Note 4 - Supplemental Financial Statement Information (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Nov. 28, 2015

Schedule of Income Statement Supplemental Disclosures [Table Text Block]

	2015			2014			2013
Foreign currency transaction losses, net	$	(3,549	)	$	(2,546	)	$	(4,106	)
Interest income		510			344			737
Gain on disposal of fixed assets		330			2,769			323
Other, net		244			149			(705	)
Total other income (expense), net	$	(2,465	)	$	716		$	(3,751	)

Research and development expenses (included in SG&A expenses)	$	26,170		$	21,245		$	24,570

Schedule of Balance Sheet Supplemental Disclosures [Table Text Block]

	2015			2014
Inventories
Raw materials	$	121,545		$	133,476
Finished goods		142,195			140,014
LIFO reserve		(15,236	)		(22,200	)
Total inventories	$	248,504		$	251,290

Other current assets
Other receivables	$	31,051		$	15,059
Prepaid income taxes		3,790			9,505
Prepaid taxes other than income taxes		18,464			30,797
Deferred income taxes		-			20,924
Prepaid expenses		12,232			12,547
Assets held for sale		3,138			4,273
Total other current assets	$	68,675		$	93,105

Property, plant and equipment
Land	$	68,008		$	65,367
Buildings and improvements		315,659			293,440
Machinery and equipment		683,988			710,180
Construction in progress		44,332			37,364
Total, at cost		1,111,987			1,106,351
Accumulated depreciation		(599,127	)		(603,717	)
Net property, plant and equipment	$	512,860		$	502,634

Other assets
Investments and company owned life insurance	$	9,641		$	10,950
Equity method investments		39,533			37,487
Cost method investments		1,666			1,671
Long-term deferred income taxes		55,663			40,142
Prepaid pension costs		4,273			7,588
Prepaid postretirement other than pension		15,755			12,054
Other long-term assets		34,613			39,434
Total other assets	$	161,144		$	149,326

Income taxes payable
Current income taxes payable	$	8,970		$	10,961
Current deferred income taxes		-			2,800
Total income taxes payable	$	8,970		$	13,761

Other accrued expenses
Taxes other than income taxes	$	16,909		$	19,427
Interest		5,027			4,548
Product liability		2,765			1,691
Accrued expenses		32,654			25,383
Total other accrued expenses	$	57,355		$	51,049

Other liabilities
Asset retirement obligations	$	2,274		$	2,515
Long-term deferred income taxes		24,477			16,718
Long-term deferred compensation		5,675			5,635
Postretirement other than pension		2,902			3,146
Contingent consideration liabilities, continuing operations		10,854			196
Other long-term liabilities		23,090			13,565
Total other liabilities	$	69,272		$	41,775

Schedule of Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Table Text Block]

	2015			2014			2013
Balance at beginning of year	$	10,246		$	8,538		$	7,513
Charged to expenses		4,703			3,998			3,267
Write-offs		(2,339	)		(1,866	)		(2,369	)
Foreign currency translation effect		(717	)		(424	)		127
Balance at end of year	$	11,893		$	10,246		$	8,538

Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Table Text Block]

	November 28, 2015
	H.B. Fuller Stockholders									Non-controlling Interests
	Pretax			Tax			Net			Net
Net income including non-controlling interests		-			-		$	86,680		$	417
Other comprehensive income (loss)
Foreign currency translation adjustment ¹	$	(62,759	)		-			(62,759	)		(17	)
Reclassification to earnings:
Defined benefit pension plans adjustment ²		(24,279	)		8,408			(15,871	)		-
Interest rate swap ³		56			(16	)		40			-
Cash-flow hedges ³		(2,168	)		826			(1,342	)		-
Other comprehensive income (loss)	$	(89,150	)	$	9,218			(79,932	)		(17	)
Comprehensive income (loss)							$	6,748		$	400

	November 29, 2014
	H.B. Fuller Stockholders									Non-controlling Interests
	Pretax			Tax			Net			Net
Net income including non-controlling interests		-			-		$	49,773		$	378
Other comprehensive income (loss)
Foreign currency translation adjustment ¹	$	(38,673	)		-			(38,673	)		(14	)
Reclassification to earnings:
Defined benefit pension plans adjustment ²		(56,268	)		19,394			(36,874	)		-
Interest rate swap ³		56			(15	)		41			-
Cash-flow hedges ³		158			(42	)		116			-
Other comprehensive income (loss)	$	(94,727	)	$	19,337			(75,390	)		(14	)
Comprehensive income (loss)							$	(25,617	)	$	364

	November 30, 2013
	H.B. Fuller Stockholders									Non-controlling Interests
	Pretax			Tax			Net			Net
Net income including non-controlling interests		-			-		$	96,761		$	425
Other comprehensive income (loss)
Foreign currency translation adjustment ¹	$	(876	)		-			(876	)		(55	)
Reclassification to earnings:
Defined benefit pension plans adjustment ²		106,647			(38,451	)		68,196			-
Interest rate swap ³		57			(16	)		41			-
Cash-flow hedges ³		494			(191	)		303			-
Other comprehensive income (loss)	$	106,322		$	(38,658	)		67,664			(55	)
Comprehensive income (loss)							$	164,425		$	370

Schedule of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Table Text Block]

	November 28, 2015
	Total			H.B. Fuller Stockholders			Non-controlling Interests
Foreign currency translation adjustment	$	(51,592	)	$	(51,554	)	$	(38	)
Interest rate swap, net of taxes of $5		(13	)		(13	)		-
Cash-flow hedges, net of taxes of $811		(1,317	)		(1,317	)		-
Defined benefit pension plans adjustment, net of taxes of $93,012		(174,400	)		(174,400	)		-
Total accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	$	(227,322	)	$	(227,284	)	$	(38	)

	November 29, 2014
	Total			H.B. Fuller Stockholders			Non-controlling Interests
Foreign currency translation adjustment	$	11,184		$	11,205		$	(21	)
Interest rate swap, net of taxes of $21		(53	)		(53	)		-
Cash-flow hedges, net of taxes of $15		25			25			-
Defined benefit pension plans adjustment, net of taxes of $84,604		(158,529	)		(158,529	)		-
Total accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	$	(147,373	)	$	(147,352	)	$	(21	)

	November 30, 2013
	Total			H.B. Fuller Stockholders			Non-controlling Interests
Foreign currency translation adjustment	$	49,871		$	49,878		$	(7	)
Interest rate swap, net of taxes of $36		(94	)		(94	)		-
Cash-flow hedges, net of taxes of $57		(91	)		(91	)		-
Defined benefit pension plans adjustment net of taxes of $65,210		(121,655	)		(121,655	)		-
Total accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	$	(71,969	)	$	(71,962	)	$	(7	)