Segment Reporting (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Feb. 28, 2018

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment

	Energy			Ag			Nitrogen Production			Corporate and Other			Reconciling Amounts			Total
For the Three Months Ended February 28, 2018:	(Dollars in thousands)
Revenues	$	1,781,047		$	5,163,803		$	—		$	13,168		$	(106,925	)	$	6,851,093
Operating earnings (loss)	10,372			(29,967		)	(7,239		)	(6,050		)	—			(32,884		)
(Gain) loss on investments	—			(1,992		)	—			(2,108		)	—			(4,100		)
Interest expense	2,629			22,784			12,676			2,665			(578		)	40,176
Other (income) loss	(627		)	(14,286		)	(433		)	(201		)	578			(14,969		)
Equity (income) loss from investments	(660		)	(5,567		)	(24,012		)	(9,202		)	—			(39,441		)
Income (loss) before income taxes	$	9,030		$	(30,906	)	$	4,530		$	2,796		$	—		$	(14,550	)
Intersegment revenues	$	(101,609	)	$	(3,574	)	$	—		$	(1,742	)	$	106,925		$	—
	Energy			Ag			Nitrogen Production			Corporate and Other			Reconciling Amounts			Total
For the Three Months Ended February 28, 2017:	(Dollars in thousands)
Revenues	$	1,529,034		$	5,855,331		$	—		$	31,430		$	(95,389	)	$	7,320,406
Operating earnings (loss)	19,506			(14,291		)	(4,385		)	9,677			—			10,507
(Gain) loss on investments	—			(690		)	—			(2,092		)	—			(2,782		)
Interest expense	3,565			16,850			12,182			11,411			(4,063		)	39,945
Other (income) loss	(187		)	(17,686		)	(464		)	(179		)	4,063			(14,453		)
Equity (income) loss from investments	(486		)	(3,455		)	(21,557		)	(10,302		)	—			(35,800		)
Income (loss) before income taxes	$	16,614		$	(9,310	)	$	5,454		$	10,839		$	—		$	23,597
Intersegment revenues	$	(89,094	)	$	(4,758	)	$	—		$	(1,537	)	$	95,389		$	—

	Energy			Ag			Nitrogen Production			Corporate and Other			Reconciling Amounts			Total
For the Six Months Ended February 28, 2018:	(Dollars in thousands)
Revenues	$	3,868,750		$	11,250,483		$	—		$	31,943		$	(251,194	)	$	14,899,982
Operating earnings (loss)	127,545			30,855			(10,374		)	(4,029		)	—			143,997
(Gain) loss on investments	—			(4,811		)	—			(2,108		)	—			(6,919		)
Interest expense	8,264			40,388			25,948			7,245			(967		)	80,878
Other (income) loss	(1,020		)	(34,514		)	(2,171		)	(426		)	967			(37,164		)
Equity (income) loss from investments	(1,812		)	(13,821		)	(44,347		)	(17,823		)	—			(77,803		)
Income (loss) before income taxes	$	122,113		$	43,613		$	10,196		$	9,083		$	—		$	185,005
Intersegment revenues	$	(238,813	)	$	(7,607	)	$	—		$	(4,774	)	$	251,194		$	—
Total assets at February 28, 2018	$	4,236,271		$	7,852,648		$	2,773,870		$	2,222,073		$	—		$	17,084,862
	Energy			Ag			Nitrogen Production			Corporate and Other			Reconciling Amounts			Total
For the Six Months Ended February 28, 2017:	(Dollars in thousands)
Revenues	$	3,229,214		$	12,291,325		$	—		$	58,871		$	(210,754	)	$	15,368,656
Operating earnings (loss)	92,286			95,306			(8,414		)	17,820			—			196,998
(Gain) loss on investments	—			6,695			—			(2,076		)	—			4,619
Interest expense	7,833			33,189			24,918			19,385			(7,115		)	78,210
Other (income) loss	(496		)	(35,609		)	(29,570		)	(294		)	7,115			(58,854		)
Equity (income) loss from investments	(1,648		)	(8,872		)	(36,253		)	(29,355		)	—			(76,128		)
Income (loss) before income taxes	$	86,597		$	99,903		$	32,491		$	30,160		$	—		$	249,151
Intersegment revenues	$	(199,181	)	$	(8,523	)	$	—		$	(3,050	)	$	210,754		$	—