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Benefit Plans | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2018
Retirement Benefits [Abstract] |
Benefit Plans | Benefit Plans Pension Plans San Jose Water Company sponsors a noncontributory defined benefit pension plan (the “Pension Plan”) for its eligible employees. Employees hired before March 31, 2008 are entitled to receive retirement benefits using a formula based on the employee’s three highest years of compensation (whether or not consecutive). For employees hired on or after March 31, 2008, benefits are determined using a cash balance formula based upon compensation credits and interest credits for each employee. The Pension Plan is administered by a committee that is composed of an equal number of company and union representatives (the “Committee”). The Committee has retained an investment consultant, Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC, to assist it with, among other things, asset allocation strategy, investment policy advice, performance monitoring, and investment manager due diligence. Individual investment decisions have been delegated by the Committee to the investment managers who are monitored by the investment consultant. Investment guidelines provided in the Investment Policy Statement require that at least 25% of plan assets be invested in fixed income securities. As of December 31, 2018, the plan assets consist of approximately 34% bonds, 6% cash equivalents, and 60% equities. Furthermore, equities are to be diversified by industry groups and selected to achieve a balance of long-term growth and income combined with a goal of long-term preservation of capital. Except as provided for in the prospectus of any co-mingled investments, investment managers may not invest in commodities and futures contracts, private placements, options, letter stock, speculative securities, nor may they hold more than 5% of assets of any one private corporation. Except as provided for in the prospectus of any co-mingled investments, fixed income assets may only be invested in bonds, commercial paper, and money market funds with acceptable ratings by Moody’s or Standard & Poor’s as defined by the Investment Policy Statement. The investment managers’ performance is reviewed regularly by the investment consultant who provides semi-annual reports to the Committee for review. Plan assets are marked to market at each measurement date, resulting in unrealized actuarial gains or losses. Unrealized actuarial gains and losses on pension assets are amortized over the expected future working lifetime of participants of 12.91 years for actuarial expense calculation purposes. Market losses in 2017 increased pension expense by approximately $1,388 in 2018 and market gains in 2016 decreased pension expense by approximately $200 in 2017. For the past 10 years, the plan has achieved a 8.49% return on its investments while the applicable benchmark was 8.54% for the same period. The applicable benchmark is a weighted-average of returns for those benchmarks shown in the table below. For the past five years, the investment managers, following the required investment guidelines, achieved a 5% return on their investments, while the applicable benchmark was 5.16% for the same period. Generally, it is expected of the investment managers that the performance of the assets held in the Pension Plan, computed on a total annual rate of return basis, should meet or exceed specific performance standards over a three-to-five-year period and/or full market cycle. These standards include specific absolute and risk-adjusted performance standards over a three-to-five-year period and/or full market cycle. San Jose Water Company calculates the market-related value of the defined benefit pension plan assets, which is defined under FASB ASC Topic 715—“Compensation—Retirement Benefits” as a balance used to calculate the expected return on plan assets, using fair value. The fair value is based on quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and significant observable inputs. Officers hired before March 31, 2008 are eligible to receive additional retirement benefits under San Jose Water Company’s Executive Supplemental Retirement Plan, and officers hired on or after March 31, 2008 are eligible to receive additional retirement benefits under San Jose Water Company’s Cash Balance Executive Supplemental Retirement Plan. Both of the plans are non-qualified plans in which only officers and other designated members of management may participate. The annual cost of the plans has been included in the determination of the net periodic benefit cost shown below. The plans, which are