WEC FORM 11-K 12-31-2010

 

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 11-K

 

[ X ]   ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010


OR

[    ]  TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from __________ to ___________



Commission File Number 001-09057

A.   Full title of the plan and the address of the plan, if different from that of the issuer named below:

Wisconsin Energy Corporation Employee Retirement Savings Plan

B.   Name of issuer of the securities held pursuant to the plan and the address of its principal executive office:

Wisconsin Energy Corporation
231 West Michigan Street
P.O. Box 1331
Milwaukee, WI 53201





 

Financial Statements and Exhibits:

(a)     Financial Statements:

             Wisconsin Energy Corporation Employee Retirement Savings Plan

                    Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.

                    Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits as of December 31, 2010 and 2009.

                    Statements of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits for the Years Ended December 31, 2010 and 2009.

                    Notes to Financial Statements.

                    Form 5500, Schedule H, Part IV, Line 4i -- Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year) as of December 31, 2010.



(b)     Exhibits:

             23.1 Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm -- Clifton Gunderson LLP

 

 





SIGNATURES

 






          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Committee which administers the plan has duly caused this annual report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

   

Wisconsin Energy Corporation Employee Retirement Savings Plan

   

Name of Plan

     
 

By:

/s/LISA R. GEORGE  

Date: June 20, 2011

 

Lisa R. George, Director Total Compensation & Benefits for Wisconsin Energy Corporation and Chairman of the Employee Benefits Committee

 

 





 

 

WISCONSIN ENERGY CORPORATION
EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND
SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULE
December 31, 2010 and 2009

 





 

 

WISCONSIN ENERGY CORPORATION
EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN

     

TABLE OF CONTENTS

   

Page

     
 

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

3  

     
 

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS:

 
     
 

Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits as of December 31, 2010 and 2009

4  

     
 

Statements of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits for the Years Ended
December 31, 2010 and 2009


5  

     
 

Notes to Financial Statements

6-17  

     
 

SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULE:

18  

     
 

Form 5500, Schedule H, Part IV, Line 4i - Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year) as of December 31, 2010


19  



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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

Employee Benefits Committee
Wisconsin Energy Corporation
   Employee Retirement Savings Plan
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

We have audited the accompanying statements of net assets available for benefits of Wisconsin Energy Corporation Employee Retirement Savings Plan as of December 31, 2010 and 2009, and the related statements of changes in net assets available for benefits for the years then ended. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Plan's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. The Plan is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. Our audits included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Plan's internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the net assets available for benefits of Wisconsin Energy Corporation Employee Retirement Savings Plan as of December 31, 2010 and 2009, and the changes in net assets available for benefits for the years then ended in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America.

Our audits were performed for the purpose of forming an opinion on the basic financial statements taken as a whole. The accompanying supplemental schedule is presented for purposes of additional analysis and is not a required part of the basic financial statements but is supplementary information required by the Department of Labor's Rules and Regulations for Reporting and Disclosure under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. This supplemental schedule is the responsibility of the Plan's management. The supplemental schedule has been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in the audits of the basic financial statements and, in our opinion, is presented fairly, in all material respects in relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole.

/s/CLIFTON GUNDERSON, LLP            

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
June 20, 2011



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WISCONSIN ENERGY CORPORATION EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN

STATEMENTS OF NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS
AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2010 AND 2009
(In Thousands)

2010

2009

         

ASSETS

       

    Participant directed investments, at fair value

$1,025,922  

$908,500  

    Notes receivable from participants

19,003  

18,041  

      Total net assets available for benefits, at fair value

1,044,925  

926,541  

    Adjustment from fair value to contract value

(3,711)  

(1,562)  

NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS

$1,041,214  

$924,979  

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.



