STOCK BASED COMPENSATION (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Aug. 31, 2014

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]

Schedule of Share-based compensation, shares available for grant [Table Text Block]

		Shares available to grant
	Shares authorized	August 31, 2014	August 31, 2013
2013 Plan	838,766	821,124	782,385

Schedule of Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs

The following table summarizes the components of the stock-based compensation expense for the twelve-month periods ended August 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 (in thousands), which are included in general and administrative expense and warehouse club operations in the consolidated statements of income:

	Year Ended August 31,
	2014		2013		2012
Options granted to directors	$	91	$	113	$	107
Restricted stock awards	5,326		5,268		4,834
Restricted stock units	1,034		921		528
Stock-based compensation expense	$	6,451	$	6,302	$	5,469

Schedule of Share-based Payment Award, Valuation Assumptions

The following table summarizes various concepts related to stock-based compensation as of and for the years ended August 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012:

	August 31,
	2014		2013		2012
Remaining unrecognized compensation cost (in thousands)	$	21,196	$	25,450	$	25,543
Weighted average period of time over which this cost will approximately be recognized (years)	6		7		8
Excess tax benefit (deficiency) on stock-based compensation (in thousands)	$	1,489	$	1,336	$	1,438

Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units Activity

Restricted stock awards and units activity for the twelve-months ended August 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 was as follows:

	Year Ended August 31,
	2014		2013		2012
Grants outstanding at beginning of period	623,424		700,893		436,611
Granted	14,828		62,046		399,041
Forfeited	(2,669	)	(3,021	)	(5,230	)
Vested	(147,167	)	(136,494	)	(129,529	)
Grants outstanding at end of period	488,416		623,424		700,893

Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value

twelve-months of fiscal years 2014, 2013 and 2012:

	Year Ended August 31,
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	2014		2013		2012
Restricted stock awards and units granted	$	105.76	$	80.79	$	67.26
Restricted stock awards and units vested	$	39.91	$	39.33	$	23.46
Restricted stock awards and units forfeited	$	54.21	$	30.88	$	29.30

Schedule of Share-based compensation, Fair Market Value for Restricted Stock [Table Text Block] [Table Text Block]

The following table summarizes the total fair market value of restricted stock awards and units vested for the period (in thousands):

	Years Ended August 31,
	2014		2013		2012
Total fair market value of restricted stock awards and units vested	$	13,797	$	10,673	$	8,812

Schedule of Share-based compensation, Shares repurchased [Table Text Block]

The following table summarizes this activity during the period:

	Years Ended August 31,
	2014		2013		2012
Shares repurchased	50,898		44,460		46,373
Cost of repurchase of shares (in thousands)	$	4,773	$	3,467	$	3,154

Schedule of Share-based compensation, reissued treasury shares [Table Text Block]

The Company reissues treasury shares as part of its stock-based compensation programs.  The following table summarizes the treasury shares reissued during the period:

	Years Ended August 31,
	2014	2013	2012
Reissued treasury shares	—	—	196,850

Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Stock Options, Activity [Table Text Block]

he following table summarizes the stock options outstanding: 

	August 31, 2014	August 31, 2013
Stock options outstanding	23,000	28,000