(reflecting the “frozen” surcharge rate) of $853 and $785 for nine months 2021 and 2020, respectively ($1,010 and $948 for twelve months 2020 and 2019, respectively), as required under the amended plan of rehabilitation.
Company Management understands that the U.S. American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 legislation passed in first quarter 2021 provides financial assistance to shore up struggling multi-employer plans and forestall insolvency through 2051 for plans in “critical and declining status”. The Company continues to study this legislation with its consulting actuary to determine its effects on the Plan and Company withdrawal liability. This is a complex area, however, based on an initial assessment by the Company’s actuary, the Company does not believe that this legislation will result in a material reduction in its withdrawal liability. Nonetheless, the Company is currently unable to determine the ultimate outcome of the above discussed multi-employer union pension matter and therefore is unable to determine the effects on its consolidated financial statements, but the ultimate outcome could be material to its consolidated results of operations or cash flows in one or more future periods. See also Note 7 in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020.
The Company continues to actively monitor Covid-19, including existing and developing variants, and its potential impact on our operations and financial results, prioritizing employee health and safety. Because the Company has a sizable investment in marketable securities (see Liquidity and Capital Resources section above), the Company continues to be well positioned financially to respond to any further adverse effects of this pandemic, and Covid-19 variants, in the short and intermediate-terms, as well as for a longer period of time if necessary.
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
Net cash flows provided by operating activities were $32,153 and $24,088 in nine months 2021 and 2020, respectively, a favorable increase of $8,065. Nine months 2021 cash flows from operating activities principally benefited from higher net earnings and changes in accounts payable and accrued liabilities, and deferred compensation and other liabilities in the comparative periods. The aforementioned increases were partially offset by changes in accounts receivable reflecting the timing of net product sales and collections of accounts receivable trade, and changes in income taxes payable, including estimated tax payments in the comparative periods.
Net cash used in investing activities was $74,492 in nine months 2021 compared to $12,117 in nine months 2020. Cash flows used in investing activities reflect $87,060 and $82,862 of purchases of available for sale securities during nine months 2021 and 2020, respectively, and $34,510 and $67,215 of sales and maturities of available for sale securities during nine months 2021 and 2020, respectively. Nine months 2021 and 2020 investing activities include capital expenditures of $22,930 and $11,425, respectively. The Company has committed approximately $25,000 to a rehabilitation upgrade and expansion of one of its manufacturing plants in the U.S. The Company spent approximately $14,000, $6,000 and $3,000 in 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively, on the aforementioned project. Company management expects future cash outlays for this project to approximate $1,000 during the remainder of 2021 and $1,000 in 2022. All capital expenditures are to be funded from the Company’s cash flow from operations and internal sources including available for sale securities.
The Company’s consolidated financial statements include bank borrowings of $956 and $933 at September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, all of which relates to its Spanish subsidiary. The Company had no other outstanding bank borrowings at September 30, 2021.
Financing activities include Company common stock purchases and retirements of $30,184 and $23,505 in nine months 2021 and 2020, respectively. Cash dividends of $18,100 and $17,850 were paid in nine months 2021 and 2020, respectively.
The Company’s current ratio (current assets divided by current liabilities) was 2.9 to 1 at September 30, 2021 compared to 4.6 to 1 at December 31, 2020 and 4.4 to 1 at September 30, 2020. Net working capital was $183,267 at September 30, 2021 compared to $250,851 and $236,718 at December 31, 2020 and September 30, 2020, respectively. The aforementioned net working capital amounts are principally reflected in aggregate cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments of $115,701 at September 30, 2021 compared to $208,931 and $166,529 at December 31, 2020 and September 30, 2020, respectively. In addition, long term investments, principally debt securities comprising corporate bonds, were $280,326 at September 30, 2021, as compared to $220,020 and $201,698 at December 31, 2020 and September 30, 2020, respectively. Aggregate cash and cash equivalents and short and long-term investments were