Basis of Presentation	6 Months Ended
Feb. 28, 2017
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation General The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of Actuant Corporation (“Actuant,” or the “Company”) have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial reporting and with the instructions of Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. The condensed consolidated balance sheet data as of August 31, 2016 was derived from the Company’s audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by United States generally accepted accounting principles. For additional information, including the Company’s significant accounting policies, refer to the consolidated financial statements and related footnotes in the Company’s fiscal 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K. In the opinion of management, all adjustments considered necessary for a fair statement of financial results have been made. Such adjustments consist of only those of a normal recurring nature. Operating results for the three and six months ended February 28, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the entire fiscal year ending August 31, 2017. New Accounting Pronouncements In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs, which includes amendments that require that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. Under the new guidance, the recognition and measurement of debt issuance costs is not affected. This guidance was adopted on September 1, 2016. As a result of adoption, debt issuance costs of $3.9 million were reclassified from other long-term assets to long-term debt, net (contra liability) on the balance sheet as of August 31, 2016. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-15, Presentation and Subsequent Measurement of Debt Issuance Costs Associated with Line-of-Credit Arrangements, further clarifying that ASU 2015-03 relates only to the presentation of debt issuance costs related to term loans and does not relate to lines-of-credit or revolvers. As such, the debt issuance costs related to the Company's revolver remain classified in other long-term assets. In September 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-16, Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustments, which eliminates the requirement to retrospectively account for changes to provisional amounts initially recorded in a business acquisition opening balance sheet. This guidance was adopted on September 1, 2016. The adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements of the Company. In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-16, Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory, which amends the existing guidance to prohibit immediate recognition of the current and deferred income tax impacts of intra-entity asset transfers. The ASU eliminates this prohibition for all intra-entity asset transfers, except inventory. This guidance was adopted, on a modified retrospective basis, at September 1, 2016. The adoption did not have a material impact on the cumulative retained earnings or on the current condensed consolidated financial statements of the Company. In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, which removes the requirement to compare the implied fair value of goodwill with its carrying amount as part of step 2 of the goodwill impairment test. As a result, under the ASU, an entity should perform its annual, or interim, goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount and should recognize an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value; however, the impairment loss recognized should not exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. This guidance is effective prospectively for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted for interim or annual goodwill impairment tests performed after January 1, 2017. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, Stock Compensation: Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which will simplify several aspects of accounting for share-based payment transactions. The guidance will require, among other items, that all excess tax deficiencies or benefits be recorded as income tax expense or benefit in the statement of earnings, and not in additional paid-in capital (shareholder's equity). This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016 (fiscal 2018 for the Company), and interim periods within those annual periods. The Company is continuing to evaluate the impact of adopting this standard. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. Under ASU 2014-09 and subsequent updates included in ASU 2016-10 and ASU 2016-12, an entity will recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects what it expects to receive in exchange for the goods or services. It also requires more detailed disclosures to enable users of financial statements to understand the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning on or after December 15, 2017 (fiscal 2019 for the Company). The Company has begun assessing its various revenue streams to identify performance obligations under these ASUs and the key aspects of the standard that will impact the Company's revenue recognition process. Based upon our preliminary assessments these standards may impact our allocation of contract revenue between various products and services, the timing of when those revenues are recognized and the treatment of certain costs to obtain a contract. Given the diversity of its commercial arrangements, the Company is continuing to assess the impact these standards may have on its consolidated results of operation, financial position, cash flows and financial statement disclosures. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing all lease transactions (with terms in excess of 12 months) on the balance sheet as a lease liability and a right-of-use asset. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018 (fiscal 2020 of the Company), including interim periods within those fiscal years. Upon adoption, the lessee will apply the new standard retrospectively to all periods presented or retrospectively using a cumulative effect adjustment in the year of adoption. The Company is currently gathering, documenting and analyzing lease agreements related this ASU and anticipates material additions to the balance sheet upon adoption of right-of-use assets, offset by the associated liabilities, due to our routine use of operating leases over time. In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016‑15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230), Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments, to address how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the statement of cash flows. This update addresses eight specific cash flow issues with the objective of reducing the existing diversity in practice. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017 (fiscal 2019 of the Company), including interim periods within those fiscal years. This update will require adoption on a retrospective basis unless it is impracticable to apply. The Company does not believe that this guidance will have a significant impact on its presentation of the statement of cash flows.

