v3.26.1
Contracts with Insurance Companies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025
EBP 001  
Employee Benefit Plan, Contracts with Insurance Companies [Line Items]  
Contracts with Insurance Companies

NOTE 4 – Contracts with Insurance Companies

Guaranteed Income Fund

The Plan invested in the Guaranteed Income Fund (“GIF”) offered by the Trustee. Guarantees are based on the claims paying ability of the Trustee and not the value of the securities within the insurer’s general account. The credit rating of the issuer at December 31, 2025 was Aa3 as reported by Moody’s Investors Service. Deposits made to the GIF are deposited in the Trustee’s general account. Payment obligations under the GIF represent an insurance claim supported by all the general assets. The GIF does not operate like a mutual fund, variable annuity product, or conventional fixed rate individual annuity product. Expenses related to the GIF are calculated by the Trustee and incorporated in the GIF crediting rate. Past interest rates are not indicative of future interest rates.

GIF Operation

Under the group annuity contract that supports this product, participants may ordinarily direct permitted withdrawals or transfers of all or a portion of their account balance at Contract Value within reasonable time frames. Contract Value represents deposits made to the contract, plus earnings at guaranteed crediting rates, less withdrawals and fees. The contract is effected directly between the Plan and the issuer. The repayment of principal and interest credited to participants is a financial obligation of the issuer. There are no reserves against Contract Value for credit risk of the contract issuer or otherwise. Given these provisions, the Plan considers this contact to be benefit responsive.

Contract Value

The concept of a value other than Contract Value does not apply to this insurance company issued account backed evergreen (no maturity date) group annuity spread product even upon discontinuance of the contract in which case Contract Value would be paid no later than 90 days from the date the sponsor provides notice to discontinue. The contract’s operation is different than many other evergreen group annuity products in the market by virtue of the fact that a market value (fair value) adjustment does not apply upon a discontinuance. This annuity contract, and therefore the liability of the insurer, is not backed by specific securities of its general account, and therefore the market value of the securities in the insurer’s general account does not represent the fair value. The Plan owns a promise to receive interest at crediting rates which are announced in advance and guaranteed for a specific period of time as outlined in the group annuity contract. This product is not a traditional Guaranteed Investment Contract, and therefore there are no known cash flows that could be discounted. As a result, the value amount shown materially approximates the Contract Value. As of December 31, 2025 and 2024, the Plan held $217.0 million and $214.2 million, respectively.

Interest Crediting Rates

Interest is credited on contract balances using a single portfolio rate approach. Under this methodology, a single interest crediting rate is applied to all contributions made to the product regardless of the timing of those contributions. The average interest earned by the Plan was 2.10% for the year ended December 31, 2025. No adjustment is required to mediate between the average earnings credited to the Plan and the average earnings credited to the participants. The same crediting interest rate is applied to the entire contract value and is reviewed on a semi-annual basis for resetting. The factors considered in establishing the crediting interest rate include current economic and market conditions, the general interest rate environment and both actual and expected experience of a reference portfolio within the general account. The guaranteed minimum interest rate was 2.10% as of December 31, 2025.

Events

Only an event causing liquidity constraints at the Trustee could limit the ability of the Plan to transact at Contract Value paid within 90 days or in rare circumstances, Contract Value over time. There are no events that allow the issuer to terminate the contract and which require the Plan sponsor to settle at an amount different than Contact Value paid either within 90 days or over time.