CREDIT ARRANGEMENTS (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Aug. 31, 2015

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, 2015	August 31,
(in thousands)		2015		2014
$400 million notes at 6.50% due July 2017	5.74%	$	405,573	$	408,546
$500 million notes at 7.35% due August 2018	6.40%	513,680		518,305
$330 million notes at 4.875% due May 2023	4.875%	330,000		330,000
Other, including equipment notes		38,739		32,196
		1,287,992		1,289,047
Less current maturities		10,110		8,005
		$	1,277,882	$	1,281,042

 Interest on these notes is payable semiannually.

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)
2016	$	10,110
2017	409,870
2018	509,269
2019	6,966
2020	2,443
Thereafter	330,080
Total excluding deferred gain of interest rate swaps	1,268,738
Deferred gain of interest rate swaps	19,254
Total long-term debt including current maturities	$	1,287,992