Boeing Co., Chicago, could make additional discretionary contributions to its pension plan in the fourth quarter, the company reported in an SEC filing. Boeing didn't indicate how much it would contribute. The company made $3.6 billion in discretionary pension fund contributions in the first nine months of the year, including $1.6 billion in the third quarter, it made and $13 million in non-discretionary contributions during the nine months. Boeing reported $214 million in pension expense year-to-date Sept. 30, compared with $140 million for the same period in 2003. The filing attributed the increase to "negative pension assets returns in 2001 and 2002, the impact of which is amortized."
Boeing had $33.2 billion in assets and $39.9 billion in liabilities as of Sept. 30, 2003, the latest data available, according to its annual report.
