Pension Plans And Postretirement Benefits (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2016

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Expense [Abstract]

Components Of Pension Expense

The following table summarizes the components of net periodic pension cost charged to operations for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015 (in thousands):

	For the Three Months Ended March 31,
	2016			2015
Components of net periodic pension cost:
Interest cost	$	2,259		$	3,476
Expected return on plan assets (1)	(1,916		)	(2,690		)
Actuarial losses	578			1,912
Net periodic pension cost	$	921		$	2,698

(1) In connection with a lump sum buyout completed in the fourth quarter of 2015, pension assets decreased by approximately $110.7 million.