6.	Deferred Compensation and Retirement Plans

The Company has several deferred compensation and retirement plans for eligible consultants and vice presidents that provide defined benefits to participants based on the deferral of current compensation or contributions made by the Company subject to vesting and retirement or termination provisions. In June 2003, the Company amended the deferred compensation plans, with the exception of the ECAP and international retirement plans, so as not to allow new participants or the purchase of additional deferral units by existing participants.

The components of net periodic benefit costs are as follows:


	Three Months Ended January 31,				Nine Months Ended January 31,
	2016		2015		2016		2015
	(in thousands)
Amortization of actuarial loss	$	730	$	763	$	2,192	$	2,288
Interest cost		703		747		2,109		2,242

Net periodic benefit costs	$	1,433	$	1,510	$	4,301	$	4,530

The Company purchased COLI contracts insuring the lives of certain employees eligible to participate in the deferred compensation and pension plans as a means of funding benefits under such plans. The gross CSV of these contracts of $173.2 million and $172.3 million is offset by outstanding policy loans of $68.4 million and $69.6 million in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets as of January 31, 2016 and April 30, 2015, respectively. The CSV value of the underlying COLI investments decreased by $1.5 million during the three months ended January 31, 2016, and was recorded as an increase in compensation and benefits expense in the accompanying consolidated statement of operations. The CSV value of the underlying COLI investments increased by $1.8 million during the nine months ended January 31, 2016, and was recorded as a decrease in compensation and benefits expense in the accompanying consolidated statement of operations. The CSV value of the underlying COLI investments increased by $3.0 million and $8.5 million during the three and nine months ended January 31, 2015, respectively, and was recorded as a decrease in compensation and benefits expense in the accompanying consolidated statement of operations.

In conjunction with the acquisition of Legacy Hay on December 1, 2015, the Company acquired multiple pension and savings plans covering certain of its employees worldwide. Among these plans is a defined benefit pension plan for employees in the United States. The assets of this plan are held separately from the assets of the sponsors in self-administered funds. The plan is funded consistent with local statutory requirements. The Company also has benefit plans which offer medical and life insurance coverage to eligible employees and continue to provide coverage after retirement. Additionally, the Company operates a benefit plan which provides supplemental pension benefits. Supplemental defined benefit obligations are unfunded. As of January 31, 2016, the Company has accrued $44.7 million in connection with these plans of which $31.8 million is included in the non-current portion of deferred compensation and other retirement plans in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets, and $12.9 million is included in compensation and benefits payable.

The Company has an ECAP, which is intended to provide certain employees an opportunity to defer salary and/or bonus on a pre-tax basis or make an after-tax contribution. In addition, the Company, as part of its compensation philosophy, makes discretionary contributions into the ECAP and such contributions may be granted to key employees annually based upon employee performance. Certain key management may also receive Company ECAP contributions upon commencement of employment. The Company made contributions to the ECAP during the three and nine months ended January 31, 2016 of $1.2 million and $23.2 million, respectively. The Company made contributions to the ECAP during the three and nine months ended January 31, 2015 of $0.5 million and $19.1 million, respectively. As these contributions vest, the amounts are recorded as a liability in deferred compensation and other retirement plans on the accompanying balance sheet and compensation and benefits on the accompanying consolidated statement of operations. Participants generally vest in Company contributions over a four year period.

The ECAP is accounted for whereby the changes in the fair value of the vested amounts owed to the participants are adjusted with a corresponding charge (or credit) to compensation and benefits costs. During the three and nine months ended January 31, 2016, deferred compensation liability decreased; therefore, the Company recognized a decrease in compensation expense of $5.3 million and $6.2 million in the three and nine months ended January 31, 2016, respectively. Offsetting the decrease in compensation and benefits expense was a decrease in the fair value of marketable securities classified as trading (held in trust to satisfy obligations under certain deferred compensation liabilities) of $7.1 million and $8.9 million during the three and nine months ended January 31, 2016, respectively. During the three months ended January 31, 2015, the deferred compensation liability decreased; therefore, the Company recognized a decrease in compensation expense of $0.4 million. During the nine months ended January 31, 2015, the deferred compensation liability increased; therefore, the Company recognized an increase in compensation expense of $2.3 million. Offsetting these changes in compensation and benefits expense was a decrease in the fair value of marketable securities classified as trading (held in trust to satisfy obligations under certain deferred compensation liabilities), therefore, the Company recognized an increase in other (loss) income, net of $0.2 million during the three months ended January 31, 2015 (see Note 5 — Marketable Securities). During the nine months ended January 31, 2015, there was an increase in the fair value of marketable securities classified as trading (held in trust to satisfy obligations under certain deferred compensation liabilities), therefore, the Company recognized a decrease in other (loss) income, net of $4.3 million (see Note 5 — Marketable Securities).