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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES | 12 Months Ended
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Aug. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES | NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Consolidation The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned and majority owned subsidiaries and a variable interest entity for which the Company is the primary beneficiary. Intercompany account balances and transactions have been eliminated. Upon inception of an arrangement with a potential variable interest entity, the Company performs an assessment of the contractual agreements that define the ownership structure, risks, responsibilities, indebtedness, voting rights and board representation of the respective parties when determining whether it is the primary beneficiary of the entity. The Company concludes that it is the primary beneficiary and consolidates the variable interest entity if it has both (a) the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the variable interest entity and (b) the obligation to absorb losses of, or the right to receive benefits from, the variable interest entity that potentially could be significant to the variable interest entity. The Company's assessment of whether it is the primary beneficiary of the variable interest entity is continuously performed. The equity method of accounting is used for investments in affiliates in which the Company has the ability to exert significant influence, but does not have effective control. As of August 31, 2015, the Company has no investments accounted for under the equity method of accounting. Investments in affiliates which are 20% or less owned are accounted for using the cost method of accounting. Use of Estimates The preparation of the Company's consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("U.S. GAAP") requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and reported amounts of net sales and expenses during the reporting period. Significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include the valuation of assets received in acquisitions; the carrying value of long-lived assets, including goodwill; valuation allowances for receivables, inventories and deferred income taxes; percentage of completion accounting method for revenue recognition; share-based compensation; potential litigation claims and settlements; and environmental liabilities. Actual results could significantly differ from these estimates and assumptions. Cash and Cash Equivalents Cash and cash equivalents include cash on deposit and short-term, highly-liquid investments with maturities of three months or less at the date of purchase. Restricted cash held by the Company as of August 31, 2015 was not material. As of August 31, 2014, the Company had restricted cash of $4.1 million held for operational purposes. Restricted cash balances are included in other current assets on the Company's consolidated balance sheets. Revenue Recognition The Company recognizes sales when title passes to the customer either when goods are shipped or when they are delivered based upon the terms of the sale, there is persuasive evidence of an arrangement, the price is fixed or determinable and collectability is reasonably assured. When the Company estimates that a firm purchase commitment from a customer will result in a loss, the Company accrues the entire loss as soon as it is probable and estimable. The Company accounts for certain fabrication projects based on the percentage of completion accounting method, based primarily on contract cost incurred to date compared to total estimated contract cost. Changes to total estimated contract cost, or loss, if any, are recognized in the period in which they are determined. Sales recognized in excess of amounts billed of $25.0 million and $24.2 million are classified as current assets and are reflected in accounts receivable on the Company's consolidated balances sheets as of August 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Shipping and other transportation costs billed to customers are included in net sales and the related costs incurred are reflected in cost of goods sold in the Company's consolidated statements of earnings. Allowance for Doubtful Accounts The Company maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts to reflect its estimate of the uncollectability of accounts receivable. These reserves are based on historical trends, current market conditions and customers' financial condition. The Company maintains both corporate and divisional credit departments. Credit limits are set for each customer. Some of the Company's divisions use credit insurance or letters of credit to ensure prompt payment in accordance with the terms of sale. Generally, collateral is not required. Approximately 35% and 49% of total receivables at August 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, were secured by credit insurance or letters of credit. Inventories, net Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market. Inventory cost for most U.S. inventories is determined by the last-in, first-out ("LIFO") method. We determine inventory cost for our International Mill segment by the weighted average cost method. The cost for our remaining international and U.S. inventories is determined by the FIFO method. During the first quarter of fiscal 2016, the Company is considering changing the inventory costing method for all of its LIFO inventories to other inventory costing methods currently used by the Company. Elements of cost in finished goods inventory in addition to the cost of material include depreciation, amortization, utilities, consumable production supplies, maintenance, production, wages and transportation costs. Additionally, the costs of departments that support production, including materials management and quality control, are allocated to inventory. Property, Plant and Equipment Property, plant and equipment are recorded at cost. Maintenance is expensed as incurred. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of their estimated useful lives or the lease term. Depreciation and amortization is recorded on a straight-line basis over the following estimated useful lives:
