Employee Benefit Plans

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Employee Benefit Plans [Abstract]

Employee Benefit Plans

Note 7—Employee Benefit Plans

Executive Retirement Plan

The Company, through the Bank, sponsors an Executive Retirement Plan (“ERP”) for certain executive level employees. The ERP is a non-qualified deferred compensation plan and was developed to supplement the Company’s Profit Sharing Plan, which, as a qualified retirement plan, has a ceiling on benefits as set by Internal Revenue Service regulations. The ERP is comprised of: (1) a Performance Component which makes contributions based upon long-term cumulative profitability and increase in market value of the Company; (2) a Salary Component which makes contributions based upon participant salary levels; and (3) an Equity Component for which contributions are discretionary and subject to Board of Directors approval.

The Company expensed $2.3 million to the ERP during the three months ended March 31, 2023 and $1.8 million during the three months ended March 31, 2022. The Company’s carrying value of the liability under the ERP was $55.1 million as of March 31, 2023 and $57.0 million as of December 31, 2022. The Company’s shares of common stock held as investments in the Rabbi Trust of the ERP as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 totaled 48,055 and 50,196 with an historical cost basis of $30.0 million and $31.4 million, respectively. All amounts have been fully funded into the Rabbi Trust as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022. The consolidated investments held in the Rabbi Trust are recorded at fair value with changes in unrealized gains or losses recorded within non-interest income and the equal and offsetting charges in the related liability are recorded in non-interest expense in the consolidated statements of income.

Net gains on ERP plan investments were $0.7 million compared to net gains of $0.3 million at March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Balances in non-qualified deferred compensation plans may be invested in financial instruments whose market value fluctuates based upon trends in interest rates and stock prices.

Senior Management Retention Plan

The Company, through the Bank, sponsors a Senior Management Retention Plan (“SMRP”) for certain senior level employees. The SMRP is a non-qualified deferred compensation plan and was developed to supplement the Company’s Profit Sharing Plan, which, as a qualified retirement plan, has a ceiling on benefits as set by Internal Revenue Service regulations. All contributions are discretionary and subject to the Board of Directors approval.

The Company expensed $1.2 million to the SMRP during the three months ended March 31, 2023 and $0.7 million for three months ended March 31, 2022. The Company’s carrying value of the liability under the SMRP was $15.4 million as of March 31, 2023 and $13.6 million as of December 31, 2022. The Company’s shares of stock held as investments in the Rabbi Trust of the SMRP as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 totaled 16,629 and 15,998 shares with an historical cost basis of $11.5 million and $10.8 million, respectively. All amounts have been fully funded into the Rabbi Trust as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022. The consolidated investments held in the Rabbi Trust are recorded at fair value with changes in unrealized gains or losses recorded within non-interest income and the equal and offsetting charges in the related liability are recorded in non-interest expense in the consolidated statements of income.

Net gains on SMRP plan investments were $0.2 million compared to net gains of $0.1 million at March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Balances in non-qualified deferred compensation plans may be invested in financial instruments whose market value fluctuates based upon trends in interest rates and stock prices.