Employee and Retiree Benefits (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Nov. 25, 2017

Schedule of Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet [Table Text Block]

Deferred compensation liabilities are as follows:



(In thousands)	November 25, 2017			August 26, 2017
Non-qualified deferred compensation	$	16,093		$	16,476
Executive share option plan liability	1,540			1,498
SERP benefit liability	2,549			2,534
Executive deferred compensation	470			447
Officer stock-based compensation	2,937			1,664
Total deferred compensation	23,589			22,619
Less current portion	(4,195		)	(3,349		)
Long-term deferred compensation	$	19,394		$	19,270

Schedule of Postretirement Plan Amendments [Table Text Block]

As a result of these amendments, our liability for postretirement health care was reduced as presented in the following table.



Date	Event	Dollar Cap Reduction	Liability Reduction (In thousands)	Amortization Period⁽¹⁾
January 2016	Reduced employer dollar caps for retirees under age 65; discontinued retiree benefits for retirees age 65 and over	10%	28,596	6.9	years
January 2017 ⁽²⁾	Terminated plan		6,338	0.2	years

⁽¹⁾ Plan amendments were amortized on a straight-line basis over the expected remaining service period of active plan participants.

⁽²⁾ In accordance with ASC 715, the effects of the plan amendment are accounted for at the date the amendment is adopted and has been communicated to plan participants. The effective date for this plan amendment was October 26, 2016.

Schedule of Net Benefit Costs [Table Text Block]

Net periodic postretirement benefit income consisted of the following components:



	Three Months Ended
(In thousands)	November 25, 2017		November 26, 2016
Interest cost	$	—	$	29
Service cost	—		16
Amortization of prior service benefit	—		(20,772		)
Amortization of net actuarial loss	—		7,959
Net periodic postretirement benefit income	$	—	$	(12,768	)

Payments for postretirement health care	$	—	$	53