SONOCO PRODUCTS COMPANY SAVINGS PLAN
 

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, 2003  
 
 
     
 
[  ]
  TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15 (d) of  
 
  THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934  

For the Transition period from                     to

Commission file number 0-516

SONOCO SAVINGS PLAN

SONOCO PRODUCTS COMPANY
ONE NORTH SECOND STREET
POST OFFICE BOX 160
HARTSVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA 29551-0160

 


 

Sonoco Savings Plan
Financial Statements and Supplemental Schedule
December 31, 2003 and 2002

 


 

Sonoco Savings Plan
Index

         
    Page(s)
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
    1  
Financial Statements
       
Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits December 31, 2003 and 2002
    2  
Statements of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits Years Ended December 31, 2003 and 2002
    3  
Notes to Financial Statements
    4–9  
Supplemental Schedules
       
Schedule H, Line 4i – Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year) December 31, 2003
    10–13  
Schedule H, Line 4j – Schedule of Reportable Transactions December 31, 2003
    14  
     
Note
  Other Schedules required by Section 2520.103-10 of the Department of Labor’s Rules and Regulations for Reporting and Disclosure under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 have been omitted because they are not applicable.

 


 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Participants and Employee Benefits Committee of the
Sonoco Savings Plan

In our opinion, the accompanying Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits and the related Statements of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits present fairly, in all material respects, the net assets available for benefits of the Sonoco Savings Plan (the “Plan”) at December 31, 2003 and 2002, and the changes in the net assets available for benefits for the years then ended in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. 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 of these statements in accordance with the Standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Our audits were conducted for the purpose of forming an opinion on the basic financial statements taken as a whole. The supplemental Schedules of Assets (Held at End of Year) and Reportable Transactions are presented for purposes of additional analysis and are not a required part of the basic financial statements but are 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. These supplemental schedules are the responsibility of the Plan’s management. These supplemental schedules have been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in the audits of the basic financial statements and, in our opinion, are fairly stated in all material respects in relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole.

         
     
  /s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP    
  PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP   
     
 

Charlotte, North Carolina
June 16, 2004

1


 

Sonoco Savings Plan

Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits
December 31, 2003 and 2002
                 
(in thousands of dollars)
  2003
  2002
Assets
               
Investments, at fair value
  $ 284,769     $ 263,177  
Investments, at contract value
    141,064       135,194  
Contribution receivable - employer
    674       1,181  
 
   
 
     
 
 
Net assets available for benefits
  $ 426,507     $ 399,552  
 
   
 
     
 
 

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

2


 

Sonoco Savings Plan

Statements of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits
Years Ended December 31, 2003 and 2002
                 
(in thousands of dollars)
  2003
  2002
Investment income (loss)
               
Net appreciation (depreciation)
  $ 45,733     $ (44,777 )
Interest and dividends
    11,499       11,154  
 
   
 
     
 
 
 
    57,232       (33,623 )
Investment expenses
    (913 )     (764 )
 
   
 
     
 
 
Net investment income (loss)
    56,319       (34,387 )
 
   
 
     
 
 
Contributions
               
Employer
    12,092       11,481  
Participants
    24,131       24,398  
 
   
 
     
 
 
Total contributions
    36,223       35,879  
 
   
 
     
 
 
Total additions
    92,542       1,492  
Distributions to participants
    (46,364 )     (34,109 )
 
   
 
     
 
 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets available for benefits before transfer (to) from other qualified plan
    46,178       (32,617 )
Transfer (to) from other qualified plan
    (19,223 )     35,896  
 
   
 
     
 
 
Net increase in net assets available for benefits after transfer (to) from other qualified plan
    26,955       3,279  
Net assets available for benefits
               
Beginning of year
    399,552       396,273  
 
   
 
     
 
 
End of year
  $ 426,507     $ 399,552  
 
   
 
     
 
 

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

3


 

Sonoco Savings Plan

Notes to Financial Statements
December 31, 2003 and 2002

1.   Description of the Plan
 
    General

The Sonoco Savings Plan (“the Plan”) is a defined contribution plan covering a majority of all U.S. employees of Sonoco Products Company (the “Company”) who are immediately eligible to participate with at least 30 days of service. The Company is a major global manufacturer of paperboard-based and other industrial and consumer packaging products. The Company is a South Carolina corporation founded in Hartsville, South Carolina in 1899. The following description of the Plan is provided for general information purposes only. Participants should refer to the Plan document or the Summary Plan Description, not included herein, for a more complete description of the Plan and its provisions. The Plan is subject to the applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income and Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”), as amended.
 
