XML 34 R19.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.8.0.1
Note 10 - Accrued Pension Liabilities
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Notes to Financial Statements  
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Disclosure [Text Block]
NOTE
1
0:
-
ACCRUED PENSION LIABILITIES
 
As of
December 31, 2017
and
2016,
the defined benefits plans that are accounted for in the Company’s consolidated financial statements are the pension plans in Germany and India. Consistent with the requirements of local law, the Company deposits funds for certain plans with insurance companies,
third
-party trustees, or into government-managed accounts, and/or accrues for the unfunded portion of the obligation.
 
The Company
’s pension obligation in Germany relating to the unvested pension claims (i.e. future obligation that will result from future service period) of the employees were outsourced in
November 2010
to an external insurance company (“Nuremberger Versicherung”). From and after the outsourcing date, the Company is required to pay premiums to the external insurance company and in return the pension benefits earned by the German employees are covered by the Company’s arrangement with the
external insurance company. The Company legally is released from its obligations to the German employees once the premiums are paid, and it is
no
longer subject to any of the risks and rewards associated with the benefit obligations covered and the plan assets transferred to
the external insurance company. Since the outsourcing arrangement meets the requirements of a nonparticipating annuity contract, the Company treats the costs of the outsourcing arrangement as the costs of the benefits being earned in accordance with ASC Paragraph
715
-
30
-
25
-
7
of ASC
715
“Compensation—Retirement Benefits.”
 
The following tables provide a reconciliation of the changes in the pension plans
’ benefit obligation and the fair value of assets for the years ended
December 31, 2017
and
2016,
and the statement of funded status as of
December 31, 2017
and
2016:
 
   
December 31,
 
   
201
7
   
2016
 
                 
Accumulated benefit obligation
  $
871
    $
792
 
                 
Change in benefit obligation
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                 
Benefit obligation at beginning of year
  $
803
    $
738
 
Service cost
   
4
     
4
 
Interest cost
   
14
     
17
 
Benefits paid from the plan
   
(22
)    
(55
)
Actuarial (gain) loss
   
(22
)    
121
 
Exchange rates and others
   
106
     
(22
)
                 
Benefit obligation at end of year
  $
883
    $
803
 
                 
Change in plan assets
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                 
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year
   
-
     
54
 
Actual return on plan assets
   
-
     
3
 
Benefits paid from the plan
   
-
     
(58
)
Exchange rates
   
-
     
1
 
                 
Fair value of plan assets at end of year
  $
-
    $
-
 
 
The assumptions used in the measurement of the Company
’s pension expense and benefit obligations as of
December 31, 2017,
2016
and
2015
are as follows:
 
   
Year ended December 31,
 
   
201
7
   
2016
   
201
5
 
Weighted-average assumptions
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Discount rate
   
1.8
%    
1.7
%    
2.5
%
Expected return on plan assets
   
-
     
4.59
%    
4.28
%
Rate of compensation increase
   
2.5
%    
2.5
%    
2.5
%
 
The amounts reported for net periodic pension costs and the respective benefit obligation amounts are dependent upon the actuarial assumptions used. The Company reviews historical trends, future expectations, current market conditions, and external data to determine the assumptions. The discount rate is determined considering the yield of government bonds. The rate of
compensation increase is determined by the Company, based on its long-term plans for such increases.
 
The following table provides the components of net periodic benefit cost for the years ended
December 31, 2017
,
2016
and
2015:
 
   
December 31,
 
   
201
7
   
2016
   
201
5
 
Components of net periodic benefit cost
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                         
Service cost
  $
4
    $
4
    $
5
 
Interest cost
   
14
     
17
     
17
 
Expected return on plan assets
   
-
     
(3
)    
(5
)
Amortization of net loss
   
22
     
15
     
20
 
                         
Net periodic benefit cost
  $
40
    $
33
    $
37
 
 
 
   
December 31,
 
   
201
7
   
2016
 
                 
Net amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 201
7 and 2016 consist of:
               
Current liabilities
  $
-
    $
-
 
Noncurrent liabilities
   
883
     
803
 
                 
Net amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets
  $
883
    $
803
 
                 
Net amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income as of December 31, 201
7 and 2016 consist of:
               
Net actuarial loss
  $
(409
)   $
(454
)
                 
Net amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive
loss
  $
(409
)   $
(454
)
 
The estimated amount that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) into net periodic benefit cost in
20
18
is as follows:
 
   
201
8
 
         
Net actuarial loss and other
  $
20
 
 
Benefit payments are expected to be paid as follows:
 
Year ending December 31,
 
 
 
 
         
2018
  $
9
 
2019
   
9
 
2020
   
10
 
2021
   
31
 
2022
   
27
 
2023-2027    
112
 
         
    $
198
 
 
The Company had
no
pension plan assets at
December 31,
201
7.
 
Regarding the policy for amortizing actuarial gains or losses for pension and post-employment plans, the Company has chosen the “corridor” option. This option consists of recognizing in the consolidated statements of operations, the part of unrecognized actuarial gains or losses exceeding
10%
of the greater of the PBO or the market value of the plan assets. If amortization is required, the minimum amortization amount is that excess divided by the average remaining service period of the active employees expected to receive benefits under the plan.
 
Actuarial gains were recognized in other comprehensive income (loss) in the amount of
$24
for the year ended
December 31, 2017.
Actuarial losses were recognized in other comprehensive income (loss) in the amount of
$117
for the year ended
December 31, 2016.
Actuarial gains were recognized in other comprehensive income (loss) in the amount of
$63
for the year ended
December 31, 2015.