Consolidated Statements Of Income And Comprehensive Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Sales and other operating revenues		$ 456,942	$ 456,382	$ 752,417	$ 731,801
Costs and Expenses
Cost of goods sold		369,098	358,288	612,376	585,318
Selling, general and administrative expenses		40,834	60,810	101,033	112,106
Restructuring and impairment costs	[1]	3,682	0	3,682	2,389
Operating income		43,328	37,284	35,326	31,988
Equity in pretax earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	[2]	1,260	846	1,130	230
Interest income		271	205	634	444
Interest expense		4,335	3,912	8,389	7,796
Income before income taxes		40,524	34,423	28,701	24,866
Income tax expense		14,026	9,359	9,707	5,927
Net income		26,498	25,064	18,994	18,939
Less: net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries		(1,234)	(2,599)	794	(2,421)
Net income attributable to Universal Corporation		25,264	22,465	19,788	16,518
Dividends on Universal Corporation convertible perpetual preferred stock		(3,687)	(3,687)	(7,374)	(7,374)
Earnings available to Universal Corporation common shareholders		$ 21,577	$ 18,778	$ 12,414	$ 9,144
Earnings per share attributable to Universal Corporation common shareholders:
Basic		$ 0.95	$ 0.83	$ 0.55	$ 0.40
Diluted		$ 0.90	$ 0.81	$ 0.54	$ 0.40
Weighted average common shares outstanding:
Basic		22,777,394	22,675,323	22,755,927	22,649,270
Diluted		27,968,156	27,850,628	23,073,341	22,936,631
Total comprehensive income:
Total comprehensive income, net of income taxes		$ 29,651	$ 19,470	$ 17,321	$ 21,850
Less: comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests, net of income taxes		(1,007)	(2,259)	1,238	(1,995)
Comprehensive income attributable to Universal Corporation, net of income taxes		$ 28,644	$ 17,211	$ 18,559	$ 19,855
Dividends declared per common share		$ 0.53	$ 0.52	$ 1.06	$ 1.04

[1] Restructuring and impairment costs are excluded from segment operating income, but are included in consolidated operating income in the consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income.

[2] Equity in pretax earnings of unconsolidated affiliates is included in segment operating income (Other Tobacco Operations segment), but is reported below consolidated operating income and excluded from that total in the consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income.