4



WISCONSIN ENERGY CORPORATION EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2010 AND 2009
(In Thousands)                                                                                            

2010

2009

ADDITIONS TO NET ASSETS ATTRIBUTED TO:

Contributions:

   Participants

$38,949  

$39,138  

   Company

13,863  

14,098  

   Rollover

1,096  

2,406  

        Total contributions

53,908  

55,642  

Investment income:

   Interest and dividends

17,590  

16,270  

   Net appreciation

115,637  

158,851  

        Total investment income

133,227  

175,121  

Interest income from notes receivable from participants

975  

1,091  

Total additions

188,110  

231,854  

DEDUCTIONS FROM NET ASSETS ATTRIBUTED TO:

Benefits paid to participants

71,794  

69,966  

Administrative expenses

81  

77  

Total deductions

71,875  

70,043  

NET INCREASE

116,235  

161,811  

NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS:
BEGINNING OF YEAR


924,979  


763,168  

END OF YEAR

$1,041,214  

$924,979  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.



5



WISCONSIN ENERGY CORPORATION EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2010 AND 2009

 

1. DESCRIPTION OF PLAN

The following description of the Wisconsin Energy Corporation (the "Company") Employee Retirement Savings Plan (the "Plan") is provided for general information purposes only. More complete information regarding the Plan's provisions may be found in the Plan document.

General -- The Plan is a defined contribution plan covering all non-represented employees who are employed by a participating company and represented employees who are represented by a union which elected to participate in the Plan; and who are projected to complete at least 1,000 hours of service within one year from their hire date. The Plan is subject to the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA").

The plan assets are held in a trust as maintained by Fidelity Management Trust Company (the "Trustee").

The Plan maintains an employee stock ownership plan for participants who are not represented by a union or who are represented by a union that elected to participate in the employee stock ownership plan.

The Plan offers a Roth 401(k) option where contributions are made on an after-tax basis. Upon distribution, Roth contribution earnings are tax-free.

The Plan has an auto-enrollment feature for all newly hired management employees and certain represented employees. These employees will be enrolled automatically in the Plan at a rate of 3% of their 401(k) eligible wages unless they make an alternate election. In addition, these 401(k) account contributions will increase automatically by 1% in each subsequent year up to 6%. If employees enroll in the Plan, but do not designate a desired investment strategy, the Trustee will direct the employee's contributions into a target retirement date-based Fidelity Freedom Fund.

Contributions -- Contributions are subject to certain limitations of the Internal Revenue Code ("IRC"). Participants are allowed to make pre-tax and post-tax contributions of up to 75% of their base wages, as defined. Participants may also contribute amounts representing distributions from other qualified defined benefit or defined contribution plans ("rollovers"). Additionally, each participant over age 50 may elect to make catch up contributions subject to certain limitations of the IRC.

The Company matches participant contributions of management employees equal to 100% of the first 1% and 50% of the next 6%. This Company match is also in effect for those represented employees whose unions have adopted this change, effective as of the date specified in the contract. Those employees whose unions have not



6



adopted this match rate receive a Company match equal to 50% of participant contributions of up to 6% of wages as defined in the Plan.

Through December 3, 2009, Company matching contributions were made to the employee stock ownership plan or the Company Common Stock Fund, as the case may be. Effective December 4, 2009, Company match contributions are invested in the same manner as the investment elections set by the participant for his or her pre-tax contributions. Participants may designate a different investment election for Company contributions than those designated for the participant's contributions. If such investment elections have not been set by the participant, the Company match will be invested in a target retirement date-based Fidelity Freedom Fund.

Participant Accounts -- Individual accounts are maintained for each of the Plan's participants to reflect the participant's contributions and related Company contributions, as well as the participant's share of the Plan's income and any related administrative expenses. Allocations are based on the proportion that each participant's account balance has to the total of all participants' account balances.

