Business Segments (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Nov. 30, 2011

Business Segments [Abstract]

Summary of certain financial information from continuing operations by reportable segment

	Three Months Ended November 30, 2011
	Americas							International
(in thousands)	Recycling		Mills		Fabrication			Mills		Marketing and Distribution			Corporate			Eliminations			Consolidated
Net sales-unaffiliated customers	$	373,393	$	344,566	$	315,517		$	252,921	$	700,363		$	60		$	—		$	1,986,820
Intersegment sales		41,412		180,930		4,251			43,260		9,708			—			(279,561	)		—
Net sales		414,805		525,496		319,768			296,181		710,071			60			(279,561	)		1,986,820
Adjusted operating profit (loss)		20,816		57,931		(7,380	)		9,822		(4,101	)		(23,268	)		(6,145	)		47,675
Total assets		242,769		652,211		585,007			595,501		970,322			1,511,870			(1,051,027	)		3,506,653

	Three Months Ended November 30, 2010
	Americas							International
(in thousands)	Recycling		Mills		Fabrication			Mills		Marketing and Distribution		Corporate			Eliminations			Consolidated
Net sales-unaffiliated customers	$	347,169	$	280,781	$	283,943		$	216,533	$	640,408	$	6,258		$	—		$	1,775,092
Intersegment sales		28,626		154,616		3,810			653		5,498		—			(193,203	)		—
Net sales		375,795		435,397		287,753			217,186		645,906		6,258			(193,203	)		1,775,092
Adjusted operating profit (loss)		8,192		34,143		(22,008	)		6,433		24,238		(10,603	)		303			40,698
Total assets		251,332		612,574		593,596			726,837		716,498		1,075,944			(347,167	)		3,629,614

Reconciliation of consolidated adjusted operating profit to net earnings (loss) from continuing operations

	Three Months Ended November 30,
(in thousands)	2011			2010
Earnings from continuing operations	$	125,045		$	14,886
Income taxes (benefit)		(95,327	)		6,730
Interest expense		16,297			17,871
Discounts on sales of accounts receivable		1,660			1,211
Adjusted operating profit from continuing operations	$	47,675		$	40,698
Adjusted operating loss from discontinued operations		(26,552	)		(13,431	)
Adjusted operating profit	$	21,123		$	27,267

External net sales by major product and Long-lived assets by geographic area

	Three Months Ended November 30,
(in thousands)	2011		2010
Major product information:
Steel products	$	1,155,840	$	1,049,750
Industrial materials		320,502		213,845
Ferrous scrap		207,346		160,418
Nonferrous scrap		194,298		220,273
Construction materials		44,494		56,329
Nonferrous products		40,113		45,067
Other		24,227		29,410
Net sales	$	1,986,820	$	1,775,092

	Three Months Ended November 30,
(in thousands)	2011		2010
Geographic area:
United States	$	1,153,779	$	959,820
Europe		352,188		410,879
Asia		281,042		213,125
Australia/New Zealand		147,563		138,600
Other		52,248		52,668
Net sales	$	1,986,820	$	1,775,092