Segment Information (Financial Information By Geographic Segment) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended										12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2012		Oct. 31, 2011	Jul. 31, 2011	Apr. 30, 2011	Jan. 31, 2011		Oct. 31, 2010	Jul. 31, 2010	Apr. 30, 2010	Jan. 31, 2012		Jan. 31, 2011		Jan. 31, 2010
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	$ 7,112,552		$ 6,593,983	$ 6,449,461	$ 6,332,128	$ 7,117,195		$ 6,163,762	$ 5,473,961	$ 5,621,055	$ 26,488,124		$ 24,375,973		$ 22,099,876
Stock-based compensation expense											(10,699)		(9,887)		(11,225)
Operating income											327,858		333,985		259,476
Depreciation and amortization											57,332		47,285		45,954
Capital expenditures											44,370		31,902		28,865
Identifiable assets	5,785,418					6,412,083					5,785,418		6,412,083		5,696,453
Goodwill	97,281					70,426					97,281		70,426		17,019
Acquisition-related intangible assets, net	61,000					53,581					61,000		53,581		11,286
Loss on disposal of subsidiaries	28,300										28,294		0		0
Americas [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers											10,839,044		10,534,531		9,570,088
Operating income											174,882	[1]	183,639	[1]	143,869	[1]
Depreciation and amortization											16,338		16,200		16,004
Capital expenditures											29,338		18,392		17,365
Identifiable assets	1,855,914					1,996,765					1,855,914		1,996,765		2,119,467
Goodwill	2,966					2,966					2,966		2,966		2,966
Acquisition-related intangible assets, net	0					0					0		0		0
Europe [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers											15,649,080		13,841,442		12,529,788
Operating income											163,675		160,233		126,832
Depreciation and amortization											40,994		31,085		29,950
Capital expenditures											15,032		13,510		11,500
Identifiable assets	3,929,504					4,415,318					3,929,504		4,415,318		3,576,986
Goodwill	94,315	[2]				67,460	[2]				94,315	[2]	67,460	[2]	14,053	[2]
Acquisition-related intangible assets, net	$ 61,000	[2]				$ 53,581	[2]				$ 61,000	[2]	$ 53,581	[2]	$ 11,286	[2]

[1] The decrease in operating income in the Americas for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2012, is primarily the result of $28.3 million loss related to the closure of the operations in Brazil and Colombia during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012.

[2] The increase in goodwill and acquisition-related intangible assets, net, at both January 31, 2012 and 2011, is the result of the European acquisitions completed during fiscal 2012 and fiscal 2011, respectively (see further discussion in Note 4—Goodwill and Intangible Assets and Note 5—Acquisitions).