Segment Reporting (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Aug. 31, 2016

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment

Reconciling amounts represent the elimination of revenues between segments. Such transactions are executed at market prices to more accurately evaluate the profitability of the individual business segments.

Segment information for the years ended August 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014 is presented in the tables below. We have previously revised amounts for the year ended August 31, 2014 in the table below to include activity and amounts related to capital leases that were previously accounted for as operating leases. See Note 18, Correction of Immaterial Errors for more information on the nature and amounts of these revisions.

	Energy			Ag			Nitrogen Production			Foods			Corporate and Other			Reconciling Amounts			Total
	(Dollars in thousands)
For the year ended August 31, 2016:
Revenues	$	5,789,307		$	24,849,634		$	—		$	—		$	92,725		$	(384,463	)	$	30,347,203
Operating earnings	248,173			52,334			(6,193		)	(7,719		)	23,601			—			310,196
(Gain) loss on investments	—			(6,157		)	—			—			(3,095		)	—			(9,252		)
Interest expense, net	(22,531		)	35,199			34,437			2,692			25,550			—			75,347
Equity (income) loss from investments	(4,739		)	(7,644		)	(74,700		)	(75,175		)	(13,519		)	—			(175,777		)
Income before income taxes	$	275,443		$	30,936		$	34,070		$	64,764		$	14,665		$	—		$	419,878
Intersegment revenues	$	(341,765	)	$	(40,336	)	$	—		$	—		$	(2,362	)	$	384,463		$	—
Capital expenditures	$	376,841		$	260,865		$	—		$	—		$	55,074		$	—		$	692,780
Depreciation and amortization	$	193,525		$	230,172		$	—		$	—		$	23,795		$	—		$	447,492
Total assets as of August 31, 2016	$	4,306,297		$	7,002,916		$	2,796,323		$	369,487		$	2,842,686		$	—		$	17,317,709

	Energy			Ag			Foods			Corporate and Other			Reconciling Amounts			Total
	(Dollars in thousands)
For the year ended August 31, 2015:
Revenues	$	8,694,326		$	26,311,350		$	—		$	74,828		$	(498,062	)	$	34,582,442
Operating earnings	523,451			190,860			(1,454		)	2,555			—			715,412
(Gain) loss on investments	—			(2,875		)	—			(2,364		)	—			(5,239		)
Interest expense, net	(12,350		)	56,380			3,854			12,449			—			60,333
Equity (income) loss from investments	(2,330		)	(12,293		)	(67,955		)	(25,272		)	—			(107,850		)
Income before income taxes	$	538,131		$	149,648		$	62,647		$	17,742		$	—		$	768,168
Intersegment revenues	$	(483,989	)	$	(11,403	)	$	—		$	(2,670	)	$	498,062		$	—
Capital expenditures	$	696,825		$	417,950		$	—		$	72,015		$	—		$	1,186,790
Depreciation and amortization	$	148,292		$	192,438		$	—		$	14,692		$	—		$	355,422
Total assets as of August 31, 2015	$	4,624,471		$	7,814,689		$	347,748		$	2,441,404		$	—		$	15,228,312

	Energy			Ag			Foods			Corporate and Other			Reconciling Amounts			Total
For the year ended August 31, 2014:	(Dollars in thousands)
Revenues	$	12,181,212		$	31,022,507		$	—		$	73,827		$	(613,513	)	$	42,664,033
Operating earnings	793,924			249,944			(1,292		)	7,372			—			1,049,948
(Gain) loss on investments	—			(1,949		)	—			(112,213		)	—			(114,162		)
Interest expense, net	69,522			60,742			5,419			4,570			—			140,253
Equity (income) loss from investments	(4,014		)	(22,279		)	(55,104		)	(26,049		)	—			(107,446		)
Income before income taxes	$	728,416		$	213,430		$	48,393		$	141,064		$	—		$	1,131,303
Intersegment revenues	$	(600,433	)	$	(9,960	)	$	—		$	(3,120	)	$	613,513		$	—
Capital expenditures	$	539,170		$	329,613		$	—		$	50,293		$	—		$	919,076
Depreciation and amortization	$	137,408		$	157,102		$	—		$	11,737		$	—		$	306,247

Schedule of Revenue from External Customers Attributed to Foreign Countries by Geographic Area

years ended August 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014:

	2016		2015		2014
	(Dollars in millions)
North America	$	23,276	$	27,821	$	38,287
South America	1,847		1,529		2,133
Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA)	4,166		4,221		1,602
Asia Pacific (APAC)	1,058		1,011		642
Total	$	30,347	$	34,582	$	42,664