Vesting -- Participants are immediately vested in their contributions plus actual earnings thereon. Upon completion of one year of service or upon attainment of 59-1/2 years of age while in the service of the Company, participants become 100% vested in the Company's matching contributions. Forfeited balances of terminated participants' non-vested accounts are used to reduce future Company contributions. At December 31, 2010 and 2009, forfeited non-vested accounts totaled $34,015 and $29,334, respectively. Total forfeitures used to reduce future Company contributions were $1,083 and $81 in 2010 and 2009, respectively.

Investment Options -- The participants' deposits and the Company's contributions are paid to the Trustee who invests the deposits, as directed (in whole percentages) by the participant, within prescribed limitations, into various investment funds offered by the Trustee, which includes Company common stock.

Benefit Payments -- A participant may take a distribution due under the Plan as a single lump-sum cash payment or installment payments over a period not extending beyond the life expectancy of the participant. The full value of a participant's account is automatically distributed through a lump-sum cash payment to the employee or designated beneficiary upon retirement, termination of employment or death, for account balances less than $1,000. Balances between $1,000 and $5,000 are rolled over into an IRA in the employee's name if they have not provided direction for distribution. However, in order to comply with the "Worker, Retiree, and Employer Recovery Act of 2008," the Plan was amended to provide a one year moratorium on minimum required distributions (MRD) for 2009. The Plan did not pay out MRDs for the 2009 distribution calendar year unless a participant specifically requested this. As the Plan is primarily designed to meet long-term financial needs, employees may permanently withdraw amounts from their accounts under the terms of the Plan's financial hardship withdrawal guidelines. Additionally, participants may withdraw all or a portion of the value of their after-tax contributions; however, these withdrawals are limited to once per Plan year per participant.

Participant Loans -- Participants may borrow from their fund accounts a minimum of $1,000 up to the lesser of 50% of their account balance or $50,000, minus any

7



outstanding loan balances over the past 12 months. Loans are repayable monthly over periods not to exceed five years. The interest rate charged on participant loans is fixed at the beginning of each loan at the then current prime rate plus 1%. The interest paid by a participant on their loan balance is credited directly to their individual account. Interest rates on participant loans ranged from 4.25% to 9.25% at December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009.

2. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Accounting and Use of Estimates -- The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. This requires the Plan's management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and changes therein, and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Investment Valuation and Income Recognition -- Investments are stated at fair value using methodologies described in Note 9 -- Fair Value Measurements.

Investment contracts held by a defined-contribution plan are required to be reported at fair value. Contract value is the amount participants would receive if they were to initiate permitted transactions under the terms of the Plan and, thus, is the relevant measurement attribute for that portion of the net assets available for benefits of a defined-contribution plan attributable to fully benefit-responsive investment contracts. The Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits present the fair value of the investment contracts as well as the adjustment of the fully benefit-responsive investment contracts from fair value to contract value as required by generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

The Plan provides for investments in mutual funds, collective trusts, synthetic investment contracts and Company stock. Investment securities are exposed to various risks, including, but not limited to, interest rate, market and credit risks. Due to the level of risk associated with certain investment securities, it is at least reasonably possible that significant changes in the values of investments will occur in the near term.

Investment transactions are recorded on the trade date. Interest is recorded as earned. Dividends are recorded on the ex-dividend date.

Administrative Expenses -- Substantially all administrative expenses of the Plan are paid by the Company, except for loan origination fees which are paid by the borrowing participant and charged against the fund from which the borrowings are made.

Payment of Benefits -- Benefit payments to participants are recorded upon distribution.

Notes Receivable from Participants -- Notes receivable from participants are measured at their unpaid principal balance plus any accrued but unpaid interest. Delinquent participant loans are reclassified as distributions based upon the terms of the Plan document.



