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Note 18 - Pension and Postretirement Benefits
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Notes to Financial Statements  
Retirement Benefits [Text Block]

18.    Pension and Postretirement Benefits:

 

We have a frozen qualified defined benefit pension plan for certain of our employees through membership in the Pension Plan for Insurance Organizations (the “Pension Plan”), a multiple-employer trust. Prior to the freeze, we applied a cash balance formula to determine future benefits. Under the cash balance formula, each participant has an account, which was credited annually based on salary rates determined by years of service, as well as the interest earned on the previous year-end cash balance. We also have a non-qualified frozen supplemental cash balance plan (“SERP”) for certain employees. Our SERP is funded from our general assets.

 

Our Pension Plan’s funding policy is to contribute annually at an amount between the minimum funding requirements set forth in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and the maximum amount that can be deducted for federal income tax purposes. The minimum contribution requirement was and is expected to be $0 in 2020 and 2021, respectively. We contributed $0.7 million to our SERP in 2020 and 2019, and expect to contribute $1.0 million in 2021.

 

We also provide certain healthcare and life insurance benefits for both active and retired employees. The Postretirement Health and Life Insurance Plan (the “Postretirement Plan”), which has been frozen, is contributory, requiring participants to pay a stated percentage of the premium for coverage. We do not expect to contribute to our Postretirement Plan in 2021.

 

The following table sets forth the changes in the benefit obligations and the plan assets, the funded status of the Pension Plan, SERP and Postretirement Plan, and the amounts recognized in our consolidated balance sheets at December 31:

 

  

Pension Plan and SERP

  

Postretirement Plan

 
  

2020

  

2019

  

2020

  

2019

 

Change in benefit obligation:

                

Benefit obligation at January 1

 $443.6  $407.8  $8.2  $9.7 

Interest cost

  12.6   15.6   0.2   0.3 

Actuarial loss (gain)

  32.1   48.2   (0.2)  (0.4)

Plan participants’ contributions

  —   —   1.6   2.1 

Benefits paid

  (28.4)  (28.0)  (2.3)  (3.6)

Federal subsidy on benefits paid

  —   —   —   0.1 

Benefit obligation at December 31

 $459.9  $443.6  $7.5  $8.2 

Accumulated benefit obligation at December 31

 $459.9  $443.6       

Change in plan assets:

                

Fair value of plan assets at January 1

 $488.9  $421.3  $10.3  $9.7 

Actual return on plan assets, net of expenses

  59.6   94.9   0.3   0.6 

Employer contributions, net

  0.7   0.7   0.6   1.4 

Plan participants’ contributions

  —   —   1.6   2.1 

Benefits paid

  (28.4)  (28.0)  (2.3)  (3.6)

Federal subsidies received

  —   —   —   0.1 

Fair value of plan assets at December 31

 $520.8  $488.9  $10.5  $10.3 

Funded status at December 31

 $(60.9) $(45.3) $(3.0) $(2.1)

Amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets consist of:

                

Pension assets, noncurrent (1)

 $(74.3) $(58.2) $(3.0) $(2.1)

Pension, SERP and postretirement benefits, current (2)

  1.0   0.8   —   — 

Pension, SERP and postretirement benefits, noncurrent (3)

  12.4   12.1   —   — 

Total Pension, SERP and Postretirement benefits

 $(60.9) $(45.3) $(3.0) $(2.1)

_______________

(1)  Included in "Other assets" in our accompanying consolidated balance sheets

(2)  Included in "Accounts payable and accrued liabilities" in our accompanying consolidated balance sheets

(3)  Included in "Other liabilities" in our accompanying consolidated balance sheets

 

The pre-tax components included within accumulated other comprehensive losses as of December 31 are summarized below:

 

  

Pension Plan and SERP

  

Postretirement Plan

 
  

2020

  

2019

  

2020

  

2019

 

Prior service benefit cost (credit)

 $3.0  $3.2  $(0.1) $(0.3)

Actuarial losses

  133.2   137.1   3.1   3.8 

Accumulated other comprehensive losses, pretax

 $136.2  $140.3  $3.0  $3.5 

 

 

The pre-tax components of net periodic benefit (credit) cost and the amounts recognized in other comprehensive loss are summarized below for the years ended December 31:

 

  

Pension Plan and SERP

  

Postretirement Plan

 
  

2020

  

2019

  

2018

  

2020

  

2019

  

2018

 

Interest cost

 $12.6  $15.6  $15.2  $0.2  $0.3  $0.3 

Expected return on plan assets

  (29.9)  (30.3)  (32.9)  (0.2)  (0.2)  (0.2)

Amortization of prior service cost (credit) reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive losses

  0.2   0.2   0.2   (0.1)  (0.1)  (0.1)

Amortization of net actuarial loss reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive losses

  6.3   4.5   3.2   0.3   0.3   0.4 

Net periodic benefit (credit) cost

  (10.8)  (10.0)  (14.3)  0.2   0.3   0.4 

Amortization of prior service (cost) credit reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive losses

  (0.2)  (0.2)  (0.2)  0.1   0.1   0.1 

Amortization of actuarial loss reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive losses

  (0.2)  (0.1)  (0.1)  —   —   — 

Net loss recognized reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive losses

  (6.1)  (4.4)  (3.1)  (0.3)  (0.3)  (0.4)

Actuarial (gain) loss

  2.4   (16.4)  37.0   (0.3)  (0.8)  (0.3)

Total recognized in other comprehensive (income) loss

  (4.1)  (21.1)  33.6   (0.5)  (1.0)  (0.6)

Total recognized in net periodic benefit (credit) cost and other comprehensive (income) loss

 $(14.9) $(31.1) $19.3  $(0.3) $(0.7) $(0.2)

 

The weighted-average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 and net periodic benefit (credit) cost for the years 2020, 2019 and 2018 are provided below:

 

  

Pension Plan and SERP

  

Postretirement Plan

 

Weighted-average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations:

 

2020

  

2019

      

2020

  

2019

     

Discount rate

  2.49%  3.24%      1.50%  2.50%    

Expected return on plan assets

  6.50%  6.75%      2.00%  2.00%    
Cash balance interest credit rate  2.57%  2.57%      Not applicable     
                         

Weighted-average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit (credit) loss:

 

2020

  

2019

  

2018

  

2020

  

2019

  

2018

 

Discount rate

  2.83%  3.82%  3.50%  2.50%  3.75%  3.00%

Expected return on plan assets

  6.75%  7.00%  7.00%  2.00%  2.00%  2.00%
Cash balance interest credit rate  2.57%  2.57%  2.57%  Not applicable 

 

The following table presents the estimated future benefit payments for the respective plans. The future benefit payments for the Postretirement Plan are net of the federal Medicare subsidy.

 

  

Pension Plan

  

Postretirement

 
  

and SERP

  

Plan

 
  

Gross

  

Gross

  

Medicare

  

Net

 
  

Benefit

  

Benefit

  

Subsidy

  

Benefit

 
  

Amount

  

Amount

  

Payments

  

Amount

 

2021

 $30.5  $1.2  $(0.2) $1.0 

2022

 $30.1  $1.1  $(0.2) $0.9 

2023

 $30.3  $1.0  $(0.2) $0.8 

2024

 $29.9  $0.8  $—  $0.8 

2025

 $28.9  $0.7  $—  $0.7 
2026-2030 $135.5  $2.4  $(0.1) $2.3 

 

The healthcare cost trend rate for 2021 was 8.00% gradually decreasing to 4.50% in 2035. Assumed healthcare cost trend rates have a significant effect on the amounts reported for the healthcare plan. However, a 1.00% change in assumed healthcare cost trend rates would have an immaterial effect to our postretirement benefit obligation.

 

The subsidy benefit from the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 reduced our accumulated postretirement benefit assets by approximately $0.8 million as of December 31, 2020 and 2019. The subsidy cost increased the net periodic benefit cost by approximately $58.2 thousand, $48.5 thousand and $51.0 thousand in fiscal 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. 

 

The expected return on our Pension Plan assets as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 was 6.50% and 6.75%, respectively, which was determined by taking into consideration our analysis of our actual historical investment returns to a broader long-term forecast after adjusting for the target investment allocation and reflecting the current economic environment. During the first quarter of 2020, we changed the investment guidelines on our Pension Plan assets to target investment allocation of 55% to equity securities and 45% to debt securities from our previous target allocation of 60% to equity securities and 40% to debt securities as of December 31, 2019. Our Pension Plan assets consist primarily of investments in various fixed income and equity funds. Investment guidelines are established with each investment manager. These guidelines provide the parameters within which the investment managers agree to operate, including criteria that determine eligible and ineligible securities, diversification requirements and credit quality standards, where applicable. Investment managers are prohibited from entering into any speculative hedging transactions. The investment objective is to achieve a maximum total return with strong emphasis on preservation of capital in real terms. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the domestic equity portion of the total portfolio ranged between 40% and 60%. The international equity portion of the total portfolio ranged between 10% and 20%. The fixed income portion of the total portfolio ranged between 20% and 40%.

