Employee Benefit Plans

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2013

Defined Benefit Pension Plans and Defined Benefit Postretirement Plans Disclosure [Abstract]

Employee Benefit Plans

Employee Benefit Plans

In the periods presented, certain employees of Con-way and its subsidiaries in the U.S. were covered under several retirement benefit plans, including defined benefit pension plans, defined contribution retirement plans and a postretirement medical plan. See Note 10, “Employee Benefit Plans,” of Item 8, “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data,” in Con-way’s 2012 Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information concerning its employee benefit plans.

Defined Benefit Pension Plans

As a result of plan amendments in previous years, no additional benefits accrue under these plans and already-accrued benefits will not be adjusted for future increases in compensation. The following table summarizes the components of net periodic benefit expense for Con-way’s domestic defined benefit pension plans:

	Qualified Pension Plans
	Three Months Ended June 30,						Six Months Ended June 30,
(Dollars in thousands)	2013			2012			2013			2012
Interest cost on benefit obligation	$	17,422		$	17,582		$	35,011		$	35,084
Expected return on plan assets	(23,005		)	(21,095		)	(45,662		)	(42,206		)
Amortization of actuarial loss	4,486			4,889			9,136			9,716
Amortization of prior-service costs	417			4			835			7
Net periodic benefit expense (income)	$	(680	)	$	1,380		$	(680	)	$	2,601
	Non-Qualified Pension Plans
	Three Months Ended June 30,						Six Months Ended June 30,
(Dollars in thousands)	2013			2012			2013			2012
Interest cost on benefit obligation	$	803		$	863		$	1,607		$	1,719
Amortization of actuarial loss	280			242			559			523
Amortization of prior-service costs	2			—			3			—
Net periodic benefit expense	$	1,085		$	1,105		$	2,169		$	2,242

Con-way expects to make contributions of $55.3 million to its Qualified Pension Plans in 2013, including $31.8 million contributed through June 2013. Con-way's estimate of its 2013 contribution is subject to change based on variations in interest rates, asset returns, Pension Protection Act requirements and other factors.

Defined Contribution Retirement Plans

Con-way’s expense for defined contribution retirement plans was $13.9 million and $27.2 million in the second quarter and first six months of 2013, respectively, compared to $12.7 million and $25.6 million in the same periods of 2012.

Postretirement Medical Plan

The following table summarizes the components of net periodic benefit expense for the postretirement medical plan:

	Three Months Ended June 30,						Six Months Ended June 30,
(Dollars in thousands)	2013			2012			2013			2012
Service cost	$	313		$	417		$	742		$	840
Interest cost on benefit obligation	848			1,138			1,739			2,159
Amortization of prior-service credit	(263		)	(301		)	(526		)	(603		)
Net periodic benefit expense	$	898		$	1,254		$	1,955		$	2,396