Defined Contribution, Bonus, and Profit Sharing Plans

Defined Contribution Plans

In the United States, United Kingdom, Brazil, and certain other countries, we make contributions to defined contribution plans. For our U.S. employee savings plan, which represents a majority of our contribution expense, we provide a 50% match on the first 6% of the employee salary deferral, subject to statutory limitations. For our international defined contribution plans, we provide various levels of contributions, based on salary, subject to stipulated or statutory limitations. The expense for our defined contribution plans was as follows:



	Year Ended December 31,
	2014		2013		2012
	(in thousands)
Defined contribution plans expense	$	7,097	$	7,392	$	7,551

Bonus and Profit Sharing Plans and Awards

We have employee bonus and profit sharing plans in which many of our employees participate, as well as an award program, which allows for recognition of individual employees' achievements. The bonus and profit sharing plans provide award amounts for the achievement of annual performance and financial targets. Actual bonus and profit sharing award amounts are determined at the end of the year if the performance and financial targets are met. As the bonuses are being earned during the year, we estimate a compensation accrual each quarter based on the progress towards achieving the goals, the estimated financial forecast for the year, and the probability of achieving results. Bonus and profit sharing plans and award expense was as follows:



	Year Ended December 31,
	2014		2013		2012
	(in thousands)
Bonus and profit sharing plans and award expense	$	37,850	$	15,745	$	25,297