v2.4.1.9
Investments - Available for Sale and Held to Maturity Investments (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Feb. 15, 2015
Aug. 31, 2014
Available For Sale And Held To Maturity [Line Items]    
Available-For-Sale, Cost Basis $ 1,557us-gaap_AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesAmortizedCostBasis  
Available-for-sale, Recorded Basis, Total 1,560us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities  
Held-to-maturity, Cost Basis 27us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecurities  
Total investments, Recorded Basis 1,587us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments 1,577us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments
Short-term Investments    
Available For Sale And Held To Maturity [Line Items]    
Unrealized gains 3us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedGainLossBeforeTax
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
1us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedGainLossBeforeTax
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
Total investments, Cost Basis 1,584cost_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAndHeldToMaturitySecuritiesAtCostBasis
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
1,576cost_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAndHeldToMaturitySecuritiesAtCostBasis
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
Total investments, Recorded Basis 1,587us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
1,577us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
Short-term Investments | Available-for-sale Securities    
Available For Sale And Held To Maturity [Line Items]    
Available-For-Sale, Cost Basis 1,557us-gaap_AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesAmortizedCostBasis
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
1,408us-gaap_AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesAmortizedCostBasis
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
Unrealized gains 3us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedGainLossBeforeTax
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
1us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedGainLossBeforeTax
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
Available-for-sale, Recorded Basis, Total 1,560us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
1,409us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
Short-term Investments | Available-for-sale Securities | Government and agency securities    
Available For Sale And Held To Maturity [Line Items]    
Available-For-Sale, Cost Basis 1,553us-gaap_AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesAmortizedCostBasis
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cost_GovernmentandAgencySecuritiesMember
1,404us-gaap_AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesAmortizedCostBasis
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cost_GovernmentandAgencySecuritiesMember
Unrealized gains 3us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedGainLossBeforeTax
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cost_GovernmentandAgencySecuritiesMember
1us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedGainLossBeforeTax
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cost_GovernmentandAgencySecuritiesMember
Available-for-sale, Recorded Basis, Total 1,556us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cost_GovernmentandAgencySecuritiesMember
1,405us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cost_GovernmentandAgencySecuritiesMember
Short-term Investments | Available-for-sale Securities | Asset and mortgage backed securities    
Available For Sale And Held To Maturity [Line Items]    
Available-For-Sale, Cost Basis 4us-gaap_AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesAmortizedCostBasis
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cost_AssetAndMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
4us-gaap_AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesAmortizedCostBasis
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cost_AssetAndMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
Unrealized gains 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedGainLossBeforeTax
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cost_AssetAndMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedGainLossBeforeTax
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cost_AssetAndMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
Available-for-sale, Recorded Basis, Total 4us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cost_AssetAndMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
4us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cost_AssetAndMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
Short-term Investments | Held-to-maturity Securities    
Available For Sale And Held To Maturity [Line Items]    
Held-to-maturity, Cost Basis   168us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecurities
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_HeldtomaturitySecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
Held-to-maturity, Recorded Basis, Total   168us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesFairValue
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_HeldtomaturitySecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
Short-term Investments | Held-to-maturity Securities | Certificates of Deposit [Member]    
Available For Sale And Held To Maturity [Line Items]    
Held-to-maturity, Cost Basis 27us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecurities
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_HeldtomaturitySecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CertificatesOfDepositMember
155us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecurities
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_HeldtomaturitySecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CertificatesOfDepositMember
Held-to-maturity, Recorded Basis, Total 27us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesFairValue
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_HeldtomaturitySecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CertificatesOfDepositMember
155us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesFairValue
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_HeldtomaturitySecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CertificatesOfDepositMember
Short-term Investments | Held-to-maturity Securities | Bankers' Acceptances    
Available For Sale And Held To Maturity [Line Items]    
Held-to-maturity, Cost Basis   13us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecurities
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_HeldtomaturitySecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cost_BankersAcceptancesMember
Held-to-maturity, Recorded Basis, Total   $ 13us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesFairValue
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_HeldtomaturitySecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cost_BankersAcceptancesMember