Pension and Employee Benefit Plans

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2022

Retirement Benefits [Abstract]

Pension and Employee Benefit Plans

ension and Employee Benefit Plans

The Company sponsors a non-contributory defined benefit pension plan for certain union employees. The accrual of future benefits for all participants who are non-union employees was frozen effective December 31, 2008. The plan is funded in accordance with the funding requirements of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

The following tables set forth the plan changes in benefit obligations, plan assets and funded status on the measurement dates:

	December 31,
(table only in thousands)	2022			2021			2020
Change in projected benefit obligation:
Projected benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	35,035		$	38,272		$	35,985
Interest cost		877			775			1,034
Actuarial (gain) loss		(6,540	)		(1,936	)		3,323
Benefits paid		(2,022	)		(2,076	)		(2,070	)
Projected benefit obligation at end of year		27,350			35,035			38,272
Change in plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year		29,474			28,545			27,099
Actual return on plan assets		(5,631	)		3,005			1,629
Employer contribution		—			—			1,887
Benefits paid		(2,022	)		(2,076	)		(2,070	)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year		21,821			29,474			28,545
Funded status at end of year	$	(5,529	)	$	(5,561	)	$	(9,727	)
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations for the year ended December 31:
Discount rate		4.90	%		2.55	%		2.10	%

The funded status as of December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, was $5.5 million, $5.6 million and $9.7 million, respectively and is recognized in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets within other long-term liabilities.

The details of net periodic benefit cost for pension benefits included in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Income are as follows:

	December 31,
(table only in thousands)	2022			2021			2020
Interest cost	$	877		$	775		$	1,034
Expected return on plan assets		(1,560	)		(1,510	)		(1,594	)
Amortization of net loss		263			411			266
Net periodic benefit income	$	(420	)	$	(324	)	$	(294	)

Other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income:

	December 31,
(table only in thousands)	2022			2021			2020
Net loss (gain)	$	651		$	(3,432	)	$	3,287
Amortization of net actuarial loss		(263	)		(411	)		(266	)
Total recognized in other comprehensive income (loss)	$	388		$	(3,843	)	$	3,021
Total recognized in net periodic benefit cost and other comprehensive income (loss)	$	(32	)	$	(4,167	)	$	2,727

Weighted-average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit costs

	December 31,
	2022	2021	2020
Discount Rate	2.55%	2.10%	2.95%
Expected return on assets	5.50%	5.50%	6.00%

The basis of the long-term rate of return assumption reflects the current asset mix for the pension plan of approximately 30% to 40% debt securities and 60% to 70% equity securities with assumed average annual returns of approximately 4% to 6% for debt securities and 8% to 12% for equity securities. The investment portfolio for the pension plan will be adjusted periodically to maintain the current ratios of debt securities and equity securities. Additional consideration is given to the historical returns for the pension plan as well as future long range projections of investment returns for each asset category. The long-term rate of return also considers administrative expenses of the plan.

Benefits under the plan is not based on wages and, therefore, future wage adjustments have no effect on the projected benefit obligation.

During 2022, 2021 and 2020, the Company updated the mortality tables (RP-2021 Total Mortality Table, RP-2020 Total Mortality Table, and RP-2019 Total Mortality Table for each respective year) in the underlying assumptions used to determine the benefit obligation.

Pension plan assets are invested in trusts comprised primarily of investments in various debt and equity funds. A fiduciary committee establishes the target asset mix and monitors asset performance. The expected rate of return on assets includes the determination of a real rate of return for equity and fixed income investment applied to the portfolio based on their relative weighting, increased by an underlying inflation rate.

The Company's defined benefit pension plan asset allocation by asset category is as follows:

	Target Allocation	Percentage of Plan Assets
	2022	2022	2021
Asset Category:
Cash and cash equivalents	0%	2%	1%
Equity securities	70%	73%	77%
Debt securities	30%	25%	22%
Total	100%	100%	100%

Estimated pension plan cash obligations are $2.2 million, $2.2 million, $2.2 million, $2.2 million, and $2.1 million for 2023 through 2027, respectively, and a total of $10.0 million for the years 2028 through 2032.

Fair Value Measurements of Pension Plan Assets

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

Cash and cash equivalents: Cash and cash equivalents consist primarily of cash on deposit in money market funds. Cash and cash equivalents are stated at cost, which approximates fair value.

Equity securities: Equity securities consist of various managed funds that invest primarily in common stocks. These securities are valued at the net asset value of shares held by the plan at year end. The net asset value is calculated based on the underlying shares and investments held by the funds.

