CREDIT ARRANGEMENTS (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Aug. 31, 2014

Debt Disclosure [Abstract]

Long-term debt, including the deferred gain from the termination of the interest rate swaps

Long-term debt, including the deferred gain from the termination of the interest rate swaps, was as follows:

	Weighted Average Interest Rate as of August 31, 2014	August 31,
(in thousands)		2014		2013
$400 million notes at 6.50% due July 2017	5.74%	$	408,546	$	411,518
$500 million notes at 7.35% due August 2018	6.40%	518,305		522,930
$330 million notes at 4.875% due May 2023	4.875%	330,000		330,000
Other, including equipment notes		32,196		19,594
		1,289,047		1,284,042
Less current maturities		8,005		5,228
		$	1,281,042	$	1,278,814

Scheduled maturities of the Company's long-term debt

The scheduled maturities of the Company's long-term debt are as follows:

Year Ending August 31,	(in thousands)
2015	$	8,005
2016	7,274
2017	406,748
2018	505,776
2019	3,338
Thereafter	331,055
Total excluding deferred gain of interest rate swaps	1,262,196
Deferred gain of interest rate swaps	26,851
Total long-term debt including current maturities	$	1,289,047