Basis of Presentation

General

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of Actuant Corporation (“Actuant,” or the “Company”) have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial reporting and with the instructions of Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. The condensed consolidated balance sheet data as of August 31, 2016 was derived from the Company’s audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by United States generally accepted accounting principles. For additional information, including the Company’s significant accounting policies, refer to the consolidated financial statements and related footnotes in the Company’s fiscal 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

In the opinion of management, all adjustments considered necessary for a fair statement of financial results have been made. Such adjustments consist of only those of a normal recurring nature. Operating results for the three and six months ended February 28, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the entire fiscal year ending August 31, 2017.

New Accounting Pronouncements

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs, which includes amendments that require that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. Under the new guidance, the recognition and measurement of debt issuance costs is not affected. This guidance was adopted on September 1, 2016. As a result of adoption, debt issuance costs of $3.9 million were reclassified from other long-term assets to long-term debt, net (contra liability) on the balance sheet as of August 31, 2016. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-15, Presentation and Subsequent Measurement of Debt Issuance Costs Associated with Line-of-Credit Arrangements, further clarifying that ASU 2015-03 relates only to the presentation of debt issuance costs related to term loans and does not relate to lines-of-credit or revolvers. As such, the debt issuance costs related to the Company's revolver remain classified in other long-term assets.

In September 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-16, Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustments, which eliminates the requirement to retrospectively account for changes to provisional amounts initially recorded in a business acquisition opening balance sheet. This guidance was adopted on September 1, 2016. The adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements of the Company.

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-16, Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory, which amends the existing guidance to prohibit immediate recognition of the current and deferred income tax impacts of intra-entity asset transfers. The ASU eliminates this prohibition for all intra-entity asset transfers, except inventory. This guidance was adopted, on a modified retrospective basis, at September 1, 2016. The adoption did not have a material impact on the cumulative retained earnings or on the current condensed consolidated financial statements of the Company.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, which removes the requirement to compare the implied fair value of goodwill with its carrying amount as part of step 2 of the goodwill impairment test. As a result, under the ASU, an entity should perform its annual, or interim, goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount and should recognize an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value; however, the impairment loss recognized should not exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. This guidance is effective prospectively for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted for interim or annual goodwill impairment tests performed after January 1, 2017.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, Stock Compensation: Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which will simplify several aspects of accounting for share-based payment transactions. The guidance will require, among other items, that all excess tax deficiencies or benefits be recorded as income tax expense or benefit in the statement of earnings, and not in additional paid-in capital (shareholder's equity). This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016 (fiscal 2018 for the Company), and interim periods within those annual periods. The Company is continuing to evaluate the impact of adopting this standard.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. Under ASU 2014-09 and subsequent updates included in ASU 2016-10 and ASU 2016-12, an entity will recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects what it expects to receive in exchange for the goods or services. It also requires more detailed disclosures to enable users of financial statements to understand the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning on or after December 15, 2017 (fiscal 2019 for the Company). The Company has begun assessing its various revenue streams to identify performance obligations under these ASUs and the key aspects of the standard that will impact the Company's revenue recognition process. Based upon our preliminary assessments these standards may impact our allocation of contract revenue between various products and services, the timing of when those revenues are recognized and the treatment of certain costs to obtain a contract. Given the diversity of its commercial arrangements, the Company is continuing to assess the impact these standards may have on its consolidated results of operation, financial position, cash flows and financial statement disclosures.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing all lease transactions (with terms in excess of 12 months) on the balance sheet as a lease liability and a right-of-use asset. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018 (fiscal 2020 of the Company), including interim periods within those fiscal years. Upon adoption, the lessee will apply the new standard retrospectively to all periods presented or retrospectively using a cumulative effect adjustment in the year of adoption. The Company is currently gathering, documenting and analyzing lease agreements related this ASU and anticipates material additions to the balance sheet upon adoption of right-of-use assets, offset by the associated liabilities, due to our routine use of operating leases over time.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016‑15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230), Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments, to address how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the statement of cash flows. This update addresses eight specific cash flow issues with the objective of reducing the existing diversity in practice. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017 (fiscal 2019 of the Company), including interim periods within those fiscal years. This update will require adoption on a retrospective basis unless it is impracticable to apply. The Company does not believe that this guidance will have a significant impact on its presentation of the statement of cash flows.