Postretirement and Other Employee Benefits (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Feb. 28, 2013

Net Periodic Benefit Cost for Pension Plans

The following table provides information about net periodic benefit cost for the pension plans during the three months and six months ended February 28, 2013 and February 29, 2012 (in thousands):

	Three months ended						Six months ended
	February 28, 2013			February 29, 2012			February 28, 2013			February 29, 2012
Service cost	$	510		$	373		$	1,026		$	690
Interest cost		1,913			1,968			3,838			3,623
Expected long-term return on plan assets		(1,727	)		(1,635	)		(3,469	)		(2,874	)
Amortization of prior service cost		(7	)		(7	)		(13	)		(14	)
Recognized actuarial loss		686			301			1,367			605
Net periodic benefit cost	$	1,375		$	1,000		$	2,749		$	2,030