CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS (UNAUDITED) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Feb. 29, 2020	Feb. 28, 2019	Feb. 29, 2020		Feb. 28, 2019
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales		$ 1,340,963	$ 1,402,783	$ 2,725,671		$ 2,680,125
Costs and expenses:
Cost of goods sold		1,123,096	1,252,493	2,269,610		2,370,926
Selling, general and administrative expenses		115,538	98,726	227,067		215,943
Interest expense		15,888	18,495	32,466		35,158
Total costs and expenses		1,254,522	1,369,714	2,529,143		2,622,027
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes		86,441	33,069	196,528		58,098
Income taxes		22,845	18,141	50,177		23,750
Earnings from continuing operations		63,596	14,928	146,351		34,348
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations before income taxes		301	(1,075)	1,196		(618)
Income taxes		99	3	401		138
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations		202	(1,078)	795		(756)
Net earnings		$ 63,798	$ 13,850	$ 147,146		$ 33,592
Basic earnings per share*
Earnings from continuing operations (in USD per share)	[1]	$ 0.53	$ 0.13	$ 1.23		$ 0.29
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations (in USD per share)		0	(0.01)	0.01	[1]	(0.01)	[1]
Net earnings (in USD per share)		0.54	0.12	1.24	[1]	0.29	[1]
Diluted earnings per share*
Earnings from continuing operations (in USD per share)	[1]	0.53	0.13	1.22		0.29
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations (in USD per share)		0	(0.01)	0.01	[1]	(0.01)	[1]
Net earnings (in USD per share)		$ 0.53	$ 0.12	$ 1.22	[1]	$ 0.28	[1]
Average basic shares outstanding		118,919,455	117,854,335	118,644,823		117,677,422
Average diluted shares outstanding		120,407,256	118,942,758	120,303,259		118,996,427

[1] *Earnings Per Share ("EPS") is calculated independently for each component and may not sum to Net EPS due to rounding