Pension Plan and Other Postretirement Benefits

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Retirement and Employee Benefit Plans [Abstract]

Retirement and Employee Benefits Plans

(12) PENSION PLAN AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS

The Company has defined pension and postretirement benefit plans which cover substantially all of the Company's employees. Net periodic pension and other postretirement benefit costs include the following components for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2011 and 2010:

	Pension Benefits
	For the three months ended		For the nine months ended
	September 30,		September 30,
	2011	2010	2011	2010
	(in thousands)
Service cost	$            2,330	$            1,774	$            6,992	$            5,322
Interest cost	918	812	2,753	2,436
Expected return on plan assets	(1,099)	(876)	(3,298)	(2,628)
Amortization of prior service cost	86	87	258	260
Amortization of net loss	214	201	642	605
Net periodic benefit cost	$            2,449	$            1,998	$            7,347	$            5,995
	Postretirement Benefits
	For the three months ended		For the nine months ended
	September 30,		September 30,
	2011	2010	2011	2010
	(in thousands)
Service cost	$               338	$               272	$             1,015	$               816
Interest cost	63	49	189	147
Amortization of transition obligation	16	16	48	48
Amortization of prior service cost	4	3	11	11
Amortization of net loss	2	6	8	16
Net periodic benefit cost	$               423	$               346	$              1,271	$            1,038

The Company currently expects to contribute $12.5 million to the pension plans and $0.1 million to the postretirement benefit plan in 2011. As of September 30, 2011, the Company has contributed $9.8 million to the pension plans and $0.1 million to the postretirement benefit plan during the year.

The Company maintains a non-qualified deferred compensation supplemental retirement savings plan ("Non-Qualified Plan") for certain key employees who may elect to defer and contribute a portion of their compensation, as permitted by the plan. Shares of the Company's common stock purchased under the terms of the Non-Qualified Plan are presented as treasury stock and totaled 125,984 shares at September 30, 2011 compared to 156,636 shares at December 31, 2010.