assets
    (8,835 )     (6,063 )     (417 )       (4,253 )                          
Amortization of prior service cost
          535               202                            
Amortization of transition obligation
          207                                          
Curtailment loss
                        300                            
Recognized net actuarial (gain) loss
    8       613               37       (52 )     (58 )     (5 )       (53 )
                                                                     
Net periodic cost (benefit)
  $ 5,101     $ 6,286     $ 406       $ 4,871     $ (14 )   $ (23 )   $ (2 )     $ (21 )
                                                                     
 
The discount rate is used to calculate the projected benefit obligation. The discount rate used is based on the rate of return on government bonds as well as current market conditions of the respective countries where such plans are established.
 
Below is a summary allocation of all pension plan assets as of the measurement date.
 
                         
    Weighted Average Allocation  
    Target     Actual  
    2011     2011     2010  
 
Asset Category
                       
Equity securities
    0-60 %     47 %     46 %
Fixed income securities
    0-40 %     21 %     23 %
Other
    0-100 %     32 %     31 %
                         
      100 %     100 %     100 %
                         
 
The weighted average expected long-term rate of return on total assets is 6.2%.
 
The Company has established formal investment policies for the assets associated with these plans. Policy objectives include maximizing long-term return at acceptable risk levels, diversifying among asset classes, if appropriate, and among investment managers, as well as establishing relevant risk parameters within each asset class. Specific asset class targets are based on the results of periodic asset liability studies. The investment policies permit variances from the targets within certain parameters. The weighted average expected long-term rate of return is based on a Fiscal 2011 review of such rates. The plan assets currently do not include holdings of common stock of HGI or its subsidiaries.
 
The Company’s fixed income securities portfolio is invested primarily in commingled funds and managed for overall return expectations rather than matching duration against plan liabilities; therefore, debt maturities are not significant to the plan performance.
 
The Company’s other portfolio consists of all pension assets, primarily insurance contracts, in the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands.
 
The Company’s expected future pension benefit payments for Fiscal 2012 through its fiscal year 2021 are as follows:
 
         
2012
  $ 8,944  
2013
    9,245  
2014
    9,515  
2015
    9,889  
2016
    10,478  
2017 to 2021
    59,100  
 
The following table sets forth the fair value of the Company’s pension plan assets:
 
                 
    September 30,
    September 30,
 
    2011(a)     2010(a)  
 
U.S. defined benefit plan assets:
               
Mutual funds — equity
  $ 16,516     $  
Common collective trusts — equity
    21,024       36,723  
Common collective trusts — fixed income
    18,402       22,067  
Other
    667        
                 
Total U.S. defined benefit plan assets
    56,609       58,790  
                 
International defined benefit plan assets:
               
Common collective trusts — equity
    29,532       28,090  
Common collective trusts — fixed income
    11,467       9,725  
Insurance contracts — general fund
    37,987       40,347  
Other
    8,073       3,120  
                 
Total International defined benefit plan assets
    87,059       81,282  
                 
Total defined benefit plan assets
  $ 143,668     $ 140,072  
                 
 
 
     
(a)   The fair value measurements of the Company’s defined benefit plan assets are based on unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets and liabilities in active markets (Level 1) for mutual funds and observable market price inputs (Level 2) for common collective trusts and other investments. Each collective trust’s valuation is based on its calculation of net asset value per share reflecting the fair value of its underlying investments. Since each of these collective trusts allows redemptions at net asset value per share at the measurement date, its valuation is categorized as a Level 2 fair value measurement. The fair values of insurance contracts and other investments are also based on observable market price inputs (Level 2).
 
Defined Contribution Plans
 
Spectrum Brands sponsors a defined contribution pension plan for its domestic salaried employees, which allows participants to make contributions by salary reduction pursuant to Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code. Spectrum Brands also sponsors defined contribution pension plans for employees of certain foreign subsidiaries. FGL sponsors a defined contribution plan in which eligible participants may defer a fixed amount or a percentage of their eligible compensation, subject to limitations and FGL makes a discretionary matching contribution of up to 5% of eligible compensation. FGL has also established a nonqualified defined contribution plan for independent agents. FGL makes contributions to the plan based on both FGL’s and the agent’s performance. Contributions are discretionary and evaluated annually. HGI also sponsors a defined contribution plan for its corporate employees in which eligible participants may defer a fixed amount or a percentage of their eligible compensation, subject to limitations. HGI makes a discretionary matching contribution of up to 4% of eligible compensation. Aggregate contributions charged to operations for the defined contribution plans, including discretionary amounts, for Fiscal 2011, Fiscal 2010 and the period from August 31, 2009 through September 30, 2009 were $5,346, $3,471 and $44, respectively. Predecessor contributions charged to operations, including discretionary amounts, for the period from October 1, 2008 through August 30, 2009 were $2,623.