Supplemental Guarantor Information (Level 4 CF) (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2018	Jan. 31, 2017
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	$ (329,801)	$ 24,168
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(1,694)	(6,314)
Proceeds from Sale and Maturity of Available-for-sale Securities		18,049
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(4,422)	(99,941)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	36,253	33,253
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(92)	(274)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	1,505	1,852
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired		(85,183)
Investments paid intercompany		0
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	31,550	(138,558)
Cash flow provided by (used in) financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes	400,000
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt	(3,410)
Proceeds from loans payable	589,819	360,382
Principal payments of loans payable	(687,740)	(516,833)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	7,580	25,831
Purchase of treasury stock	(200,257)	(15,236)
Dividends paid	(12,293)
Investment received intercompany		0
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	93,699	(145,856)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(204,552)	(260,246)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	712,829	633,715
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	508,277	373,469
Parent Company [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	(67,018)	(36,218)
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net
Proceeds from Sale and Maturity of Available-for-sale Securities		10,631
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired
Investments paid intercompany
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	271,988	14,992
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	271,988	25,623
Cash flow provided by (used in) financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt
Proceeds from loans payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	7,580	25,831
Purchase of treasury stock	(200,257)	(15,236)
Dividends paid	(12,293)
Investment received intercompany
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(204,970)	10,595
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	0	0
Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	1,894	6,311
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net
Proceeds from Sale and Maturity of Available-for-sale Securities
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired
Investments paid intercompany
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(398,484)	(6,311)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(398,484)	(6,311)
Cash flow provided by (used in) financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes	400,000
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt	(3,410)
Proceeds from loans payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Purchase of treasury stock
Dividends paid
Investment received intercompany
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	396,590	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	0	0
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	(361,168)	(266,885)
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(741)	(6,393)
Proceeds from Sale and Maturity of Available-for-sale Securities
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(1,158)	(267)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	14,550	9,950
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired		(85,183)
Investments paid intercompany		45,000
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	12,651	(36,893)
Cash flow provided by (used in) financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt
Proceeds from loans payable	350,000
Principal payments of loans payable	(366,120)	(3,491)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Purchase of treasury stock
Dividends paid
Investment received intercompany
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	176,261	4,333
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	160,141	842
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(188,376)	(302,936)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	533,204	583,440
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	344,828	280,504
Nonguarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	99,370	324,816
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(953)	79
Proceeds from Sale and Maturity of Available-for-sale Securities		7,418
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(3,264)	(99,674)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	21,703	23,303
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(92)	(274)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	1,505	1,852
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired
Investments paid intercompany
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	18,899	(67,296)
Cash flow provided by (used in) financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt
Proceeds from loans payable	239,819	360,382
Principal payments of loans payable	(321,620)	(513,342)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Purchase of treasury stock
Dividends paid
Investment received intercompany		45,000
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(52,644)	(106,870)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(134,445)	(214,830)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(16,176)	42,690
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	179,625	50,275
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	163,449	92,965
Eliminations [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	(2,879)	(3,856)
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net
Proceeds from Sale and Maturity of Available-for-sale Securities
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired
Investments paid intercompany		(45,000)
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	126,496	(8,681)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	126,496	(53,681)
Cash flow provided by (used in) financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt
Proceeds from loans payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Purchase of treasury stock
Dividends paid
Investment received intercompany		(45,000)
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(123,617)	102,537
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(123,617)	57,537
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 0	$ 0