Buildings | 7 | to | 40 | years
Land improvements | 3 | to | 25 | years
Leasehold improvements | 3 | to | 15 | years
Equipment | 3 | to | 25 | years
The Company evaluates impairment of its property, plant and equipment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. Impairment charges are recorded on property, plant and equipment when the carrying value of the operations related to the asset, or group of assets, exceeds the undiscounted cash flows estimated to be generated by those operations. Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets Goodwill is tested for impairment at the reporting unit level annually in the fourth quarter and whenever events or circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. The Company's reporting units represent an operating segment or one level below an operating segment. The Company utilizes the two-step quantitative approach to evaluate goodwill for impairment. The Company performs the first step of the test by comparing the estimated fair value of each reporting unit to its carrying value, including goodwill. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, the Company performs the second step of the test to measure the amount of impairment, if any. In the second step of the test, the Company allocates the fair value of the reporting unit to the assets and liabilities of the reporting unit to determine the implied fair value of the goodwill. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit's goodwill exceeds the implied value of goodwill, an impairment loss is recognized. The fair value of each reporting unit is estimated using an income approach based on the present value of expected future cash flows and a market approach based on valuation metrics of comparable peer companies and a reconciliation of the Company's estimate of the aggregate fair value of the reporting units to the Company's market capitalization, including a control premium. The determination of fair value involves a number of significant assumptions and estimates including discount rates, volumes, prices, capital expenditures and the impact of current market conditions. These estimates could be materially impacted by adverse changes in these assumptions. As a result of the annual goodwill impairment analysis in fiscal 2015, the Company recorded a goodwill impairment charge of $7.3 million related to its Americas Recycling segment. In fiscal 2013, the Company recorded goodwill impairment charges of $6.4 million, including foreign currency translation gains of $0.6 million, related to its Australian subsidiaries. See Note 7, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets, for additional details of these impairment charges. For fiscal 2015 and 2013, the annual goodwill impairment analysis did not result in any impairment charges at any of the Company's other reporting units. During fiscal 2014, the annual goodwill impairment analysis did not result in any impairment charges at any of the Company's reporting units. As of August 31, 2015 and 2014 one of the Company's reporting units within the Americas Fabrication reporting segment comprised $51.3 million of the Company's total goodwill. Goodwill at the Company's other reporting units was not material at August 31, 2015 and 2014. Intangible assets with finite lives are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives and are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. Impairment charges are recorded on finite-lived intangible assets when indicators of impairment are present and the undiscounted cash flows estimated to be generated by those assets are less than the assets' carrying amounts. During fiscal 2015, impairment charges related to the Company's intangible assets with finite lives were not material. As of August 31, 2014, none of the Company's intangible assets with finite lives were impaired. Contingencies The Company accrues for claims and litigation, including environmental investigation and remediation costs, when they are both probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated. Environmental costs are based upon estimates regarding the sites for which the Company will be responsible, the scope and cost of work to be performed at each site, the portion of costs that will be shared with other parties and the timing of remediation. Where timing and amounts cannot be reasonably determined, a range is estimated and the lower end of the range is typically recorded. Stock-Based Compensation The Company recognizes stock-based equity awards and liability awards at fair value in the financial statements. The fair value of each stock-based equity award is estimated at the date of grant using the Black-Scholes or Monte Carlo pricing model. Total compensation cost of the stock-based equity award is amortized over the requisite service period using the accelerated method of amortization for grants with graded vesting or using the straight-line method for grants with cliff vesting. Stock-based liability awards are measured at fair value at the end of each reporting period and will fluctuate based on the price of CMC common stock and performance relative to the targets. Accounts Payable — Documentary Letters of Credit In order to facilitate certain trade transactions, the Company utilizes documentary letters of credit to provide assurance of payment to its suppliers. These letters of credit are typically for payment at a future date conditional upon the bank determining the documentation presented to be in strict compliance with all terms and conditions of the letter of credit. Banks issue these letters of credit under uncommitted lines of credit, which are in addition to and separate from the Company's contractually committed revolving credit agreement. In some cases, if the Company's suppliers choose to discount the future dated