PENSION PLANS AND OTHER POST EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

During the period January 1 through August 31, 2017, the company made contributions of $2,900 million to its principal U.S. pension plan funded through a debt offering in May of 2017; short-term borrowings, including commercial paper issuance; and cash. The company made a discretionary contribution of $1,100 million in the third quarter of 2018 to its principal U.S. pension plan and increased its total 2018 estimated pension contributions to approximately $1,300 million, of which $1,266 million had been contributed through September 30, 2018.

The following sets forth the components of the company's net periodic benefit (credit) cost for defined benefit pension plans and other post employment benefits:



	Successor						Predecessor
(In millions)	Three Months Ended September 30, 2018			For the Period September 1 - September 30, 2017			For the Period July 1 - August 31, 2017
Defined Benefit Pension Plans:
Service cost	$	32		$	12		$	25
Interest cost	186			62			132
Expected return on plan assets	(299		)	(102		)	(207		)
Amortization of unrecognized loss	—			—			127
Amortization of prior service benefit	—			—			(1		)
Curtailment/settlement loss	2			—			—
Net periodic benefit (credit) cost - Total	$	(79	)	$	(28	)	$	76
Less: Discontinued operations	—			—			1
Net periodic benefit (credit) cost - Continuing operations	$	(79	)	$	(28	)	$	75
Other Post Employment Benefits:
Service cost	$	3		$	1		$	2
Interest cost	20			6			15
Amortization of unrecognized loss	—			—			15
Amortization of prior service benefit	—			—			(11		)
Net periodic benefit cost - Continuing operations	$	23		$	7		$	21



	Successor						Predecessor
(In millions)	Nine Months Ended September 30, 2018			For the Period September 1 - September 30, 2017			For the Period January 1 - August 31, 2017
Defined Benefit Pension Plans:
Service cost	$	99		$	12		$	92
Interest cost	565			62			524
Expected return on plan assets	(903		)	(102		)	(824		)
Amortization of unrecognized (gain) loss	(1		)	—			506
Amortization of prior service benefit	—			—			(3		)
Curtailment/settlement gain	(2		)	—			—
Net periodic benefit (credit) cost - Total	$	(242	)	$	(28	)	$	295
Less: Discontinued operations	—			—			3
Net periodic benefit (credit) cost - Continuing operations	$	(242	)	$	(28	)	$	292
Other Post Employment Benefits:
Service cost	$	7		$	1		$	6
Interest cost	63			6			60
Amortization of unrecognized loss	—			—			61
Amortization of prior service benefit	—			—			(46		)
Net periodic benefit cost - Continuing operations	$	70		$	7		$	81

In accordance with adopted ASU No. 2017-07, service costs are included in cost of goods sold, research and development expense and selling, general and administrative expenses in the interim Consolidated Statements of Operations. Non-service related components of net periodic benefit (credit) cost are included in sundry income (expense) - net in the interim Consolidated Statements of Operations. See Notes 1, 2 and 8 for additional information.