unfunded, had a projected benefit obligation of $25,380 and $24,832 as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively, and net periodic pension cost of $2,905, $2,186 and $1,729 for 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Other Postretirement Benefits In addition to providing pension and savings benefits, San Jose Water Company also provides health care and life insurance benefits for retired employees under the San Jose Water Company Social Welfare Plan. The plan is a flat dollar plan which is unaffected by variations in health care costs. Flexible Spending Plan Effective February 1, 2004, San Jose Water Company established a Flexible Spending Account for its employees for the purpose of providing eligible employees with the opportunity to choose from among the fringe benefits available under the plan. The flexible spending plan is intended to qualify as a cafeteria plan under the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code Section 125. The flexible spending plan allows employees to save pre-tax income in a Health Care Spending Account (“HCSA”) and/or a Dependent Care Spending Account (“DCSA”) to help defray the cost of out-of-pocket medical and dependent care expenses. The annual maximum limit under the HCSA and DCSA plans is $2.5 and $5, respectively. Deferral Plan San Jose Water Company sponsors a salary deferral plan that allows employees to defer and contribute a portion of their earnings to the plan. Contributions, not to exceed set limits, are matched by San Jose Water Company. San Jose Water Company contributions were $1,465, $1,585 and $1,242 in 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Special Deferral Election Plan and Deferral Election Program SJW Group maintains a Special Deferral Election Plan allowing certain executives and a Deferral Election Program allowing non-employee directors to defer a portion of their earnings each year and to realize an investment return on those funds during the deferral period. Executives and non-employee directors have to make an election on the deferral and distribution method of the deferrals before services are rendered. Executives and non-employee directors had deferred $4,244, $4,528 and $4,250 under the plans as of December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Assumptions Utilized on Actuarial Calculations Net periodic cost for the defined benefit plans and other postretirement benefits was calculated using the following weighted-average assumptions:
| Pension Benefits |  | Other Benefits
| 2018 |  | 2017 |  | 2016 |  | 2018 |  | 2017 |  | 2016
| % |  | % |  | % |  | % |  | % |  | %
Discount rate | 3.52 |  | 4.04 |  | 4.24 |  | 3.45 |  | 3.93 |  | 4.10
Expected return on plan assets | 7.00 |  | 7.00 |  | 7.00 |  | 7.00 |  | 7.00 |  | 7.00
Rate of compensation increase | 4.00 |  | 4.00 |  | 4.00 |  | N/A |  | N/A |  | N/A
The expected rate of return on plan assets was determined based on a review of historical returns, both for the Pension Plan and for medium- to large-sized defined benefit pension funds with similar asset allocations. This review generated separate expected returns for each asset class. These expected future returns were then blended based on the Pension Plan’s target asset allocation. Benefit obligations for the defined benefit plans and other postretirement benefits were calculated using the following weighted-average assumptions as of December 31:
| Pension Benefits |  | Other Benefits
| 2018 |  | 2017 |  | 2018 |  | 2017
| % |  | % |  | % |  | %
Discount rate | 4.16 |  | 3.52 |  | 4.09 |  | 3.45
Rate of compensation increase | 4.00 |  | 4.00 |  | N/A |  | N/A
San Jose Water Company utilized each plan’s projected benefit stream in conjunction with the Citigroup Pension Discount Curve in determining the discount rate used in calculating the pension and other postretirement benefits liabilities at the measurement date. In 2018 and 2017, San Jose Water Company adopted the newly issued MP-2018 and MP-2017, respectively, Mortality Improvement Scales to determine mortality assumptions. The tables and scales reflect increasing life expectancies of participants in the United States. See also “Reconciliation of Funded Status” below. Net Periodic Pension Costs Net periodic costs for the defined benefit plans and other postretirement benefits for the years ended December 31 was as follows:
| Pension Benefits |  | Other Benefits
| 2018 |  | 2017 |  | 2016 |  | 2018 |  | 2017 |  | 2016
Components of net periodic benefit cost |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Service cost | $ | 5,790 |  |  | 4,699 |  |  | 4,447 |  |  | $ | 616 |  |  | 529 |  |  | 527 |
