Note 8 - Accrued Retirement Benefits

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2017

Notes to Financial Statements

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Disclosure [Text Block]

8 . ACCRUED RETIREMENT BENEFITS

Accrued retirement benefits at

June 30, 2017

and

December 31, 2016

consisted of the following:

	June 30			December 31,
	2017			2016
	(in thousands)
Defined benefit pension plans	$	7,514		$	7,560
Non-qualified retirement plans		1,716			1,674
Total		9,230			9,234
Less current portion		(169	)		(175	)
Non-current portion of accrued retirement benefits	$	9,061		$	9,059

The net periodic benefit costs for pension and postretirement benefits for the

three

and

six

months ended

June 30, 2017

and

2016

were as follows:

	Three Months						Six Months
	Ended June 30,						Ended June 30,
	2017			2016			2017			2016
	(in thousands)						(in thousands)
Interest cost	$	560		$	708		$	1,120		$	1,415
Expected return on plan assets		(562	)		(677	)		(1,124	)		(1,355	)
Recognized actuarial loss		204			253			408			507
Pension and other postretirement expenses	$	202		$	284		$	404		$	567