8


Change in Accounting Principles -- The Plan adopted a new accounting standard, Reporting Loans to Participants by Defined Contribution Pension Plans, which provides clarification of how loans to participants should be classified and measured by defined contribution pension benefit plans. This guidance requires that loans to participants be reported as notes receivable from participants in the statement of net assets available for benefits and be measured at their unpaid principal balance plus any accrued but unpaid interest. The Plan adopted this standard in its December 31, 2010 financial statements and has reclassified participant loans of $19,003,458 and $18,040,624 from participant directed investments to notes receivable from participants as of December 31, 2010 and 2009, respectively. The Plan also reclassified interest income from participant loans of $975,275 and $1,091,324 from investment income to interest income from notes receivable from participants for the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Net assets of the Plan were not affected by the adoption of this standard.

3. INVESTMENTS

As of December 31, 2010 and 2009, the Plan held 4,045,280 and 4,222,897 shares, respectively, of Company common stock in the Company Common Stock Fund and the employee stock ownership plan. The Company Common Stock Fund and the employee stock ownership plan are unitized and in total held 7,874,287 and 8,202,034 units as of December 31, 2010 and 2009, respectively. On March 1, 2011, the Company effected a two-for-one stock split through a stock dividend. Stockholders of record at the close of business on February 14, 2011 received one additional share of the Company's common stock for each share then owned. This had no effect on the value of the employee stock ownership plan or the Company Common Stock Fund.

The following presents individual investments that represent 5 percent or more of the Plan's net assets as of December 31 (in thousands):

 

2010

 

2009

Wisconsin Energy Corporation ESOP

$236,349  

 

$208,466  

Blended Rate Income Fund (BRIF)*

128,715  

 

125,633  

Mutual Funds

     

          Fidelity Growth Company

130,376  

 

113,395  

          MFS Value R4

66,741  

 

64,846  

          Fidelity Diversified International

62,910  

 

63,150  

          Fidelity Low-Priced Stock

71,755  

 

63,020  

          Fidelity Balanced

56,455  

 

52,071  

Equity Common Collective Fund

     

          Fidelity U.S. Equity Index Pool

58,012  

 

47,767  

* This represents contract value and differs from the fair value reported in the supplemental schedule.



9



The Plan's investments (including gains and losses on investments bought and sold, as well as held during the year) appreciated in value as follows (in thousands):

 

2010

 

2009

Common stock mutual funds

$66,252 

 

$107,488 

Wisconsin Energy common stock funds

37,512 

 

33,867 

Equity common collective fund

7,622 

 

10,213 

Fidelity Freedom funds

4,251 

 

5,741 

Corporate debt securities mutual funds

** 

 

1,542 

 

$115,637 

 

$158,851 

** Asset not held in respective year.

4. INVESTMENT CONTRACTS

The values of the BRIF, which includes synthetic contracts, as confirmed by the Trustee, and corresponding credit ratings, as of December 31, are as follows (in thousands):



2010      

 

Major Credit       
Rating
     

   

JP Morgan Chase & Co.

       

    Other - Fund #5128

 

AA-

 

$42,535    

         

State Street Bank & Trust Co. - Boston

       

    Other - Fund #5128

 

AA-

 

31,420   

         

Rabobank Nederland

       

    Other - Fund #5128

 

AAA

 

31,400        

         

AIG

       

    Other - Fund #5128

 

A-

 

20,295        

         

Short-term investment fund

     

6,356        

Wrap contract at fair value

     

420        

Fair value of contracts

     

132,426         

Adjustment to contract value

     

(3,711)        

All contracts

     

$128,715         




2009      

 

Major Credit       
Rating
     

   

JP Morgan Chase & Co.

       

    Other - Fund #5128

 

AA-

 

$41,763     

         

State Street Bank & Trust Co. - Boston

       

    Other - Fund #5128

 

AA-

 

30,849    

         

Rabobank Nederland

       

    Other - Fund #5128

 

AAA

 

30,830         

         

AIG

       

    Other - Fund #5128

 

A-

 

19,928         

         

Short-term investment fund

     

3,685         

Wrap contract at fair value

     

140         

Fair value of contracts

     

127,195         

Adjustment to contract value

     

(1,562)        

All contracts

     

