Supplemental Guarantor Information (Level 4 CF) (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2018	Apr. 30, 2017
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	$ (324,947)	$ 243,060
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(6,501)	(11,709)
Proceeds from Sale and Maturity of Available-for-sale Securities		18,049
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(10,800)	(113,515)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	54,315	98,087
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(195)	(513)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	3,122	4,376
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	39,941	(90,408)
Cash flow provided by (used in) financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes	400,000	300,000
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt	(3,410)	(2,830)
Proceeds from loans payable	1,238,283	769,454
Principal payments of loans payable	(1,276,148)	(1,173,880)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	9,133	40,628
Purchase of treasury stock	(291,478)	(15,422)
Dividends paid	(29,090)	(13,051)
Investment received intercompany		0
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	47,290	(95,101)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(237,716)	57,551
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	712,829	633,715
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	475,113	691,266
Parent Company [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	(34,719)	54,209
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
Investments 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	346,154	(76,995)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	346,154	(66,364)
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	9,133	40,628
Purchase of treasury stock	(291,478)	(15,422)
Dividends paid	(29,090)	(13,051)
Investment received intercompany
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(311,435)	12,155
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	5,576	6,729
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net
Proceeds from Sale and Maturity of Available-for-sale Securities
Investments 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	(402,166)	(303,899)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(402,166)	(303,899)
Cash flow provided by (used in) financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes	400,000	300,000
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt	(3,410)	(2,830)
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	297,170
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	(355,917)	(86,868)
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(6,660)	(12,043)
Proceeds from Sale and Maturity of Available-for-sale Securities
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(1,393)	(1,969)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	23,421	29,566
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	15,368	(114,629)
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	450,000	125,000
Principal payments of loans payable	(471,270)	(380,555)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Purchase of treasury stock
Dividends paid
Investment received intercompany
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	112,935	475,693
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	91,665	220,138
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(248,884)	18,641
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	533,204	583,440
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	284,320	602,081
Nonguarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	61,174	280,465
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	159	334
Proceeds from Sale and Maturity of Available-for-sale Securities		7,418
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(9,407)	(111,546)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	30,894	68,521
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(195)	(513)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	3,122	4,376
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	24,573	(31,410)
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	788,283	644,454
Principal payments of loans payable	(804,878)	(793,325)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Purchase of treasury stock
Dividends paid
Investment received intercompany		45,000
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(57,984)	(106,274)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(74,579)	(210,145)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	11,168	38,910
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	179,625	50,275
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	190,793	89,185
Eliminations [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	(1,061)	(11,475)
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net
Proceeds from Sale and Maturity of Available-for-sale Securities
Investments 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	56,012	380,894
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	56,012	425,894
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	(54,951)	(369,419)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(54,951)	(414,419)
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