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Pension and Retirement Plans
12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2024
Pension and Retirement Plans  
Pension and Retirement Plans

14.    Pension and Retirement Plans

We have defined benefit and defined contribution plans in the U.K. and in the U.S. In the U.K., the Company provides defined benefit pension plans for certain employees and former employees and defined contribution plans for the majority of the employees. The defined benefit plan in the U.K. is frozen to newly hired employees and has been for the two years ended September 30, 2024. In the U.S., the Company provides defined contribution plans that cover most employees and supplementary retirement plans to certain employees and former employees who are now retired. These supplementary retirement plans are also closed to newly hired employees and have been for the two years ended September 30, 2024. These supplementary plans are funded through whole life insurance policies. The Company expects to recover all insurance premiums paid under these policies in the future, through the cash surrender value of the policies and any death benefits or portions thereof to be paid upon the death of the participant. These whole life insurance policies are carried on the balance sheet at their cash surrender values as they are owned by the Company and not assets of the defined benefit plans. In the U.S., the Company also provides for officer death benefits and post-retirement health insurance benefits through supplemental post-retirement plans to certain officers. The Company also funds these supplemental plans’ obligations through whole life insurance policies on the officers.

Defined Benefit Plans

The Company funds its pension plans in amounts sufficient to meet the requirements set forth in applicable employee benefits laws and local tax laws. Liabilities for amounts in excess of these funding levels are accrued and reported in the consolidated balance sheets. If the liabilities are below funding levels an asset is recorded.

The domestic supplemental retirement plans have life insurance policies which are not considered plan assets but were purchased by the Company as a vehicle to fund the costs of the plan. These insurance policies are included in the balance sheet in the financial statement line item “Cash surrender value of life insurance” at their cash surrender value, net of policy loans aggregating $3.8 million and $3.7 million as of September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The loans against the policies have been taken out by the Company to pay the premiums. The costs and benefit payments for these plans are paid through operating cash flows of the Company to the extent that they cannot be funded through the use of the cash values in the insurance policies. The Company expects that the recorded value of the insurance policies will be sufficient to fund all of the Company’s obligations under these plans.

Assumptions:

The following table provides the weighted average actuarial assumptions used to determine the actuarial present value of projected benefit obligations at:

Domestic

International

 

September 30, 

September 30, 

 

    

2024

    

2023

    

2024

    

2023

 

Discount rate:

 

4.86

%  

5.62

%  

5.0

%  

5.4

%

Expected return on plan assets:

 

  

 

  

 

4.7

%  

5.1

%

The following table provides the weighted average actuarial assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit cost for years ended:

Domestic

    

International

 

September 30, 

September 30, 

 

    

2024

    

2023

    

2024

    

2023

 

Discount rate:

 

5.62

%  

5.14

%  

5.0

%  

5.4

%

Expected return on plan assets:

 

  

 

  

 

4.7

%  

5.1

%

For domestic plans, the discount rate was determined by comparison against the FTSE pension liability index for AA rated corporate instruments. The Company monitors other indices to assure that the pension obligations are fairly reported on a consistent basis. The international discount rates were determined by comparison against country specific AA corporate indices, adjusted for duration of the obligation.

The periodic benefit cost and the actuarial present value of projected benefit obligations are based on actuarial assumptions that are reviewed on an annual basis. The Company revises these assumptions based on an annual evaluation of long-term trends, as well as market conditions, that may have an impact on the cost of providing retirement benefits.

For the supplementary domestic plan, medical benefits are assumed to be increasing based on the Long Term Healthcare Cost Trends Getzen Model commencing with 7.5% per year with such increase decreasing by 0.5% per year over the next several years and decreasing in accordance with the model pre 65 and 4.54% post 65. Life expectancy for medical benefits is based on the PRI-2012 White Collar for Males and Females Pre and Post retirement, Adjusted to 2006 projected using scale MP-2021.

The components of net periodic benefit costs related to the U.S. and international plans are as follows:

Year ended September 30,

2024

2023

    

U.K.

    

U.S.

    

Total

    

U.K.

    

U.S.

