| Benefit plans |
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 months ended February 28, 2026 and 2025, are as follows: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Three Months Ended February 28, | | Qualified
Pension Benefits | | Nonqualified
Pension Benefits | | Other Benefits | | | 2026 | | 2025 | | 2026 | | 2025 | | 2026 | | 2025 | | Components of net periodic benefit costs: | (Dollars in thousands) | | Service cost | $ | 11,348 | | | $ | 10,932 | | | $ | 831 | | | $ | 757 | | | $ | 210 | | | $ | 211 | | | Interest cost | 9,027 | | | 8,725 | | | 335 | | | 289 | | | 281 | | | 285 | | | Expected return on assets | (12,579) | | | (11,744) | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | Prior service (credit) cost amortization | (149) | | | 50 | | | (8) | | | (12) | | | (111) | | | (111) | | | Actuarial loss (gain) amortization | 4,125 | | | 3,204 | | | 246 | | | 200 | | | (299) | | | (309) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Net periodic benefit cost | $ | 11,772 | | | $ | 11,167 | | | $ | 1,404 | | | $ | 1,234 | | | $ | 81 | | | $ | 76 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Six Months Ended February 28, | | Qualified
Pension Benefits | | Nonqualified
Pension Benefits | | Other Benefits | | | 2026 | | 2025 | | 2026 | | 2025 | | 2026 | | 2025 | | Components of net periodic benefit costs: | (Dollars in thousands) | | Service cost | $ | 22,695 | | | $ | 21,864 | | | $ | 1,663 | | | $ | 1,514 | | | $ | 420 | | | $ | 422 | | | Interest cost | 18,053 | | | 17,449 | | | 670 | | | 577 | | | 563 | | | 570 | | | Expected return on assets | (25,158) | | | (23,488) | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | Prior service (credit) cost amortization | (298) | | | 100 | | | (15) | | | (24) | | | (223) | | | (223) | | | Actuarial loss (gain) amortization | 8,249 | | | 6,408 | | | 491 | | | 400 | | | (599) | | | (617) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Net periodic benefit cost | $ | 23,541 | | | $ | 22,333 | | | $ | 2,809 | | | $ | 2,467 | | | $ | 161 | | | $ | 152 | |
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, 2026, and we do not anticipate being required to make contributions to our pension plans in fiscal 2026, although we may voluntarily elect to do so.
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