10. RETIREMENT FUND AND PROFIT SHARING PLAN

The Company maintains the Bel Fuse Inc. Employees' Savings Plan, a defined contribution plan that is intended to meet the applicable requirements for tax-qualification under sections 401(a) and (k) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). The expense for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 amounted to $0.3 million in both periods. The expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 amounted to $0.8 million and $0.9 million, respectively. The Company's matching contribution is made in the form of Bel Fuse Inc. Class A common stock. As of September 30, 2018, the plan owned 111,393 and 137,700 shares of Bel Fuse Inc. Class A and Class B common stock, respectively.

The Company's subsidiaries in Asia have a retirement fund covering substantially all of their Hong Kong based full-time employees. The expense for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 amounted to $0.1 million in both periods. The expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 amounted to $0.3 million in both periods. As of September 30, 2018, the plan owned 3,323 and 17,342 shares of Bel Fuse Inc. Class A and Class B common stock, respectively.

The Company maintains a SERP, which is designed to provide a limited group of key management and other key employees of the Company with supplemental retirement and death benefits. As discussed in Note 4 above, the Company has investments in a rabbi trust which are intended to fund the obligations of the SERP.

The components of SERP expense are as follows:

	Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
	September 30,				September 30,
	2018		2017		2018		2017
Service cost	$	183	$	175	$	549	$	525
Interest cost		166		168		498		505
Net amortization		111		94		332		281
Net periodic benefit cost	$	460	$	437	$	1,379	$	1,311

The service cost component of net benefit cost is presented within cost of sales or selling, general and administrative expense on the accompanying statements of operations, in accordance with where compensation cost for the related associate is reported. All other components of net benefit cost, including interest cost and net amortization noted above, are presented within other income/expense, net in the accompanying statements of operations.

The following amounts are recognized net of tax in accumulated other comprehensive loss:

	September 30,		December 31,
	2018		2017
Prior service cost	$	943	$	1,135
Net loss		3,591		3,732
	$	4,534	$	4,867