    Contributions
 
    Participants may elect to defer up to 20% of gross pay through payroll deductions. Contributions may be pre-tax, after-tax or a combination thereof. The maximum annual pre-tax contribution for any participant is $12,000 and $11,000 for 2003 and 2002, respectively. Participants over age 50 may contribute additional pre-tax contributions to the Plan, up to a maximum of $2,000 and $1,000 for 2003 and 2002, respectively, subject to certain catch-up rules as defined under the Internal Revenue Code. Total annual contributions, including employer matching contributions are limited to $40,000 or 10% of gross pay in 2003 and 2002, whichever is less. The Company provides employer matching contributions of Company common stock or cash in amounts determined annually by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”). The Company may elect to provide additional contributions at the discretion of its Board. Under the Plan, participants may elect to have their account balances invested in 1% increments in eight index funds, a Company stock fund, or a stable value fund. Once a participant’s total account balance has been established and certain criteria are met, the participant can transfer funds into a Self-Managed Account as well.
 
    The Company matching contributions for periods subsequent to January 1, 2002 are equal to 100% on the first 3% of employee before-tax contributions, 50% on the next 2% of employee before-tax contributions and no match on after-tax contributions. Participants have the option to continue to reinvest Sonoco Stock Fund dividends in the Savings Plan or to receive these dividends in cash.
 
    Vesting
 
    The majority of participants are immediately vested in both their basic and rollover contributions and employer contributions, plus actual earnings thereon. However, at certain union locations, participants vest in employer matching and discretionary contributions after two to three years of service and five years of service, respectively. Net appreciation or depreciation of investments and investment earnings of each fund are allocated to participant accounts in proportion to each participant’s account balance within each fund.
 
    Payment of Benefits
 
    The Plan provides for benefits payable upon retirement, death, total and permanent disability or termination. Benefits are distributed through lump-sum payments in cash or Company common stock, in equal annual installments of cash or through quarterly distributions in an amount not less than $1,000. The participant may also elect to leave the funds in the Plan until age 70-1/2 if their balance is greater than $5,000.

4


 

Sonoco Savings Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
December 31, 2003 and 2002

    Participant Loans
 
    Participants may borrow from their account balances. The minimum amount of any loan is $1,000 and the maximum is $50,000 or 50% of a participant’s available balance (total vested balance less any outstanding loan balances taken in the previous twelve months), whichever is less. Loans are repaid through payroll deductions over a period of no more than five years for a personal loan or twenty years for a residential loan. Interest is charged at a fixed rate for the full term of the loan. The rate is based on the prime rate at the end of the fiscal quarter prior to loan origination plus 1% (5.0% at December 31, 2003).
 
    Risks and Uncertainties
 
    The Plan provides for various mutual fund investment options in stocks, bonds and fixed income securities. Investments are exposed to various risks, such as interest rate, market and credit risk. Due to the level of risk associated with certain investment securities and the level of uncertainty related to changes in the value of investment securities, it is at least reasonably possible that changes in risks in the near term would materially affect participants’ account balances and the amounts reported in the Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits and the Statements of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits.
 
    Forfeitures
 
    Forfeitures of account balances are used to reduce future employer contributions. During 2003, $477,930 in forfeitures was used to reduce employer contributions. At December 31, 2003, forfeited nonvested accounts totaled approximately $161,291.
 
2.   Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
 
    Basis of Accounting
 
    The financial statements of the Plan are prepared under the accrual method of accounting.
 
    Contributions
 
    Contributions from the Company are recorded in the year and in the amount authorized by the Board. The contribution receivable from the Company represents amounts authorized at year-end, but not yet received by the Plan. Contributions from employees of the Company are recorded in the year in which the employee contributions are withheld. All contributions from the Company are in the form of Sonoco Products Company common stock or cash payments. All employee and employer contributions are participant directed.
 
