NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned and majority owned subsidiaries and certain variable interest entities ("VIEs") for which the Company is the primary beneficiary. Intercompany account balances and transactions have been eliminated.

Upon inception of an arrangement with a potential VIE, the Company performs an assessment of the contractual agreements that define the ownership structure, risks, responsibilities, indebtedness, voting rights and board representation of the respective parties when determining whether it is the primary beneficiary of the entity. The Company concludes that it is the primary beneficiary and consolidates the VIE if it has both (a) the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the VIE and (b) the obligation to absorb losses of, or the right to receive benefits from, the variable interest entity that potentially could be significant to the VIE. The Company's assessment of whether it is the primary beneficiary of the VIE is continuously performed.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the Company's consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("GAAP") requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and reported amounts of net sales and expenses during the reporting period. Significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include the valuation of assets received in acquisitions; the carrying value of inventory and long-lived assets, including goodwill; valuation allowances for receivables and deferred income taxes; percentage of completion accounting method for revenue recognition; share-based compensation; potential litigation claims and settlements; environmental liabilities; and the carrying value of assets held for sale. Actual results could differ significantly from these estimates and assumptions.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include cash on deposit and short-term, highly-liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less at the date of purchase.

Revenue Recognition and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

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 arrangement, the price is fixed or determinable and collectability is reasonably assured. When the Company estimates that a firm purchase commitment from a customer will result in a loss, the Company accrues the entire loss as soon as it is probable and estimable. The Company accounts for certain 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. Sales recognized in excess of amounts billed of $34.7 million and $19.4 million are classified as current assets and are reflected in accounts receivable on the Company's consolidated balances sheets as of August 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Accounts receivable included retainage of $43.2 million and $38.7 million as of August 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Shipping and other transportation costs billed to customers are included in net sales and the related costs incurred are reflected in cost of goods sold in the Company's consolidated statements of earnings. 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. The Company reviews and sets credit limits 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 28% and 30% of total receivables at August 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, were secured by credit insurance or letters of credit.

Inventories

At August 31, 2017, inventories were stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Inventory cost for operations in the CMC Americas division and the International Mill segment is determined by the weighted average cost method. Inventory cost for the International Marketing and Distribution segment is determined by the specific identification method. At August 31, 2017 and 2016, 80% and 60% of the Company's inventories were valued using the weighted average cost method, respectively, and 20% and 40% of the Company's inventories were valued using the specific identification method, respectively.

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. Maintenance is expensed as incurred. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of their estimated useful lives or the lease term. Depreciation and amortization is recorded on a straight-line basis over the following estimated useful lives:



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

The Company evaluates impairment of its property, plant and equipment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. For each asset or group of assets held for use with indicators of impairment, the Company compares the sum of the expected future cash flows generated by the asset or group of assets with its associated net carrying value. If the net carrying value of the asset or group of assets exceeds expected undiscounted future cash flows, the excess of the net book value over estimated fair value is charged to impairment loss in the accompanying consolidated statements of earnings. Properties held for sale are reported at the lower of their carrying amount or their estimated sales price, less estimated costs to sell.

Government Assistance

Government assistance, including non-monetary grants, herein collectively referred to as grants, are not recognized until there is reasonable assurance that the Company will comply with the conditions of the grant and the Company will receive the grant.

Generally, government grants fall into two categories: grants related to assets and grants related to income. Grants related to assets are government grants for the purchase, construction or other acquisition of long-term assets. The Company accounts for grants related to assets as deferred income with the offset to an asset account, such as fixed assets, on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Non-monetary grants are recognized at fair value. The Company recognizes the deferred income in profit or loss on a systematic basis over the useful life of the asset; which, consistent with the Company's fixed assets policy, is straight-line. The period over which grants are recognized depends on the terms of the agreement. Grants related to specific expenses already incurred are recognized in profit or loss in the period in which the grant becomes receivable. A grant related to depreciable assets is recognized in profit or loss over the life of the depreciable asset. Grants related to non-depreciable assets may require the fulfillment of certain obligations. In such cases, these grants are recognized in profit or loss over the periods that bear the cost of meeting the obligations.

Grants related to income are any grants that are not considered grants related to assets, such as grants to compensate for certain expenses. Grants related to income are recognized as a reduction in the related expense in the period that the recognition criteria are met. See Note 11, New Markets Tax Credits.

