H - Derivative Financial Instruments

12 Months Ended

Aug. 25, 2012

H - Derivative Financial Instruments

Note H – Derivative Financial Instruments

The Company periodically uses derivatives to hedge exposures to interest rates. The Company does not hold or issue financial instruments for trading purposes. For transactions that meet the hedge accounting criteria, the Company formally designates and documents the instrument as a hedge at inception and quarterly thereafter assesses the hedges to ensure they are effective in offsetting changes in the cash flows of the underlying exposures. Derivatives are recorded in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet at fair value, determined using available market information or other appropriate valuation methodologies. In accordance with ASC Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, the effective portion of a financial instrument’s change in fair value is recorded in Accumulated other comprehensive loss for derivatives that qualify as cash flow hedges and any ineffective portion of an instrument’s change in fair value is recognized in earnings.

During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012, the Company entered into two treasury rate locks, each with a notional amount of $100 million. These agreements, which are set to expire on November 1, 2012, are cash flow hedges used to hedge the exposure to variability in future cash flows resulting from changes in variable interest rates relating to an anticipated debt transaction. The fixed rates of the hedges are 2.07% and 1.92% and are benchmarked based on the 10-year U.S. treasury notes. It is expected that upon settlement of these agreements, the realized gain or loss will be deferred in Accumulated other comprehensive loss and reclassified to Interest expense over the life of the underlying debt. As of August 25, 2012, no ineffectiveness was recognized in earnings.

During the third quarter of fiscal 2012, the Company entered into two treasury rate locks. These agreements were designated as cash flow hedges and were used to hedge the exposure to variability in future cash flows resulting from changes in variable interest rates related to the $500 million Senior Note debt issuance in April 2012. The treasury rate locks had notional amounts of $300 million and $100 million with associated fixed rates of 2.09% and 2.07% respectively. The locks were benchmarked based on the 10-year U.S. treasury notes. These locks expired on April 20, 2012 and resulted in a loss of $2.8 million, which has been deferred in Accumulated other comprehensive loss and will be reclassified to Interest expense over the life of the underlying debt. The hedges remained highly effective until they expired, and no ineffectiveness was recognized in earnings.

During the first quarter of fiscal 2011, the Company was party to three forward starting swaps, of which two were entered into during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 and one was entered into during the first quarter of fiscal 2011. These agreements were designated as cash flow hedges and were used to hedge the exposure to variability in future cash flows resulting from changes in variable interest rates related to the $500 million Senior Note debt issuance during the first quarter of fiscal 2011. The swaps had notional amounts of $150 million, $150 million and $100 million with associated fixed rates of 3.15%, 3.13%, and 2.57%, respectively. The swaps were benchmarked based on the 3-month London InterBank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”). These swaps expired in November 2010 and resulted in a loss of $11.7 million, which has been deferred in Accumulated other comprehensive loss and will be reclassified to Interest expense over the life of the underlying debt. The hedges remained highly effective until they expired, and no ineffectiveness was recognized in earnings.

At August 25, 2012, the Company had $8.0 million recorded in Accumulated other comprehensive loss related to net realized losses associated with terminated interest rate swap and treasury rate lock derivatives which were designated as hedging instruments. Net losses are amortized into Interest expense over the remaining life of the associated debt. During the fiscal year ended August 25, 2012, the Company reclassified $1.9 million of net losses from Accumulated other comprehensive loss to Interest expense. In the fiscal year ended August 27, 2011, the Company reclassified $1.4 million of net losses from Accumulated other comprehensive loss to Interest expense. The Company expects to reclassify $904 thousand of net losses from Accumulated other comprehensive loss to Interest expense over the next 12 months.