13. Benefit Plans

In February 2009, the Company announced its decision to discontinue future benefits being earned under its non-contributory defined benefit pension plan (“Pension Plan”) and Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (“SERP”) effective May 1, 2009. Additionally, as of January 2011, the Company’s postretirement medical plan is completely self-funded. The Company continues to sponsor a separate executive postretirement medical plan.

The components of net pension expense for the Pension Plan for the thirteen and twenty-six weeks ended July 30, 2011 and July 31, 2010 are as follows:


	Thirteen Weeks Ended						Twenty-Six Weeks Ended
	July 30,			July 31,			July 30,			July 31,
	2011			2010			2011			2010
	(In thousands)
Interest expense on projected benefit obligation	$	2,478		$	2,371		$	4,941		$	4,678
Expected return on plan assets		(2,441	)		(2,394	)		(4,884	)		(4,800	)
Net amortization and deferral		208			139			417			244

Net pension expense	$	245		$	116		$	474		$	122

The components of net SERP expense for the thirteen and twenty-six weeks ended July 30, 2011 and July 31, 2010 are as follows:


	Thirteen Weeks Ended				Twenty-Six Weeks Ended
	July 30,		July 31,		July 30,		July 31,
	2011		2010		2011		2010
	(In thousands)
Interest expense on projected benefit obligation	$	279	$	288	$	556	$	554
Net amortization and deferral		27		20		53		27

Net SERP expense	$	306	$	308	$	609	$	581

The components of net postretirement medical expense (credit) for the thirteen and twenty-six weeks ended July 30, 2011 and July 31, 2010 are as follows:


	Thirteen Weeks Ended					Twenty-Six Weeks Ended
	July 30,		July 31,			July 30,		July 31,
	2011		2010			2011		2010
	(In thousands)
Interest expense on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation	$	15	$	17		$	30	$	35
Prior service cost amortization		—		(380	)		—		(760	)
Net amortization and deferral		51		130			102		261

Net postretirement medical expense (credit)	$	66	$	(233	)	$	132	$	(464	)

The Company was required to make contributions to the Pension Plan of $1.9 million and $1.0 million during the thirteen weeks ended July 30, 2011 and July 31, 2010, respectively, and $3.8 million and $2.0 million during the twenty-six weeks ended July 30, 2011 and July 31, 2010, respectively. The Company expects to make required contributions of $7.9 million to the Pension Plan during the remainder of 2011. The Company did not make any voluntary contributions to the Pension Plan during the thirteen or twenty-six weeks ended July 30, 2011 and July 31, 2010.