Note 9 - Retirement Benefits

12 Months Ended

Dec. 30, 2012

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Disclosure [Text Block]

9. Retirement Benefits

The Company provides a qualified defined contribution plan covering substantially all U.S.-based full-time employees, except officers and certain other management employees.  Upon approval by the Board of Directors, a discretionary contribution based on eligible wages may be funded annually.  The plan also offers a savings feature with Company matching contributions.  Company matching contributions were suspended as of October, 2009, and were reinstated effective January 2011.  Assets of this plan are held by an independent trustee for the sole benefit of participating employees.

A nonqualified deferred compensation plan is provided for officers and certain other management employees.  Upon approval by the Board of Directors, a discretionary contribution based on eligible wages may be made annually.  This plan also includes provisions for salary deferrals and Company matching contributions.  Company matching contributions were suspended as of February, 2009 and were reinstated effective January 2011.

The liability for the nonqualified plan was $110.6 million and $91.7 million as of year-end 2012 and 2011, respectively, and is included in current accrued payroll and related taxes and noncurrent accrued retirement benefits.  The cost of participants’ earnings on this liability, which were included in SG&A expenses, were earnings of $10.2 million in 2012, losses of $0.9 million in 2011 and earnings of $9.0 million in 2010.  In connection with the administration of this plan, the Company has purchased company-owned variable universal life insurance policies insuring the lives of certain officers and key employees.  The cash surrender value of these policies, which is based primarily on investments in mutual funds and can only be used for payment of the Company’s obligations related to the non-qualified deferred compensation plan noted above, was $106.3 million and $88.2 million at year-end 2012 and 2011, respectively.  The cash surrender value of these insurance policies are included in other assets and are restricted for the specific use of funding this plan.  Earnings on these assets, which were included in SG&A expenses, were $10.3 million in 2012, losses of $1.8 million in 2011 and earnings of $10.1 million in 2010.

The net expense for retirement benefits for both the qualified and nonqualified deferred compensation plans, including Company matching and discretionary contributions, totaled $9.7 million in 2012, $9.9 million in 2011 and $0.6 million in 2010.

In addition, the Company also has several defined benefit pension plans in locations outside of the United States.  The total projected benefit obligation, assets and unfunded liability for these plans as of year-end 2012 were $14.2 million, $8.2 million and $6.0 million, respectively.  The total projected benefit obligation, assets and unfunded liability for these plans as of year-end 2011 were $12.8 million, $7.0 million and $5.8 million, respectively.  Total pension expense for these plans was $1.1 million, $0.9 million and $0.8 million in 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.  Pension contributions and the amount of accumulated other comprehensive income expected to be recognized in 2013 are not significant.