STOCKHOLDERS EQUITY Other Comprehensive Income (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	May 31, 2014		May 31, 2013		May 31, 2014		May 31, 2013		Aug. 31, 2013		Aug. 31, 2012
Document Period End Date					May 31, 2014
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Amortization, Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Net Prior Service Cost Recognized in Net Periodic Benefit Cost, before Tax					$ 0	[1]	$ 0	[1]	$ 260	[1]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Reclassification, Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Net Gain (Loss) Recognized in Net Periodic Benefit Cost, before Tax					18	[1]	2	[1]	(365)	[1]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment, Net of Tax	(50,764)		(37,045)		(50,764)		(37,045)		(42,321)		(31,962)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Net of Tax	(136)		(73)		(136)		(73)		(152)		(74)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Cumulative Changes in Net Gain (Loss) from Cash Flow Hedges, Effect Net of Tax	577	[2]	462	[2]	577	[2]	462	[2]	998	[2]	(1,146)	[2]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	(50,323)		(36,656)		(50,323)		(36,656)		(41,475)		(33,182)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Foreign Currency Transaction and Translation Adjustment, Net of Tax	3,929	[3]	(2,073)	[3]	(8,443)	[3]	(5,083)	[3]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, before Tax	6		1		18		2		(105)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Tax	(1)		(3)		(2)		(1)		27
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, Net of Tax	5		(2)		16		1		(78)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Arising During Period, before Tax	(1,857)	[4]	2,558	[4]	(489)	[4]	1,974	[4]	2,691
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Arising During Period, Tax	514	[4]	(335)	[4]	68	[4]	(366)	[4]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Arising During Period, Net of Tax	(1,343)	[4]	2,223	[4]	(421)	[4]	1,608	[4]	2,144
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), adjustments, net of tax					(405)		1,609		2,066
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), before Tax	2,078		486		(8,914)		(3,107)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Tax	513		(338)		66		(367)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	2,591		148		(8,848)		(3,474)
Foreign currency translation adjustments [Member]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Foreign Currency Transaction and Translation Adjustment, Net of Tax					(8,443)		(5,083)		(10,359)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax					(8,443)		(5,083)		(10,359)
Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, Net of Tax					16		1		(78)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax					16		1		(78)
Deferred Derivative Gain (Loss) [Member]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Arising During Period, Net of Tax					(421)	[2]	1,608	[2]	2,144	[2]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax					(421)	[2]	1,608	[2]	2,144	[2]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax					(8,848)		(3,474)		(8,293)
Cross Currency Interest Rate Contract [Member] | Other Noncurrent Assets [Member]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Arising During Period, before Tax					(776)		987		1,505
Cross Currency Interest Rate Contract [Member] | Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets [Member]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Arising During Period, before Tax					378		0		0
Cross Currency Interest Rate Contract [Member] | Other Liabilities [Member]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Arising During Period, before Tax					(76)		824		983
Cross Currency Interest Rate Contract [Member] | Liability [Member]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Arising During Period, Tax					62		(325)		(497)
Interest Rate Swap [Member] | Other Liabilities [Member]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Arising During Period, before Tax					(15)		163		203
Interest Rate Swap [Member] | Deferred Tax Asset [Domain]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Arising During Period, Tax					$ 6		$ (41)		$ (50)

[1] (1) These amounts are included as part of salaries reported within the statement of income; warehouse club operations.

[2] (1) See Note 9 - Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities.

[3] (1) Translation adjustments arising in translating the financial statements of a foreign entity have no effect on the income taxes of that foreign entity. They may, however, affect: (a) the amount, measured in the parent entity's reporting currency, of withholding taxes assessed on dividends paid to the parent entity and (b) the amount of taxes assessed on the parent entity by the government of its country. The Company has determined that the reinvestment of earnings of its foreign subsidiaries are indefinite because of the long-term nature of the Company's foreign investment plans. Therefore, deferred taxes are not provided for on translation adjustments related to non-remitted earnings of the Company's foreign subsidiaries.

[4] (2) See Note 9 - Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities.