XML 45 R33.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.8.0.1

Recent Accounting Standards (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 3 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Oct. 31, 2017 | Oct. 31, 2016 | Oct. 31, 2017 | Oct. 31, 2016
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Increase (decrease) in diluted shares outstanding (in shares) | 679,000 | 0 | 685,000 | 765,000
Excess tax benefits recorded in operating activities |  |  | $ 0 | $ (187)
Excess tax benefits recorded in financing activities |  |  | 0 | (187)
Prepaid and Other Current Assets [Member] |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Deferred tax assets, current |  | $ 12,900 |  | 12,900
Accounting Standards Update 2017-07 Member] |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Net benefit costs expected to be reclassified from operating income to a line item below operating income | $ 2,000 | $ 900 | 3,900 | 1,700
Accounting Standards Update 2016-09 [Member] |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Excess income tax benefits from stock-based compensation |  |  | $ 200 |
Increase (decrease) in diluted shares outstanding (in shares) | 34,000 |  | 24,000 |
Excess tax benefits recorded in operating activities |  |  | $ 0 |
Excess tax benefits recorded in financing activities |  |  |  | $ 200

X
- Definition Amount of net benefit costs included in pension and postretirement costs expected to be reclassified from operating income to a line item below operating income. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | jwa_DefinedBenefitPlanNetBenefitCostsExpectedToBeReclassifiedFromOperatingIncomeToLineItemBelowOperatingIncome
Namespace Prefix: | jwa_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Refers to excess income tax benefits (deficiencies) from stock-based compensation recognized in provision for income taxes. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | jwa_ExcessIncomeTaxBenefitsAndDeficienciesFromStockBasedCompensation
Namespace Prefix: | jwa_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount after allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences and carryforwards classified as current. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32537-109319 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84176650&loc=d3e31917-109318 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 6 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84176650&loc=d3e31931-109318 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84176650&loc=d3e31928-109318 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 9 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84176650&loc=d3e31958-109318 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of cash inflow from realized tax benefit related to deductible compensation cost reported on the entity's tax return for equity instruments in excess of the compensation cost for those instruments recognized for financial reporting purposes. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 20 -Section 55 -Paragraph 24 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=96864182&loc=d3e11374-113907 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ExcessTaxBenefitFromShareBasedCompensationFinancingActivities
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of cash outflow for realized tax benefit related to deductible compensation cost reported on the entity's tax return for equity instruments in excess of the compensation cost for those instruments recognized for financial reporting purposes. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 20 -Section 55 -Paragraph 24 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=96864182&loc=d3e11374-113907 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ExcessTaxBenefitFromShareBasedCompensationOperatingActivities
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Additional shares included in the calculation of diluted EPS as a result of the potentially dilutive effect of share based payment arrangements using the treasury stock method. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 260 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6371337&loc=d3e3550-109257 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 260 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28A -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=96947427&loc=d3e1500-109256 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncrementalCommonSharesAttributableToShareBasedPaymentArrangements
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_NewAccountingPronouncementsOrChangeInAccountingPrincipleLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=us-gaap_PrepaidExpensesAndOtherCurrentAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_AdjustmentsForNewAccountingPronouncementsAxis=jwa_AccountingStandardsUpdate201707Member
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_AdjustmentsForNewAccountingPronouncementsAxis=us-gaap_AccountingStandardsUpdate201609Member
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |