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Pension Benefits, Other Postretirement Benefits and Employee Savings and Investment Plans
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
Pension Benefits, Other Postretirement Benefits and Employee Savings and Investment Plan Pension Benefits, Other Postretirement Benefits and Employee Savings and Investment Plan
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans
As of December 31, 2019, we had two qualified noncontributory defined benefit pension plans. In June 2020, we completed the remaining settlement efforts for the Rogers Corporation Defined Benefit Pension Plan (following its merger with the Hourly Employees Pension Plan of Arlon LLC, Microwave Material and Silicone Technologies Divisions, Bear, Delaware (collectively, the Merged Plan)), which had been terminated and substantially settled in late 2019. As of December 31, 2020, only the Union Plan, which was frozen and ceased accruing benefits, remained. There are no plans to terminate the Union Plan.
Additionally, we sponsor other postretirement benefit plans including multiple fully insured or self-funded medical plans and life insurance plans for certain retirees. The measurement date for all plans is December 31st for each respective plan year.
Pension Plan Termination & Settlement
During the second quarter of 2019, following receipt of a determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Company amended the Merged Plan to (a) terminate the Merged Plan (subject to discretionary approval by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer) and (b) add a lump sum distribution option in connection with the termination of the Merged Plan, if approved. The Company subsequently provided participants of the Merged Plan an option to elect either a lump sum distribution or an annuity.
On October 17, 2019, the Chief Executive Officer approved the termination of the Merged Plan. A group annuity contract was purchased with an insurance company for all participants who did not elect a lump sum distribution, for $123.3 million, with an initial cash settlement date of October 24, 2019, and a true-up cash settlement date of June 1, 2020. The insurance company became responsible for administering and paying pension benefit payments effective January 1, 2020.
The lump sum distributions of $38.9 million, were all paid out prior to December 31, 2019. The Merged Plan paid an additional $1.3 million of monthly pension benefit payments subsequent to the annuity purchase date during the transition period ending December 31, 2019.
In addition, we recorded a total non-cash pre-tax settlement charge in connection with the termination of the Merged Plan of $53.2 million during the fourth quarter of 2019, as well as an immaterial non-cash pre-tax settlement benefit during the second quarter of 2020. This net settlement charge amount recognized included the immediate recognition into expense of the related unrecognized losses within “Accumulated other comprehensive loss” on the consolidated statements of financial position as of the plan termination date. The pension settlement charge during the fourth quarter of 2019 and the pension settlement benefit during the second quarter of 2020 were recognized in the “Pension settlement charges” line item in the consolidated statements of operations.
As of December 31, 2020, the remaining pension surplus investment balance was approximately $9.1 million. We plan on using a portion of the funds to pay plan expenses, and moving the remainder funds from the pension trust to a defined contribution plan trust, where they will be used to fund certain employer contributions and pay plan expenses. On July 27, 2020, we transferred $7.4 million of the pension surplus investment balance to a suspense account held within a trust for the Rogers Employee Savings and Investment Plan, a 401(k) plan for domestic employees.
Plan Assets and Plan Benefit Obligations
The following table summarizes the change in plan benefit obligations and changes in plan assets:
Pension BenefitsOther Postretirement Benefits
(Dollars in thousands)2020201920202019
Change in plan benefit obligations:
Benefit obligation as of January 1$30,300 $172,608 $1,599 $1,803 
Service cost— 56 61 
Interest cost908 5,641 40 59 
Actuarial (gain) loss491 23,797 — (51)
Benefit payments(1,647)(9,262)(192)(273)
Pension settlements237 (162,484)— — 
Benefit obligation as of December 31$30,289 $30,300 $1,503 $1,599 
Change in plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets as of January 1$42,835 $191,652 $— $— 
Actual return on plan assets3,615 22,888 — — 
Employer contributions— 41 192 273 
Benefit payments(1,647)(9,262)(192)(273)
Transfer related to plan termination(9,744)— — — 
Pension settlements237 (162,484)— — 
Fair value of plan assets as of December 31$35,296 $42,835 $— $— 
Amount overfunded (underfunded)$5,007 $12,535 $(1,503)$(1,599)
The decreases in our plan benefit obligations in 2020 and 2019 were primarily driven by benefit payments, partially offset by interest costs, actuarial losses and the termination and settlement of our Merged Plan benefit obligations.
Our pension-related balances reflected in the consolidated statements of financial position consisted of the following:
Pension BenefitsOther Postretirement Benefits
As of December 31,As of December 31,
(Dollars in thousands)2020201920202019
Assets & Liabilities:
Non-current assets$5,278 $12,790 $— $— 
Current liabilities(14)(5)(148)(282)
Non-current liabilities(257)(250)(1,355)(1,317)
Net assets (liabilities)$5,007 $12,535 $(1,503)$(1,599)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss:
Net actuarial (loss) gain$(11,171)$(13,085)$119 $54 
Prior service benefit— — 97 209 
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income$(11,171)$(13,085)$216 $263 
The projected benefit obligation (PBO), accumulated benefit obligation (ABO), and fair value of plan assets for the pension plan with a PBO or ABO in excess of its plan assets were immaterial as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.
The PBO, ABO, and fair value of plan assets for the pension plan with plan assets in excess of its PBO or ABO were $30.0 million, $30.0 million and $35.3 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2020. The PBO, ABO, and fair value of plan assets for the pension plans with plan assets in excess of their PBO or ABO were $30.0 million, $30.0 million and $42.8 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2019.
