Basis of Presentation (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Feb. 28, 2013

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Consolidation

Consolidation

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Penford and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated. The condensed consolidated balance sheet at February 28, 2013 and the condensed consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss) and cash flows for the interim periods ended February 28, 2013 and February 29, 2012 have been prepared by the Company without audit. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, which are necessary to present fairly the financial information, have been made. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”), have been condensed or omitted pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC. The results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the operating results of a full year or of future operations. Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended August 31, 2012.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Estimates are used in accounting for, among other things, the allowance for doubtful accounts, accruals, legal contingencies, the determination of fair value of net assets acquired in a business combination, the determination of assumptions for pension and postretirement employee benefit costs, useful lives of property and equipment, the assessment of a potential impairment of goodwill or long-lived assets and income taxes including the determination of a need for a valuation allowance for deferred tax assets. Actual results may differ from previously estimated amounts.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued guidance requiring entities to present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. The amendment does not change the items that must be reported in other comprehensive income or when an item of other comprehensive income must be reclassified to net income under current accounting standards. The guidance was effective for the Company’s fiscal year and interim periods beginning September 1, 2012. The Company adopted this amended guidance in fiscal 2013 and presented the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) immediately following the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.

In February 2013, the FASB issued guidance requiring entities to provide information about the amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income by component. Entities are required to present, either on the face of the financial statements or in the notes, significant amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income by the respective line items of net income. This guidance, which is effective prospectively for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2012, does not change the current requirements for reporting net income or other comprehensive income. The Company is evaluating the impact this guidance will have on its disclosures.

In December 2011, the FASB issued guidance creating new disclosure requirements about the nature of an entity’s rights of setoff and related arrangements associated with its financial instruments and derivative instruments. The disclosure requirements are effective for annual reporting periods, and interim reporting periods within those years, beginning on or after January 1, 2013 (fiscal 2014 for Penford). The Company is evaluating the impact this update will have on its disclosures.