PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT PLANS

The Company provides various retirement benefits, including defined benefit plans and postretirement healthcare plans covering certain current and retired employees in the U.S. and abroad. Components of net periodic benefit cost (income) and Company contributions for these plans were as follows:



	Quarter Ended						Nine Months Ended
	August 31, 2013			September 1, 2012			August 31, 2013			September 1, 2012
Pension Benefits:
Components of net periodic benefit cost (income):
Service cost	$	622		$	529		$	1,865		$	1,589
Interest cost	1,727			1,978			5,183			5,937
Expected return on plan assets	(2,694		)	(2,103		)	(8,086		)	(6,311		)
Settlement cost	3,111			—			3,111			—
Amortization of unrecognized:
Prior service cost	(3		)	(2		)	(8		)	(8		)
Net actuarial loss (gain)	1,516			1,909			4,547			5,727
Net periodic benefit cost (income)	$	4,279		$	2,311		$	6,612		$	6,934

Cash contributions	$	7,709		$	5,369		$	24,216		$	20,297

Postretirement Healthcare Benefits:
Components of net periodic benefit cost (income):
Interest cost	$	2		$	4		$	6		$	12
Amortization of unrecognized:
Prior service cost	(31		)	(31		)	(93		)	(93		)
Net actuarial loss (gain)	(37		)	(30		)	(111		)	(90		)
Net periodic benefit cost (income)	$	(66	)	$	(57	)	$	(198	)	$	(171	)

Cash contributions	$	18		$	25		$	54		$	75

During the three and nine months ended August 31, 2013, the Company recorded a settlement cost of $3,111 related to the scheduled payment of pension benefits payable under our U.S. combined nonqualified pension plan to our former Executive Chairman, who retired from the Company at the end of 2012.

The Company’s policy is to contribute to its qualified U.S. and non-U.S. pension plans at least the minimum amount required by applicable laws and regulations, to contribute to the U.S. combined nonqualified plans when required for benefit payments, and to contribute to the postretirement healthcare benefit plan an amount equal to the benefit payments. The Company, from time to time, makes voluntary contributions in excess of the minimum amount required as economic conditions warrant. The Company expects to contribute up to the following amounts to its various plans to pay benefits during 2013:



U.S. Qualified Plans	$	2,837
U.S. Combined Nonqualified Plans	21,335
Non-U.S. Plan	340
Postretirement Healthcare Benefit Plan	70
Total expected contributions	$	24,582

During the three and nine months ended August 31, 2013, the Company contributed $7,727 and $24,270, respectively, to its various plans. In addition to the plan assets related to its qualified plans, the Company has also funded $1,024 and $1,070 at August 31, 2013 and December 1, 2012, respectively, into a restricted trust for its U.S. combined nonqualified plans (see Note 6). This trust is included in Other noncurrent assets in the Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets.