XML 39 R22.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.21.1
RETIREMENT AND POSTRETIREMENT BENEFIT PLANS
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2021
RETIREMENT AND POSTRETIREMENT BENEFIT PLANS  
RETIREMENT AND POSTRETIREMENT BENEFIT PLANS

NOTE 13 — RETIREMENT AND POSTRETIREMENT BENEFIT PLANS

The components of total pension cost were as follows:

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Three Months Ended March 31, 

​

​

2021

​

2020

​

​

U.S. pension

​

Non-U.S.

​

U.S. pension

​

Non-U.S.

​

    

plans

 

pension plans

 

plans

 

pension plans

Service cost

​

$

49

​

$

471

​

$

39

​

$

756

Interest cost

​

 

2,981

​

​

616

​

 

4,050

​

 

696

Expected return on plan assets

​

 

(4,509)

​

​

(972)

​

 

(5,711)

​

 

(1,007)

Amortization of prior service cost

​

 

—

​

​

12

​

 

—

​

 

15

Amortization of net loss

​

 

581

​

​

435

​

 

203

​

 

555

Settlement charges (1)

​

 

4,440

​

​

446

​

 

—

​

 

—

Defined benefit plans

​

​

3,542

​

​

1,008

​

​

(1,419)

​

​

1,015

Multi-employer plans

​

​

—

​

​

244

​

​

—

​

​

269

Defined contribution plans

​

​

5,162

​

​

845

​

​

5,626

​

​

702

Total pension cost

​

$

8,704

​

$

2,097

​

$

4,207

​

$

1,986

​

(1)Pension settlement charges primarily resulting from lump sum pension payments in the three months ended March 31, 2021.

The defined benefit plan components of Total pension cost, other than service cost, are included in Other income (expense) in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income.

In March 2020, the Company approved an amendment to terminate the Lincoln Electric Company Retirement Annuity Program plan effective as of December 31, 2020. The Company provided notice to participants of the intent to terminate the plan and applied for a determination letter. Pension obligations will be distributed through a combination of lump sum payments to eligible plan participants and through the purchase of a group annuity contract. Upon settlement of the pension obligations, the Company will reclassify unrecognized actuarial gains or losses, currently recorded in AOCI, to the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income as settlement gains or charges in the second half of 2021. The Company anticipates the termination process will be substantially complete by the end of 2021.