Pension and Profit Sharing Plans

9 Months Ended

May 31, 2013

Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]

Pension and Profit Sharing Plans

Pension and Profit Sharing Plans

The Company has several pension plans, both qualified and non-qualified, covering certain hourly and salaried employees. Benefits paid under these plans are based generally on employees’ years of service and/or compensation during the final years of employment. Plan assets are invested primarily in equity and fixed income securities.

Net periodic pension cost for the Company’s defined benefit pension plans during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2013 and 2012 included the following components before tax:

	Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	May 31, 2013			May 31, 2012			May 31, 2013			May 31, 2012
Service cost	$	0.9		$	0.7		$	2.6		$	2.1
Interest cost	2.0			2.1			6.0			6.4
Expected return on plan assets	(2.2		)	(2.0		)	(6.5		)	(6.2		)
Amortization of prior service cost	0.2			—			0.5			0.1
Recognized actuarial loss	1.6			1.0			4.7			3.0
Net periodic pension cost	$	2.5		$	1.8		$	7.3		$	5.4

On October 23, 2012, the Board of Directors of the Company, following a competitive assessment of executive retirement benefits and with an objective to ensure such company benefits were sufficient to retain and attract executive talent, approved certain amendments to the Acuity Brands, Inc. 2002 Supplemental Retirement Plan (“2002 SERP”). The amendments to the 2002 SERP increased participant benefits requiring the recognition of an additional pre-tax pension liability of $5.5 included in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The amendments are estimated to increase fiscal 2013 pension expense by $1.1.