Debt securities: Debt securities consist of U.S. government and agency securities, corporate bonds and notes, and managed funds that invest in fixed income securities. U.S governmental and agency securities are valued at closing prices reported in the active market in which the individual securities are traded. Corporate bonds and notes are valued using market inputs including benchmark yields, reported trades, broker/dealer quotes, issuer spreads, two-sided markets, benchmark securities, bids, offers and reference data including market research publications. Inputs may be prioritized differently at certain times based on market conditions. Managed funds are valued at the net asset value of shares held by the plan at year end. The net asset value is calculated based on the underlying investments held by the fund.

The preceding methods described may produce a fair value calculation that may not be indicative of net realizable value or reflective of future fair values. Furthermore, although the Company 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 at the reporting date.

The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement requires judgment and may affect the valuation of the fair value of assets and liabilities and their placement within the fair value hierarchy levels.

The levels assigned to the defined benefit plan assets as of December 31, 2022, are summarized in the tables below:

(table only in thousands)	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Pension assets, at fair value:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	354	$	—	$	—	$	354
Equity securities		15,984		—		—		15,984
Debt securities		5,483		—		—		5,483
Total assets	$	21,821	$	—	$	—	$	21,821

The levels assigned to the defined benefit plan assets as of December 31, 2021, are summarized in the tables below:

(table only in thousands)	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Pension assets, at fair value:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	208	$	—	$	—	$	208
Equity securities		22,687		—		—		22,687
Debt securities		6,579		—		—		6,579
Total assets	$	29,474	$	—	$	—	$	29,474

The Company contributes to a number of multiemployer defined benefit pension plans under the terms of collective-bargaining agreements that cover its union-represented employees. The risks of participating in these multiemployer plans are different from single-employer plans in the following aspects:

•Assets contributed to the multiemployer plan by one employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers.

•If a participating employer stops contributing to the plan, the unfunded obligations of the plan may be borne by the remaining participating employers.

•If the Company chooses to stop participating in some of its multiemployer plans, CECO may be required to pay those plans an amount based on the underfunded status of the plan, referred to as a withdrawal liability.

The Company’s participation in these plans for the year ended December 31, 2022, is outlined in the table below. The “EIN/Pension Plan Number” column provides the Employer Identification Number and the three-digit plan number, if applicable. Unless otherwise noted, the most recent Pension Protection Act zone status available in 2022 is for the plan’s year-end at December 31, 2021. The zone status is based on information that the Company received from the plan and is certified by the plan’s actuary. Among other factors, plans in the red zone are generally less than 65% funded, plans in the yellow zone are less than 80% funded, and plans in the green zone are at least 80% funded. The “FIP/RP Status Pending/Implemented” column indicates plans for which a financial improvement plan (FIP) or a rehabilitation plan (RP) is either pending or has been implemented. The last column lists the expiration date(s) of the collective-bargaining agreement(s) to which the plans are subject.

Pension Fund	EIN/Pension Plan Number	Pension Protection Act Zone Status 2012	FIF/RP Status Pending/Implemented	Surcharge Imposed	Expiration of Collective Bargaining Agreement
Sheet Metal Workers’ National Pension Fund	52-6112463/001	Green	FIF: Yes - Implemented  RP: Yes - Implemented	No	Various
Sheet Metal Workers Local 224 Pension Plan	31-6171353/001	Yellow	FIF: Yes - Implemented	No	n/a
Sheet Metal Workers Local No. 177 Pension Fund	62-6093256/001	Green	Is not subject	No	April 30, 2023

Kirk and Blum was listed in the Sheet Metal Workers Local No. 177 Pension Fund’s Form 5500 as providing more than five percent of total contributions for the year ended December 31, 2021. The Company was not listed in any of the other plans’ Forms 5500 as providing more than five percent of the total contributions for the plans and plan years. At the date the financial statements were issued, Forms 5500 were not available for the plan years ended December 31, 2022.

The Company has no current intention of withdrawing from any plan and, therefore, no liability has been provided in the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

Amounts charged to pension expense under the above plans including the multi-employer plans totaled $0.4 million, $0.6 million and $1.0 million in 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

The Company has a 401(k) savings retirement plan for employees of certain of its subsidiaries. The plan covers substantially all employees who have 30 days of service, and who have attained 18 years of age. The plan allows the Company to make discretionary contributions and provides for employee salary deferrals of up to 100%. The Company made aggregate matching contributions and discretionary contributions of $1.5 million, $0.9 million, and $1.6 million during 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively.