Income Taxes (Tables)
 12 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2012
Income Taxes Disclosure Table [Abstract]  
Components of income tax benefit (expense)
        
 (in thousands) 2012 2011 2010
 Current:      
  Federal$ 134,027$ 88,051$ 124,526
  State  19,836  13,925  18,241
 Deferred:      
  Federal  (9,861)  48,091  (13,981)
  State  (1,617)  6,777  (2,523)
 Total$ 142,385$ 156,844$ 126,263
Components of deferred tax assets and liabilities
 (in thousands) 2012 2011
       
 Deferred tax assets:    
  Stock-based compensation$73,467$67,190
  Deferred rent 4,807 4,874
  Compensation and benefit expense 3,800 3,077
  Federal benefit of unrecognized state tax benefits 3,545 3,554
  Unrealized losses on derivative instruments 772 929
  Differences between book and tax bases of investments  - 5,763
  Other 192 403
 Total deferred tax asset$86,583$85,790
       
 Deferred tax liabilities:    
  Deferred sales commissions$(7,376)$(10,624)
  Compensation and benefit expense (5,560) (10,909)
  Differences between book and tax bases of goodwill    
   and intangibles (15,818) (16,075)
  Unrealized net holding gains on investments (3,303) (1,873)
  Differences between book and tax bases of property (3,268) (4,966)
  Differences between book and tax bases of investments (24)  -
 Total deferred tax liability$(35,349)$(44,447)
 Net deferred tax asset$51,234$41,343
Reconciliation of the difference between the federal statutory income tax rate and the effective income tax rate
  201220112010
        
 Federal statutory rate 35.0% 35.0% 35.0%
 State and local income tax, net of      
  federal income tax benefit 3.0  3.6  3.4 
 Non-controlling interest (3.6)  1.6  (0.9) 
 Stock-based compensation 0.5  0.6  0.9 
 Release of liabilities associated with      
  uncertain tax positions -  -  (0.1) 
 Other 0.4  0.3  0.3 
 Effective income tax rate 35.3% 41.1% 38.6%
Reconciliation of gross unrecognized tax benefits
 (in thousands) 2012 2011 2010
 Beginning Balance$ 9,474$ 9,474$ 9,975
  Additions for tax provisions of prior years  31  -  245
  Reductions for tax provisions of prior years  -  -  (771)
  Additions based on tax provisions related to current year  33  -  30
  Reductions for settlements with taxing authorities  -  -  (5)
 Ending Balance $ 9,538$ 9,474$ 9,474