obligation, the Company may pay the fee associated with the discount. Income Taxes CMC and its U.S. subsidiaries file a consolidated federal income tax return. Deferred income taxes are provided for temporary differences between financial statement and income tax bases of assets and liabilities. The principal differences are described in Note 14, Income Tax. Benefits from income tax credits are reflected currently in earnings. The Company intends to indefinitely reinvest all undistributed earnings of non-U.S. subsidiaries. The Company records income tax positions based on a more likely than not threshold that the tax positions will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities having full knowledge of all relevant information. Foreign Currencies The functional currencies of the Company's Australian, German, Polish, United Kingdom and certain Chinese, Singaporean and Thai operations are their local currencies. The Company's remaining international subsidiaries' functional currency is the U.S. dollar. Translation adjustments are reported as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). Transaction gains (losses) from transactions denominated in currencies other than the functional currencies were $(45.4) million, $9.0 million and $(5.8) million for the years ended August 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and are included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the Company's consolidated statements of earnings. Derivative Financial Instruments The Company records derivative instruments on the balance sheet as assets or liabilities, measured at fair value. Gains or losses from the changes in the values of the derivative instruments and hedged items are recorded in the statements of earnings, or are deferred if they are designated for hedge accounting and are highly effective in achieving offsetting changes in fair values or cash flows of the hedged items during the term of the hedge. Fair Value The Company has established a fair value hierarchy which prioritizes the inputs to the valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three levels. These levels are determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Level 1 represents unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities. Level 2 represents quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets (other than those included in Level 1) which are observable, either directly or indirectly. Level 3 represents valuations derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or significant value drivers are unobservable. Recent Accounting Pronouncements In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2015, the Company adopted guidance issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") specifying that the SEC would not object to an entity deferring and presenting debt issuance costs related to line-of-credit arrangements as an asset and subsequently amortizing the deferred debt issuance costs ratably over the term of the line-of-credit arrangement. The Company previously accounted for such debt issuance costs in a manner consistent with the new guidance and the adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements. In the first quarter of fiscal 2015, the Company adopted guidance issued by the FASB requiring an entity to net an unrecognized tax benefit with a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss or a tax credit carryforward. To the extent a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward is not available at the reporting date under the tax law of the applicable jurisdiction to settle any additional income taxes that would result from the disallowance of a tax position or the tax law of the applicable jurisdiction does not require the entity to use, and the entity does not intend to use, the deferred tax asset for such purpose, the unrecognized tax benefit should be presented in the financial statements as a liability and should not be combined with deferred tax assets. The adoption of this guidance did not have an impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements. In the first quarter of fiscal 2015, the Company adopted guidance issued by the FASB requiring an entity to release any related cumulative translation adjustment into net income when it either sells a part or all of its investment in a foreign entity or no longer holds a controlling financial interest in a subsidiary or group of assets that is a nonprofit activity or a business within a foreign entity. In addition, the guidance resolves the diversity in practice for the treatment of business combinations achieved in stages involving a foreign entity. The Company previously accounted for such transactions in a manner consistent with the new guidance and the adoption of this guidance did not have an impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements. In the first quarter of fiscal 2015, the Company adopted guidance issued by the FASB requiring an entity to measure obligations resulting from joint and several liability arrangements for which the total amount of the obligation is fixed at the reporting date. The guidance also requires entities to disclose the nature and amount of the obligation as well as other information about the obligation. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements. In July 2015, the FASB issued guidance requiring entities to measure inventory, other than that measured using LIFO or the retail inventory method, at the lower of cost and net realizable value. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016 and interim periods therein. The Company plans to early adopt this guidance on a prospective basis in the first quarter of fiscal 2016. In April 2015, the FASB issued guidance clarifying the circumstances under which an entity would account for fees paid in a cloud computing arrangement as a license of internal-use software. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim reporting periods therein, beginning after December 15, 2015. The Company does not expect this guidance to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements. In April 2015, the FASB issued guidance requiring an entity to present debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim reporting periods therein, beginning after December 15, 2015 with early adoption permitted. The Company does not expect this guidance to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements. In February 2015, the FASB issued guidance modifying the evaluation of whether limited partnerships and similar legal entities are variable interest entities or voting interest entities. This guidance also eliminates the presumption that a general partner should consolidate a limited partnership and affects the consolidation analysis of reporting entities that are involved with variable interest entities, particularly those that have fee arrangements and related party relationships. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim reporting periods therein, beginning after December 15, 2015 with early adoption permitted. Entities may elect to apply this guidance either on a retrospective or a modified retrospective basis. The Company does not expect this guidance to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements In January 2015, the FASB issued guidance eliminating the concept of extraordinary items. Under this guidance an entity will no longer be allowed to separately disclose extraordinary items, net of tax, in the income statement after income from continuing operations if an event or transaction is unusual in nature and occurs infrequently. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim reporting periods therein, beginning after December 15, 2015 with early adoption permitted. The Company plans to adopt this guidance prospectively. The Company does not expect this guidance to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements. In August 2014, the FASB issued guidance requiring management to evaluate whether there are conditions and events that raise substantial doubt about the entity's ability to continue as a going concern and to provide disclosures in certain circumstances. The new guidance was issued to reduce diversity in the timing and content of footnote disclosures. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim reporting periods therein, beginning after December 15, 2016. The Company does not expect this guidance to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements. In August 2014, the FASB issued guidance providing a measurement alternative to the existing fair value measurement guidance for reporting entities that consolidate a collateralized financing entity in which (1) the financial assets and financial liabilities are measured at fair value except for those incidental financial assets and financial liabilities with their carrying values that approximate fair values and (2) the changes in the fair values of those financial assets and financial liabilities are reflected in earnings. When the measurement alternative is elected, the financial assets and liabilities of a collateralized financing entity will be measured using the more observable of the fair value of the financial assets and the fair value of the financial liabilities. This guidance is effective for public business entities for annual periods, and for interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted as of the beginning of an annual period. The Company does not expect this guidance to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements. In June 2014, the FASB issued guidance requiring entities to account for a performance target as a performance condition if the target affects vesting and could be achieved after the requisite service period. The new guidance did not introduce additional disclosure requirements and was issued to resolve diversity in practice. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim reporting periods therein, beginning after December 15, 2015. The Company currently accounts for such performance targets in a manner consistent with the new guidance and does not expect this guidance to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements. In May 2014, the FASB issued guidance requiring entities to recognize revenue from contracts with customers by applying a five-step model in accordance with the core principle to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. In addition, this guidance specifies the accounting for some costs to obtain or fulfill a contract with a customer and expands disclosure requirements for revenue recognition. In August 2015, the FASB issued guidance deferring the effective date of this guidance to annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim reporting periods therein. Entities have the option to adopt this guidance either retrospectively or through a modified retrospective transition method. This new standard will supersede existing revenue guidance and affect the Company's revenue recognition process and the presentations or disclosures of the Company's consolidated financial statements and footnotes. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements. In April 2014, the FASB issued guidance changing the requirements for reporting discontinued operations if the disposal of a component of an entity, or a group of components of an entity, represents a strategic shift that has, or will have, a major effect on an entity's operations and financial results. The guidance requires expanded disclosures for discontinued operations and also requires entities to disclose the pre-tax profit or loss of an individually significant component of an entity that does not qualify for discontinued operations reporting. The new guidance is effective prospectively for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning on or after December 15, 2014. The guidance will affect the Company's current practice of assessing discontinued operations and the presentation and disclosure in the Company's consolidated financial statements.

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