Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities

12 Months Ended

Nov. 30, 2013

Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE AND ACCRUED LIABILITIES

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities at November 30, 2013 and 2012 were as follows:



	2013		2012
Accounts payable	$	79,164	$	69,206
Accrued salaries, wages and commissions	14,908		16,884
Pension and postretirement healthcare benefits liabilities	278		21,442
Compensated absences	8,600		9,010
Accrued insurance liabilities	7,599		7,733
Customer deposits	16,081		14,207
Other accrued liabilities	30,908		33,780
	$	157,538	$	172,262

No amounts within the Other accrued liabilities amount shown above exceed 5% of total current liabilities.

Accrued pension and postretirement healthcare benefits liabilities at November 30, 2012 included $21,034 related to pension benefits payable in 2013, under our U.S. combined nonqualified pension plan, to our former Executive Chairman, who retired from the Company at the end of 2012. These amounts were paid in 2013.

Warranties are recorded as a liability on the balance sheet and as charges to current expense for estimated normal warranty costs and, if applicable, for specific performance issues known to exist on products already sold. The expenses estimated to be incurred are provided at the time of sale, or when a claim arises, and adjusted as needed, based primarily upon experience. Changes in the Company’s warranty accrual, which is included in Other accrued liabilities, for the years ended November 30, 2013, 2012 and 2011 are as follows:



	2013			2012			2011
Warranty accrual at beginning of period	$	1,533		$	2,580		$	3,499
Accruals for warranties issued during the period	844			514			622
Adjustments related to business acquisitions	—			32			—
Adjustments related to pre-existing warranties	(290		)	(691		)	(846		)
Settlements made during the period	(500		)	(850		)	(316		)
Other adjustments, including currency translation	12			(52		)	(379		)
Warranty accrual at end of period	$	1,599		$	1,533		$	2,580