Employee Benefit Plans

9 Months Ended

Oct. 31, 2014

Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]

Compensation and Employee Benefit Plans [Text Block]

12. EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

The Company maintains several pension and retirement plans, and also provides certain health-care and life insurance benefits.

Net periodic pension and other postretirement benefit expense included the following components:

	Three Months Ended October 31,
	Pension Benefits						Other Postretirement Benefits
(in thousands)	2014			2013			2014			2013
Net Periodic Benefit Cost:
Service cost	$	4,226		$	4,783		$	581		$	698
Interest cost	7,064			6,752			662			691
Expected return on plan assets	(5,909		)	(5,560		)	—			—
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	69			243			(168		)	(165		)
Amortization of net loss	3,281			4,753			5			53
Net expense	$	8,731		$	10,971		$	1,080		$	1,277

	Nine Months Ended October 31,
	Pension Benefits						Other Postretirement Benefits
(in thousands)	2014			2013			2014			2013
Net Periodic Benefit Cost:
Service cost	$	12,707		$	14,360		$	1,745		$	2,094
Interest cost	21,195			20,256			1,985			2,072
Expected return on plan assets	(17,727		)	(16,680		)	—			—
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	206			729			(505		)	(495		)
Amortization of net loss	9,845			14,258			15			159
Net expense	$	26,226		$	32,923		$	3,240		$	3,830

Employer Contributions. The Company disclosed in its financial statements for the year ended January 31, 2014, that it expected to contribute $30,000,000 in 2014 to its noncontributory defined benefit pension plan qualified in accordance with the IRS Code (“Qualified Plan”). However, under IRS guidelines, the Company is not required to make a minimum cash contribution in 2014 to the Qualified Plan. As such, the Company is currently evaluating whether to make a discretionary contribution in 2014.