    Investment Valuation and Income Recognition
 
    Investments of the Plan are primarily stated at fair value, excluding certain fully benefit responsive insurance contracts that are stated at contract value. The fair values of the mutual funds are valued at quoted market prices which represent the net asset value of shares held by the Plan at year-end. The fair value of debt securities is based on quoted market prices for these securities. Fair value of the Sonoco Products Company common stock is determined by the closing market price per share on the last business day of the year. Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis. Dividends are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
 
    The Plan presents, in the accompanying Statements of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits, the net appreciation (depreciation) in the fair value of its investments, which consists of the realized gains or losses and the unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on those investments.

5


 

Sonoco Savings Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
December 31, 2003 and 2002

    Use of Estimates
 
    The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires the Plan to make significant estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of net assets at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of changes in net assets available for plan benefits during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
 
    Payment of Benefits
 
    Benefits are recorded when paid.
 
    Administrative Expenses
 
    All trust and custodial expenses and investment management fees are paid by the Plan. These expenses are deducted from the investment returns on the Statements of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits.
 
    Reclassifications
 
    Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to current year presentation.
 
3.   Investments
 
    StateStreet Global Advisors (“SSGA”) served as the trustee of the Plan in both 2003 and 2002. SSGA managed investment options include the S&P 500 Index Fund, Bond Market Index Fund, Russell 2000 Index Fund, International Stock Index Fund, Conservative Strategic Balanced Fund, Moderate Strategic Balanced Fund, Aggressive Strategic Balanced Fund, S&P MidCap Fund, Self-Managed Account, Stable Value Fund and Sonoco Stock Fund.
 
    S&P 500 Index Fund
 
    The S&P 500 Index Fund invests in all 500 common stocks included in the S&P 500 Index.
 
    Bond Market Index Fund
 
    The Bond Market Index Fund invests primarily in government, corporate, mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities and is a diversified portfolio that is representative of the domestic bond market.
 
    Russell 2000 Index Fund
 
    The Russell 2000 Index Fund invests in the 2000 small cap stocks that comprise the Russell 2000 Index.
 
    International Stock Index Fund
 
    The International Stock Index Fund invests in the stocks in the Morgan Stanley Capital International EAFE Index, a compilation of international equities.
 
    Conservative Strategic Balanced Fund
 
    The Conservative Strategic Balanced Fund seeks to provide income from fixed income securities and some growth of principal from stock funds. The Fund’s risk profile is somewhat conservative due to an emphasis on bond holdings.

6


 

Sonoco Savings Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
December 31, 2003 and 2002

    Moderate Strategic Balanced Fund
 
    The Moderate Strategic Balanced Fund seeks to provide income from fixed income securities and growth of principal from stock funds. The funds risk profile is moderate due to the presence of well-diversified stock and bond holdings.
 
    Aggressive Strategic Balanced Fund
 
    The Aggressive Strategic Balanced Fund seeks to provide growth of principal from stock funds and some income from fixed income securities. The Fund’s risk profile is higher due to its emphasis on stock holdings.
 
    S&P MidCap Fund
 
    The S&P MidCap invests in all stocks in the S&P MidCap 400 Index in proportion to their weighting in the Index.
 
    Self-Managed Account
 
    The Self-Managed Account allows employees to invest in a wide variety of mutual funds. To invest in the Self-Managed Account, participants must transfer funds from other investment options. The initial investment must be at least $2,500 and the total amount in the Self-Managed Account cannot exceed 50% of the participant’s vested account balance.
 
    Stable Value Fund
 
    The Stable Value Fund invests primarily in guaranteed investment contracts and fully benefit responsive synthetic investment contracts, which are supported by underlying assets owned by the Plan. Assets underlying the synthetic investment contracts include government securities, private and public mortgage-backed securities, investment grade corporate obligations and cash equivalents held for liquidity purposes. These synthetic investment contracts are credited with earnings on the underlying investments and charged for benefit withdrawals and administrative expenses. The guaranteed investment contracts are included in the financial statements of the Plan at contract value as reported to the Plan by GE Life and Annuity Assurance Co., Travelers Life and Annuity Co. and Principal Life Insurance Co. Contract value represents contributions made under the contract, plus earnings, less benefit withdrawals and administrative expenses.
 
