Financial instruments (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Oct. 31, 2016

Investments All Other Investments [Abstract]

Outstanding Currency, Forward Exchange Contracts

The following table summarizes, by currency, the contracts outstanding at October 31, 2016 and 2015:

	Sell				Buy
	Notional Amounts		Fair Market Value		Notional Amounts		Fair Market Value
October 31, 2016 contract amounts:
Euro	$	107,860	$	105,635	$	51,377	$	50,495
Pound sterling		36,692		36,125		37,473		36,302
Japanese yen		31,844		31,000		23,998		23,185
Australian dollar		380		380		8,096		8,095
Hong Kong dollar		1,702		1,702		79,516		79,411
Singapore dollar		1,031		995		12,062		11,735
Others		1,863		1,832		32,511		32,066
Total	$	181,372	$	177,669	$	245,033	$	241,289
October 31, 2015 contract amounts:
Euro	$	182,503	$	180,406	$	188,021	$	184,174
Pound sterling		55,234		55,543		37,714		37,513
Japanese yen		17,046		17,067		13,646		13,706
Australian dollar		—		—		7,120		6,981
Hong Kong dollar		—		—		59,734		59,739
Singapore dollar		858		857		11,519		11,561
Others		3,018		2,993		29,744		29,674
Total	$	258,659	$	256,866	$	347,498	$	343,348

Carrying Amounts and Fair Values of Financial Instruments, Other than Receivables and Accounts Payable

The carrying values of receivables and accounts payable approximate fair value due to the short-term nature of these instruments.

	2016						2015
	Carrying Amount			Fair Value			Carrying Amount			Fair Value
Cash and cash equivalents	$	67,239		$	67,239		$	50,268		$	50,268
Notes payable		2,141			2,141			1,108			1,108
Long-term debt (including current portion)		982,646			992,060			1,115,485			1,113,140
Foreign currency forward contracts (net)		(39	)		(39	)		(2,356	)		(2,356	)