CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Aug. 31, 2021	Aug. 31, 2020
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 497,745	$ 542,103
Accounts receivable (less allowance for doubtful accounts of $5,553 and $9,597)	1,105,580	880,728
Inventories	935,387	625,393
Prepaid and other current assets	173,033	165,879
Assets held for sale	25,083	0
Total current assets	2,736,828	2,214,103
Property, plant and equipment:
Land	123,135	143,567
Buildings and improvements	792,915	786,820
Equipment	2,435,541	2,364,923
Construction in process	147,166	103,776
Property, plant and equipment, Gross	3,498,757	3,399,086
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization	(1,932,634)	(1,828,019)
Property, plant and equipment, Net	1,566,123	1,571,067
Goodwill	66,137	64,321
Other noncurrent assets	269,583	232,237
Total assets	4,638,671	4,081,728
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	450,723	266,102
Accrued expenses and other payables	475,384	454,977
Acquired unfavorable contract backlog	0	6,035
Current maturities of long-term debt	27,806	18,149
Total current liabilities	980,473	745,263
Deferred income taxes	112,067	130,810
Other noncurrent liabilities	235,607	250,706
Long-term debt	1,015,415	1,065,536
Total liabilities	2,343,562	2,192,315
Commitments and contingencies (Note 17)
Stockholders' equity:
Common stock, par value $0.01 per share; authorized 200,000,000 shares; issued 129,060,664 shares; outstanding 120,586,589 and 119,220,905 shares	1,290	1,290
Additional paid-in capital	368,064	358,912
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(84,820)	(103,764)
Retained earnings	2,162,925	1,807,826
Less treasury stock, 8,474,075 and 9,839,759 shares at cost	(152,582)	(175,063)
Stockholders' equity	2,294,877	1,889,201
Stockholders' equity attributable to noncontrolling interests	232	212
Total stockholders' equity	2,295,109	1,889,413
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ 4,638,671	$ 4,081,728
Common Stock, Shares, Issued	129,060,664	129,060,664
Common Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share	$ 0.01	$ 0.01

Business Combination, Acquired Unfavorable Contract Backlog, Net Carrying Amount

No definition available.

Name:	cmc_BusinessCombinationAcquiredUnfavorableContractBacklogNetCarryingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	cmc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Sum of the carrying values as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and due within one year (or the operating cycle, if longer), including liabilities incurred (and for which invoices have typically been received) and payable to vendors for goods and services received, taxes, interest, rent and utilities, accrued salaries and bonuses, payroll taxes and fringe benefits.