Employee Benefit Plans	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Employee Benefit Plans
Employee Benefit Plans	(14) Employee Benefit Plans The Company’s domestic employees are eligible to participate in the Company’s 401(k) savings plan. Since January 1, 2012, the Company has provided a base contribution of 2% of an employee’s salary, regardless of whether the employee participates in the plan. Further, the Company matches the contribution of up to 100% of the first 4% of an employee’s contribution. The Company’s match contributions for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, were $5.0 million, $5.4 million, and $4.3 million, respectively. Charges for Europe pension plans approximated $4.1 million, $4.5 million and $4.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. These costs relate to plans administered by certain European subsidiaries, with benefits calculated according to government requirements and paid out to employees upon retirement or change of employment. Prior to January 1, 2012, for the majority of its U.S. employees, the Company had sponsored a funded non-contributory defined benefit pension plan, the Watts Water Technologies, Inc. Pension Plan (the “Pension Plan”), and an unfunded non-contributory defined benefit pension plan, the Watts Water Technologies, Inc. Supplemental Employees Retirement Plan (the “SERP”). On April 28, 2014, the Company’s Board of Directors voted to terminate the Company’s Pension Plan and the SERP. The Board of Directors authorized the Company to make such contributions to the Pension Plan and SERP as may be necessary to make the plans sufficient to settle all plan liabilities. The Pension Plan was terminated effective July 31, 2014, and on June 4, 2015 the Company received the Internal Revenue Service’s favorable determination letter for terminating the Pension Plan. The SERP was terminated effective May 15, 2014. In September 2015, the Company settled its Pension Plan and SERP benefit obligations. The Company made cash contributions in September 2015 of $43.2 million to fully fund the settlement actions. The cumulative actuarial losses of $59.7 million that were previously recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income were recognized in selling, general and administrative expenses for the quarter ended September 27, 2015. The associated deferred tax asset of $23.0 million that was previously recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income and netted within long-term deferred tax liabilities was reversed in the quarter ended September 27, 2015. On August 18, 2015, the Company entered into Amendment No. 3 to Supplemental Compensation Agreement (the “Amendment”) with Timothy P. Horne, the Company’s former Chief Executive Officer and President and a principal stockholder. Under the Supplemental Compensation Agreement, dated September 1, 1995, as amended on July 25, 2000 and October 23, 2002 (the “Compensation Agreement”), between the Company and Mr. Horne, Mr. Horne received payments for consulting services equal to the greater of (i) one-half of the average of his annual base salary as an employee of the Company during the three years immediately prior to his retirement or (ii) $400,000 for each calendar year following his retirement until the date of his death, subject to certain cost-of-living increases each year. Mr. Horne was paid $598,562 for his consulting services in 2014. Under the Compensation Agreement Mr. Horne was also entitled to receive lifetime benefits, including use of secretarial services, use of an office, retiree health insurance, reimbursement of tax and financial planning expenses, and certain other benefits. The Amendment provided for a $6 million lump-sum buyout of all of the Company’s ongoing lifetime payment obligations and all benefits under the Compensation Agreement, except for the use of an office and administrative support. The Amendment also provides for consulting services from Mr. Horne as requested by the Company rather than per year hourly requirements. The Company paid the $6 million lump-sum buyout amount to Mr. Horne in September 2015, which resulted in a $5 million pre-tax charge for the year ended December 31, 2015.

(14) Employee Benefit Plans

The Company’s domestic employees are eligible to participate in the Company’s 401(k) savings plan. Since January 1, 2012, the Company has provided a base contribution of 2% of an employee’s salary, regardless of whether the employee participates in the plan. Further, the Company matches the contribution of up to 100% of the first 4% of an employee’s contribution. The Company’s match contributions for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, were $5.0 million, $5.4 million, and $4.3 million, respectively. Charges for Europe pension plans approximated $4.1 million, $4.5 million and $4.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. These costs relate to plans administered by certain European subsidiaries, with benefits calculated according to government requirements and paid out to employees upon retirement or change of employment.

Prior to January 1, 2012, for the majority of its U.S. employees, the Company had sponsored a funded non-contributory defined benefit pension plan, the Watts Water Technologies, Inc. Pension Plan (the “Pension Plan”), and an unfunded non-contributory defined benefit pension plan, the Watts Water Technologies, Inc. Supplemental Employees Retirement Plan (the “SERP”). On April 28, 2014, the Company’s Board of Directors voted to terminate the Company’s Pension Plan and the SERP. The Board of Directors authorized the Company to make such contributions to the Pension Plan and SERP as may be necessary to make the plans sufficient to settle all plan liabilities. The Pension Plan was terminated effective July 31, 2014, and on June 4, 2015 the Company received the Internal Revenue Service’s favorable determination letter for terminating the Pension Plan. The SERP was terminated effective May 15, 2014. In September 2015, the Company settled its Pension Plan and SERP benefit obligations. The Company made cash contributions in September 2015 of $43.2 million to fully fund the settlement actions.

The cumulative actuarial losses of $59.7 million that were previously recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income were recognized in selling, general and administrative expenses for the quarter ended September 27, 2015. The associated deferred tax asset of $23.0 million that was previously recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income and netted within long-term deferred tax liabilities was reversed in the quarter ended September 27, 2015.

On August 18, 2015, the Company entered into Amendment No. 3 to Supplemental Compensation Agreement (the “Amendment”) with Timothy P. Horne, the Company’s former Chief Executive Officer and President and a principal stockholder. Under the Supplemental Compensation Agreement, dated September 1, 1995, as amended on July 25, 2000 and October 23, 2002 (the “Compensation Agreement”), between the Company and Mr. Horne, Mr. Horne received payments for consulting services equal to the greater of (i) one-half of the average of his annual base salary as an employee of the Company during the three years immediately prior to his retirement or (ii) $400,000 for each calendar year following his retirement until the date of his death, subject to certain cost-of-living increases each year. Mr. Horne was paid $598,562 for his consulting services in 2014. Under the Compensation Agreement Mr. Horne was also entitled to receive lifetime benefits, including use of secretarial services, use of an office, retiree health insurance, reimbursement of tax and financial planning expenses, and certain other benefits. The Amendment provided for a $6 million lump-sum buyout of all of the Company’s ongoing lifetime payment obligations and all benefits under the Compensation Agreement, except for the use of an office and administrative support. The Amendment also provides for consulting services from Mr. Horne as requested by the Company rather than per year hourly requirements. The Company paid the $6 million lump-sum buyout amount to Mr. Horne in September 2015, which resulted in a $5 million pre-tax charge for the year ended December 31, 2015.