Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc., St. Louis, expects contributions to its $1.94 billion pension funds to total about $250 million this year, according to the company's quarterly report filed with the SEC. The company contributed $154 million in September "to enhance the funded status of the plans," the filing said. The quarterly report did not give the plans' current funding status. Anheuser-Busch's pension plans were underfunded by $640.5 million as of Dec. 31, 2003, according to the company's annual report filed with the SEC in March. The company's pension expense for the year as of Sept. 30 is $115 million.
Carlos Ramirez, Anheuser-Busch spokesman, could not comment on the current funding status of the plans by press time.