Interest cost | 6,879 |  |  | 6,993 |  |  | 6,830 |  |  | 627 |  |  | 634 |  |  | 655 |
Expected return on assets | (9,255 | ) |  | (7,888 | ) |  | (7,288 | ) |  | (450 | ) |  | (376 | ) |  | (292 | )
Amortization of prior service cost | 51 |  |  | 94 |  |  | 376 |  |  | 197 |  |  | 198 |  |  | 197 |
Recognized actuarial loss | 3,986 |  |  | 3,844 |  |  | 3,527 |  |  | 321 |  |  | 273 |  |  | 316 |
Net periodic benefit cost | $ | 7,451 |  |  | 7,742 |  |  | 7,892 |  |  | $ | 1,311 |  |  | 1,258 |  |  | 1,403 |
Effective January 1, 2018, SJW Group adopted ASU 2017-07, “Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Costs.” The new standard requires retrospective presentation in the income statement of the service cost component and the other components of net periodic pension cost and net periodic postretirement benefit cost and prospective presentation from date of adoption for the capitalization in assets of only the service cost component of net periodic pension cost and net periodic postretirement benefit cost. The components of net periodic benefit cost have been recorded in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income as follows:
| Pension Benefits |  | Other Benefits
| 2018 |  | 2017 |  | 2016 |  | 2018 |  | 2017 |  | 2016
Net periodic benefit cost recorded on income statement |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other production expenses | 1,534 |  |  | 1,231 |  |  | 1,165 |  |  | 163 |  |  | 139 |  |  | 138 |
Administrative and general expense | 3,249 |  |  | 2,632 |  |  | 2,490 |  |  | 346 |  |  | 296 |  |  | 295 |
Maintenance expense | 1,007 |  |  | 836 |  |  | 792 |  |  | 107 |  |  | 94 |  |  | 94 |
Pension non-service costs | 1,661 |  |  | 3,043 |  |  | 3,445 |  |  | 695 |  |  | 729 |  |  | 876 |
| $ | 7,451 |  |  | 7,742 |  |  | 7,892 |  |  | $ | 1,311 |  |  | 1,258 |  |  | 1,403 |
Reconciliation of Funded Status For the defined benefit plans and other postretirement benefits, the benefit obligation is the projected benefit obligation and the accumulated benefit obligation, respectively. The projected benefit obligations and the funded status of San Jose Water Company’s defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans as of December 31 were as follows:
| Pension Benefits |  | Other Benefits
| 2018 |  | 2017 |  | 2018 |  | 2017
Change in benefit obligation |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Benefit obligation at beginning of year | $ | 196,207 |  |  | 174,097 |  |  | $ | 18,003 |  |  | 16,461 |
Service cost | 5,790 |  |  | 4,699 |  |  | 616 |  |  | 529 |
Interest cost | 6,879 |  |  | 6,993 |  |  | 627 |  |  | 634 |
Actuarial (gain)/loss | (14,447 | ) |  | 16,552 |  |  | (988 | ) |  | 1,124 |
Implicit rate subsidy | — |  |  | — |  |  | (207 | ) |  | (196 | )
Benefits paid | (6,552 | ) |  | (6,134 | ) |  | (562 | ) |  | (549 | )
Benefit obligation at end of year | $ | 187,877 |  |  | 196,207 |  |  | $ | 17,489 |  |  | 18,003 |
Change in plan assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Fair value of assets at beginning of year | $ | 133,360 |  |  | 113,895 |  |  | $ | 6,804 |  |  | 5,366 |
Actual return on plan assets | (7,700 | ) |  | 17,298 |  |  | (262 | ) |  | 736 |
Employer contributions | 8,502 |  |  | 8,301 |  |  | 629 |  |  | 702 |
Benefits paid | (6,552 | ) |  | (6,134 | ) |  | (1,322 | ) |  | — |
Fair value of plan assets at end of year | 127,610 |  |  | 133,360 |  |  | 5,849 |  |  | 6,804 |
Funded status at end of year | $ | (60,267 | ) |  | (62,847 | ) |  | $ | (11,640 | ) |  | (11,199 | )
The amounts recognized on the balance sheet as of December 31 were as follows:
| Pension Benefits |  | Other Benefits
| 2018 |  | 2017 |  | 2018 |  | 2017
Current liabilities | $ | 1,323 |  |  | 1,099 |  |  | $ | 94 |  |  | 86 |
Noncurrent liabilities | 58,944 |  |  | 61,748 |  |  | 11,546 |  |  | 11,113 |
| $ | 60,267 |  |  | 62,847 |  |  | $ | 11,640 |  |  | 11,199 |
San Jose Water Company recorded a regulatory asset on the projected benefit obligation of the postretirement benefit plans as follows:
| 2018 |  | 2017
Funded status of obligation | $ | 71,907 |  |  | 74,046 |
Accrued benefit cost | (5,674 | ) |  | (5,490 | )
Regulatory asset, amount to be recovered in future rates | $ | 66,233 |  |  | 68,556 |
Plan Assets Plan assets as of December 31 were as follows:
| Pension Benefits |  | Other Benefits
| 2018 |  | 2017 |  | 2018 |  | 2017
Fair value of assets at end of year: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt securities | $ | 42,654 |  |  | 42,784 |  |  | $ | 2,200 |  |  | 1,710 |
| 33 | % |  | 32 | % |  | 38 | % |  | 25 | %
Equity securities | 77,053 |  |  | 83,352 |  |  | 3,416 |  |  | 4,111 |
| 60 | % |  | 63 | % |  | 58 | % |  | 60 | %
