DEFINED BENEFIT PENSION EXPENSE

6 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2017

Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]

DEFINED BENEFIT PENSION EXPENSE

DEFINED BENEFIT PENSION EXPENSE

Defined benefit pension expense (income) was as follows:

	Three Months Ended March 31,						Six Months Ended March 31,
	2017			2016			2017			2016
Interest cost	$	1,402		$	2,080		$	2,804		$	4,160
Expected return on plan assets	(2,736		)	(2,916		)	(5,472		)	(5,832		)
Amortization:
Prior service cost	4			4			8			8
Recognized actuarial loss	832			591			1,664			1,181
Net periodic expense (income)	$	(498	)	$	(241	)	$	(996	)	$	(483	)

In 2016, the Company changed the method used to estimate the service and interest components of net periodic benefit cost for pension and other post-retirement benefits from the single weighted-average discount rate to the spot rate method.  There was no impact on the total benefit obligation.