ADT 2010 Annual Report Download - page 223

TYCO INTERNATIONAL LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
15. Retirement Plans (Continued)
In determining the expected return on plan assets, the Company considers the relative weighting of
plan assets by class, historical performance of asset classes over long-term periods, asset class
performance expectations as well as current and future economic conditions.
The Company’s investment strategy for its pension plans is to manage the plans on a going-
concern basis. Current investment policy is to maintain an adequate level of diversification while
maximizing the return on assets, subject to a prudent level of portfolio risk, for the purpose of
enhancing the security of benefits for participants as well as providing adequate liquidity to meet
immediate and future benefit payment requirements. In addition, local regulations and local financial
considerations are factors in determining the appropriate investment strategy in each country. For U.S.
pension plans, this policy targets a 60% allocation to equity securities and a 40% allocation to debt
securities. Various asset allocation strategies are in place for non-U.S. pension plans, with a weighted-
average target allocation is 52% to equity securities, 44% to debt securities and 4% to other asset
classes, including real estate and cash equivalents.
Pension plans have the following weighted-average asset allocations:
U.S. Plans Non-U.S. Plans
2010 2009 2010 2009
Asset Category:
Equity securities .................................. 59% 61% 61% 54%
Debt securities ................................... 38% 36% 36% 42%
Real estate ...................................... — — — 2%
Cash and cash equivalents ........................... 3% 3% 3% 2%
Total ......................................... 100% 100% 100% 100%
Although the Company does not buy or sell any of its own securities as a direct investment for its
pension funds, due to external investment management in certain commingled funds, the plans may
indirectly hold Tyco securities. The aggregate amount of the securities would not be considered
material relative to the total fund assets.
The Company evaluates its defined benefit plans’ asset portfolios for the existence of significant
concentrations of risk. Types of investment concentration risks that are evaluated include, but not
limited to, concentrations in a single entity, industry, foreign country and individual fund manager. As
of September 24, 2010, there were no significant concentrations of risk in the Company’s defined
benefit plan assets.
The Company’s plan assets are accounted for at fair value and are classified in their entirety based
on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The Company’s
assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement requires judgment,
and may affect the valuation of fair value of assets and their placement within the fair value hierarchy
2010 Financials 135