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill is tested for impairment at the reporting unit level annually and whenever events or circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. During fiscal 2017, the Company prospectively changed its annual quantitative goodwill impairment testing date from the last day of the fourth quarter to the first day of the fourth quarter. The change in the goodwill impairment testing date alleviates fiscal year end resource and timing constraints. This change does not represent a material change in accounting principle, and did not delay, accelerate or avoid a goodwill impairment charge.

The Company utilizes a quantitative test that compares the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount, including goodwill, to evaluate goodwill for impairment. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss is indicated in the amount that the carrying value exceeds the fair value of the reporting unit, not to exceed the goodwill value for the reporting unit. The Company's reporting units represent an operating segment or one level below an operating segment.

The fair value of each reporting unit is estimated using an income approach based on the present value of expected future cash flows and a market approach based on valuation metrics of comparable peer companies and a reconciliation of the Company's estimate of the aggregate fair value of the reporting units to the Company's market capitalization, including a control premium. The determination of fair value involves a number of significant assumptions and estimates, including discount rates, volumes, prices, capital expenditures and the impact of current market conditions. These estimates could be materially impacted by adverse changes in these assumptions.

For fiscal 2017, the Company recorded a goodwill impairment charge of $2.0 million related to a reporting unit in its International Marketing and Distribution segment. For fiscal 2016, the annual goodwill impairment analysis did not result in any impairment charges at any of the Company's reporting units. For fiscal 2015, the Company recorded a goodwill impairment charge of $7.3 million related to its Americas Recycling segment. See Note 7, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets, for additional details of the impairment charges. As of August 31, 2017 and 2016, one of the Company's reporting units within its Americas Fabrication segment comprised $51.6 million and 51.3 million, respectively, of the Company's total goodwill. Goodwill at the Company's other reporting units was not material at August 31, 2017 and 2016.

Intangible assets with finite lives are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives and are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. Impairment charges are recorded on finite-lived intangible assets when indicators of impairment are present and the undiscounted cash flows estimated to be generated by those assets are less than the assets' carrying amounts.

Contingencies

The Company accrues for claims and litigation, including 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 typically 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 letters 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 fee associated with the discount.

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 income tax bases of assets and liabilities. The principal differences are described in Note 14, Income Tax. Benefits from income 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 currencies of the Company's Australian, German, 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 loss. Transaction gains (losses) from transactions denominated in currencies other than the functional currencies were $5.5 million, $(13.9) million and $(45.4) million for the years ended August 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and are primarily included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the Company's consolidated statements of earnings.

Derivative Financial Instruments

The Company recognizes all derivatives as either assets or liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets and measures those instruments at fair value. Derivatives that are not designated as hedges are adjusted to fair value through net earnings. Changes in the fair value of derivatives that are designated as hedges are recognized in two fashions depending on the nature of the hedge. In the case of fair value hedges, changes are recognized as an offset against the change in fair value of the hedged balance sheet item. When the derivative is designated as a cash flow hedge and is highly effective, changes are recognized as other comprehensive income. The ineffective portion of a change in fair value for derivatives designated as hedges is recognized in net earnings.

When a derivative instrument is sold, terminated, exercised, or expires, the gain or loss is recorded in the consolidated statement of earnings for fair value hedges, and the cumulative unrealized gain or loss, which had been recognized in the statement of comprehensive income, is reclassified to the consolidated statement of earnings for cash flow hedges. Additionally, when hedged items are sold or extinguished, or the anticipated transaction being hedged is no longer expected to occur, the Company recognizes the gain or loss on the designated hedged financial instrument.

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.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017, the Company early adopted Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2017-04, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other: Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment (Topic 805), issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB"). The standard simplifies the subsequent measurement of goodwill by removing the second step of the two-step impairment test. The standard was applied on a prospective basis. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

In the second quarter of fiscal 2017, the Company adopted ASU 2016-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718), issued by the FASB requiring that the Company recognize all excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies as an income tax expense or benefit when stock awards vest or are settled. Additionally, the guidance allows for an increase in the threshold for net share settlement up to the maximum statutory rate in employees’ applicable jurisdictions without triggering liability classification. The adoption of this guidance had an immaterial impact on income taxes on the Company’s consolidated statement of earnings for the year ended August 31, 2017. Additionally, the Company has elected to continue to estimate forfeitures. As such, this adoption has no cumulative effect on retained earnings. The Company elected to apply the presentation requirements for cash flows related to excess tax benefits prospectively, which had an immaterial impact on both net cash from operating activities and net cash used in financing activities for the year ended August 31, 2017. The presentation requirements for cash flows related to employee taxes paid for withheld shares had no impact on any of the periods presented on the Company’s consolidated statements of cash flows since such cash flows have historically been presented as a financing activity.

