Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2017	Apr. 30, 2016	Apr. 30, 2017	Apr. 30, 2016
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 522,400	$ 483,800	$ 1,021,500	$ 933,400
Cost of sales	178,500	185,300	365,300	372,900
Gross profit	343,900	298,500	656,200	560,500
Selling, general and administrative expense	193,300	177,700	381,900	351,300
Research and development expense	16,800	16,700	33,100	31,500
Amortization of intangibles	16,700	14,300	33,400	30,500
Operating income	117,100	89,800	207,800	147,200
Interest expense	7,700	7,600	15,000	12,900
Other (income) expense, net	(100)	(400)	3,200	900
Income before income taxes	109,500	82,600	189,600	133,400
Provision for income taxes	4,600	8,200	8,900	7,200
Net income	104,900	74,400	180,700	126,200
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	300	0	700
Net income attributable to Cooper stockholders	$ 104,900	$ 74,100	$ 180,700	$ 125,500
Earnings per share attributable to Cooper stockholders - basic (in dollars per share)	$ 2.14	$ 1.53	$ 3.70	$ 2.59
Earnings per share attributable to Cooper stockholders - diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 2.12	$ 1.52	$ 3.65	$ 2.57
Number of shares used to compute earnings per share:
Basic (shares)	48,959	48,400	48,900	48,400
Diluted (shares)	49,499	48,853	49,500	48,800