Pension plan

The Company has a noncontributory defined benefit pension plan (the “Plan”) for which the components of net periodic pension costs during the second quarters and six months ended December 27, 2014 and December 28, 2013 were as follows:



	Second Quarters Ended						Six Months Ended
	December 27, 2014			December 28, 2013			December 27, 2014			December 28, 2013
	(Thousands)
Service cost	$	9,873		$	9,183		$	19,746		$	18,366
Interest cost	4,449			4,289			8,898			8,578
Expected return on plan assets	(9,055		)	(7,727		)	(18,110		)	(15,454		)
Recognized net actuarial loss	3,251			3,171			6,502			6,342
Amortization of prior service credit	(393		)	(393		)	(786		)	(786		)
Net periodic pension cost	$	8,125		$	8,523		$	16,250		$	17,046

The Company made contributions to the Plan of $20.0 million during the first six months of fiscal 2015. The Company expects to make an additional contribution to the Plan of $10.0 million in each of the remaining quarters of the fiscal year.

The Plan meets the definition of a defined benefit plan and as a result, the Company must apply ASC 715 pension accounting to the Plan. The Plan itself, however, is a cash balance plan that is similar in nature to a defined contribution plan in that a participant's benefit is defined in terms of a stated account balance. A cash balance plan provides the Company with the benefit of applying any excess earnings on the Plan’s investments toward the Company’s future cash funding obligations.

Amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax, to operating expenses during the first six months of fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2014 were not material and substantially all related to net periodic pension costs including recognition of actuarial losses and amortization of prior service credits.