    There are no reserves against contract value for credit risk of the contract issuer or otherwise. The average yields were approximately 4.48% at December 31, 2003. The crediting interest rates were 4.17% at December 31, 2003. The crediting interest rate is based on a formula agreed upon with the issuer, with no guaranteed minimum crediting interest rate provided.

7


 

Sonoco Savings Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
December 31, 2003 and 2002

    Sonoco Stock Fund
 
    Employees may also elect to invest in the Sonoco Stock Fund that consists solely of investments in Company common stock and cash equivalents held for liquidity purposes.
 
    The following individual investments represent 5% or more of the Plan’s net assets at December 31 of one or both years:
                 
(in thousands of dollars)   2003   2002
Investments at fair value
               
Sonoco Products Company Common Stock (3,133,189 and 3,625,361 shares, respectively)
  $ 77,139     $ 83,130  
State Street Global Advisors S&P 500 Index Fund (549,159 and 573,462 shares, respectively)
    109,487       88,852  
State Street Global Advisors Bond Market Index Fund (1,617,603 shares)
          23,973  
State Street Global Advisors Russell 2000 Index Fund (1,690,580 shares)
    29,572        

    During 2003 and 2002, the Plan’s investments (including gains and losses on investments bought and sold, as well as held during the year) appreciated (depreciated) in value by $45,733 and $(44,777) as follows:
                 
(in thousands of dollars)   2003   2002
Mutual funds
  $ 40,418     $ (31,204 )
Common stock
    5,315       (13,573 )
 
   
 
     
 
 
 
  $ 45,733     $ (44,777 )
 
   
 
     
 
 

4.   Related Party Transactions
 
    Certain Plan investments are shares of mutual funds or money market funds managed by StateStreet Global Advisors and StateStreet Bank & Trust Company (“StateStreet”). StateStreet is the trustee as defined by the Plan and, therefore, these transactions qualify as party-in-interest transactions.
 
5.   Tax Status
 
    The Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) has determined and informed the Company by a letter dated June 30, 2003, that the Plan and related trust are designed in accordance with applicable sections of the Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”). The Plan Administrator believes that the Plan is designed and is currently being operated in compliance with the applicable requirements of the IRC. Accordingly, no provision for income taxes has been included in the Plan’s financial statements.

8


 

Sonoco Savings Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
December 31, 2003 and 2002

6.   Contributions
 
    For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2003 and 2002, employer contributions made entirely in Company common stock under the Plan were approximately $1,100,000 and $1,200,000, respectively. All other employer contributions were made in cash.
 
7.   Asset Transfers
 
    The Company acquired Hayes Manufacturing Group, Inc., Phoenix Packaging Corporation, U.S. Paper Mills Corporation, and a paper mill located in Hutchinson, Kansas during 2001. Benefit plans related to the acquired companies were merged into the Plan during 2002.
 
    Effective December 22, 2003, the Company sold its High Density Film Products Division and transferred the investments to another qualified plan.
 
8.   Plan Termination
 
    Although it has not expressed any intention 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 set forth in ERISA.
 
9.   Fair Value of Financial Instruments
 
    The fair value of investment contracts included the Stable Value Fund carried at contract value totaling $147,549,000 and $151,941,000 at December 31, 2003 and 2002 was $154,191,000 and $159,345,000, respectively. Fair values of these investment contracts are estimated based on discounted future cash flows using interest rates at December 31, 2003.

9


 

Supplemental Schedules

 


 

Sonoco Savings Plan

Schedule H, Line 4i – Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year)
December 31, 2003   Schedule I

(in thousands of dollars)

