XML 29 R18.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.0.6
PENSION PLAN
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
PENSION PLAN [Abstract]  
PENSION PLAN
10.
PENSION PLAN
 
The Company sponsors a noncontributory defined benefit pension plan covering substantially all of the Company's union employees. Benefits are provided based on employees' years of service and earnings. This plan was frozen on December 31, 1994 for non-union employees.
 
The following table sets forth the plan's funded status and amounts recognized in the consolidated financial statements:
 
   
Year Ended December 31,
 
   
2011
  
2010
 
CHANGES IN BENEFIT OBLIGATIONS:
      
Benefit obligation-beginning of year
 $17,903  $16,326 
Service cost
  117   91 
Interest cost
  939   918 
Actuarial loss
  3,008   1,210 
Benefits paid
  (734)  (642)
Benefit obligation at end of year
  21,233   17,903 
          
CHANGE IN PLAN ASSETS:
        
Fair value of plan assets-beginning of year
  15,087   13,134 
Actual return on plan assets
  12   1,773 
Employer contributions
  274   822 
Benefits paid
  (734)  (642)
Fair value of plan assets-end of year
  14,639   15,087 
          
BENEFIT OBLIGATION IN EXCESS OF FAIR VALUE FUNDED STATUS:
 $(6,594) $(2,816)

Amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets consist of:
 
   
At December 31,
 
   
2011
  
2010
 
Noncurrent liabilities
 $(6,594) $(2,816)

Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss consist of:
 
   
Year Ended December 31,
 
   
2011
  
2010
 
Accumulated loss
 $(11,191) $(7,903)
Deferred income taxes
  4,475   3,155 
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
 $(6,716) $(4,748)

The accumulated benefit obligation was $21.2 million and $17.8 million at December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively.
 
The following table provides the components of net periodic cost for the plan:
 
   
Year Ended December 31,
 
   
2011
  
2010
 
COMPONENTS OF NET PERIODIC BENEFIT COST
      
Service cost
 $117  $91 
Interest cost
  939   918 
Expected return on plan assets
  (1,034)  (1,041)
Recognized net actuarial loss
  742   732 
Net periodic benefit cost
 $764  $700 

The estimated net loss, transition obligation and prior service cost for the plan that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive income into net periodic benefit cost over the next year are $1.0 million.

The following table presents our plan assets using the fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2011.  The fair value hierarchy has three levels based on the reliability of inputs used to determine fair value.  Level 1 refers to fair values determined based on quoted prices in active markets for identical assets.  Level 2 refers to fair values estimated using significant other observable inputs, while Level 3 includes the fair values estimated using significant non-observable inputs.  The level in the fair value hierarchy within which the fair value measurement falls is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety.
 
  Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets  Significant Other Observable Inputs   
Significant Unobservable Inputs
    
   
(Level 1)
  
(Level 2)
  
(Level 3)
  
Total
 
Equity securities
 $6,798  $-  $-  $6,798 
Fixed income
  5,289   -   -   5,289 
International equities
  2,538   -   -   2,538 
Cash and equivalents
  14   -   -   14 
Balance at December 31, 2011
 $14,639  $-  $-  $14,639 
 
Fair value of total plan assets by major asset category as of December 31:
 
   
2011
  
2010
 
Equity securities
  47%  48%
Fixed income
  36%  37%
International equities
  17%  15%
Cash and equivalents
  0%  0%
Total
  100%  100%
 
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations as of December 31:
 
   
2011
  
2010
 
Discount rate
  4.10%  5.75%
Rate of compensation increase
  4.00%  4.00%

Weighted-average assumptions used to determine net periodic pension cost for years ended December 31:
 
   
2011
  
2010
  
2009
 
Discount rate
  5.18%  5.18%  6.27%
Rate of compensation increase
  4.00%  4.00%  4.00%
Long-term rate of return
  7.00%  8.00%  8.00%

As this plan was frozen to non-union employees on December 31, 1994, the difference between the benefit obligation and accumulated benefit obligation is not significant in any year.
 
The Company invests plan assets based on a total return on investment approach, pursuant to which the plan assets include a diversified blend of equity and fixed income investments toward a goal of maximizing the long-term rate of return without assuming an unreasonable level of investment risk. The Company determines the level of risk based on an analysis of plan liabilities, the extent to which the value of the plan assets satisfies the plan liabilities and the plan's financial condition. The investment policy includes target allocations ranging from 30% to 70% for equity investments, 20% to 60% for fixed income investments and 0% to 10% for cash equivalents. The equity portion of the plan assets represents growth and value stocks of small, medium and large companies. The Company measures and monitors the investment risk of the plan assets both on a quarterly basis and annually when the Company assesses plan liabilities.
 
The Company uses a building block approach to estimate the long-term rate of return on plan assets. This approach is based on the capital markets assumption that the greater the volatility, the greater the return over the long term. An analysis of the historical performance of equity and fixed income investments, together with current market factors such as the inflation and interest rates, are used to help make the assumptions necessary to estimate a long-term rate of return on plan assets. Once this estimate is made, the Company reviews the portfolio of plan assets and makes adjustments thereto that the Company believes are necessary to reflect a diversified blend of equity and fixed income investments that is capable of achieving the estimated long-term rate of return without assuming an unreasonable level of investment risk. The Company also compares the portfolio of plan assets to those of other pension plans to help assess the suitability and appropriateness of the plan's investments.
 
The Company expects to make $1.0 million in contributions to the plan in 2012.  However after considering the funded status of the plan, movements in the discount rate, investment performance and related tax consequences, the Company may choose to make additional contributions to the plan in any given year.
 
The total amount of the Company's contributions paid under its pension plan was $0.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2011 and $0.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2010.
 
Information about the expected benefit payments for the plan is as follows:
 
Year Ending December 31,
   
2012
 $865 
2013
  951 
2014
  1,014 
2015
  1,117 
2016
  1,202 
Years 2017-2021
  6,744 

The Company has a 401(k) defined contribution plan for all eligible employees. Employees may contribute up to 25% of their compensation into the plan. The Company will contribute an additional 30% of the employee's contributed amount up to 6% of compensation. For the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, the Company's expense for the 401(k) plan amounted to $2.3 million, $2.2 million and $1.7 million, respectively.