NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Consolidation The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. The equity method of accounting is used for investments in affiliates in which the Company has the ability to exert significant influence, but does not have effective control. Investments in affiliates which are 20% or less owned are accounted for using the cost method of accounting. The Company currently does not have any investments in affiliates accounted for under the equity method. All significant intercompany transactions and balances are eliminated.

Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. These estimates are based on information available as of the date of the financial statements. Actual results could significantly differ from those estimates.

Revenue Recognition The Company recognizes sales when title passes to the customer either when goods are shipped or when they are delivered based upon the terms of the sale, there is persuasive evidence of an agreement, the price is fixed or determinable and collectability is reasonably assured. When the Company estimates that a firm purchase commitment will result in a loss, the Company accrues the entire loss as soon as it is probable and estimable. The Company accounts for fabrication projects based on the percentage of completion accounting method, based primarily on contract cost incurred to date compared to total estimated contract cost. Changes to total estimated contract cost, or loss, if any, are recognized in the period in which they are determined. As of August 31, 2013 and 2012, the Company recorded in its accounts receivable unbilled revenue related to fabrication projects of $24.3 million and $19.2 million, respectively.

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts The Company maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts to reflect its estimate of the uncollectability of accounts receivable. These reserves are based on historical trends, current market conditions and customers' financial condition.

Credit Risk The Company maintains both corporate and divisional credit departments. Credit limits are set for each customer. Some of the Company's divisions use credit insurance or letters of credit to ensure prompt payment in accordance with the terms of sale. Generally, collateral is not required. Approximately 49% and 60% of total receivables at August 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, were secured by credit insurance or letters of credit.

Cash and Cash Equivalents The Company considers temporary investments that are short-term (with original maturities of three months or less) and highly liquid to be cash equivalents. The Company had restricted cash of $18.0 million serving as collateral for letters of credit obligations for its Australian subsidiary as of August 31, 2013. Restricted cash balances are included in other current assets on the Company's consolidated balance sheets.

Inventory Costs The Company records all inventories at the lower of their cost or market value. Inventory cost for most domestic inventories is determined by the last-in, first-out ("LIFO") method; cost of international and remaining inventories is determined by the first-in, first-out ("FIFO") method.

Elements of cost in finished goods inventory in addition to the cost of material include depreciation, amortization, utilities, consumable production supplies, maintenance, production, wages and transportation costs. Additionally, the costs of departments that support production, including materials management and quality control, are allocated to inventory.

Property, Plant and Equipment Property, plant and equipment are recorded at cost and depreciated on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Provisions for amortization of leasehold improvements are made at annual rates based upon the lesser of the estimated useful lives of the assets or terms of the leases. Major maintenance is expensed as incurred.

At August 31, 2013, the useful lives used for depreciation and amortization were as follows:



Buildings	7	to	40	years
Land improvements	3	to	25	years
Leasehold improvements	3	to	15	years
Equipment	3	to	25	years

Goodwill The Company performs its goodwill impairment test during the fourth quarter of each fiscal year or when changes in circumstances indicate an impairment event may have occurred by estimating the fair value of each reporting unit compared to its carrying value. The Company's reporting units represent an operating segment or a reporting level below an operating segment.

Additionally, the reporting units are aggregated based on similar economic characteristics, nature of products and services, nature of production processes, type of customers and distribution methods. The Company uses a discounted cash flow model and a market approach to calculate the fair value of its reporting units. The model includes a number of significant assumptions and estimates regarding future cash flows including discount rates, volumes, prices, capital expenditures and the impact of current market conditions. These estimates could be materially impacted by adverse changes in market conditions.

As a result of the goodwill impairment tests in 2013, the Company recorded goodwill impairment charges of $6.4 million, including foreign currency translation gains of $0.6 million, related to its Australian subsidiaries. The annual goodwill impairment analysis did not result in any impairment charges at any of the Company's other reporting units. As of August 31, 2013 and 2012, one of the Company's reporting units within the Americas Fabrication reporting segment comprised $51.3 million of the Company's total goodwill. Goodwill at other reporting units is not material. See Note 7, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets, for additional details of this impairment.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets The Company evaluates the carrying value of property, plant and equipment and finite-lived intangible assets whenever a change in circumstances indicates that the carrying value may not be recoverable from the undiscounted future cash flows from operations. If an impairment exists, the net book values are reduced to fair values as warranted.