In the first quarter of fiscal 2017, the Company adopted ASU 2015-16, Business Combinations (Topic 805), issued by the FASB requiring the acquirer in a business combination to recognize adjustments to provisional amounts that are identified during the measurement period in the reporting period in which the adjustment amounts are determined. The guidance was adopted on a prospective basis and did not have an impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

In the first quarter of fiscal 2017, the Company adopted ASU 2015-05, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40), issued by the FASB requiring an entity to account for fees paid in a cloud computing arrangement as a license of internal-use software. The guidance was adopted on a prospective basis and did not have an impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

In the first quarter of fiscal 2017, the Company adopted ASU 2015-02, Consolidation (Topic 810), issued by the FASB modifying the evaluation of whether limited partnerships and similar legal entities are voting interest entities. The guidance was adopted on a retrospective basis and did not have an impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

In the first quarter of fiscal 2017, the Company adopted ASU 2015-01, Income Statement - Extraordinary and Unusual Items (Subtopic 225-20), issued by the FASB eliminating the concept of extraordinary items. Under this guidance, an entity is no longer allowed to separately disclose extraordinary items, net of tax, in the income statement after income from continuing operations. The guidance was adopted on a prospective basis and did not have an impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

In the first quarter of fiscal 2017, the Company adopted ASU 2014-13, Consolidation (Topic 810), issued by the FASB providing a measurement alternative to the existing fair value measurement guidance. When the measurement alternative is elected, the financial assets and liabilities are measured using the more observable of the fair value of the financial assets and the fair value of the financial liabilities. The guidance was adopted on a retrospective basis and did not have an impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

In the first quarter of fiscal 2017, the Company adopted ASU 2014-12, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718), issued by the FASB requiring entities to account for a performance target as a performance condition if the target affects vesting and could be achieved after the requisite service period. The guidance was followed by the Company prior to its adoption and therefore had no impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements upon adoption.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging - Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities (Topic 815). The ASU better aligns accounting rules with a company's risk management activities; better reflects economic results of hedging in financial statements; and simplifies hedge accounting treatment. For public companies, this standard is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those periods, with early adoption permitted. The standard must be applied to hedging relationships existing on the date of adoption and the effect of adoption should be reflected as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this guidance on its consolidated financial statements as well as determining the Company's planned adoption date.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-01, Business Combinations: Clarifying the Definition of a Business. The standard clarifies the definition of a business with the objective of adding guidance to assist entities with evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions (or disposals) of assets or businesses. For public companies, this standard is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those periods. The standard must be applied prospectively on or after the effective date. Early application of the standard is allowed with certain restrictions. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230), requiring that the statement of cash flows explain the change in the total cash, cash equivalents, and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim reporting periods therein, beginning after December 15, 2017 with early adoption permitted. The provisions of this guidance are to be applied using a retrospective approach, which requires application of the guidance for all periods presented. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this guidance on its consolidated financial statements as well as determining the Company's planned adoption date.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), requiring a lessee to recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability on its balance sheet for all leases with terms of twelve months or longer. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim reporting periods therein, beginning after December 15, 2018 and will be effective for the Company beginning September 1, 2019, at which point the Company plans to adopt the standard. The provisions of this guidance are to be applied using a modified retrospective approach, with elective reliefs, which requires application of the guidance for all periods presented. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this guidance on its consolidated financial statements.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), and has modified the standard thereafter. Under the standard, revenue is recognized when a customer obtains control of promised goods or services and is recognized in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. This guidance is effective for annual and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017 and will be effective for the Company beginning September 1, 2018, at which point the Company plans to adopt the standard. The standard permits the use of either the retrospective or cumulative effect transition method. The Company currently expects to adopt the standard using the modified retrospective approach. As part of the adoption of the standard, management assembled a cross-functional implementation team which has reviewed representative samples of contracts to analyze the impact of the standard. As a result of these analyses, the Company does not anticipate that there will be a material impact on its statement of financial position, results of operations or cash flows in its Americas Mills, Americas Recycling or International Mill segments. The Company is still in the process of examining contract specific terms within the Americas Fabrication segment. In addition, the standard includes expanded disclosure requirements, which the Company continues to analyze. As part of the overall evaluation of the standard, the Company is also identifying and preparing to implement changes to its accounting policies, practices, and internal controls over financial reporting to support the standard both in the transition period as well as on an on-going basis.