[yummyfajitas]

According to Armstrong, Obamacare forced them to increase benefits for employees in healthcare. So reducing retirement benefits commensurately seems like a reasonable way to make sure comp stays the same.

This is exactly what you should expect when you mandate employers provide a benefit to employees - they will cut something else to make up the difference. Employees who liked the other thing more are screwed.

A single good quarter is NOT a reason to increase employee comp. Maybe a bonus (note: AOL has bonuses which are based mainly on profit sharing, not individual performance), but not a permanent comp increase.