$125,633         





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The methodology to calculate performance based on the last day of the Plan year-end includes income earned by the fund's assets on the last day of the Plan year-end divided by the fair value of all the Plan assets (market value spot yield) and the fund's interest distributed to Plan participants on the last day of the Plan year-end divided by the fair value of all the Plan assets (book value spot yield). The average yields are as follows:

   

2010

 

2009

Based on actual earnings

 

2.10%

 

2.92%

Based on interest rate credited to participants

 

2.18%

 

2.31%

A wrap contract is an agreement by another party, such as a bank or insurer, to make payments to the fund in certain circumstances. Wrap contracts are designed to allow a stable value fund, such as the BRIF, to protect the fund in extreme circumstances. In a typical wrap contract, the wrap issuer agrees to pay the fund the difference between the contract value and the market value of the covered assets once the market value has been totally exhausted.

The Trustee generally purchases wrap contracts from issuers rated in the top three long-term categories (A- or the equivalent and above) by any one of the nationally recognized statistical rating organizations. The Trustee expects a substantial percentage (up to 99%) of the fund's assets to be covered by wrap contracts, although they may change this target from time to time. Assets not covered by wrap contracts will generally be invested in money market instruments and cash equivalents to provide necessary liquidity for participant withdrawals and exchanges.

Wrap contracts accrue interest using the crediting rate formula. This formula is used to convert market value changes in the covered assets into income distributions in order to minimize the difference between the market and contract value of the covered assets over time. Using the crediting rate formula, an estimated future market value is calculated by compounding the fund's current market value at the fund's current yield to maturity for a period equal to the fund's duration. The crediting rate is the discount rate that equates that estimated future market value with the fund's current contract value. Crediting rates are reset quarterly. The wrap contracts provide a guarantee that the crediting rate will not fall below 0%.

The crediting rate, and hence the fund's return, may be affected by many factors, including purchases and redemptions by shareholders. The precise impact on the fund depends on whether the market value of the covered assets is higher or lower than the contract value of those assets. If the market value of the covered assets is higher than their contract value, the crediting rate will ordinarily be higher than the yield of the covered assets. Under these circumstances, cash from new investors will tend to lower the crediting rate and the fund's return, and redemptions by existing shareholders will tend to increase the crediting rate and the fund's return.



11



If the market value of the covered assets is lower than their contract value, the crediting rate will ordinarily be lower than the yield of the covered assets. When market value is lower than contract value, the fund will have, for example, less than $10.00 in cash and bonds for every $10.00 in net asset value (NAV). Under these circumstances, cash from new investors will tend to increase the market value attributed to the covered assets and to increase the crediting rate and the fund's return. Redemptions by existing shareholders will have the opposite effect, and will tend to reduce the market value attributed to remaining covered assets and to reduce the crediting rate and the fund's return. Generally, the market value of covered assets will tend to be higher than contract value after interest rates have fallen due to higher bond prices. Conversely, the market value of covered assets will tend to be lower than their contract value after interest rates have risen due to lower bond prices.

If the fund experiences significant redemptions when the market value is below the contract value, the fund's yield may be reduced significantly, to a level that is not competitive with other investment options. This may result in additional redemptions, which would tend to lower the crediting rate further. If redemptions continued, the fund's yield could be reduced to zero. If redemptions continued thereafter, the fund might have insufficient assets to meet redemption requests, at which point the fund would require payments from the wrap issuer to pay further shareholder redemptions.

The fund and the wrap contracts purchased by the fund are designed to pay all participant-initiated transactions at contract value. Participant-initiated transactions are those transactions allowed by the underlying defined contribution plan (typically this would include withdrawals for benefits, loans, or transfers to non-competing funds within the plan). However, the wrap contracts limit the ability of the fund to transact at contract value upon the occurrence of certain events. These events include:

At this time, management believes the occurrence of any of these events is not probable.

