UNAUDITED SUPPLEMENTARY DATA (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018		Dec. 31, 2017		Dec. 31, 2016
UNAUDITED SUPPLEMENTARY DATA [Abstract]
Total revenues	$ 1,088,047	$ 1,240,197	$ 1,200,151	$ 854,474	$ 977,490	$ 1,094,715	$ 1,030,763	$ 787,328	$ 4,382,869	[1]	$ 3,890,296	[1]	$ 3,592,667	[1]
Gross profit	275,285	343,142	323,184	159,334	241,517	303,758	290,017	158,221	1,100,945		993,513		988,885
Operating earnings	186,491	249,184	230,843	81,195	149,202	227,478	191,976	70,388	747,713		639,044		665,902
Earnings from continuing operations	124,280	179,864	160,302	53,395	327,969	110,150	111,749	43,523	517,841		593,391		422,406
Net earnings	$ 124,023	$ 179,151	$ 159,652	$ 52,979	$ 327,546	$ 108,579	$ 120,139	$ 44,921	$ 515,805		$ 601,185		$ 419,491
Basic earnings per share from continuing operations	$ 0.94	$ 1.36	$ 1.21	$ 0.40	$ 2.47	$ 0.83	$ 0.84	$ 0.33	$ 3.91		$ 4.48		$ 3.17
Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations	0.93	1.34	1.20	0.40	2.43	0.82	0.83	0.32	3.87		4.40		3.11
Basic net earnings per share	0.94	1.35	1.21	0.40	2.47	0.82	0.91	0.34	3.90		4.54		3.15
Diluted net earnings per share	$ 0.93	$ 1.34	$ 1.19	$ 0.39	$ 2.43	$ 0.81	$ 0.89	$ 0.33	$ 3.85		$ 4.46		$ 3.09

[1] The geographic markets are defined by states/countries as follows:East market - Arkansas, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington D.C.Gulf Coast market - Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mexico, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and the BahamasWest market - Arizona, California and New Mexico