v3.26.1
PENSION, POSTRETIREMENT AND POSTEMPLOYMENT DEFINED BENEFIT PLANS
 9 Months Ended
Jun. 28, 2026
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
PENSION, POSTRETIREMENT AND POSTEMPLOYMENT DEFINED BENEFIT PLANS PENSION, POSTRETIREMENT AND POSTEMPLOYMENT DEFINED BENEFIT PLANS
We are the sponsor of one single-employer defined benefit pension plan, the Lee Enterprises, Incorporated Pension Plan ("the Plan"). As previously announced to participants on October 22, 2025, we are executing a strategic termination of our fully funded defined benefit pension Plan, eliminating the long-term volatility tied to interest rate movement, mortality assumptions and asset performance, while preserving participant benefits and improving balance sheet flexibility. We established December 31, 2025 as the termination date of the Plan and have submitted a request for a determination of the Plan's qualified status to the United States Internal Revenue Service. The termination process is ongoing, and we expect to complete it, including the settlement and distribution of Plan assets, in fiscal year 2027.
Additionally, we provide retiree medical and life insurance benefits under postretirement plans at several of our operating locations. In the three months ended June 28, 2026, we irrevocably transferred certain postretirement life insurance obligations under our Postretirement Plans to a third-party insurer. The transaction qualified as a settlement under ASC 715, Compensation—Retirement Benefits and we recognized a settlement gain of approximately $2.3 million, which includes the recognition of the applicable portion of previously deferred actuarial gains associated with the settled obligations. The settlement gain is recorded on a separate line in the Consolidated Statement of Income (Loss).
Through June 28, 2026, our liability and related expense for benefits under the plans are recorded over the service period of employees based upon annual actuarial calculations.
The net periodic pension and postretirement cost (benefit) components for our plans are as follows:
PENSION PLANThree months ended Nine months ended
(Thousands of Dollars)June 28,
2026		June 29,
2025		June 28,
2026		June 29,
2025
Service cost for benefits earned during the period113 3 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation1,9772,0345,931 6,103 
Expected return on plan assets(2,467)(2,319)(7,400)(6,956)
Amortization of prior service benefit212212636 636 
Net periodic pension benefit(277)(72)(830)(214)
POSTRETIREMENT MEDICAL PLANSThree months ended Nine months ended
(Thousands of Dollars)June 28,
2026		June 29,
2025		June 28,
2026		June 29,
2025
Service cost for benefits earned during the period— 1 — 2 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation83 108 250 325 
Expected return on plan assets(391)(410)(1,174)(1,231)
Amortization of net gain(245)(292)(733)(876)
Amortization of prior service benefit(71)(71)(214)(214)
Settlement gain(2,330)— (2,330)— 
Net periodic postretirement benefit(2,954)(664)(4,201)(1,994)
In the nine months ended June 28, 2026 and June 29, 2025, we made no contributions to our pension plans. We have no required contributions to our pension plans for 2026.
Multi-employer Pension Plans
In prior periods, we completed withdrawals from several multi-employer plans. As of June 28, 2026 and September 28, 2025, we had $21.4 million and $22.4 million of accrued withdrawal liabilities. The liabilities reflect the estimated value of payments to the funds, payable over 20 years.