Segment Reporting (Tables)

9 Months Ended

May 31, 2017

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment

	Energy			Ag			Nitrogen Production			Foods			Corporate and Other			Reconciling Amounts			Total
For the Three Months Ended May 31, 2017:	(Dollars in thousands)
Revenues	$	1,638,107		$	7,053,991		$	—		$	—		$	26,820		$	(104,828	)	$	8,614,090
Operating earnings (loss)	(5,723		)	(226,668		)	(5,619		)	(3,101		)	10,814			—			(230,297		)
(Gain) loss on investments	—			(393		)	—			—			—			—			(393		)
Interest expense	4,343			16,609			10,708			(231		)	8,358			(586		)	39,201
Other income	(332		)	(12,493		)	(477		)	—			1,162			586			(11,554		)
Equity (income) loss from investments	(391		)	(9,199		)	(24,534		)	(9,920		)	(4,349		)	—			(48,393		)
Income (loss) before income taxes	$	(9,343	)	$	(221,192	)	$	8,684		$	7,050		$	5,643		$	—		$	(209,158	)
Intersegment revenues	$	(97,876	)	$	(7,545	)	$	—		$	—		$	593		$	104,828		$	—
	Energy			Ag			Nitrogen Production			Foods			Corporate and Other			Reconciling Amounts			Total
For the Three Months Ended May 31, 2016:	(Dollars in thousands)
Revenues	$	1,322,624		$	6,526,714		$	—		$	—		$	25,114		$	(77,864	)	$	7,796,588
Operating earnings (loss)	103,614			24,432			253			(2,243		)	22,004			—			148,060
(Gain) loss on investments	—			(881		)	—			—			181			—			(700		)
Interest expense	(4,270		)	24,518			16,549			645			7,951			(7,927		)	37,466
Other income	(217		)	(17,473		)	—			—			(1,011		)	7,927			(10,774		)
Equity (income) loss from investments	(1,300		)	(5,931		)	(41,257		)	(19,922		)	(4,043		)	—			(72,453		)
Income (loss) before income taxes	$	109,401		$	24,199		$	24,961		$	17,034		$	18,926		$	—		$	194,521
Intersegment revenues	$	(76,114	)	$	(3,016	)	$	—		$	—		$	1,266		$	77,864		$	—

	Energy			Ag			Nitrogen Production			Foods			Corporate and Other			Reconciling Amounts			Total
For the Nine Months Ended May 31, 2017:	(Dollars in thousands)
Revenues	$	4,867,321		$	19,345,316		$	—		$	—		$	85,691		$	(315,582	)	$	23,982,746
Operating earnings (loss)	86,563			(131,363		)	(14,033		)	(8,370		)	33,904			—			(33,299		)
(Gain) loss on investments	—			6,302			—			—			(2,076		)	—			4,226
Interest expense	12,176			49,798			35,626			(231		)	27,743			(7,701		)	117,411
Other income	(828		)	(48,103		)	(30,047		)	—			868			7,701			(70,409		)
Equity (income) loss from investments	(2,039		)	(18,071		)	(60,787		)	(28,850		)	(14,774		)	—			(124,521		)
Income (loss) before income taxes	$	77,254		$	(121,289	)	$	41,175		$	20,711		$	22,143		$	—		$	39,994
Intersegment revenues	$	(297,057	)	$	(16,068	)	$	—		$	—		$	(2,457	)	$	315,582		$	—
Total assets at May 31, 2017	$	4,292,789		$	7,028,635		$	2,834,040		$	374,007		$	2,692,326		$	—		$	17,221,797
	Energy			Ag			Nitrogen Production			Foods			Corporate and Other			Reconciling Amounts			Total
For the Nine Months Ended May 31, 2016:	(Dollars in thousands)
Revenues	$	4,162,685		$	18,221,420		$	—		$	—		$	68,210		$	(287,605	)	$	22,164,710
Operating earnings (loss)	214,827			77,605			(5,506		)	(6,319		)	35,464			—			316,071
(Gain) loss on investments	—			(6,595		)	—			—			(2,827		)	—			(9,422		)
Interest expense	(20,723		)	57,785			21,286			2,246			18,886			(7,927		)	71,553
Other income	(174		)	(27,778		)	—			—			(2,130		)	7,927			(22,155		)
Equity (income) loss from investments	(3,487		)	(8,152		)	(53,112		)	(55,449		)	(11,619		)	—			(131,819		)
Income (loss) before income taxes	$	239,211		$	62,345		$	26,320		$	46,884		$	33,154		$	—		$	407,914
Intersegment revenues	$	(250,425	)	$	(36,032	)	$	—		$	—		$	(1,148	)	$	287,605		$	—