v2.3.0.11

Pension and Other Post-Retirement Benefit Plans | 6 Months Ended
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Jul. 30, 2011
Pension and Other Post Retirement Benefit Plans Disclosure [Abstract] |
Pension and Other Post-Retirement Benefit Plans | Pension and Other Post-Retirement Benefit Plans In connection with the acquisition of Corporate Express, Staples assumed the obligations under the defined benefit pension plans Corporate Express sponsored. The pension plans cover certain employees in Europe and the United States. The benefits due to U.S. plan participants are frozen. A number of the defined benefit plans outside the U.S. are funded with plan assets that have been segregated in trusts. Contributions are made to these trusts, as necessary, to meet legal and other requirements. In August 2010, the Company began sponsoring an unfunded post-retirement life insurance benefit plan, which provides benefits to eligible U.S. executives based on earnings, years of service and age at termination of employment. The total net cost recognized for the second quarter and first half of 2011 and 2010 associated with the pension and other post-retirement benefit plans is based upon preliminary estimates pending the final actuarial determination of such costs for fiscal 2011 and 2010. The following table presents a summary of the total net periodic cost recorded in the condensed consolidated statement of income for the second quarter and first half of 2011 and 2010 related to the plans (in thousands):
| 13 Weeks Ended July 30, 2011
| Pension Plans |  | Post-Retirement Benefit Plan Total
| U.S. Plans |  | International Plans |  | Total |
Service cost | $ | — |  |  | $ | 2,404 |  |  | $ | 2,404 |  |  | $ | 443 |
Interest cost | 466 |  |  | 10,179 |  |  | 10,645 |  |  | 372 |
Expected return on plan assets | (422 | ) |  | (13,923 | ) |  | (14,345 | ) |  | — |
Amortization of unrecognized losses and prior service costs | — |  |  | 352 |  |  | 352 |  |  | 431 |
Total cost (benefit) | $ | 44 |  |  | $ | (988 | ) |  | $ | (944 | ) |  | $ | 1,246 |
| 13 Weeks Ended July 31, 2010
| Pension Plans
| U.S. Plans |  | International Plans |  | Total
Service cost | $ | — |  |  | $ | 2,172 |  |  | $ | 2,172 |
Interest cost | 463 |  |  | 9,045 |  |  | 9,508 |
Expected return on plan assets | (435 | ) |  | (15,174 | ) |  | (15,609 | )
Amortization of unrecognized losses and prior service costs | — |  |  | 967 |  |  | 967 |
Total cost (benefit) | $ | 28 |  |  | $ | (2,990 | ) |  | $ | (2,962 | )
| 26 Weeks Ended July 30, 2011
| Pension Plans |  | Post-Retirement Benefit Plan Total
| U.S. Plans |  | International Plans |  | Total |
Service cost | $ | — |  |  | $ | 4,807 |  |  | $ | 4,807 |  |  | $ | 897 |
Interest cost | 932 |  |  | 20,358 |  |  | 21,290 |  |  | 752 |
Expected return on plan assets | (844 | ) |  | (27,846 | ) |  | (28,690 | ) |  | — |
Amortization of unrecognized losses and prior service costs | — |  |  | 704 |  |  | 704 |  |  | 872 |
Total cost (benefit) | $ | 88 |  |  | $ | (1,977 | ) |  | $ | (1,889 | ) |  | $ | 2,521 |
| 26 Weeks Ended July 31, 2010
| Pension Plans
| U.S. Plans |  | International Plans |  | Total
Service cost | $ | — |  |  | $ | 4,344 |  |  | $ | 4,344 |
Interest cost | 926 |  |  | 18,090 |  |  | 19,016 |
Expected return on plan assets | (870 | ) |  | (30,348 | ) |  | (31,218 | )
Amortization of unrecognized losses and prior service costs | — |  |  | 1,934 |  |  | 1,934 |
Total cost (benefit) | $ | 56 |  |  | $ | (5,980 | ) |  | $ | (5,924 | )
Cash contributions made to the pension plans during the second quarter and first half of 2011 and 2010 are as follows (in thousands):
| 13 Weeks Ended | 26 Weeks Ended
| July 30, 2011 |  | July 31, 2010 |  | July 30, 2011 |  | July 31, 2010
U.S. Pension Plans | $ | 194 |  |  | $ | 224 |  |  | $ | 388 |  |  | $ | 524 |
International Pension Plans | 2,065 |  |  | 3,225 |  |  | 3,970 |  |  | 5,179 |
Total | $ | 2,259 |  |  | $ | 3,449 |  |  | $ | 4,358 |  |  | $ | 5,703 |
The Company expects to make additional cash contributions of $0.4 million and $8.9 million to the U.S. Pension Plans and International Pension Plans, respectively, during the remainder of fiscal 2011. No cash contributions are expected to be made during 2011 to the Company’s other post-retirement benefit plans.

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