Notes Payable and Long-Term Debt Outstanding (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	May 31, 2013		Aug. 31, 2012
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Borrowings under credit facilities			$ 8,000
Borrowings under loans	48,702	[1]	56,036	[1]
Fair value adjustment related to terminated interest rate swaps on the 7.750% Senior Notes	7,417		9,197
Total notes payable and long-term debt	1,660,818		1,676,357
Less current installments of notes payable and long-term debt	9,459		18,031
Notes payable and long-term debt, less current installments	1,651,359		1,658,326
7.750% Senior Notes Due 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	306,510		305,221
8.250% Senior Notes Due 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	398,189		397,903
5.625% Senior Notes Due 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	400,000		400,000
4.700% Senior Notes due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	$ 500,000		$ 500,000

[1] On May 2, 2012, the Company entered into a master lease agreement with a variable interest entity (the "VIE") whereby it sells to and subsequently leases back from the VIE up to $60.0 million in certain machinery and equipment for a period of up to five years. In connection with this transaction, the Company holds a variable interest in the VIE, which was designed to hold debt obligations payable to third-party creditors. The proceeds from such debt obligations are utilized to finance the purchase of the machinery and equipment that is then leased by the Company. The Company is the primary beneficiary of the VIE as it has both the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the VIE's economic performance and the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits that could potentially be significant to the VIE. Therefore, the Company consolidates the financial statements of the VIE and eliminates all intercompany transactions. At May 31, 2013, the VIE had approximately $48.8 million of total assets, of which approximately $47.5 million was comprised of a note receivable due from the Company, and approximately $48.2 million of total liabilities, of which approximately $48.1 million were debt obligations to the third-party creditors (as the VIE has utilized approximately $48.1 million of the $60.0 million debt obligation capacity). The third-party creditors have recourse to the Company's general credit only in the event that the Company defaults on its obligations under the terms of the master lease agreement. In addition, the assets held by the VIE can be used only to settle the obligations of the VIE.