Environmental Costs The Company accrues liabilities for environmental investigation and remediation costs when they are both probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated. Environmental costs are based upon estimates regarding the sites for which the Company will be responsible, the scope and cost of work to be performed at each site, the portion of costs that will be shared with other parties and the timing of remediation. Where timing and amounts cannot be reasonably determined, a range is estimated and the lower end of the range is recorded.

Stock-Based Compensation The Company recognizes stock-based equity awards and liability awards at fair value in the financial statements. The fair value of each stock-based equity award is estimated at the date of grant using the Black-Scholes or Monte Carlo pricing model. Total compensation cost of the stock-based equity award is amortized over the requisite service period using the accelerated method of amortization for grants with graded vesting or using the straight-line method for grants with cliff vesting. Stock-based liability awards are measured at fair value at the end of each reporting period and will fluctuate based on the price of CMC common stock and performance relative to the targets.

Accounts Payable — Documentary Letters of Credit In order to facilitate certain trade transactions, the Company utilizes documentary letters of credit to provide assurance of payment to its suppliers. These letters of credit are typically for payment at a future date conditional upon the bank determining the documentation presented to be in strict compliance with all terms and conditions of the letter of credit. Banks issue these letters of credit under uncommitted lines of credit, which are in addition to and separate from the Company's contractually committed revolving credit agreement. In some cases, if the Company's suppliers choose to discount the future dated obligation, the Company may pay the discount cost.

Income Taxes CMC and its U.S. subsidiaries file a consolidated Federal income tax return. Deferred income taxes are provided for temporary differences between financial statement and tax bases of asset and liabilities. The principal differences are described in Note 14, Income Tax. Benefits from tax credits are reflected currently in earnings. The Company intends to indefinitely reinvest all undistributed earnings of non-U.S. subsidiaries. The Company records income tax positions based on a more likely than not threshold that the tax positions will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities having full knowledge of all relevant information.

Foreign Currencies The functional currency of most of the Company's European marketing and distribution operations is the euro. The functional currencies of the Company's Australian, Polish, United Kingdom and certain Chinese, Singaporean and Thai operations are their local currencies. The Company's remaining international subsidiaries' functional currency is the U.S. dollar. Translation adjustments are reported as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). Transaction gains (losses) from transactions denominated in currencies other than the functional currencies, recorded as a component of selling, general and administrative expenses, were $(5.8) million, $2.2 million and $7.1 million for the years ended August 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

Derivative Financial Instruments The Company records derivative instruments on the balance sheet as assets or liabilities, measured at fair value. Gains or losses from the changes in the values of the derivative instruments and hedged items are recorded in the statements of operations, or are deferred if they are designated for hedge accounting and are highly effective in achieving offsetting changes in fair values or cash flows of the hedged items during the term of the hedge.

Fair Value The Company has established a fair value hierarchy which prioritizes the inputs to the valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three levels. These levels are determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Level 1 represents unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities. Level 2 represents quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets (other than those included in Level 1) which are observable, either directly or indirectly. Level 3 represents valuations derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or significant value drivers are unobservable.

Comprehensive Income (Loss) The Company reports comprehensive income (loss) in its consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss). Comprehensive income (loss) consists of net earnings (loss) plus gains and losses affecting stockholders' equity that, under generally accepted accounting principles, are excluded from net earnings (loss), such as gains and losses related to certain derivative instruments, defined benefit plan obligations, and the translation effect of foreign currency assets and liabilities, net of taxes.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements In the fourth quarter of 2013, the Company adopted guidance issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") requiring an entity to disclose additional information about reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), including (1) changes in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) balances by component and (2) significant items reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) and the effect on the respective line items in net income if the amounts are required to be reclassified in their entirety to net income. For other amounts that are not required to be reclassified in their entirety to net income in the same reporting period, an entity is required to cross-reference to other disclosures that provide additional detail about those amounts. The adoption of this guidance only impacts the Company's disclosures and has no impact on its consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows. As a result of the adoption of the new guidance, the Company has disclosed this information within the notes to the consolidated financial statements.

