Note 12: Retirement and Welfare Plans

Voluntary 401(k) retirement plans are offered to eligible employees within certain U.S. operating units. For most operating units, we make matching contributions based on specific formulas. We also make supplemental contributions to this plan for eligible employees based on achievement of operating performance targets.

A performance compensation retirement plan ("PCRP") is maintained for eligible highly compensated employees. The company contributions to this plan are based on achievement of performance targets. As of April 30, 2016, and April 25, 2015, we had $6.9 million and $3.9 million, respectively, of obligations for this plan included in other long-term liabilities.

We also maintain an executive deferred compensation plan for eligible highly compensated employees. An element of this plan allows contributions for eligible highly compensated employees. As of April 30, 2016, and April 25, 2015, we had $16.3 million and $15.6 million, respectively, of obligations for this plan included in other long-term liabilities. We had life insurance contracts related to this plan and the PCRP at April 30, 2016, and at April 25, 2015, with cash surrender values of $21.0 million and $17.4 million, respectively, which are included in other long-term assets. Mutual funds related to this plan are considered trading securities and are included in other current assets. At April 30, 2016, this plan had no mutual funds and at April 25, 2015, the market value of these mutual funds was $1.1 million.

We maintain a non-qualified defined benefit retirement plan for certain former salaried employees. Included in other long-term liabilities were plan obligations of $17.4 million and $17.5 million at April 30, 2016, and April 25, 2015, respectively, which represented the unfunded projected benefit obligation of this plan. During fiscal 2016, the total cost recognized for this plan was $0.9 million, which primarily related to interest cost. The actuarial loss recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss was $0.4 million and the benefit payments during the year were $1.1 million. Benefit payments are scheduled to be approximately $1.1 million annually for the next ten years. The discount rate used to determine the obligations under this plan was 3.7% as of the end of fiscal 2016. During fiscal 2015, the total cost recognized for this plan was $0.8 million, which primarily related to interest cost. The actuarial loss recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss was $1.7 million and the benefit payments during the year were $1.1 million. The discount rate used to determine the obligations under this plan was 3.9% as of the end of fiscal 2015. This plan is not funded and is excluded from the obligation charts and disclosures that follow. We hold available-for-sale marketable securities to fund future obligations of this plan in a Rabbi trust (see Notes 8 and 20). We are not required to fund the non-qualified defined benefit retirement plan in fiscal year 2017; however, we have the discretion to make contributions to the Rabbi trust.

We also maintain a defined benefit pension plan for eligible factory hourly employees at our La-Z-Boy operating unit. This plan is closed to new participants, but active participants continue to earn service credit. The measurement dates for the pension plan assets and benefit obligations were April 30, 2016, and April 25, 2015, in fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2015, respectively.

The changes in plan assets and benefit obligations were recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss as follows (pre-tax) (for the fiscal years ended):

(Amounts in thousands)	4/30/2016			4/25/2015
Beginning of year net actuarial loss	$	37,602		$	39,425
Net current year actuarial loss		2,249			836
Amortization of actuarial loss		(3,001	)		(2,659	)

End of year net actuarial loss	$	36,850		$	37,602

In fiscal 2017, we expect to amortize $3.1 million of unrecognized actuarial losses as a component of pension expense.

The combined net periodic pension cost and retirement costs for retirement plans related to continuing operations were as follows (for the fiscal years ended):

(Amounts in thousands)		4/30/2016			4/25/2015			4/26/2014
Service cost		$	1,358		$	1,114		$	1,241
Interest cost			4,938			5,070			4,822
Expected return on plan assets			(4,997	)		(5,077	)		(6,800	)
Net amortization and deferral			3,001			2,658			3,388

Net periodic pension cost (hourly plan)			4,300			3,765			2,651
401(k)*			6,657			6,270			5,802
PCRP*			3,088			1,377			2,513
Other*			318			124			223

Total retirement costs (excluding non-qualified defined benefit retirement plan)		$	14,363		$	11,536		$	11,189



*	Not determined by an actuary

The funded status of the defined benefit pension plan for eligible factory hourly employees was as follows:

(Amounts in thousands)	4/30/2016			4/25/2015
Change in benefit obligation
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	121,080		$	116,870
Service cost		1,358			1,114
Interest cost		4,938			5,070
Actuarial loss		221			3,664
Benefits paid		(10,808	)		(5,638	)
Administrative expenses		(418	)		—

Benefit obligation at end of year		116,371			121,080
Change in plan assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year		113,742			111,474
Actual return on plan assets		2,968			7,906
Employer contributions		7,000			—
Benefits paid		(10,808	)		(5,638	)
Administrative expenses		(418	)		—

Fair value of plan assets at end of year		112,484			113,742

Funded status	$	(3,887	)	$	(7,338	)