                     
      Rate of   Maturity    
Identity of Issue   Description of Investment   Interest   Date   Current Value
Abbey National plc
  Corporate Bonds   6.69%   10/17/2005   $ 646  
American General Finance
  Corporate Bonds   5.88%   7/14/2006     655  
Americredit Automobile
  Asset Backed Securities   5.01%   7/14/2008     1,248  
Americredit Automobile
  Asset Backed Securities   3.55%   2/12/2009     1,533  
Bank of America Corporation
  Corporate Bonds   4.75%   10/15/2006     533  
Bank of America Corporation
  Corporate Bonds   7.88%   5/15/2005     656  
Bear Stearns Commercial Mortgage Securities, Inc.
  Asset Backed Securities   3.97%   11/11/2035     1,218  
Atlantic Richfield Company
  Corporate Bonds   10.88%   7/16/2005     1,185  
Province of British Columbia
  Corporate Bonds   4.63%   10/3/2006     1,172  
Boston Edison Company
  Asset Backed Securities   6.62%   3/15/2007     397  
Salomon Smith Barney
  Asset Backed Securities   0.00%   3/15/2006     1,781  
Citibank Credit Card Master Trust I
  Asset Backed Securities   0.00%   8/15/2006     993  
Capital One Master Trust
  Asset Backed Securities   5.30%   6/15/2009     235  
Capital One Secured Note Trust
  Asset Backed Securities   3.85%   8/15/2007     819  
Credit Suisse First Boston Mortgage Securities
  Asset Backed Securities   6.04%   6/15/2034     375  
Credit Suisse First Boston Mortgage Securities
  Asset Backed Securities   5.26%   12/15/2035     406  
Credit Suisse First Boston Mortgage Securities
  Asset Backed Securities   7.29%   9/15/2009     923  
CWL 2003-5 AF4
  Asset Backed Securities   4.91%   8/25/2032     3,125  
DLJ Commercial Mortgage Corp.
  Asset Backed Securities   6.41%   2/15/2008     884  
DLJ Commercial Mortgage Corp.
  Asset Backed Securities   7.45%   6/10/2033     775  
A/S Eksportfinans
  Corporate Bonds   5.75%   6/6/2006     304  
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation
  Asset Backed Securities   7.00%   3/15/2008     2,123  
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation
  Asset Backed Securities   7.00%   6/15/2010     249  
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation.
  Asset Backed Securities   6.00%   9/15/2031     981  
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation
  Asset Backed Securities   6.25%   11/15/2022     556  
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation
  Asset Backed Securities   6.25%   1/15/2023     225  
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation
  Asset Backed Securities   6.50%   3/15/2023     279  
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation
  Asset Backed Securities   6.00%   5/15/2031     464  
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation
  Asset Backed Securities   6.00%   6/15/2031     278  

10


 

Sonoco Savings Plan

Schedule H, Line 4i – Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year)
December 31, 2003   Schedule I

(in thousands of dollars)

                     
      Rate of   Maturity    
Identity of Issue   Description of Investment   Interest   Date   Current Value
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation
  Asset Backed Securities   6.00%   9/15/2031     961  
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation
  Federal Agency Bonds   7.00%   7/15/2005     6,229  
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation
  Federal Agency Bonds   6.25%   7/15/2004     2,638  
Federal National Mortgage Association
  Federal Agency Bonds   7.00%   7/15/2005     6,158  
Federal National Mortgage Association
  Asset Backed Securities   5.50%   2/15/2006     4,527  
Federal National Mortgage Association
  Asset Backed Securities   5.50%   1/25/2023     209  
Federal National Mortgage Association
  Asset Backed Securities   7.00%   6/25/2023     234  
Federal National Mortgage Association
  Asset Backed Securities   6.00%   10/25/2022     727  
Federal National Mortgage Association
  Asset Backed Securities   6.50%   7/15/2005     1,278  
Federal National Mortgage Association
  Asset Backed Securities   6.50%   2/15/2006     228  
Federal National Mortgage Association Ser 2002-81-PU
  Asset Backed Securities   4.50%   5/25/2020     4,101  
Federal National Mortgage Association Ser 2003-17-QR
  Asset Backed Securities   4.50%   11/25/2025     6,992  
Ford Credit Auto Owners Trust
  Asset Backed Securities   4.14%   12/15/2005     114  
GE Capital Commercial Mortgage Corporation
  Asset Backed Securities   6.03%   8/11/2033     1,062  
GE COML Mortgage Corporation 2003-CL-A1
  Asset Backed Securities   3.09%   1/10/2038     945  
Household Private Label Credit Card
  Asset Backed Securities   4.95%   6/16/2008     972  
Household Private Label Credit Card
  Asset Backed Securities   5.50%   1/18/2011     324  
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
  Federal Agency Bonds   5.00%   3/28/2006     1,077  
J.P. Morgan Chase & Company
  Corporate Bonds   5.63%   8/15/2006     323  
J.P. Morgan Chase & Company
  Corporate Bonds   5.35%   3/1/2007     250  
J.P. Morgan Chase & Company
  Asset Backed Securities   7.11%   8/15/2032     306  
LB Commercial Conduit Mortgage Trust
  Asset Backed Securities   6.78%   4/15/2009     906  
MBNA Master Credit Card Trust
  Asset Backed Securities   6.90%   1/15/2008     2,163  
MBNA Credit Card Master Trust II
  Asset Backed Securities   4.95%   6/15/2009     1,223  
Merrill Lynch & Company Medium Term Notes
  Corporate Bonds   6.13%   5/16/2006     109  
Merrill Lynch & Company Medium Term Notes
  Corporate Bonds   6.15%   1/26/2006     552  
Federal National Mortgage Association
  Asset Backed Securities   4.49%   4/20/2006     85  
Morgan Stanley Dean Witter
  Corporate Bonds   5.80%   4/1/2007     263  
Morgan Stanley Dean Witter
  Corporate Bonds   7.75%   6/15/2005     561  

11


 

Sonoco Savings Plan
Schedule H, Line 4i – Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year)

December 31, 2003   Schedule I

(in thousands of dollars)

                     
        Rate of   Maturity    
Identity of Issue   Description of Investment   Interest   Date   Current Value
Bank One Corporation
  Corporate Bonds   6.50%   2/1/2006     588  
Bank One Corporation
  Corporate Bonds   7.63%   8/1/2005     384  
Ontario Province Canada
  Corporate Bonds   6.00%   2/21/2006     2,695  
Prudential Home Mortgage Securities Co.
  Asset Backed Securities   6.50%   12/25/2008     37  
Rio Tinto Finance United States
  Corporate Bonds   5.75%   7/3/2006     690  
Salomon Brothers Mortgage Securities
  Asset Backed Securities   7.30%   7/18/2033     832  
Sears Credit Account Master Trust
  Asset Backed Securities   6.75%   3/15/2006     204  
Sears Credit Account Master Trust
  Asset Backed Securities   5.25%   9/16/2009     1,697  
U.S. Treasury Bonds
  U.S. Government Bonds   11.75%   2/15/2010     2,953  
U.S. Treasury Notes
  U.S. Government Bonds   6.50%   10/15/2006     10,937  
Texas Utilities Company
  Corporate Bonds   6.38%   10/1/2004     998  
Wells Fargo Bank San Francisco
  Corporate Bonds   7.80%   6/15/2010     1,087  
AIG Financial Products Corp.
  Global Wrap   4.54%         (1,155 )
J.P. Morgan Chase Bank
  Global Wrap   4.54%         (1,155 )
Monumental Life Insurance Company
  Global Wrap   4.54%         (1,155 )
Westdeutsche Landesbank
  Global Wrap   4.54%         (1,155 )
StateStreet Global Advisors Yield Enhanced STIF*
  STIF   1.20%         7,597  
GE Life and Annuity Assurance Co.
  Guaranteed Investment Contract   5.95%   2/6/2004     3,979  
Principal Life Insurance Co.
  Guaranteed Investment Contract   3.00%   9/28/2007     6,142  
Principal Life Insurance Co.
  Guaranteed Investment Contract   3.85%   3/15/2007     1,716  
Travelers Life and Annuity Co.
  Guaranteed Investment Contract   3.66%   6/15/2007     5,189  
StateStreet Bank and Trust Company*
  Commingled Mortgage Backed                
 
  Index Fund (CMBS)             15,876  
StateStreet Bank and Trust Company*
  Mortgage Fund             18,032  
StateStreet Global Advisors*
  Bond Market Index Fund             21,092  
StateStreet Global Advisors*
  S&P 500 Index Fund             109,487  
StateStreet Global Advisors*
  Russell 2000 Index Fund             29,572  
StateStreet Global Advisors*
  International Stock Index Fund             7,425  

12


 

Sonoco Savings Plan
Schedule H, Line 4i – Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year)

December 31, 2003   Schedule I

(in thousands of dollars)