    

Total

(Amounts in thousands)

Pension:

Interest cost

$

440

$

11

$

451

$

429

$

13

$

442

Expected return on plan assets

 

(515)

 

 

(515)

 

(575)

 

 

(575)

Amortization of past service costs

8

8

7

7

Amortization of net gain

 

 

(5)

 

(5)

 

 

(4)

 

(4)

Net periodic (benefit) cost

$

(67)

$

6

$

(61)

$

(139)

$

9

$

(130)

Post Retirement:

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

Service cost

$

$

23

$

23

$

$

24

$

24

Interest cost

 

 

64

 

64

 

 

62

 

62

Amortization of net gain

 

 

(172)

 

(172)

 

 

(196)

 

(196)

Net periodic benefit

$

$

(85)

$

(85)

$

$

(110)

$

(110)

Pension:

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

(Decrease) increase in minimum liability included in other comprehensive income

$

(106)

$

6

$

(100)

$

(313)

$

(1)

$

(314)

Post Retirement:

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

Increase in minimum liability included in other comprehensive income

 

 

160

 

160

 

 

70

 

70

Total:

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

(Decrease) increase in minimum liability included in other comprehensive income

$

(106)

$

166

$

60

$

(313)

$

69

$

(244)

The following table presents an analysis of the changes in 2024 and 2023 of the benefit obligation, the plan assets and the funded status of the plans:

Years Ended September 30

2024

2023

    

Foreign

    

U.S.

    

Total

    

Foreign

    

U.S.

    

Total

(Amounts in thousands)

Pension:

Change in projected benefit obligation (“PBO”)

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

Balance beginning of year

$

8,076

$

202

$

8,278

$

7,726

$

261

$

7,987

Interest cost

 

440

 

11

 

451

 

429

 

13

 

442

Changes in actuarial assumptions

 

349

 

1

 

350

 

(317)

 

(4)

 

(321)

Foreign exchange impact

 

788

 

 

788

 

759

 

 

759

Benefits paid

 

(488)

 

(54)

 

(542)

 

(521)

 

(68)

 

(589)

Projected benefit obligation at end of year

$

9,165

$

160

$

9,325

$

8,076

$

202

$

8,278

Changes in fair value of plan assets:

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year

$

10,034

$

$

10,034

$

8,825

$

$

8,825

Actual gain (loss) on plan assets

 

985

 

 

985

 

628

 

 

628

Company contributions

 

 

54

 

54

 

239

 

68

 

307

Foreign exchange impact

 

978

 

 

978

 

863

 

 

863

Administrative expenses

(143)

 

(143)

Benefits paid

 

(488)

 

(54)

 

(542)

 

(521)

 

(68)

 

(589)

Fair value of plan assets at end of year

$

11,366

$

$

11,366

$

10,034

$

$

10,034

Funded status \ net amount recognized

$

2,201

$

(160)

$

2,041

$

1,958

$

(202)

$

1,756

Post Retirement:

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

Change in projected benefit obligation (“PBO”):

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

Balance beginning of year

$

$

1,147

$

1,147

$

$

1,186

$

1,186

Service cost

 

 

23

 

23

 

 

24

 

24

Interest cost

 

 

64

 

64

 

 

62

 

62

Changes in actuarial assumptions

 

 

(12)

 

(12)

 

 

(125)

 

(125)

Projected benefit obligation at end of year

$

$

1,222

$

1,222

$

$

1,147

$

1,147

Funded status \ net amount recognized

$

$

(1,222)

$

(1,222)

$

$

(1,147)

$

(1,147)

The amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheet consist of:

Years Ended September 30

2024

2023

    

Foreign

    

U.S.

    

Total

    

Foreign

    

U.S.

    

Total

(Amounts in thousands)

Pension:

Accrued benefit asset (liability)

$

2,201

$

(160)

$

2,041

$

1,958

$

(202)

$

1,756

Deferred tax

 

 

23

 

23

 

 

26

 

26

Accumulated other comprehensive income

 

212

 

12

 

224

 

318

 

8

 

326

Net amount recognized

$

2,413

$

(125)

$

2,288

$

2,276

$

(168)

$

2,108

Post Retirement:

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

Accrued benefit liability

$

$

(1,222)

$

(1,222)

$

$

(1,147)

$

(1,147)

Deferred tax

 

 

212

 

212

 

 

277

 

277

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

 

 

(144)

 

(144)

 

 

(240)

 

(240)

Net amount recognized

$

$

(1,154)

$

(1,154)

$

$

(1,110)

$

(1,110)

Total pension and post retirement:

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

Accrued benefit asset (liability)

$

2,201

$

(1,382)

$

819

$

1,958

$

(1,349)

$

609

Deferred tax

 

 

235

 

235

 

 

303

 

303

Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)

 

212

 

(132)

 

80

 

318

 

(232)

 

86

Net amount recognized

$

2,413

$

(1,279)

$

1,134

$

2,276

$

(1,278)

$

998

Accumulated Benefit Obligation:

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

Pension

$

(9,165)

$

(160)

$

(9,325)

$

(8,076)

$

(202)

$

(8,278)

Post Retirement

 

 

(1,222)

 

(1,222)

 

 

(1,147)

 

(1,147)

Total accumulated benefit obligation

$

(9,165)

$

(1,382)

$

(10,547)

$

(8,076)

$

(1,349)

$

(9,425)

Plans with projected benefit obligations in excess of plan assets are attributable to unfunded domestic supplemental retirement plans.

