BENEFIT PLANS

Net periodic benefit expense (income) and contributions for defined benefit pension and other postretirement benefit plans consisted of the following:



	Third Quarter Ended
	Pension Benefits						Other Postretirement Benefits
	November 29, 2014 (12 weeks)			November 30, 2013 (12 weeks)			November 29, 2014 (12 weeks)			November 30, 2013 (12 weeks)
Service cost	$	—		$	—		$	—		$	1
Interest cost	28			28			1			1
Expected return on assets	(35		)	(33		)	—			—
Amortization of prior service benefit	—			—			(4		)	(3		)
Amortization of net actuarial loss	15			23			1			1
Pension settlement charge	63			—			—			—
Net periodic benefit expense (income)	$	71		$	18		$	(2	)	$	—
Contributions to benefit plans	$	(47	)	$	(26	)	$	—		$	(1	)



	Year-To-Date Ended
	Pension Benefits						Other Postretirement Benefits
	November 29, 2014 (40 weeks)			November 30, 2013 (40 weeks)			November 29, 2014 (40 weeks)			November 30, 2013 (40 weeks)
Service cost	$	—		$	—		$	—		$	2
Interest cost	94			93			3			3
Expected return on assets	(118		)	(109		)	—			—
Amortization of prior service benefit	—			—			(12		)	(10		)
Amortization of net actuarial loss	49			78			3			4
Pension settlement charge	63			—			—			—
Net periodic benefit expense (income)	$	88		$	62		$	(6	)	$	(1	)
Contributions to benefit plans	$	(114	)	$	(118	)	$	(1	)	$	(4	)

Multiemployer Pension Plans

During the year-to-date periods ended November 29, 2014 and November 30, 2013, the Company contributed $29 and $28, respectively, to various multiemployer pension plans, primarily defined benefit pension plans, under collective bargaining agreements.

Lump Sum Pension Settlement

During the third quarter of fiscal 2015, the Company made lump sum settlement payments to certain deferred vested pension plan participants under a lump sum payment option window. The payments were equal to the present value of the participant’s pension benefits, and were made to certain former employees who were deferred vested participants in the SUPERVALU INC. Retirement Plan (the “SUPERVALU Retirement Plan”), who had not yet begun receiving monthly pension benefit payments and who elected to participate in the lump sum payment option window. In fiscal 2015 year-to-date, the SUPERVALU Retirement Plan made lump sum settlement payments of approximately $267. The lump sum settlement payments resulted in a non-cash pension settlement charge of $63 from the acceleration of a portion of the accumulated unrecognized actuarial loss. As a result of the lump sum settlements, the SUPERVALU Retirement Plan assets and liabilities were re-measured at November 29, 2014 using a discount rate of 4.1 percent, an expected rate of return on plan assets of 6.5 percent and the RP-2014 Generational Mortality Table. The re-measurement resulted in an increase to accumulated other comprehensive loss of $200 pre-tax ($141 after-tax) and a corresponding decrease to the SUPERVALU Retirement Plan's funded status.

Pension Contributions

In August 2014, the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014, which included an extension of pension funding interest rate relief, was signed into law. The Highway and Transportation Funding Act includes a provision for interest rate stabilization for defined benefit employee pension plans. As a result of this stabilization provision, the Company expects its required pension contributions to the SUPERVALU Retirement Plan to decrease significantly for the next several years. The Company anticipates fiscal 2015 contributions to pension and other postretirement benefit plans, including excess contributions under the amended term sheet with AB Acquisition LLC (“AB Acquisition”) and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (the “PBGC”), will be approximately $120 to $125.