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CREDIT ARRANGEMENTS (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Nov. 30, 2014
Nov. 30, 2013
Aug. 31, 2012
Aug. 31, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Net Proceeds From Termination Of Interest Rate Swaps     $ 52,700,000cmc_NetProceedsFromTerminationOfInterestRateSwaps  
Unamortized deferred gain on termination of interest rate swaps 24,900,000us-gaap_DeferredGainLossOnDiscontinuationOfInterestRateFairValueHedge     26,800,000us-gaap_DeferredGainLossOnDiscontinuationOfInterestRateFairValueHedge
Amortization of interest rate swaps termination gain 1,899,000us-gaap_AmortizationOfDeferredHedgeGains 1,900,000us-gaap_AmortizationOfDeferredHedgeGains    
Interest paid 9,500,000us-gaap_InterestPaid 9,500,000us-gaap_InterestPaid    
CMCP        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Revolving credit facility current borrowing capacity 64,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityCurrentBorrowingCapacity
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= cmc_CmcpMember
     
Total borrowing 19,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityAverageOutstandingAmount
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= cmc_CmcpMember
     
Total payments 19,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityAnnualPrincipalPayment
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= cmc_CmcpMember
     
$330 million notes at 4.875% due May 2023        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Debt instrument, issuance date May 20, 2013      
Debt instrument, face amount 330,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cmc_A330MillionNotesAt4875DueMay2023Member
    330,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cmc_A330MillionNotesAt4875DueMay2023Member
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage 4.875%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cmc_A330MillionNotesAt4875DueMay2023Member
    4.875%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cmc_A330MillionNotesAt4875DueMay2023Member
Debt instrument, maturity date May 15, 2023      
Redemption purchase price to principal amount, percentage 100.00%cmc_RedemptionPurchasePriceToPrincipalAmountPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cmc_A330MillionNotesAt4875DueMay2023Member
     
Change of control triggering event        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Redemption purchase price to principal amount, percentage 101.00%cmc_RedemptionPurchasePriceToPrincipalAmountPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cmc_ChangeOfControlTriggeringEventMemberMember
     
$500 million notes at 7.35% due August 2018        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Debt instrument, issuance date Aug. 04, 2008      
Debt instrument, face amount 500,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cmc_SevenPointThreeFivePercentNotesDueAugust2018Member
    500,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cmc_SevenPointThreeFivePercentNotesDueAugust2018Member
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage 7.35%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cmc_SevenPointThreeFivePercentNotesDueAugust2018Member
    7.35%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cmc_SevenPointThreeFivePercentNotesDueAugust2018Member
Debt instrument, maturity date Aug. 15, 2018      
Debt instrument, effective interest rate 6.40%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateEffectivePercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cmc_SevenPointThreeFivePercentNotesDueAugust2018Member
     
$400 million notes at 6.50% due July 2017        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Debt instrument, issuance date Jul. 17, 2007      
Debt instrument, face amount 400,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cmc_SixPointFiveZeroPercentNotesDueJuly2017Member
    400,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cmc_SixPointFiveZeroPercentNotesDueJuly2017Member
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage 6.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cmc_SixPointFiveZeroPercentNotesDueJuly2017Member
    6.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cmc_SixPointFiveZeroPercentNotesDueJuly2017Member
Debt instrument, maturity date Jul. 15, 2017      
Debt instrument, effective interest rate 5.74%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateEffectivePercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cmc_SixPointFiveZeroPercentNotesDueJuly2017Member
     
Revolving credit facility        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Revolving credit facility current borrowing capacity 350,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityCurrentBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
     
Revolving credit facility, maturity date Jun. 26, 2019      
Revolving credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity 500,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
     
Minimum interest coverage ratio 250.00%cmc_MinimumInterestCoverageRatio
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
     
Maximum debt to capitalization ratio 60.00%cmc_MaximumDebtToCapitalizationRatio
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
     
Minimum liquidity required 150,000,000cmc_Minimumliquidityrequired
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
     
Actual interest coverage ratio 471.00%cmc_InterestCoverageRatio
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
     
Actual debt to capitalization ratio 49.00%cmc_DebtToCapitalizationRatio
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
     
Revolving credit facility, amount drawn 0us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityFairValueOfAmountOutstanding
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
    0us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityFairValueOfAmountOutstanding
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
Stand-by letters of credit        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Revolving credit facility current borrowing capacity 50,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityCurrentBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= us-gaap_LetterOfCreditMember
     
Stand by letters of credit outstanding amount $ 25,300,000us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= us-gaap_LetterOfCreditMember
    $ 28,100,000us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= us-gaap_LetterOfCreditMember