Corporate Pension Monthly
Corporate Pension Monthly
Corporate Pension Monthly
Momentum Meets Moderation
In March, our estimate of the aggregate corporate defined benefit (DB) funded status was 105.4%, declining from our estimate of 107.5% from a month prior. Geopolitical tension in the Middle East dominated headlines over the month and primarily drove negative asset returns globally, breaking the recent rising momentum in our estimated funded levels.

Chart source: MSCI, Bloomberg, and Goldman Sachs Asset Management. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) funded status based on US plans (when specified) of S&P 500 companies (i.e., 229 companies with pension data per GS Asset Management research). Past performance does not predict future returns and does not guarantee future results, which may vary. The funded status figures are estimated and unaudited as of March 31, 2026, and subject to potentially significant revisions over time. Actual returns may vary significantly.

Source: MSCI, Bloomberg, and Goldman Sachs Asset Management. As of March 31, 2026.
Recent Matters of Note
Record Breaking Single-Premium Pension Buy-In Contracts in 4Q 2025
The 2025 pension risk transfer (PRT) market was mainly defined by a shift toward single-premium buy-in contracts, which saw premium volumes skyrocket to $17.5 billion (+372% year-over-year). Traditionally more popular outside the US, buy-ins are becoming more common as a flexible, "lower-commitment" de-risking tool to lock in favorable interest rates and manage balance sheet volatility without immediately offloading plan administration. For buy-ins that will be converted to buy-outs, they also help to manage the timing of any settlement accounting implications.
On the other hand, buy-out premiums saw a 35% decline from 2024 level (falling to $31.3 billion) due to a lack of "jumbo" deals. The landscape is increasingly driven by small and mid-sized sponsors, with 63% of all 2025 transactions involving contracts valued at less than $1 billion, signaling a maturing market with broader accessibility.
Five Quick Takes from Our “First Take” Report
- Positive asset returns contributed to higher funded levels for many plans in 2025. Within the “First Take” sample,6 the median year-over-year change in funded status was an increase of 2.5 percentage points.
- Within our sample, almost all corporate plans saw actual asset returns exceed their strategic long-term expected return on assets (EROA) assumption.
- The long-term trend of asset allocation de-risking remains in place. Looking under the hood, however, asset allocation strategies for each plan differ based on plans’ differing goals and objectives.
- Average discount rate hovers around highest levels since 2009 and may represent a potentially attractive entry point for de-risking actions for plans with such objectives.
- The US corporate pension system remains in excellent shape, given relatively high funded levels, better asset/liability management, and decreased materiality of plans in relation to their sponsors.
Source: Company 10-K filings and news releases as of March 2026. Any reference to a specific company or security does not constitute a recommendation to buy, sell, hold or directly invest in the company or its securities. For illustrative purposes only. Please see additional disclosures at the end of this document. There is no guarantee that objectives will be met.
1 Asset return: Average asset-weighted return of S&P 500 companies’ US plans (when specified). US Equity uses S&P 500 Index.
2 Mix of MSCI EAFE and MSCI ACWI ex-US.
3 Mix of Corporates (Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond), High Yield (Bloomberg US High Yield), Treasuries (Bloomberg 20+ Year Treasuries), and Long Credit (Bloomberg Long US Credit).
4 Discount rate proxy measured by 50% Moody’s AA Corporate Bond and 50% US Long Duration Corporate Bond.
5 Estimated Change in Plan Liabilities based on increase in estimated discount rate and duration of 12. For 2025, uses average change in discount rate change for December year-end filers.
6 Based upon the 50 largest US (when specified) defined benefit plans of S&P 500 companies by US plan assets. For illustrative purposes only.