5. PLAN TERMINATION

Although it has not expressed any intent to do so, the Company has the right under the Plan to discontinue its contributions at any time and to terminate the Plan subject to the provisions of ERISA and of the Company's labor agreements. In the event of Plan termination, participants will become 100% vested in their accounts.

6. FEDERAL TAX STATUS

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has determined and informed the Company by a letter dated November 12, 2003 that the Plan was designed in accordance with the applicable regulations of the IRC. The Plan has been amended since receiving the determination letter; however, the Company and the Plan administrator believe that the Plan is currently designed and operated in compliance with the applicable requirements of the IRC and the Plan continues to be tax-exempt. A request for a new determination was filed in January, 2011 and is currently pending approval from the IRS.

7. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

The Plan invests in Company common stock. In addition, certain Plan investments represent shares of mutual funds and a collective trust fund managed by the Trustee. These transactions are considered party-in-interest transactions. These transactions are not, however, considered prohibited transactions under ERISA regulations. Fees paid by the Plan for investment management services were included as a reduction of the return earned on each fund.

8. RECONCILIATION OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS TO FORM 5500

The following is a reconciliation of net assets available for benefits per the financial statements at December 31 to Form 5500 (in thousands):

   

2010

 

2009

Net assets available for benefits per the financial statements

 

$1,041,214   

 

$924,979   

Adjustment from contract value to fair value

 

3,711   

 

1,562   

Net assets available for benefits per the Form 5500

 

$1,044,925   

 

$926,541   



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The following is a reconciliation of the net increase in net assets available for benefits per the financial statements for the year ended December 31 to the Form 5500 (in thousands):

   

2010

 

2009

Net increase (decrease) in net assets available for benefits

       

  per the financial statements

 

$116,235       

 

$161,811       

     Less:  Adjustment from contract value to fair value,

       

          beginning of year

 

1,562       

 

(1,561)      

     Add:  Adjustment from contract value to fair value,

       

          end of year

 

3,711       

 

1,562       

Net increase (decrease) in net assets available for benefits

       

  per the Form 5500

 

$118,384       

 

$164,934       

The BRIF is recorded at contract value in the financial statements but at fair value in the Form 5500.


9. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

GAAP establishes a hierarchal disclosure framework which prioritizes and ranks the level of observable inputs used in measuring fair value.

Additionally, GAAP defines fair value as the price that would be received upon the sale of an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date (exit price). The Plan primarily applies the market approach for recurring fair value measurements and attempts to utilize the best available information. Accordingly, the Plan also utilizes valuation techniques that maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. The Plan is able to classify fair value balances based on the observability of those inputs. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3).

Assets and liabilities measured and reported at fair value are classified and disclosed in one of the following categories:

The asset's or liability's fair value measurement level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Valuation techniques used maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs.

Following is a description of the valuation methodologies used for assets measured at fair value.

The methods described above may produce a fair value calculation that may not be indicative of net realizable value or reflective of future fair values. Furthermore, while the Plan believes its valuation methods are appropriate and consistent with other market participants, the use of different methodologies or assumptions to determine the fair value of certain financial instruments could result in a different fair value measurement from other market participants at the reporting date.

The following table sets forth by level, within the fair value hierarchy, the Plan's assets at fair value as of December 31 (in thousands):

 

2010

 

Level 1

 

Level 2

 

Level 3

 

Total

   

Stable Value Fund

 

$  -       

 

$132,426  

 

$  -       

 

$132,426  

Company Common Stock Funds

 

  -       

 

240,355  

 

  -       

 

240,355  

Mutual Funds:

               

    Domestic Equity Funds

 

338,162  

 

  -       

 

  -       

 

338,162  

    Balanced Funds

 

108,218  

 

  -       

 

  -       

 

108,218  

    International Equity Funds

 

76,740  

 

  -       

 

  -       

 

76,740  

    Fixed Income Funds

 

54,397  

 

  -       

 

  -       

 

54,397  

    Other - Money Market Funds

 

17,612  

 

