Business Segments (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Aug. 31, 2012

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Summary of certain financial information from continuing operations by reportable segment

The following is a summary of certain financial information from continuing operations by reportable segment:

	Americas							International
(in thousands)	Recycling		Mills		Fabrication			Mill			Marketing and Distribution		Corporate			Eliminations			Continuing Operations
2012
Net sales-unaffiliated customers	$	1,418,717	$	1,378,716	$	1,366,944		$	955,730		$	2,700,300	$	8,033		$	—		$	7,828,440
Intersegment sales	187,444		777,101		14,694			77,627			27,019		—			(1,083,885		)	—
Net sales	1,606,161		2,155,817		1,381,638			1,033,357			2,727,319		8,033			(1,083,885		)	7,828,440
Adjusted operating profit (loss)	39,446		233,933		(15,697		)	23,044			47,287		(83,035		)	(6,251		)	238,727
Interest expense*	1,933		13,004		10,809			10,090			6,548		27,112			—			69,496
Capital expenditures**	40,329		39,356		4,389			14,016			3,314		8,197			—			109,601
Depreciation and amortization***	13,260		43,551		22,056			32,306			5,821		20,295			—			137,289
Total assets****	285,136		676,909		629,970			529,160			870,933		961,654			(519,117		)	3,434,645
2011
Net sales-unaffiliated customers	$	1,692,824	$	1,308,055	$	1,208,823		$	1,043,267		$	2,603,494	$	6,882		$	—		$	7,863,345
Intersegment sales	136,713		728,270		16,899			2,966			47,405		—			(932,253		)	—
Net sales	1,829,537		2,036,325		1,225,722			1,046,233			2,650,899		6,882			(932,253		)	7,863,345
Adjusted operating profit (loss)	43,059		161,731		(129,141		)	47,594			76,337		(84,729		)	(1,275		)	113,576
Interest expense*	246		12,901		9,717			18,251			2,173		26,533			—			69,821
Capital expenditures**	7,666		25,657		2,029			14,278			2,873		7,896			—			60,399
Depreciation and amortization***	12,860		52,048		48,299			36,528			4,600		23,916			—			178,251
Total assets****	278,120		650,920		590,278			643,748			990,111		1,505,672			(1,079,649		)	3,579,200
2010
Net sales-unaffiliated customers	$	1,211,815	$	869,014	$	1,131,928		$	621,230		$	2,439,018	$	3,923		$	—		$	6,276,928
Intersegment sales	104,615		609,412		8,349			77,834			24,396		326			(824,932		)	—
Net sales	1,316,430		1,478,426		1,140,277			699,064			2,463,414		4,249			(824,932		)	6,276,928
Adjusted operating profit (loss)	11,416		37,251		(107,800		)	(31,594		)	74,689		(70,678		)	3,460			(83,256		)
Interest expense*	109		12,113		9,076			10,098			3,273		39,512			—			74,181
Capital expenditures**	5,430		32,244		2,948			39,376			7,118		6,913			—			94,029
Depreciation and amortization***	15,802		55,315		42,777			27,889			5,021		18,512			—			165,316
Total assets****	228,781		622,358		622,608			546,356			732,900		1,083,744			(325,722		)	3,511,025

* Includes intercompany interest expense (income) in the segments and is all eliminated within Corporate.

** Excludes capital expenditures from discontinued operations of $4.3 million at August 31, 2012, $12.8 million at August 31,

2011, and $33.1 million at August 31, 2010.

*** Includes asset impairment charges.

**** Excludes total assets from discontinued operations of $6.6 million at August 31, 2012, $103.9 million at August 31, 2011 and

$195.1 million at August 31, 2010.

Reconciliation of consolidated adjusted operating profit (loss) to earnings (loss) from continuing operations

The following table provides a reconciliation of consolidated adjusted operating profit to net earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to CMC:

	Year Ended August 31,
(in thousands)	2012			2011			2010
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	$	208,983		$	19,278		$	(99,447	)
Income taxes (benefit)	(46,190		)	19,328			(61,942		)
Interest expense	69,496			69,821			74,181
Discounts on sales of accounts receivable	6,438			5,149			3,952
Adjusted operating profit (loss) from continuing operations	$	238,727		$	113,576		$	(83,256	)
Adjusted operating loss from discontinued operations	(8,675		)	(150,678		)	(101,645		)
Adjusted operating profit (loss)	$	230,052		$	(37,102	)	$	(184,901	)

External net sales from continuing operations by major product and geographic area and long-lived assets by geographic area

The following represents the Company’s external net sales from continuing operations by major product and geographic area:

	Year Ended August 31,
(in thousands)	2012		2011		2010
Major product information:
Steel products	$	4,700,854	$	4,414,105	$	3,622,429
Industrial materials	1,147,386		1,134,819		913,019
Nonferrous scrap	765,349		997,771		702,467
Ferrous scrap	763,772		805,067		561,119
Construction materials	177,827		217,741		220,993
Nonferrous products	171,861		196,641		178,844
Other	101,391		97,201		78,057
Net sales	$	7,828,440	$	7,863,345	$	6,276,928

	Year Ended August 31,
(in thousands)	2012		2011		2010
Geographic area:
United States	$	4,674,704	$	4,362,629	$	3,215,337
Europe	1,313,611		1,581,688		1,268,658
Asia	1,018,675		1,131,332		1,058,842
Australia/New Zealand	617,919		564,084		531,595
Other	203,531		223,612		202,496
Net sales	$	7,828,440	$	7,863,345	$	6,276,928

The following table represents long-lived assets by geographic area:

	Year Ended August 31,
(in thousands)	2012		2011		2010
United States	$	907,009	$	944,851	$	1,062,080
Europe	250,392		364,207		443,986
Australia/New Zealand	36,097		38,973		16,725
Other	7,917		8,847		8,156
Total long-lived assets	$	1,201,415	$	1,356,878	$	1,530,947