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Basis of Presentation Basis of Presentation (Policies)

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Basis of Presentation Basis of Presentation (Policies)
6 Months Ended
Feb. 28, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]
New Accounting Pronouncements
In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, Stock Compensation: Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, to simplify several aspects of accounting for share-based payment transactions. Under the new guidance it is required, among other items, that all excess tax deficiencies or benefits be recorded as income tax expense or benefit in the statement of operations and not in additional paid-in capital (shareholder's equity). This guidance was adopted on September 1, 2017 and the impact of adopting this guidance had the following effects:
for the three and six months ended February 28, 2018, we recorded $1.3 million and $1.5 million, respectively, in excess tax deficiency as an increase to our income tax expense. This requirement was applied prospectively;
excess tax benefits are now presented as operating activities in the statement of cash flows, rather than as financing activities. The Company chose to apply this requirement retrospectively, and as a result, reclassified approximately $0.6 million of excess tax benefits recognized during the six months ended February 28, 2017 from financing activities to operating activities in the condensed consolidated statement of cash flows;
our computation of diluted earnings per share now excludes the excess tax benefits or deficiencies from the assumed proceeds available to repurchase shares. This requirement was applied prospectively.
In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. Under ASU 2014-09 and subsequent updates included in ASU 2016-10, ASU 2016-12, ASU 2017-13 and ASU 2017-14, an entity will recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects what it expects to receive in exchange for the goods or services. It also requires more detailed disclosures to enable users of financial statements to understand the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning on or after December 15, 2017 (fiscal 2019 for the Company). The Company has begun assessing its various revenue streams to identify performance obligations under these ASUs and the key aspects of the standard that will impact the Company's revenue recognition process. Based upon our preliminary assessments, these standards may impact our allocation of contract revenue between various products and services and the timing of when those revenues are recognized, but do not expect a material or significant impact to amounts recognized. Given the diversity of its commercial arrangements, the Company is continuing to assess the impact these standards may have on its consolidated results of operations, financial position, cash flows and related financial statement disclosures upon adoption.
In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-07, Compensation-Retirement Benefits (Topic 715): Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost, which changes how employers that sponsor defined benefit pension or other postretirement benefit plans present the net periodic benefit cost in the income statement. The new guidance requires the service cost component of net periodic benefit cost to be presented in the same income statement line items as other employee compensation costs arising from services rendered during the period. Other components of the net periodic benefit cost are to be stated separately from service cost and outside of operating income. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017 (fiscal 2019 for the Company) and interim periods within those annual periods. The amendment is to be applied retrospectively. Due to a majority of the Company's defined benefit pension or other postretirement benefit plans being frozen and the net periodic benefit pension cost not being significant, the Company does not believe that adoption of this guidance will have a significant impact on the financial statements of the Company.
In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016‑15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230), Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments, to address how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the statement of cash flows. This update addresses eight specific cash flow issues with the objective of reducing the existing diversity in practice. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017 (fiscal 2019 for the Company), including interim periods within those fiscal years. This update will require adoption on a retrospective basis unless it is impracticable to apply. The Company does not believe that this guidance will have a significant impact on its presentation of the statement of cash flows.
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (and subsequent ASU 2018-01), to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing all lease transactions (with terms in excess of 12 months) on the balance sheet as a lease liability and a right-of-use asset. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018 (fiscal 2020 for the Company), including interim periods within those fiscal years. Upon adoption, the lessee will apply the new standard retrospectively to all periods presented under a modified retrospective approach using a cumulative effect adjustment in the year of adoption. The Company is currently gathering, documenting and analyzing lease agreements subject to this ASU and anticipates material additions to the balance sheet (upon adoption) of right-of-use assets, offset by the associated liabilities, due to our routine use of operating leases over time.
In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02, Income Statement-Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, which allows companies to reclassify stranded income tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings in their consolidated financial statements. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018 (fiscal 2020 for Company), including interim periods within those fiscal years. We are currently evaluating the impact of this new standard on our consolidated financial statements.
Schedule of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Table Text Block]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
The following is a summary of the Company's accumulated other comprehensive loss (in thousands):
 
 
February 28, 2018
August 31, 2017
Foreign currency translation adjustments
 
$
124,024

$
207,804

Pension and other postretirement benefit plans, net of tax
 
19,203

19,457

Accumulated other comprehensive loss
 
$
143,227

$
227,261