CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Jan. 27, 2019	Jan. 28, 2018	[1]
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 2,360,355	$ 2,331,293
Cost of products sold	1,872,021	1,832,997
GROSS PROFIT	488,334	498,296
Selling, general and administrative	193,544	219,872
Equity in earnings of affiliates	11,458	23,531
OPERATING INCOME	306,248	301,955
Other income and expense:
Interest and investment income	6,874	7,939
Interest expense	(6,147)	(4,729)
EARNINGS BEFORE INCOME TAXES	306,975	305,165
Provision for income taxes	65,456	1,954
NET EARNINGS	241,519	303,211
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest	94	104
NET EARNINGS ATTRIBUTABLE TO HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION	$ 241,425	$ 303,107
NET EARNINGS PER SHARE:
BASIC (in dollars per share)	$ 0.45	$ 0.57
DILUTED (in dollars per share)	$ 0.44	$ 0.56
WEIGHTED-AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING:
BASIC (in shares)	534,495	529,453
DILUTED (in shares)	547,118	543,482

[1] Adjusted due to the adoption of Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2017-07, Compensation - Retirement Benefits: Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost (Topic 715). See Note A - General.