Pension and Postretirement Plans

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Retirement Benefits, Description [Abstract]

Pension and Postretirement Plans

PENSION AND POSTRETIREMENT PLANS

On March 22, 2018, the Company eliminated the accrual of pension benefits for certain Kaplan University employees related to their future service. As a result, the Company remeasured the accumulated and projected benefit obligation of the pension plan as of March 22, 2018, and the Company recorded a curtailment gain in the first quarter of 2018. The new measurement basis was used for the recognition of the Company’s pension benefit following the remeasurement. The curtailment gain on the Kaplan University transaction is included in the gain on the Kaplan University transaction and reported in Other income, net on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations.

Defined Benefit Plans. The total benefit arising from the Company’s defined benefit pension plans consists of the following components:

	Three Months Ended September 30						Nine Months Ended September 30
(in thousands)	2019			2018			2019			2018
Service cost	$	5,142		$	4,473		$	15,326		$	13,730
Interest cost	11,743			11,844			35,078			34,943
Expected return on assets	(30,832		)	(31,969		)	(91,955		)	(97,251		)
Amortization of prior service cost	824			36			2,058			114
Recognized actuarial gain	—			(2,974		)	—			(6,994		)
Net Periodic Benefit	(13,123		)	(18,590		)	(39,493		)	(55,458		)
Curtailment gain	—			—			—			(806		)
Special separation benefit expense	(175		)	—			6,432			—
Total Benefit	$	(13,298	)	$	(18,590	)	$	(33,061	)	$	(56,264	)

In the second quarter of 2019, the Company offered a Separation Incentive Program (SIP) for certain Kaplan employees, which was funded from the assets of the Company’s pension plan. The Company recorded $6.4 million in expense related to the SIP for the nine months ended September 30, 2019.

The total cost arising from the Company’s Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (SERP) consists of the following components:

	Three Months Ended September 30				Nine Months Ended September 30
(in thousands)	2019		2018		2019		2018
Service cost	$	214	$	205	$	643	$	614
Interest cost	1,079		967		3,236		2,899
Amortization of prior service cost	85		77		254		233
Recognized actuarial loss	579		600		1,736		1,802
Net Periodic Cost	$	1,957	$	1,849	$	5,869	$	5,548

Defined Benefit Plan Assets. The Company’s defined benefit pension obligations are funded by a portfolio made up of a U.S. stock index fund, a relatively small number of stocks and high-quality fixed-income securities that are held by a third-party trustee. The assets of the Company’s pension plan were allocated as follows:

	As of
	September 30, 2019		December 31, 2018
U.S. equities	55	%	53	%
U.S. stock index fund	21	%	28	%
U.S. fixed income	17	%	13	%
International equities	7	%	6	%
	100	%	100	%

The Company manages approximately 44% of the pension assets internally, of which the majority is invested in a U.S. stock index fund with the remaining investments in Berkshire Hathaway stock and short-term fixed income securities. The remaining 56% of plan assets are managed by two investment companies. The goal for the investments is to produce moderate long-term growth in the value of these assets, while protecting them against large decreases in value. Both investment managers may invest in a combination of equity and fixed-income securities and cash. The managers are not permitted to invest in securities of the Company or in alternative investments. One investment manager cannot invest more than 15% of the assets at the time of purchase in the stock of Alphabet and Berkshire Hathaway, no more than 30% of the assets it manages in specified international exchanges at the time the investment is made, and no less than 5% of the assets could be invested in fixed-income securities. The other investment manager cannot invest more than 20% of the assets at the time of purchase in the stock of Berkshire Hathaway, no more than 15% of the assets it manages in specified international exchanges, at the time the investment is made, and no less than 10% of the assets could be invested in fixed-income securities. Excluding the exceptions noted above, the investment managers cannot invest more than 10% of the assets in the securities of any other single issuer, except for obligations of the U.S. Government, without receiving prior approval from the Plan administrator.

In determining the expected rate of return on plan assets, the Company considers the relative weighting of plan assets, the historical performance of total plan assets and individual asset classes and economic and other indicators of future performance. In addition, the Company may consult with and consider the input of financial and other professionals in developing appropriate return benchmarks.

The Company evaluated its defined benefit pension plan asset portfolio for the existence of significant concentrations (defined as greater than 10% of plan assets) of credit risk as of September 30, 2019. Types of concentrations that were evaluated include, but are not limited to, investment concentrations in a single entity, type of industry, foreign country and individual fund. At September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the pension plan held investments in one common stock and one U.S. stock index fund that exceeded 10% of total plan assets. These investments were valued at $853.3 million and $945.6 million at September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively, or approximately 35% and 45%, respectively, of total plan assets.

Other Postretirement Plans. The total cost arising from the Company’s other postretirement plans consists of the following components:

	Three Months Ended September 30						Nine Months Ended September 30
(in thousands)	2019			2018			2019			2018
Service cost	$	—		$	267		$	—		$	803
Interest cost	72			170			216			509
Amortization of prior service credit	(1,841		)	(44		)	(5,522		)	(132		)
Recognized actuarial gain	(1,090		)	(921		)	(3,270		)	(2,764		)
Net Periodic Benefit	$	(2,859	)	$	(528	)	$	(8,576	)	$	(1,584	)