Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net earnings		$ 240,395	$ 259,602	$ 180,378
Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization		131,158	142,004	116,131
Impairment of assets sold		37,902
Net (gain) loss on sales of assets and businesses	[1]	(23,598)	1,925	(1,106)
Gain on cross-currency interest rate swaps, net		(30,481)
Stock-based compensation		22,902	18,146	18,229
Deferred income taxes		1,311	(10,065)	(30,177)
Gain due to curtailment of postretirement plan				(330)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable		52,095	841	(6,494)
Unbilled receivables (contract assets)		(22,028)	(31,353)
Costs to fulfill a contract		(27,446)	(20,656)
Inventories		61,019	(49,185)	(7,660)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		(153,318)	48,004	(2,284)
Contract liabilities		25,882	29,082	(1,596)
Income taxes		(37,099)	2,083	35,641
Retirement benefit obligations		(3,777)	(3,705)	(4,653)
Other		74,574	3,885	3,213
Net cash provided by operating activities		349,491	390,608	299,292
Cash flows from investing activities:
Payments for purchase of property, plant, and equipment		(47,087)	(99,066)	(127,140)
Proceeds from sale of assets		30,173	1,010	1,923
Proceeds from business divestiture		10,443
Proceeds from sales of short-term investments		12,700	22,252	9,088
Payments for purchases of short-term investments		(13,109)	(26,723)	(9,323)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired				(771,115)
Net cash (used in) investing activities		(6,880)	(102,527)	(896,567)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Cash dividends paid		(37,664)	(39,066)	(34,003)
Proceeds from sales of treasury stock		24,969	36,044	9,132
Payments for repurchases of common stock		(13,346)	(110,311)
Borrowings on revolving lines of credit and short-term borrowings		1,248,135	1,683,542	1,930,261
Payments on revolving lines of credit and short-term borrowings		(1,510,746)	(1,690,035)	(1,691,934)
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt				400,000
Payments of long-term debt and finance lease obligations		(1,590)	(143,535)	(421)
Payments for debt financing costs			(2,238)	(1,494)
Payments for forward option derivative instrument				(5,543)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities		(290,242)	(265,599)	605,998
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents		1,828	(7,003)	(12,681)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents		54,197	15,479	(3,958)
Cash and cash equivalents, including restricted cash, at beginning of year		99,073	83,594	87,552
Cash and cash equivalents, including restricted cash, at end of period		$ 153,270	$ 99,073	$ 83,594

[1] Included in net (gain) loss on sale of assets and businesses for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020 was the pre-tax gain on sale of Duarte real property in the amount of $22,323, the pre-tax gain on sale of the Loveland campus of $2,330, and a net loss on divestiture of the disposal group of $515.