Employee Benefits

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2014

Employee Benefits

11. Employee Benefits

Retirement Plans.

The components of net periodic benefit cost related to U.S. pension benefits are as follows:

	Three months ended June 30,						Six months ended June 30,
	2014			2013			2014			2013
	(In thousands)						(In thousands)
Service cost	$	647		$	762		$	1,400		$	1,700
Interest cost		1,575			1,385			3,085			2,795
Expected return on plan assets		(1,920	)		(1,650	)		(3,835	)		(3,305	)
Amortization of prior service cost		490			858			920			1,865
Net periodic benefit cost	$	792		$	1,355		$	1,570		$	3,055

We made contributions of $3.0 million and $2.6 million to our pension plan in the six months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

The components of net periodic benefit cost related to other post-retirement benefits are as follows:

	Three months ended June 30,				Six months ended June 30,
	2014		2013		2014		2013
	(In thousands)				(In thousands)
Service cost	$	110	$	145	$	235	$	290
Interest cost		285		293		605		585
Amortization of prior service cost		47		182		160		364
Net periodic benefit cost	$	442	$	620	$	1,000	$	1,239