Company ownership is one of the greatest benefits an employer can offer its associates. Publix invests in you by contributing Publix stock to your PROFIT Plan account.

Publix contributed 8.5 percent of participants’ eligible wages to the PROFIT Plan, an employee stock ownership plan, for the 2015 plan year. This means each eligible associate received a new contribution of Publix stock to their PROFIT Plan account valued at 8.5 percent of their eligible wages for the 2015 plan year. This contribution is made by Publix at no cost to you.

You automatically participate in the PROFIT Plan after completing one year of service in which you’re credited with at least 1,000 work credit hours. As a participant, you were eligible to share in Publix’s contribution to the PROFIT Plan if you worked at least 1,000 hours during your anniversary year that ended in 2015. If you weren’t vested in your PROFIT Plan account, you had to be employed with Publix as of Dec. 31, 2015, to share in the contribution.

“As I reflect back on our 85th anniversary, I’m proud of our company’s longstanding commitment to our associates’ retirement programs. Mr. George believed in profit sharing and employee ownership from the very beginning, and our PROFIT Plan has successfully perpetuated Publix’s culture of company ownership over the years,” Vice President of Benefits Administration Linda Kane said.

In addition to Publix’s contribution to the PROFIT Plan, the value of Publix stock increased 15.7 percent for the 2015 plan year, excluding dividends. This percent is based on the $6.15 increase (from $39.05 per share to $45.20) in the Publix stock valuation for the fiscal fourth quarter ended Dec. 27, 2014 (stock valuation effective March 1, 2015), through the fiscal fourth quarter ended Dec. 26, 2015 (stock valuation effective March 1, 2016).

Over the last 10 years, the growth of Publix stock has averaged 10.9 percent per year (excluding dividends, determined as of March 1, 2016, and adjusted for the 5-for-1 stock split on July 1, 2006). Please remember, past performance is no guarantee of future results.

The 2015 Publix Retirement Benefits Summaries for eligible associates will be posted on PASSport > Benefits > Benefits Summary by the end of April. This summary shows the activity in your PROFIT Plan account for 2015 and your total retirement program balance with the 401(k) SMART Plan as of Dec. 31, 2015. You’ll receive a printed summary as part of your 2016 Associate Benefits Meeting, which should be held in June at your work location. Be on the lookout for a message on PASSport when your summary is available.

The group benefits stories in Publix News are published to assist associates in understanding Publix’s benefits plans. The information is in summary form only and does not replace the provisions in the benefit plan documents. If there is any conflict between the content of Publix News and the plans themselves, the terms of the plans will be the final authority.