Accrued benefit assets and liabilities reported as:

September 30, 

    

2024

    

2023

(Amounts in thousands)

Non-current benefits assets

$

2,201

$

1,958

Current accrued benefit liability

$

76

$

98

Non-current accrued benefit liability

 

1,306

 

1,251

Total accrued benefit liability

$

1,382

$

1,349

As of September 30, 2024 and 2023, the amounts included in accumulated other comprehensive income, consisted of deferred net gains totaling approximately $0.1 million and $0.1 million, respectively.

The amount of net deferred gain expected to be recognized as a component of net periodic benefit cost for the year ending September 30, 2024, is approximately $185 thousand.

Contributions

The Company expects to contribute $0.1 million to its pension plans in fiscal 2025.

Estimated Future Benefit Payments

The following benefit payments, which reflect expected future service, as appropriate, are expected to be paid (amounts in thousands):

Fiscal year ending September 30:

    

(Amounts in thousands)

2025

$

595

2026

$

623

2027

$

660

2028

$

702

2029

$

700

Thereafter

$

1,230

Plan Assets

As of September 30, 2024, our pension plan in the U.K. was the only plan with assets, holding investments of approximately $10.8 million. Pension plan assets are managed by a fiduciary committee. The Company’s investment strategy for pension plan assets is to maximize the long-term rate of return on plan assets within an acceptable level of risk while maintaining adequate funding levels. Local regulations, local funding rules, and local financial and tax considerations are part of the funding and investment process.  In deciding on the investments to be held, the trustees take into account the risk of possible fluctuations in income from, and market values of, the assets as well as the risk of departing from an asset profile which broadly matches the liability profile. The committee has invested the plan assets in a single pooled fund with an authorized investment company (the “Fund”). The Fund selected by the trustees is consistent with the plan’s overall investment principles and strategy described herein. There are no specific targets as to asset allocation other than those contained within the Fund that is managed by the authorized investment company.

The fair value of the assets held by the U.K. pension plan by asset category are as follows:

Fair Values as of

September 30, 2024

September 30, 2023

Fair Value Measurements Using Inputs Considered as

Fair Value Measurements Using Inputs Considered as

Asset Category

    

Total

    

Level 1

    

Level 2

    

Level 3

    

Total

    

Level 1

    

Level 2

    

Level 3

(Amounts in thousands)

Cash on deposit

$

65

$

65

$

$

$

428

$

428

$

$

Fixed income

10,388

8,714

1,674

8,703

7,251

1,452

Equity

 

913

 

263

650

 

903

 

266

637

Total plan assets

$

11,366

$

9,042

$

2,324

$

$

10,034

$

7,945

$

2,089

$

The expected long-term rates of return on plan assets are equal to the yields to maturity of appropriate indices for government and corporate bonds and by adding a premium to the government bond return for equities. The expected rate of return on cash is the Bank of England base rate in force at the effective date.

Level 1 investments represent mutual funds for which a quoted market price is available on an active market. These investments primarily hold stocks or bonds, or a combination of stocks and bonds.

Level 2 investment represents a mutual fund, which a quoted market price is not available on an active market. Significant observable inputs that reflect quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets are used. This investment primarily holds stocks within developed global equity markets, excluding the UK.

Potential sale of U.K. Pension

Subsequent to September 30, 2024 the U.K. pension assets, excluding cash, were all converted into cash to sell the U.K. pension obligation. As of the date of this filing, there is an agreement to sell the pension obligation in full. This agreement has many contingencies and the expected timeframe of the sale occurring is 4 to 16 months from the date of these consolidated financial statements are issued.

Defined Contribution Plans

The Company has defined contribution plans in domestic and international locations under which the Company matches a portion of the employee’s contributions and may make discretionary contributions to the plans. The Company’s contributions were $212 thousand and $206 thousand for the years ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.