Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2015	Aug. 31, 2014		Aug. 31, 2013
Net sales	$ 2,392,225	$ 2,446,998		$ 2,133,402
Cost of sales	2,031,215	2,116,990		1,852,223
Selling, general and administrative expenses	276,244	242,486		205,370
Restructuring expense	14,338	4,883		10,500
Asset impairment	0	104		1,873
Curtailment and settlement (gains) losses	0	214		333
Operating income	70,428	82,321		63,103
Interest expense	22,613	8,503		7,657
Bridge financing fees	18,750	0		0
Foreign currency transaction (gains) losses	3,363	2,206		2,426
Other (income) expense, net	(1,438)	(720)		(712)
Gain on early extinguishment of debt	(1,290)	0		0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before taxes	28,430	72,332		53,732
Provision (benefit) for U.S. and foreign income taxes	499	18,542		19,733
Income (loss) from continuing operations	27,931	53,790		33,999
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	(133)	3,202		(6,671)
Net income (loss)	27,798	56,992		27,328
Noncontrolling interests	(1,169)	(799)		(1,229)
Net income attributable to A. Schulman, Inc.	26,629	56,193		26,099
Convertible special stock dividends	(2,438)	0		0
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic	$ 24,191	$ 56,193		$ 26,099
Weighted-average number of shares outstanding:
Basic	29,149	29,061		29,260
Diluted	29,483	29,362		29,337
Basic earnings per share available to A. Schulman, Inc. common stockholder
Income (loss) from continuing operations	$ 0.83	$ 1.82	[1]	$ 1.12
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	0.00	0.11	[1]	(0.23)
Net income (loss) available to A. Schulman, Inc. common stockholders	0.83	1.93	[1]	0.89
Diluted earnings per share available to A. Schulman, Inc. common stockholders
Income (loss) from continuing operations	0.83	1.80	[1]	1.12
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	(0.01)	0.11	[1]	(0.23)
Net income (loss) available to A. Schulman, Inc. common stockholders	0.82	1.91	[1]	0.89
Cash dividends per common share	0.82	0.80		0.78
Cash dividends per share of convertible special stock	$ 14.50	$ 0.00		$ 0.00

[1] The sum of the four quarters does not equal the earnings per share amount calculated for the year due to rounding.