CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net income	$ 68,354	$ 56,453
Non-controlling interests in subsidiaries’ loss	(36)	(29)
Net income including non-controlling interests	68,318us-gaap_ProfitLoss	56,424us-gaap_ProfitLoss
Adjustments to reconcile Net income including non-controlling interests to Net cash provided by operating activities:
Rationalization and asset impairment charges (gains)	30	(35)
Depreciation and amortization	16,032	17,931
Equity earnings in affiliates, net	(216)	(796)
Deferred income taxes	(16,886)	3,726
Stock-based compensation	1,957us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation	2,293us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation
Defined Benefit Plan Pension Expense	5,679leco_DefinedBenefitPlanPensionExpense	2,800leco_DefinedBenefitPlanPensionExpense
Pension contributions and payments	(21,234)	(22,081)
Foreign Currency (Gain) Loss	(7,850)	18,150
Other, net	4,217us-gaap_OtherNoncashIncomeExpense	(185)us-gaap_OtherNoncashIncomeExpense
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effects from acquisitions:
Increase in accounts receivable	(25,377)	(43,885)
Increase in inventories	(16,233)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInventories	(15,157)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInventories
Decrease (increase) in other current assets	25,657	(1,420)
Decrease in trade accounts payable	(12,916)	(12,108)
Increase in other current liabilities	29,412	6,967
Net change in other long-term assets and liabilities	2,194	1,007
NET CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	52,784	13,631
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	(12,456)	(14,506)
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	0	(892)
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	1,187	1,066
Other Investing Activities	2,024	573
NET CASH USED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(9,245)	(13,759)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Proceeds from short-term borrowings	1,517	1,018
Payments on short-term borrowings	(4,774)	(8,229)
Amounts due banks, net	104,370	590
Proceeds from Issuance of Long-term Debt	2,500	0
Payments on long-term borrowings	(2,103)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt	(1,435)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	1,733	2,956
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation	537	1,652
Purchase of shares for treasury	(102,853)	(51,021)
Cash dividends paid to shareholders	(22,329)us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock	(18,623)us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock
Other financing activities	(20)	(2,330)
NET CASH USED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(21,422)	(75,422)
Effect of exchange rate changes on Cash and cash equivalents	(11,479)	(18,888)
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	10,638	(94,438)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	278,379	299,825
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD	$ 289,017	$ 205,387

The amount of benefit costs recognized during the period for defined benefit plans. Pension expense includes the following components: service cost, interest cost, expected return on plan assets, gain (loss) on plan assets, prior service cost or credit, transition asset or obligations, and gain (loss) due to settlements or curtailments.

No definition available.