EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

6 Months Ended

Apr. 30, 2012

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

13. EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

We have defined contribution plans that include a majority of our employees, under which our matching contributions are primarily discretionary. The purpose of these plans is generally to provide additional financial security during retirement by providing employees with an incentive to save throughout their employment. Our matching contributions to the plans are based on employee contributions or compensation. From April 1, 2009 to December 31, 2010, we suspended our discretionary contributions to the U.S. plan as a cost reduction measure; however, effective January 1, 2011 we reinstated our matching contributions to that plan in an amount equal to 25% of the first 6% of a participant’s annual earnings contributed, up to the maximum permitted by law. Effective January 1, 2012, we increased our matching contributions to 50% of the first 6% of a participant’s annual earnings contributed, up the maximum permitted by law. Our total contributions to all plans were approximately $231,000 and $130,000, for the six months ended April 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively.