EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2014

Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Net Benefit Costs

Net periodic costs (benefits) were as follows:

	Defined Benefits for the Years Ended  September 30,									Supplemental Benefits for the Years  Ended September 30,
	2014			2013			2012			2014		2013		2012
Net periodic (benefits) costs:
Service cost	$	22		$	165		$	238		$	—	$	35	$	36
Interest cost	8,205			7,977			9,191			1,497		1,344		1,692
Expected return on plan assets	(11,309		)	(11,869		)	(11,896		)	—		—		—
Recognition of settlement	—			2,142			—			—		—		—
Amortization of:
Prior service costs	1			6			6			14		14		171
Actuarial loss	885			1,795			1,735			1,034		1,288		1,137
Total net periodic (benefits) costs	$	(2,196	)	$	216		$	(726	)	$	2,545	$	2,681	$	3,036

Schedule of Assumptions Used

The weighted-average assumptions used in determining the net periodic (benefits) costs were as follows:

	Defined Benefits for the Years Ended  September 30,						Supplemental Benefits for the Years  Ended September 30,
	2014		2013		2012		2014		2013		2012
Discount rate	4.49	%	3.67	%	4.44	%	4.09	%	3.40	%	4.30	%
Average wage increase	0.15	%	0.11	%	0.11	%	—	%	4.87	%	4.89	%
Expected return on assets	8.00	%	7.80	%	7.71	%	—		—		—

Schedule Of Plan Assets And Benefit Obligation Of Defined Benefit Plan

Plan assets and benefit obligation of the defined and supplemental benefit plans were as follows:

	Defined Benefits at September 30,						Supplemental Benefits at September 30,
	2014			2013			2014			2013
Change in benefit obligation:
Benefit obligation at beginning of fiscal year	$	195,961		$	232,939		$	38,674		$	41,473
Benefits earned during the year	22			165			—			35
Interest cost	8,205			7,977			1,497			1,344
Plan participant contributions	3			15			—			—
Benefits paid	(10,359		)	(10,632		)	(4,083		)	(4,051		)
Benefits paid - settlement	—			(11,548		)	—			—
Plan settlement	(9,780		)	—			—			—
Effect of foreign currency	37			462			—			—
Actuarial (gain) loss	10,238			(19,945		)	2,119			(127		)
Actuarial gain - settlement	—			(3,472		)	—			—
Benefit obligation at end of fiscal year	194,327			195,961			38,207			38,674
Change in plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of fiscal year	153,731			160,823			—			—
Actual return on plan assets	12,830			12,537			—			—
Plan participant contributions	3			15			—			—
Company contributions	7,433			2,203			4,083			4,051
Effect of foreign currency	26			333			—			—
Benefits paid	(10,359		)	(10,632		)	(4,083		)	(4,051		)
Benefits paid - settlement	—			(11,548		)	—			—
Plan settlement	(8,698		)	—
Fair value of plan assets at end of fiscal year	154,966			153,731			—			—
Projected benefit obligation in excess of plan assets	$	(39,361	)	$	(42,230	)	$	(38,207	)	$	(38,674	)
Amounts recognized in the statement of financial position consist of:
Accrued liabilities	$	—		$	—		$	(4,058	)	$	(4,031	)
Other liabilities (long-term)	(39,361		)	(42,230		)	(34,149		)	(34,643		)
Total Liabilities	(39,361		)	(42,230		)	(38,207		)	(38,674		)
Net actuarial losses	23,433			16,679			20,420			19,335
Prior service cost	2			4			85			99
Deferred taxes	(8,202		)	(5,839		)	(7,177		)	(6,802		)
Total Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax	15,233			10,844			13,328			12,632
Net amount recognized at September 30,	$	(24,128	)	$	(31,386	)	$	(24,879	)	$	(26,042	)
Accumulated benefit obligations	$	194,327		$	195,590		$	38,207		$	38,674
Information for plans with accumulated benefit obligations in excess of plan assets:
ABO	$	194,327		$	195,590		$	38,207		$	38,674
PBO	194,327			195,961			38,207			38,674
Fair value of plan assets	154,966			153,731			—			—

Schedule Of Weighted Average Assumptions Used in Defined And Supplemental Benefit Obligations

The weighted-average assumptions used in determining the benefit obligations were as follows:

	Defined Benefits at  September 30,				Supplemental Benefits at  September 30,
	2014		2013		2014		2013
Weighted average discount rate	3.98	%	4.49	%	3.60	%	4.09	%
Weighted average wage increase	—	%	0.15	%	—	%	—	%

Schedule Of Actual And Weighted Average Assets Allocation for Qualified Benefit plans

The actual and weighted-average asset allocation for qualified benefit plans were as follows:

	At September 30,
	2014		2013		Target
Equity securities	56.4	%	55.8	%	63.0	%
Fixed income	38.1	%	41.3	%	37.0	%
Other	5.5	%	2.9	%	—	%
Total	100.0	%	100.0	%	100.0	%

Schedule of Expected Benefit Payments

Estimated future benefit payments to retirees, which reflect expected future service, are as follows:

For the years ending September 30,	Defined Benefits		Supplemental Benefits
2015	$	10,551	$	4,058
2016	10,734		4,000
2017	10,830		3,939
2018	10,964		3,564
2019	11,115		3,391
2020 through 2024	58,177		13,137

Schedule Of Fair Value Of Pension And Post Retirement Plan Assets By Asset Category

The following table presents the fair values of Griffon’s pension and post-retirement plan assets by asset category:

At September 30, 2014	Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)		Total
Cash and equivalents	$	2,912	$	—	$	—	$	2,912
Short-term investment funds	—		—		—		—
Government agency securities	—		—		—		—
Debt instruments	29,447		—		—		29,447
Equity securities	45,870		—		—		45,870
Commingled funds	—		72,722		—		72,722
Limited partnerships and hedge fund investments	—		4,015		—		4,015
Total	$	78,229	$	76,737	$	—	$	154,966

At September 30, 2013	Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)		Total
Cash and equivalents	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—
Short-term investment funds	—		2,948		—		2,948
Government agency securities	3,006		—		—		3,006
Debt instruments	30,856		—		—		30,856
Equity securities	47,690		—		—		47,690
Commingled funds	—		66,130		—		66,130
Insurance contracts	—		—		—		—
Limited partnerships and hedge fund investments	—		3,101		—		3,101
Total	$	81,552	$	72,179	$	—	$	153,731

Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) Disclosures

The ESOP shares were as follows:

	At September 30,
	2014	2013
Allocated shares	2,406,941	2,309,812
Unallocated shares	3,281,095	1,934,338
	5,688,036	4,244,150