CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2017	Jul. 31, 2016	Jul. 31, 2015
Net sales	$ 1,113,316	$ 1,120,625	$ 1,171,731
Cost of products sold	555,024	561,852	613,299
Gross margin	558,292	558,773	558,432
Operating expenses:
Research and development	39,624	35,799	36,734
Selling, general and administrative	387,653	405,096	422,704
Restructuring charges	0	0	16,821
Impairment charges	0	0	46,867
Total operating expenses	427,277	440,895	523,126
Operating income	131,015	117,878	35,306
Other income (expense):
Investment and other income (expense)	1,121	(709)	845
Interest expense	(5,504)	(7,824)	(11,156)
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	126,632	109,345	24,995
Income tax expense	30,987	29,235	20,093
Earnings from continuing operations	95,645	80,110	4,902
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0	0	(1,915)
Net earnings	$ 95,645	$ 80,110	$ 2,987
Weighted average common shares outstanding (in thousands):
Basic (in shares)	51,056	50,541	51,285
Diluted (in shares)	51,956	50,769	51,383
Class A Nonvoting Common Stock [Member]
Earnings per share:
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations, per basic share	$ 1.87	$ 1.59	$ 0.10
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations, per diluted share	1.84	1.58	0.10
(Loss) earnings from discontinued operations, per basic share	0.00	0.00	(0.04)
(Loss) earnings from discontinued operations, per diluted share	0.00	0.00	(0.04)
Net earnings (loss) per share, basic	1.87	1.59	0.06
Net earnings (loss) per share, diluted	1.84	1.58	0.06
Dividends	$ 0.82	$ 0.81	$ 0.80
Class B Voting Common Stock [Member]
Other income (expense):
Earnings from continuing operations	$ 94,843	$ 79,326	$ 4,107
Earnings per share:
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations, per basic share	$ 1.86	$ 1.57	$ 0.08
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations, per diluted share	1.83	1.56	0.08
(Loss) earnings from discontinued operations, per basic share	0.00	0.00	(0.04)
(Loss) earnings from discontinued operations, per diluted share	0.00	0.00	(0.04)
Net earnings (loss) per share, basic	1.86	1.57	0.04
Net earnings (loss) per share, diluted	1.83	1.56	0.04
Dividends	$ 0.80	$ 0.79	$ 0.78