 

The asset allocation at December 31, 2020 and 2019, and target allocation by asset category are as follows:

 

  

Target

  

Percentage of Plan Assets

 

Asset Category

 

Allocation

  

2020

  

2019

 

Equity securities

  55.0%  52.5%  53.7%

Debt securities

  45.0%  40.0%  37.9%

Other

  —%  7.5%  8.4%

Total

  100.0%  100.0%  100.0%

 

We have used the target investment allocation to derive the expected return as we believe this allocation will be retained on an ongoing basis that will be commensurate with the projected cash flows of the plan. The expected return for each investment category within the target investment allocation is developed using average historical rates of return for each targeted investment category, considering the projected cash flow of our Pension Plan. The difference between this expected return and the actual return on plan assets is generally deferred and recognized over subsequent periods through future net periodic benefit costs. We believe that the use of the average historical rates of returns is consistent with the timing and amounts of expected contributions to the plans and benefit payments to plan participants. These considerations provide the basis for reasonable assumptions with respect to the expected long-term rate of return on plan assets.

 

We also maintain a voluntary employees beneficiary association plan (the “VEBA Plan”) under Section 501(c)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code to fund the Postretirement Plan. The asset allocation for our VEBA Plan at December 31, 2020 and 2019 was 100% in debt securities.

 

There were no transfers among Levels 1, 2 or 3 for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019. Refer to Note 7. Fair Value Measurements for further discussion with respect to fair value hierarchy. The following table summarizes the fair value measurements by level of our Pension Plan and Postretirement Plan assets:

 

      

Quoted Prices

  

Significant

     
      

in Active

  

Other

  

Significant

 
      

Markets for

  

Observable

  

Unobservable

 
      

Identical Assets

  

Inputs

  

Inputs

 
  

Total

  

(Level 1)

  

(Level 2)

  

(Level 3)

 

December 31, 2020

                

Equity

                

Managed equity accounts (1)

 $206.3  $206.3  $—  $— 

Equity — pooled separate account (2)

  67.2   —   67.2   — 
Debt                

Fixed income manager — pooled separate account (2)

  208.3   —   208.3   — 

Fixed income manager — government securities (4)

  10.5   10.5   —   — 
Others                

Cash — pooled separate account (2)

  2.1   —   2.1   — 

Global real estate account (5)

  36.9   —   36.9   — 

Total

 $531.3  $216.8  $314.5  $— 

December 31, 2019

                

Equity

                

Managed equity accounts (1)

 $196.1  $196.1  $—  $— 

Equity — pooled separate account (2)

  66.1   —   66.1   — 

Equity — partnerships (3)

  0.1   —   —   0.1 

Debt

                

Fixed income manager — pooled separate account (2)

  185.4   —   185.4   — 

Fixed income manager — government securities (4)

  10.3   10.3   —   — 

Others

                

Cash — pooled separate account (2)

  3.4   —   3.4   — 

Global real estate account (5)

  37.8   —   37.8   — 

Total

 $499.2  $206.4  $292.7  $0.1 

_______________

  

(1) 

Valued at the closing price of shares for domestic stocks within the managed equity accounts, and valued at the net asset value (“NAV”) of shares for mutual funds at either the closing price reported in the active market or based on yields currently available on comparable securities of issuers with similar credit ratings for corporate bonds held by the Pension Plan in these managed accounts.

  

(2) 

The pooled separate accounts invest in domestic and foreign stocks, bonds and mutual funds. The fair values of these stocks, bonds and mutual funds are publicly quoted and are used in determining the NAV of the pooled separate account, which is not publicly quoted.

  

(3) 

Investments for which readily determinable prices do not exist are valued by the General Partner using either the market or income approach. In establishing the estimated fair value of investments, including those without readily determinable values, the General Partner assumes a reasonable period of time for liquidation of the investment, and takes into consideration the financial condition and operating results of the underlying portfolio company, nature of investment, restrictions on marketability, holding period, market conditions, foreign currency exposures, and other factors the General Partner deems appropriate.

 

(4) 

The fund invested in the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities or securities that are rated AAA by S&P, AAA by Fitch, or Aaa by Moody’s, including but not limited to mortgage securities such as agency and non-agency collateralized mortgage obligations, and other obligations that are secured by mortgages or mortgage backed securities, and valued at the closing price reported in the active market.

  

(5) 

The funds invested in common stocks and other equity securities issued by domestic and foreign real estate companies, including real estate investment trusts ("REIT") and similar REIT-like entities. The fair values of these stocks, bonds and mutual funds are publicly quoted and are used in determining the NAV of the funds, which is not publicly quoted.