Originally Posted by Andrew_VT

The 4th quarter bump was because they stopped prepaying the pension as they had been to goose the EOY numbers. They still missed their yearly management profit sharing target by $100mil.

We are most definitely not on the right track and to say otherwise makes you look like a fool and a poor union member.

Originally Posted by Name User

Notice our total cash position has increased since last quarter. The company is planning on making a $750m contribution to the pension fund this year. This is already after over contributing this year.

Now hear me out. Either they are bad at math or they are trying to goose their earnings at some point in the future. By prepaying their pension obligations now, they make the company look weaker than it is now (contract talks? I dunno). But they are essentially prepaying some massive obligations now. My thinking is in a year or two when our capex drops off a cliff they will also not have the pension contributions to make, and presto EPS shoots thru the roof (if we aren't bought by a corporate raider prior to that).

That's my tinfoil hat thinking for today.