Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits

6 Months Ended

Apr. 29, 2011

Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits

Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits

NOTE 12: PENSIONS AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS

We sponsor a number of defined benefit pension plans for certain hourly and salaried employees. The benefits for most of these plans are generally based on stated amounts for each year of service. We fund the plans in amounts consistent with the limits of allowable tax deductions.

The net periodic benefit cost of the pension benefits is as follows:

	Three Months Ended						Six Months Ended
	April 29, 2011			April 30, 2010			April 29, 2011			April 30, 2010
Service cost	$	1,113		$	811		$	2,219		$	1,645
Interest cost		3,660			3,221			7,308			6,482
Expected return on plan assets		(4,397	)		(4,065	)		(8,781	)		(8,162	)
Amortization of prior service cost		99			114			198			228
Recognized actuarial (gain)/loss		1,512			1,229			3,022			2,464
Net periodic benefit cost	$	1,987		$	1,310		$	3,966		$	2,657

The net periodic benefit cost of the post-retirement medical benefits is as follows:

	Three Months Ended						Six Months Ended
	April 29, 2011			April 30, 2010			April 29, 2011			April 30, 2010
Service cost	$	47		$	53		$	94		$	106
Interest cost		128			119			256			238
Amortization of prior service cost		(32	)		(718	)		(64	)		(1,436	)
Recognized actuarial (gain)/loss		76			657			152			1,314
Net periodic benefit cost	$	219		$	111		$	438		$	222