Note 13 – Retirement Benefits

The components of periodic benefit cost for the Corporation’s defined benefit pension and postretirement benefits plans are as follows:

 

		Defined Benefit Pension Plans								Postretirement Benefits Plan
		Three Months Ended								Three Months Ended
(In thousands)		May 27, 2016				May 29, 2015				May 27, 2016				May 29, 2015
Service cost		$	186			$	159			$	86			$	125
Interest cost			1,593				1,558				528				525
Expected return on plan assets			(1,528	)			(1,668	)			(582	)			(675	)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)			1				1				(175	)			(175	)
Amortization of actuarial loss (gain)			873				848				(367	)			(300	)
		$	1,125			$	898			$	(510	)		$	(500	)

As reported in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended February 29, 2016, prior to January 1, 2016, the Corporation sponsored a discretionary profit-sharing plan with a contributory 401(k) provision covering most of its United States employees. Under this arrangement, the Corporation made separate discretionary profit sharing and 401(k) matching contributions annually, after fiscal year-end, depending on its financial results.

Effective January 1, 2016, the existing profit sharing and 401(k) retirement savings plan was replaced with a safe harbor 401(k) arrangement. Pursuant to the new arrangement, the matching contributions became non-discretionary, were increased, and are now made throughout the year, rather than on an annual basis. The increased matching contributions effectively replace the Corporation’s discretionary profit sharing contributions, which were discontinued for fiscal years ending after February 29, 2016. The 401(k) matching contributions for the three-month period ended May 27, 2016 were $5.1 million as compared to the combined expense attributable to the profit sharing and 401(k) matching contributions for the three-month period ended May 29, 2015 of $2.9 million.

At May 27, 2016, February 29, 2016 and May 29, 2015, the liability for postretirement benefits other than pensions was $18.5 million, $17.8 million and $18.5 million, respectively, and is included in “Other liabilities” on the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position. At May 27, 2016, February 29, 2016 and May 29, 2015, the long-term liability for pension benefits was $79.0 million, $80.2 million and $80.3 million, respectively, and is included in “Other liabilities” on the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position.