Amounts included on the consolidated balance sheet related to the defined benefit pension plan for eligible factory hourly employees consist of:

(Amounts in thousands)		4/30/2016			4/25/2015
Other long-term liabilities		$	(3,887	)	$	(7,338	)

The actuarial assumptions for the defined benefit pension plan for eligible factory hourly employees were as follows (for the fiscal years ended):

	4/30/2016			4/25/2015			4/26/2014
Discount rate used to determine benefit obligations		4.1	%		4.2	%		4.4	%
Discount rate used to determine net benefit cost		4.2	%		4.4	%		4.0	%
Long-term rate of return		4.3	%		4.7	%		4.7	%

Consistent with prior years, the discount rate is calculated by matching a pool of high quality bond payments to the plan's expected future benefit payments as determined by our actuary. The long-term rate of return was determined based on the average rate of earnings expected on the funds invested or to be invested to provide the benefits of these plans. This included considering the trust's asset allocation, investment strategy, and the expected returns likely to be earned over the life of the plans. This is based on our goal of earning the highest rate of return while maintaining acceptable levels of risk. We strive to have assets within the plan that are diversified so that unexpected or adverse results from one asset class will not have a significant negative impact on the entire portfolio.

Our investment objective is to minimize the volatility of the value of our pension assets relative to pension liabilities and to ensure assets are sufficient to pay plan benefits by matching the characteristics of our assets relative to our liabilities. At the end of fiscal 2016, approximately 90% of the plan's assets were invested in fixed rate investments with a duration that approximates the duration of its liabilities, and the remainder of the assets was invested in equity investments.

The investment strategy and policy for the pension plan reflects a balance of risk-reducing and return-seeking considerations. The objective of minimizing the volatility of assets relative to liabilities is addressed primarily through asset-liability matching and asset diversification. The fixed income target asset allocation matches the bond-like and long-dated nature of the pension liabilities. Assets are broadly diversified within all asset classes to achieve adequate risk-adjusted returns while reducing the sensitivity of the pension plan funding status to market interest rates and equity return volatility, and maintaining liquidity sufficient to meet our defined benefit pension plan obligations.

Investments are reviewed at least quarterly and rebalanced as needed. The overall expected long-term rate of return is determined by using long-term historical returns for equity and debt securities in proportion to their weight in the investment portfolio.

The following table presents the fair value of the assets in our defined benefit pension plan for eligible factory hourly employees at April 30, 2016, and April 25, 2015. The various levels of the fair value hierarchy are described in Note 20.

Fiscal 2016

(Amounts in thousands)		Level 1(a)		Level 2(a)		Level 3
Cash and equivalents		$	3,239	$	15,440	$	—
Equity funds			19,505		42		—
Debt funds			—		74,258		—

Total		$	22,744	$	89,740	$	—



(a)	There were no transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 during fiscal 2016.

Fiscal 2015

(Amounts in thousands)		Level 1(b)		Level 2(b)		Level 3
Cash and equivalents		$	149	$	3,685	$	—
Equity funds			23,120		7,702		—
Debt funds			—		79,086		—

Total		$	23,269	$	90,473	$	—



(b)	There were no transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 during fiscal 2015.

Level 1 retirement plan assets include U.S. currency held by a designated trustee and equity funds of common and preferred securities issued by U.S. and non-U.S. corporations. These equity funds are traded actively on exchanges and price quotes for these shares are readily available.

Cash and equivalents of commingled funds generally valued using observable market data are categorized as Level 2 assets. Equity funds categorized as Level 2 include common trust funds which are composed of shares or units in open ended funds with active issuances and redemptions. The value of these funds is determined based on the net asset value of the funds, the underlying assets of which are publicly traded on exchanges. Price quotes for the assets held by these funds are readily available. Debt funds categorized as Level 2 consist of corporate fixed income securities issued by U.S. and non-U.S. corporations and fixed income securities issued directly by the U.S. Treasury or by government-sponsored enterprises which are valued using a bid evaluation process with bid data provided by independent pricing sources using observable market data.

Our funding policy is to contribute to our defined benefit pension plan amounts sufficient to meet the minimum funding requirement as defined by employee benefit and tax laws, plus additional amounts which we determine to be appropriate. During fiscal 2016, we voluntarily contributed $7 million to our defined benefit pension plan, and we currently expect to voluntarily contribute approximately $2 million to our defined benefit pension plan during fiscal 2017.

The expected benefit payments by our defined benefit pension plan for eligible factory hourly employees for each of the next five fiscal years and for periods thereafter are presented in the following table:

(Amounts in thousands)	Benefit Payments
2017	$	6,311
2018		6,451
2019		6,608
2020		6,752
2021		6,874
2022 to 2026		35,659

	$	68,655