Note 10 - Pensions

6 Months Ended

Jun. 28, 2014

Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Disclosure [Text Block]

10. Pensions

The components of net periodic benefit cost for the three and six and months ended June 28, 2014, compared with the three and six months ended June 29, 2013, were (in thousands):

	U.S. Pension Benefits												Foreign Plans
	Three Months Ended						Six Months Ended						Three Months Ended						Six Months Ended
	June 28, 2014			June 29, 2013			June 28, 2014			June 29, 2013			June 28, 2014			June 29, 2013			June 28, 2014			June 29, 2013
Service cost	$	150		$	150		$	300		$	300		$	311		$	268		$	622		$	523
Interest cost		971			892			1,942			1,783			592			299			1,183			482
Expected return on plan assets		(1,411	)		(1,340	)		(2,822	)		(2,680	)		(573	)		(197	)		(1,146	)		(271	)
Amortization of net loss		137			235			274			471			47			38			95			77
Total cost (credit) of the plan		(153	)		(63	)		(306	)		(126	)		377			408			754			811
Expected plan participants’ contribution		-			-			-			-			-			-			-			-
Net periodic benefit (credit) cost	$	(153	)	$	(63	)	$	(306	)	$	(126	)	$	377		$	408		$	754		$	811

The expected rate of return assumption on domestic pension assets is approximately 6.75% in 2014 and 2013. The expected return on foreign pension assets is approximately 5.14% and 3.00% in 2014 and 2013, respectively.

As described in Note 13, on July 31, 2014, the company terminated the Littelfuse, Inc. Retirement Plan (the “Pension Plan”, a plan that was previously offered to all full-time Company employees but frozen as to new participants and benefit accruals as of April 1, 2009.