CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS (UNAUDITED) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2018	Nov. 30, 2017
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 1,277,342	$ 1,076,533
Costs and expenses:
Cost of goods sold	1,118,433	933,515
Selling, general and administrative expenses	117,217	96,111
Interest expense	16,663	6,611
Total costs and expenses	1,252,313	1,036,237
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	25,029	40,296
Income taxes	5,609	8,425
Earnings from continuing operations	19,420	31,871
Earnings from discontinued operations before income taxes	457	8,120
Income taxes	135	3,181
Earnings from discontinued operations	322	4,939
Net earnings	$ 19,742	$ 36,810
Basic earnings per share
Earnings from continuing operations (in USD per share)	$ 0.17	$ 0.27
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations (in USD per share)	0.00	0.04
Net earnings (in USD per share)	0.17	0.32
Diluted earnings per share
Earnings from continuing operations (in USD per share)	0.16	0.27
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations (in USD per share)	0.00	0.04
Net earnings (in USD per share)	0.17	0.31
Cash dividends per share (in USD per share)	$ 0.12	$ 0.12
Average basic shares outstanding	117,387,038	116,243,545
Average diluted shares outstanding	118,682,473	117,857,911