CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Operating activities
Net loss	$ (1,482)	$ (37)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Depreciation	345	300
Amortization of intangibles	7	9
Loss on sale of fixed assets, net	9
Foreign exchange (gain) loss	(257)	22
Non-cash changes in accounts receivable	53	17
Non-cash changes in inventories	342	368
Non-cash lease expense	486
Stock-based compensation expense on stock options and restricted stock awards	717	588
Deferred income taxes	1,946	(135)
Increase in cash surrender value of life insurance	(21)	(103)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Decrease (increase) in accounts receivable	4,228	(3,576)
Decrease in life insurance receivable		256
Decrease (increase) in inventories	1,064	(2,683)
Increase in refundable income taxes	(160)	(377)
Increase in operating right-of-use assets	(2,666)
Decrease (increase) in other assets	1,360	(2,153)
Decrease in investment in lease	265	113
Decrease (increase) in long-term receivable	182	(956)
(Decrease) increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses	(6,911)	4,300
Increase in operating lease liabilities	2,240
Increase (decrease) in deferred revenue	525	(195)
Increase (decrease) in pension and retirement plans liabilities	26	(552)
Decrease in income taxes payable	(694)	(13)
(Decrease) increase in other long-term liabilities	(379)	242
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	1,225	(4,565)
Investing activities
Life insurance premiums paid	(144)	(144)
Purchases of property, equipment and improvements	(285)	(590)
Net cash used in investing activities	(429)	(734)
Financing activities
Dividends paid	(1,263)	(1,844)
Net payments under line-of-credit agreement	(1,346)	(773)
Proceeds from debt	4,219
Repayments on debt	(623)
Principal payments on finance leases	(248)	(206)
Purchase of common stock	(46)
Proceeds from issuance of shares under equity compensation plans	112	120
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	805	(2,703)
Effects of exchange rate on cash	276	(312)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	1,877	(8,314)
Cash and cash equivalents beginning of period	18,099	25,107
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	19,976	16,793
Supplementary cash flow information:
Cash paid for income taxes	16	47
Cash paid for interest	189	68
Supplementary non-cash financing and investing activities:
Obtaining a right-of-use asset in exchange for a lease liability	$ 216
Non-cash purchases of property and equipment		$ 15