Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2017	Jul. 31, 2016	Jul. 31, 2017	Jul. 31, 2016
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 556,000	$ 514,700	$ 1,577,500	$ 1,448,200
Cost of sales	199,800	198,100	565,100	571,100
Gross profit	356,200	316,600	1,012,400	877,100
Selling, general and administrative expense	208,700	182,400	590,600	533,700
Research and development expense	17,500	15,900	50,600	47,400
Amortization of intangibles	17,200	15,600	50,600	46,100
Operating income	112,800	102,700	320,600	249,900
Interest expense	8,300	8,000	23,300	20,900
Other (income) expense, net	(3,200)	1,300	(100)	2,200
Income before income taxes	107,700	93,400	297,400	226,800
Provision for income taxes	4,100	5,200	13,100	12,400
Net income	103,600	88,200	284,300	214,400
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	300	0	1,000
Net income attributable to Cooper stockholders	$ 103,600	$ 87,900	$ 284,300	$ 213,400
Earnings per share attributable to Cooper stockholders - basic (in dollars per share)	$ 2.12	$ 1.81	$ 5.81	$ 4.41
Earnings per share attributable to Cooper stockholders - diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 2.09	$ 1.79	$ 5.74	$ 4.36
Number of shares used to compute earnings per share:
Basic (shares)	48,900	48,600	48,900	48,400
Diluted (shares)	49,600	49,000	49,500	48,900