Cash and equivalents | 7,903 |  |  | 7,224 |  |  | 233 |  |  | 983 |
| 6 | % |  | 5 | % |  | 4 | % |  | 14 | %
Total | $ | 127,610 |  |  | 133,360 |  |  | $ | 5,849 |  |  | 6,804 |
The following tables summarize the fair values of plan assets by major categories as of December 31, 2018 and 2017:
|  |  |  |  | Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2018
Asset Category | Benchmark |  | Total |  | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) |  | Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2) |  | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Cash and cash equivalents |  |  | $ | 8,136 |  |  | $ | 8,136 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | — |
Actively Managed (a): |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
All Cap Equity | Russell 3000 Value |  | 5,670 |  |  | 5,632 |  |  | 38 |  |  | — |
U.S. Large Cap Equity | Russell 1000, Russell 1000 Growth, Russell 1000 Value |  | 47,040 |  |  | 47,040 |  |  | — |  |  | — |
U.S. Mid Cap Equity | Russell Mid Cap, Russell Mid Cap Growth, Russell Mid Cap Value |  | 8,372 |  |  | 8,372 |  |  | — |  |  | — |
U.S. Small Cap Equity | Russell 2000, Russell 2000 Growth, Russell 2000 Value, Russell 2500 |  | 8,528 |  |  | 8,528 |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Non-U.S. Large Cap Equity | MSCI EAFE |  | 4,969 |  |  | 4,969 |  |  | — |  |  | — |
REIT | NAREIT—Equity REIT’s |  | 5,889 |  |  | — |  |  | 5,889 |  |  | — |
Fixed Income (b) | (b) |  | 44,855 |  |  | — |  |  | 44,855 |  |  | — |
Total |  |  | $ | 133,459 |  |  | $ | 82,677 |  |  | $ | 50,782 |  |  | $ | — |
___________________________________ The Plan has a current target allocation of 55% invested in a diversified array of equity securities to provide long-term capital appreciation and 45% invested in a diversified array of fixed income securities to provide preservation of capital plus generation of income.
(a) | Actively managed portfolio of securities with the goal to exceed the stated benchmark performance.
(b) | Actively managed portfolio of fixed income securities with the goal to exceed the Barclays 1-5 Year Government/Credit, Barclays Intermediate Government/Credit, and Merrill Lynch Preferred Stock Fixed Rate.
|  |  |  |  | Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2017
Asset Category | Benchmark |  | Total |  | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) |  | Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2) |  | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Cash and cash equivalents |  |  | $ | 8,207 |  |  | $ | 8,207 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | — |
Actively Managed (a): |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
All Cap Equity | Russell 3000 Value |  | 6,413 |  |  | 6,376 |  |  | 37 |  |  | — |
U.S. Large Cap Equity | Russell 1000, Russell 1000 Growth, Russell 1000 Value |  | 50,351 |  |  | 50,351 |  |  | — |  |  | — |
U.S. Mid Cap Equity | Russell Mid Cap, Russell Mid Cap Growth, Russell Mid Cap Value |  | 9,358 |  |  | 9,358 |  |  | — |  |  | — |
U.S. Small Cap Equity | Russell 2000, Russell 2000 Growth, Russell 2000 Value |  | 8,725 |  |  | 8,725 |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Non-U.S. Large Cap Equity | MSCI EAFE |  | 5,973 |  |  | 5,973 |  |  | — |  |  | — |
REIT | NAREIT—Equity REIT’s |  | 6,143 |  |  | — |  |  | 6,143 |  |  | — |
Fixed Income (b) | (b) |  | 44,994 |  |  | — |  |  | 44,994 |  |  | — |
Total |  |  | $ | 140,164 |  |  | $ | 88,990 |  |  | $ | 51,174 |  |  | $ | — |
___________________________________ The Plan has a current target allocation of 55% invested in a diversified array of equity securities to provide long-term capital appreciation and 45% invested in a diversified array of fixed income securities to provide preservation of capital plus generation of income.
(a) | Actively managed portfolio of securities with the goal to exceed the stated benchmark performance.
(b) | Actively managed portfolio of fixed income securities with the goal to exceed the Barclays 1-5 Year Government/Credit, Barclays Intermediate Government/Credit, and Merrill Lynch Preferred Stock Fixed Rate.
In 2019, San Jose Water Company expects to make required and discretionary cash contributions of up to $8,411 to the pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan. Benefits expected to be paid in the next five years and in the aggregate for the five years thereafter are:
| Pension Plan |  | Other Postretirement Benefit Plan
2019 | $ | 7,235 |  |  | $ | 851 |
2020 | 7,550 |  |  | 852 |
2021 | 8,013 |  |  | 903 |
2022 | 8,419 |  |  | 951 |
2023 | 8,886 |  |  | 992 |
2024 - 2027 | 50,695 |  |  | 5,366 |

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