                     
        Rate of   Maturity    
Identity of Issue   Description of Investment   Interest   Date   Current Value
StateStreet Global Advisors*
  Conservative Strategic Balanced Fund             1,006  
StateStreet Global Advisors*
  Moderate Strategic Balanced Fund             1,706  
StateStreet Global Advisors*
  Aggressive Strategic Balanced Fund             1,658  
StateStreet Global Advisors*
  S&P MidCap Fund             8,013  
StateStreet Global Advisors*
  Money Market Fund**             389  
Vanguard Investments Corporation
  Vanguard Growth Index Fund**             107  
Clipper
  Clipper Fund**             74  
Vanguard Investments Corporation
  Vanguard Bond Index Total Market Fund**             54  
Heartland
  Heartland Group Value Plus Fund**             54  
Heartland
  Heartland Group Value Income Fund**             53  
White Oak
  White Oak Growth Stock Fund**             52  
Boston Partners
  Boston Partners Small Cap Value II Fund**             51  
Janus Capital Group, Inc.
  Janus Twenty Fund**             47  
Janus Capital Group, Inc.
  Janus Growth & Income Fund**             40  
Meridian
  Meridian Value Fund**             40  
Price Health Sciences
  T Rowe Price Health Sciences Fund**             40  
Dodge and Cox
  Dodge and Cox Stock Fund**             40  
StateStreet Brokerage Services, Inc.*
  Other Mutual Funds**             1,486  
Sonoco Products Company*
  Common stock, 3,133,189 shares original cost of $69,280,355             77,139  
StateStreet Global Advisors*
  Short-term Investment Fund - 1,116,686 shares             1,117  
 
 
 
      1/2/2004 to        
Employee loans receivable*
  Participant loans   5.00% - 11.50%   3/24/2025     17,543  
 
               
 
 
 
              $ 425,833  
 
               
 
 
* Party in interest
   
** Individual assets included within the Self-Managed Account

13


 

Sonoco Savings Plan
Schedule H, Line 4j – Schedule of Reportable Transactions
December 31, 2003

Schedule II
                                                             
(in thousands of dollars)
                                        Current Value            
                                        of Asset on            
                Purchase   Selling   Cost of   Transaction   Gain/        
    Type and Description   Transactions   Price   Price   Asset   Date   Loss        
I.   Single transactions in excess of 5% of plan assets:
 
  None   $     $     $     $     $     $          
II.   Series of transactions with respect to any plan asset other than securities in excess of 5% of plan assets:
 
  None                                                        
III.   Series of transactions in excess of 5%:
 
  State Street Global Advisors*                                                        
 
 
Stable Value Fund
    161       119,659                   119,659                
 
 
S&P 500 Index Fund
    107       16,573                   16,573                
 
 
Short-Term Investment Fund
    121       24,559                   24,559                
 
 
Stable Value Fund
    187             117,260       117,260       117,260                
 
 
S&P 500 Index Fund
    147             16,982       15,394       16,982       1,588          
 
 
Short-Term Investment Fund
    124             24,380       24,380       24,380                
 
  Sonoco Products Company*                                                        
 
 
Sonoco Stock Fund
    138       28,486                   28,486                
 
 
Sonoco Stock Fund
    216             37,084       37,326       37,084       (242 )        
 
  Participants*                                                      
 
 
Participant loan fund
    200       7,923                   7,923                
 
 
Participant loan fund
    162             14,948       14,948       14,948                
IV.   Any transaction with respect to securities with a person if any prior or subsequent transactions with such person exceeded 5%:
 
  None                                                        

* Party-in-interest

14


 

SIGNATURES

The Plan. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the trustees (or other persons who administer the employee benefit plan) have duly caused this Annual Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

         
      SONOCO SAVINGS PLAN
  By:   Sonoco Products Company as Plan
      Administrator
         
June 28, 2004
  By   /s/ Harris E. DeLoach, Jr.
Date
      Harris E. DeLoach, Jr.
      President and Chief Executive Officer

 


 

EXHIBIT INDEX

     
Exhibit    
Number
  Description
23-1
  Consent of Independent Registered Accounting Firm to Incorporation by Reference of Independent Registered Accounting Firm’s Report with Respect to Form 11-K for the Sonoco Savings Plan
 
   
32
  Certification of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and 17 C.F.R. 240.13a-14(b)