Defined Pension Benefit Obligations

In connection with the acquisition of CH2M on December 15, 2017, the Company preliminarily recorded estimates of CH2M’s pension plan assets and liabilities which are reflected in the amounts of $1.1 billion and ($1.2 billion), respectively. CH2M sponsors several defined benefit pension plans primarily in the U.S. and the U.K. In the U.S., CH2M has three noncontributory defined benefit pension plans. Plan benefits are generally based on years of service and compensation during the span of employment.

The following table presents the components of net periodic benefit cost recognized in earnings during the three and six months ended March 30, 2018 and March 31, 2017 (in thousands):



	Three Months Ended						Six Months Ended
	March 30, 2018			March 31, 2017			March 30, 2018			March 31, 2017
Component:
Service cost	$	1,902		$	2,184		$	4,965		$	4,400
Interest cost	11,500			8,699			27,571			17,427
Expected return on plan assets	(19,014		)	(15,527		)	(45,018		)	(31,115		)
Amortization of previously unrecognized items	2,594			3,530			5,047			7,086
Settlement loss (gain)	—			41			3,819			84
Net periodic benefit	$	(3,018	)	$	(1,073	)	$	(3,616	)	$	(2,118	)

In December 2017, the Company incurred a settlement loss of approximately $3.8 million related to its Sverdrup pension plan in the U.S.

The following table presents certain information regarding the Company’s cash contributions to our pension plans for fiscal 2018 (in thousands):



Cash contributions made during the first six months of fiscal 2018	$	11,319
Cash contributions we expect to make during the remainder of fiscal 2018	18,741
Total	$	30,060