XML 25 R15.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.20.2
RETIREMENT PLANS
9 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2020
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
RETIREMENT PLANS
RETIREMENT PLANS
 
Barnwell sponsors a noncontributory defined benefit pension plan (“Pension Plan”) covering substantially all of its U.S. employees. Additionally, Barnwell sponsors a Supplemental Employee Retirement Plan (“SERP”), a noncontributory supplemental retirement benefit plan which covers certain current and former employees of Barnwell for amounts exceeding the limits allowed under the Pension Plan, and a postretirement medical insurance benefits plan (“Postretirement Medical”) covering eligible U.S. employees.
 
The following tables detail the components of net periodic benefit (income) cost for Barnwell’s retirement plans:
 
Pension Plan
 
SERP
 
Postretirement Medical
 
Three months ended June 30,
 
2020
 
2019
 
2020
 
2019
 
2020
 
2019
Service cost
$

 
$
41,000

 
$

 
$
6,000

 
$

 
$

Interest cost
73,000

 
92,000

 
16,000

 
16,000

 
20,000

 
25,000

Expected return on plan assets
(173,000
)
 
(165,000
)
 

 

 

 

Amortization of prior service cost (credit)

 
2,000

 

 
(2,000
)
 

 

Amortization of net actuarial loss

 
(3,000
)
 

 
(1,000
)
 
20,000

 
13,000

Net periodic benefit (income) cost
$
(100,000
)
 
$
(33,000
)
 
$
16,000

 
$
19,000

 
$
40,000

 
$
38,000

 
Pension Plan
 
SERP
 
Postretirement Medical
 
Nine months ended June 30,
 
2020
 
2019
 
2020
 
2019
 
2020
 
2019
Service cost
$
50,000

 
$
141,000

 
$
3,000

 
$
24,000

 
$

 
$

Interest cost
228,000

 
279,000

 
49,000

 
58,000

 
60,000

 
75,000

Expected return on plan assets
(508,000
)
 
(486,000
)
 

 

 

 

Amortization of prior service cost (credit)
1,000

 
5,000

 
(1,000
)
 
(4,000
)
 

 

Amortization of net actuarial loss
35,000

 
1,000

 
5,000

 
1,000

 
60,000

 
39,000

Curtailment cost (income)
53,000

 

 
(53,000
)
 

 

 

Net periodic benefit (income) cost
$
(141,000
)
 
$
(60,000
)
 
$
3,000

 
$
79,000

 
$
120,000

 
$
114,000



The net periodic benefit (income) cost, including service cost, is included in “General and administrative” expenses in the Company's Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.

On December 12, 2019, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a resolution to freeze all future benefit accruals for all participants under the Company’s Pension Plan and SERP effective December 31, 2019. Accordingly, the Company remeasured the projected benefit obligation of the Pension Plan and SERP as of December 31, 2019. As a result of the remeasurement, the Company recorded an $880,000 actuarial gain in accumulated other comprehensive loss during the quarter ended December 31, 2019. The actuarial gain was primarily due to an increase in the market value of Pension Plan assets as well as an increase in the discount rate for both plans during the period. The impact of the Pension Plan and SERP plan freeze resulted in a $1,699,000 reduction in unrecognized pension benefit costs that were previously included in accumulated other comprehensive loss, with a corresponding benefit in other comprehensive income which was recorded in the first quarter ended December 31, 2019. No remeasurement was required in the quarters ended March 31, 2020 and June 30, 2020.

Currently, no contributions are expected to be made to the Pension Plan during fiscal 2020. The SERP and Postretirement Medical plans are unfunded, and Barnwell funds benefits when payments are made. Expected payments under the Postretirement Medical plan and the SERP for fiscal 2020 are not material. Fluctuations in actual equity market returns as well as changes in general interest rates will result in changes in the market value of plan assets and may result in increased or decreased retirement benefits costs and contributions in future periods.