Benefit Plans

6 Months Ended

Feb. 28, 2023

Benefit Plans

We have various pension and other defined benefit and defined contribution plans, in which substantially all employees may participate. We also have nonqualified supplemental executive and Board of Directors retirement plans.

Components of net periodic benefit costs for the three and six months ended February 28, 2023 and 2022, are as follows:


	Three Months Ended February 28,
	Qualified Pension Benefits				Nonqualified Pension Benefits				Other Benefits
	2023		2022		2023		2022		2023		2022
Components of net periodic benefit costs:	(Dollars in thousands)
Service cost	$	9,645	$	11,569	$	460	$	232	$	168	$	249
Interest cost	7,647		4,292		185		70		259		126
Expected return on assets	(10,782)		(10,990)		—		—		—		—
Prior service cost (credit) amortization	37		44		(29)		(29)		(111)		(111)
Actuarial loss (gain) amortization	468		5,852		61		120		(404)		(315)

Net periodic benefit cost (benefit)	$	7,015	$	10,767	$	677	$	393	$	(88)	$	(51)

	Six Months Ended February 28,
	Qualified Pension Benefits				Nonqualified Pension Benefits				Other Benefits
	2023		2022		2023		2022		2023		2022
Components of net periodic benefit costs:	(Dollars in thousands)
Service cost	$	19,290	$	23,138	$	920	$	463	$	335	$	498
Interest cost	15,294		8,584		371		141		518		252
Expected return on assets	(21,565)		(21,979)		—		—		—		—
Prior service cost (credit) amortization	75		87		(57)		(57)		(223)		(223)
Actuarial loss (gain) amortization	936		11,703		123		239		(808)		(630)

Net periodic benefit cost (benefit)	$	14,030	$	21,533	$	1,357	$	786	$	(178)	$	(103)

Employer Contributions

Contributions depend primarily on market returns on the pension plan assets and minimum funding level requirements. No contributions were made to the pension plans during the six months ended February 28, 2023, and we do not currently anticipate being required to make contributions for our pension plans in fiscal 2023, although we may voluntarily elect to do so.