Supplemental Guarantor Information (Level 4 CF) (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2018	Jul. 31, 2017
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	$ (72,240)	$ 407,985
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(21,701)	(22,401)
Proceeds from Sale and Maturity of Available-for-sale Securities		18,049
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(15,189)	(119,714)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	93,669	139,346
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(519)	(688)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	3,934	12,429
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	60,194	(58,162)
Cash flow provided by (used in) financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes	400,000	455,483
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt	(3,531)	(4,446)
Proceeds from loans payable	1,908,085	1,083,472
Repayments of Notes Payable	(2,020,495)	(1,513,078)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	9,731	57,958
Purchase of treasury stock	(426,895)	(90,716)
Dividends paid	(45,519)	(26,016)
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests	22
Investment received intercompany		0
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(178,602)	(37,343)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(190,648)	312,480
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	712,829	633,715
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	522,181	946,195
Parent Company [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	4,283	131,024
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	458,400	(82,881)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	458,400	(72,250)
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
Repayments of Notes Payable
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	9,731	57,958
Purchase of treasury stock	(426,895)	(90,716)
Dividends paid	(45,519)	(26,016)
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests
Investment received intercompany
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(462,683)	(58,774)
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	10,844	19,726
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	(407,313)	(470,763)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(407,313)	(470,763)
Cash flow provided by (used in) financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes	400,000	455,483
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt	(3,531)	(4,446)
Proceeds from loans payable
Repayments of Notes Payable
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Purchase of treasury stock
Dividends paid
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests
Investment received intercompany
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	396,469	451,037
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	(145,009)	(60,773)
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(21,434)	(22,797)
Proceeds from Sale and Maturity of Available-for-sale Securities
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(2,210)	(3,471)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	28,351	57,068
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	4,707	(99,383)
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	590,000	125,068
Repayments of Notes Payable	(664,542)	(402,596)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Purchase of treasury stock
Dividends paid
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests
Investment received intercompany
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	15,479	638,771
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(59,063)	361,243
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(199,365)	201,087
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	533,204	583,440
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	333,839	784,527
Nonguarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	59,749	326,912
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(267)	396
Proceeds from Sale and Maturity of Available-for-sale Securities		7,418
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(12,979)	(116,243)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	65,318	82,278
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(519)	(688)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	3,934	12,429
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	55,487	(14,410)
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	1,318,085	958,404
Repayments of Notes Payable	(1,355,953)	(1,110,482)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Purchase of treasury stock
Dividends paid
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests	22
Investment received intercompany		45,000
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(68,673)	(94,031)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(106,519)	(201,109)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	8,717	111,393
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	179,625	50,275
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	188,342	161,668
Eliminations [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	(2,107)	(8,904)
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	(51,087)	553,644
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(51,087)	598,644
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
Repayments of Notes Payable
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Purchase of treasury stock
Dividends paid
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests
Investment received intercompany		(45,000)
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	53,194	(544,740)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	53,194	(589,740)
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