(13) 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 six-month periods ended June 30, 2013 and 2012:


	Pension Benefits
	For the three months ended				For the six months ended
	June 30,				June 30,
	2013		2012		2013		2012
	(in thousands)

Service cost	$	3,448	$	2,735	$	6,895	$	5,471
Interest cost		1,026		1,012		2,052		2,025
Expected return on plan assets		(1,534)		(1,356)		(3,068)		(2,713)
Amortization of prior service cost		26		72		52		143
Amortization of net loss		385		305		770		610
Net periodic benefit cost	$	3,351	$	2,768	$	6,701	$	5,536

	Postretirement Benefits
	For the three months ended				For the six months ended
	June 30,				June 30,
	2013		2012		2013		2012
	(in thousands)

Service cost	$	574	$	458	$	1,148	$	916
Interest cost		110		99		220		199
Amortization of transition obligation		–		16		–		32
Amortization of prior service cost		3		4		7		7
Amortization of net loss		30		23		60		46
Net periodic benefit cost	$	717	$	600	$	1,435	$	1,200

As of June 30, 2013, the Company has contributed $6.0 million to the pension plan and $0.1 million to the postretirement benefit plan, and expects to contribute $12.0 million to the pension plan and $0.1 million to the postretirement benefit plan.

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 14,442 shares at June 30, 2013 compared to 64,715 shares at December 31, 2012.