CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2015	Aug. 31, 2014	Aug. 31, 2013
Net sales	$ 5,988,605	$ 6,790,438	$ 6,601,070
Costs and expenses:
Cost of goods sold	5,213,203	6,109,338	5,951,870
Selling, general and administrative expenses	443,275	448,943	439,571
Impairment of assets	9,839	3,305	4,576
Interest expense	77,760	77,037	68,439
Gain on sale of cost method investment	0	0	(26,088)
Total costs and expenses	5,744,077	6,638,623	6,438,368
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	244,528	151,815	162,702
Income taxes	83,206	42,724	57,979
Earnings from continuing operations	161,322	109,091	104,723
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations before income taxes	(20,124)	15,005	(26,094)
Income taxes (benefit)	(436)	8,544	1,310
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	(19,688)	6,461	(27,404)
Net earnings	141,634	115,552	77,319
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	1	4
Net earnings attributable to CMC	$ 141,634	$ 115,551	$ 77,315
Basic earnings (loss) per share attributable to CMC:
Earnings from continuing operations	$ 1.39	$ 0.93	$ 0.90
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	(0.17)	0.05	(0.24)
Net earnings	1.22	0.98	0.66
Diluted earnings (loss) per share attributable to CMC:
Earnings from continuing operations	1.37	0.92	0.89
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	(0.17)	0.05	(0.23)
Net earnings	$ 1.20	$ 0.97	$ 0.66