In the first quarter of 2013, the Company adopted guidance issued by the FASB on disclosure requirements for the presentation of comprehensive income (loss). This guidance requires entities to report total comprehensive income (loss), the components of net income (loss), and the components of comprehensive income (loss) in either (1) a continuous statement of comprehensive income (loss) or (2) two separate but consecutive statements. As a result of the adoption, the Company's financial statements now include a separate consolidated statement of comprehensive income (loss) immediately following the consolidated statements of operations.

In the first quarter of 2013, the Company adopted guidance that simplifies how entities test indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment and improves consistency in impairment testing guidance among long-lived asset categories. The guidance permits entities to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that an indefinite-lived intangible asset is impaired as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform the quantitative impairment test in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. An entity will have an option not to calculate annually the fair value of an indefinite-lived intangible asset if the entity determines that it is not more likely than not that the asset is impaired. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements. The Company did not elect the qualitative option in testing goodwill in 2013.

In July 2013, the FASB issued guidance requiring entities to net an unrecognized tax benefit with a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss or a tax credit carryforward. To the extent a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward is not available at the reporting date under the tax law of the applicable jurisdiction to settle any additional income taxes that would result from the disallowance of a tax position or the tax law of the applicable jurisdiction does not require the entity to use, and the entity does not intend to use, the deferred tax asset for such purpose, the unrecognized tax benefit should be presented in the financial statements as a liability and should not be combined with deferred tax assets. The new guidance is effective prospectively for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. The Company does not expect this guidance to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In July 2013, the FASB issued guidance permitting the Fed Funds Effective Swap Rate ("Overnight Index Swap Rate" or OIS) to be used as a U.S. benchmark interest rate for hedge accounting purposes in addition to interest rates on direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury (UST) and the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) swap rate. The guidance also removed the restriction on using different benchmark rates for similar hedges. The new guidance is effective prospectively for qualifying new or redesignated hedging relationships entered into on or after July 17, 2013. The Company had no new or redesignated interest rate hedging transactions during the period from July 17, 2013 to August 31, 2013. The Company will evaluate the impact of this guidance on its consolidated financial statements when applicable.

In April 2013, the FASB issued guidance requiring an entity to prepare its financial statements using the liquidation basis of accounting when liquidation is imminent. In addition, the guidance provides principles for the recognition and measurement of assets and liabilities and requirements for financial statements prepared using the liquidation basis of accounting. The new guidance is effective prospectively for entities that determine liquidation is imminent during fiscal years, and interim reporting periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. The Company does not expect this guidance to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In March 2013, the FASB issued guidance requiring an entity to release any related cumulative translation adjustment into net income when it either sells a part or all of its investment in a foreign entity or no longer holds a controlling financial interest in a subsidiary or group of assets that is a nonprofit activity or a business within a foreign entity. In addition, the guidance resolves the diversity in practice for the treatment of business combinations achieved in stages involving a foreign entity. The new guidance is effective prospectively for fiscal years, and interim reporting periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. The Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In February 2013, the FASB issued guidance requiring an entity to measure obligations resulting from joint and several liability arrangements for which the total amount of the obligation is fixed at the reporting date. The guidance also requires entities to disclose the nature and amount of the obligation as well as other information about the obligation. The new guidance is effective retrospectively for fiscal years, and interim reporting periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. The Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In December 2011, the FASB issued guidance requiring an entity to disclose the nature of its rights of setoff and related arrangements associated with its financial instruments and derivative instruments. The objective is to make financial statements that are prepared under GAAP more comparable to those prepared under International Financial Reporting Standards. The new disclosures will give financial statement users information about both gross and net exposures. In January 2013, the FASB issued an update and clarified the scope of transactions that are subject to disclosures concerning offsetting. These disclosure requirements are effective for annual reporting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2013, and interim periods within those annual periods, and should be applied retrospectively for all comparative periods presented. The Company does not expect the adoption of these disclosure requirements to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.