The PBO and ABO of plan assets for the other postretirement benefit plans with a PBO or ABO in excess of plan assets were both $1.5 million as of December 31, 2020. The PBO and ABO of plan assets for the other postretirement benefit plans with a PBO or ABO in excess of plan assets were both $1.6 million as of December 31, 2019. The other postretirement benefit plans did not have any plan assets as of December 31, 2020 or 2019.
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Credit)
The components of net periodic benefit cost (credit) were as follows:
Pension BenefitsOther Postretirement Benefits
Years Ended December 31,Years Ended December 31,
(Dollars in thousands)202020192018202020192018
Service cost$— $— $56 $61 $73 
Interest cost908 5,641 6,758 40 59 62 
Expected return of plan assets(1,574)(6,932)(8,662)— — — 
Amortization of prior service credit— — — (112)(1,011)(1,602)
Amortization of net loss (gain)427 1,514 1,828 — — — 
Settlement charge(63)53,213 — — — — 
Net periodic benefit cost (credit)$(302)$53,436 $(76)$(16)$(891)$(1,467)
Plan Assumptions
Pension BenefitsOther Postretirement Benefits
2020201920202019
Weighted average assumptions used in benefit obligations:
Discount rate2.50 %3.25 %1.75 %2.75 %
Weighted average assumptions used in net periodic benefit costs:
Discount rate3.25 %4.25 %2.75 %3.75 %
Expected long-term rate of return on assets4.53 %4.69 %— %— %
For measurement purposes as of December 31, 2020, we assumed an annual health care cost trend rate of 6.50% for covered health care benefits for retirees pre-age 65 or post-age 65. The rate was assumed to decrease gradually by 0.25% annually until
reaching 4.50% and remain at that level thereafter. For measurement purposes as of December 31, 2019, we assumed an annual health care cost trend rate of 6.75% for covered health care benefits for retirees pre-age 65 or post-age 65.
Our pension plan assets are invested with the objective of achieving a total rate of return over the long-term that is sufficient to fund future pension obligations. In managing these assets and our investment strategy, we consider future cash contributions to the plan as well as the potential of the portfolio underperforming the market. We set asset allocation target ranges based on current funding status and future projections in order to mitigate the portfolio performance risk while maintaining its funded status. Fixed income securities comprise a substantial percentage of our plan assets portfolio. As of December 31, 2020, we held approximately 90% fixed income and short-term cash securities and 10% equity securities in our portfolio, compared to December 31, 2019 when we held approximately 92% fixed income and short-term cash securities and 8% equity securities.
In determining our investment strategy and calculating the net benefit cost, we utilized an expected long-term rate of return on plan assets, which was developed based on several factors, including the plans’ asset allocation targets, the historical and projected performance on those asset classes, as well as the plan’s current asset composition. To justify our assumptions, we analyzed certain data points related to portfolio performance. Based on the historical returns and the projected future returns, we determined that a target return of 4.53% is appropriate for the current portfolio.
The following table presents the fair value of the pension plan net assets by asset category and level, within the fair value hierarchy, as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.
Fair Value of Plan Assets as of December 31, 2020
(Dollars in thousands)Level 1Level 2Level 3Total
Fixed income bonds$— $29,896 $— $29,896 
Mutual funds3,535 — — 3,535 
Pooled separate accounts— 518 — 518 
Guaranteed deposit account— — 1,347 1,347 
Total plan assets at fair value$3,535 $30,414 $1,347 $35,296 

Fair Value of Plan Assets as of December 31, 2019
(Dollars in thousands)Level 1Level 2Level 3Total
Fixed income bonds$— $27,704 $— $27,704 
Mutual funds3,277 — — 3,277 
Pooled separate accounts— 10,516 — 10,516 
Guaranteed deposit account— — 1,338 1,338 
Total plan assets at fair value$3,277 $38,220 $1,338 $42,835 
The following table presents a summary of changes in the fair value of the guaranteed deposit account’s Level 3 assets for the year ended December 31, 2020:
Guaranteed Deposit Account
Balance as of January 1, 2020$1,338 
Change in unrealized gain (loss)34 
Purchases, sales, issuances and settlements (net)(25)
Balance as of December 31, 2020$1,347 
Cash Flows
We were not required to make any contributions to our qualified noncontributory defined benefit pension plans in 2020 and 2019. We made a voluntary contribution of $25.0 million to the Merged Plan in 2018 as part of the proposed plan termination process. We made expected benefit payments for our defined benefit pension plans, as well as substantially settled the Merged Plan benefit obligations, through the utilization of plan assets for the funded pension plans in 2020 and 2019. As there is no funding requirement for the other postretirement benefit plans, we funded benefit payments, which were immaterial in 2020 and 2019, as incurred using cash from operations.
The benefit payments are based on the same assumptions used to measure our benefit obligations as of December 31, 2020. The following table sets forth the expected benefit payments to be paid for the pension plans and the other postretirement benefit plans:
Pension BenefitsOther Postretirement Benefits
2021$1,808 $148 
2022$1,758 $114 
2023$1,778 $130 
2024$1,770 $122 
2025$1,801 $150 
2026-2030$8,570 $763 
Employee Savings and Investment Plan
We sponsor the Rogers Employee Savings and Investment Plan (RESIP), a 401(k) plan for domestic employees. Employees can defer an amount they choose, up to the annual IRS limit of $19,000. Certain eligible participants are also allowed to contribute the maximum catch-up contribution per IRS regulations. We match each eligible employee’s annual pre-tax contributions at a rate of 100% for the first 1% of the employee’s salary and 50% for the next 5% of each employee’s salary for a total match of 3.5%. Unless otherwise indicated by the participant, the matching dollars are invested in the same funds as the participant’s contributions. RESIP related expense amounted to $4.9 million in 2020, $4.4 million in 2019 and $5.6 million in 2018.