  -       

 

  -       

 

17,612  

Common Collective Trust Funds

 

  -       

 

58,012  

 

  -       

 

58,012  

Total participant directed investments at fair value

 

$595,129  

 

$430,793  

 

$  -       

 

$1,025,922  

 

 

2009

 

Level 1

 

Level 2

 

Level 3

 

Total

   

Stable Value Fund

 

$  -       

 

$127,195  

 

$  -       

 

$127,195  

Company Common Stock Funds

 

  -       

 

212,203  

 

  -       

 

212,203  

Mutual Funds:

               

    Domestic Equity Funds

 

300,590  

 

  -       

 

  -       

 

300,590  

    International Equity Funds

 

73,729  

 

  -       

 

  -       

 

73,729  

    Balanced Funds

 

88,306  

 

  -       

 

  -       

 

88,306  

    Fixed Income Funds

 

41,287  

 

  -       

 

  -       

 

41,287  

    Other - Money Market Funds

 

17,423  

 

  -       

 

  -       

 

17,423  

Common Collective Trust Funds

 

  -       

 

47,767  

 

  -       

 

47,767  

Total participant directed investments at fair value

 

$521,335  

 

$387,165  

 

$  -       

 

$908,500  



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10. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

Management evaluated subsequent events through the date the financial statements were issued. Events or transactions occurring after December 31, 2010, but prior to when the financial statements were issued, that provided additional evidence about conditions that existed at December 31, 2010 have been recognized in the financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2010. Events or transactions that provided evidence about conditions that did not exist at December 31, 2010 but arose before the financial statements were issued, have not been recognized in the financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2010.

* * * * * *

This information is an integral part of the accompanying financial statements.


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SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULE

 





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WISCONSIN ENERGY CORPORATION
EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN

FORM 5500, SCHEDULE H, PART IV, LINE 4i-SCHEDULE OF ASSETS
(HELD AT END OF YEAR)
DECEMBER 31, 2010


Identity of Issue and Description of Investment

Fair Value
(In Thousands)

Blended Rate Income Fund*

 

$132,426          

     

Wisconsin Energy Corporation ESOP*

 

236,349          

Wisconsin Energy Corporation Common Stock Fund*

 

4,006          

     

Mutual Funds

   

    Fidelity Growth Company*

 

130,376          

    MFS Value R4

 

66,741          

    Fidelity Diversified International*

 

62,910          

    Fidelity Low-Priced Stock*

 

71,755          

    Fidelity Balanced*

 

56,455          

    Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index Fund Signal

 

45,865          

    Vanguard Mid-Cap Index Fund Institutional Shares

 

41,666          

    Fidelity Small Cap Stock*

 

25,032          

    Fidelity Ret Government Money Market*

 

17,612          

    Spartan International Index

 

8,745          

    Fidelity Freedom 2005*

 

752          

    Fidelity Freedom 2010*

 

5,745          

    Fidelity Freedom 2015*    

 

8,429          

    Fidelity Freedom 2020*

 

12,279          

    Fidelity Freedom 2025*

 

7,295          

    Fidelity Freedom 2030*

 

5,016          

    Fidelity Freedom 2035*

 

3,938          

    Fidelity Freedom 2040*

 

2,885          

    Fidelity Freedom 2045*

 

1,621          

    Fidelity Freedom 2050*

 

1,557          

    Fidelity Freedom Income*

 

2,246          

    MFS International New Discovery Fund Class R4

 

5,085          

    Vanguard Inflation Protected Securities

 

5,079          

    Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Inv CL

 

3,453          

    Vanguard Small Cap Index Inv CL

 

2,592          

     

Equity Common Collective Fund

   

    Fidelity U.S. Equity Index Pool*

 

58,012         

     

Other

   

    Participant loans 4.25% to 9.25%, with various maturities*

 

19,003          

Total

 

$1,044,925          

* Represents a party-in-interest

   



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