7. 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. Among these plans is a defined benefit pension plan for Hay Group 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 and the Company does not expect to make any contribution to this plan during fiscal 2017. All other defined benefit obligations from other plans are unfunded.

The components of net periodic benefit costs are as follows:


	Three Months Ended October 31,					Six Months Ended October 31,
	2016			2015		2016			2015
	(in thousands)
Service cost	$	1,579		$	—	$	2,188		$	—
Interest cost		1,061			703		2,123			1,406
Amortization of actuarial loss		763			731		1,526			1,462
Expected return on plan assets		(390	)		—		(780	)		—

Net periodic benefit costs	$	3,013		$	1,434	$	5,057		$	2,868

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 mentioned above that are unfunded. The gross CSV of these contracts of $179.2 million and $175.7 million is offset by outstanding policy loans of $68.4 million in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets as of October 31, 2016 and April 30, 2016, respectively. The CSV value of the underlying COLI investments increased by $0.7 million and $3.2 million during the three and six months ended October 31, 2016, respectively, and it is recorded as a decrease in compensation and benefits expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of income. The CSV value of the underlying COLI investments increased by $0.8 million and $3.3 million during the three and six months ended October 31, 2015, respectively, and it is recorded as a decrease in compensation and benefits expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of income.

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 management and employees may also receive Company ECAP contributions upon commencement of employment. 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 statements of income. Participants generally vest in Company contributions over a four to five 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 months ended October 31, 2016, deferred compensation liability decreased; therefore, the Company recognized a decrease in compensation expense of $0.6 million. 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 $0.7 million during the three months ended October 31, 2016, recorded in other (loss) income, net on the consolidated statements of income. During the six months ended October 31, 2016, deferred compensation liability increased; therefore, the Company recognized $2.6 million in compensation expense. Offsetting the increase in compensation and benefits expense was an increase in the fair value of marketable securities classified as trading (held in trust to satisfy obligations under certain deferred compensation liabilities) of $3.2 million during the six months ended October 31, 2016. During the three and six months ended October 31, 2015, deferred compensation liability decreased; therefore, the Company recognized a decrease in compensation expense of $1.6 million and $0.9 million, 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 $2.5 million and $1.8 million during the three and six months ended October 31, 2015, respectively, recorded in other (loss) income, net on the consolidated statements of income (see Note 6 —Financial Instruments).