Inventories

Inventory is valued at the lower of cost (determined on a first-in, first-out basis) or Net Realizable Value and includes material, labor, and factory overhead. The Company maintains allowances for estimated slow moving and obsolete inventory to reflect the difference between the cost of inventory and the estimated market value. Allowances for slow moving and obsolete inventory are determined through a physical inspection of the product in connection with a physical inventory, a review of slow-moving product, and consideration of active marketing programs. The market for education furniture is traditionally driven by value, not style, and the Company has not typically incurred significant obsolescence expenses. If market conditions are less favorable than those anticipated by management, additional allowances may be required. Due to reductions in sales volume in the past years, the Company’s manufacturing facilities are operating at reduced levels of capacity. The Company records the cost of excess capacity as a period expense, not as a component of capitalized inventory valuation.

The following table presents an updated breakdown of the Company’s net inventory (in thousands) as of October 31, 2016, January 31, 2016 and October 31, 2015:



	10/31/2016	1/31/2016	10/31/2015
Finished goods	9,498	10,233	7,574
WIP	11,906	13,443	11,446
Raw materials	10,251	10,927	8,148
Inventories, net	31,655	34,603	27,168

In connection with the preparation of the January 31, 2016 consolidated financial statements, the Company determined that its reserve for excess and obsolete inventory had previously been applied exclusively to the Finished goods portion of inventory, when it should have been applied against Finished goods, Work in process, and Raw materials and supplies, based on the identification of the specific parts determined to be held in excess or obsolete. The Company evaluated the impact of this error on prior year financial statements and concluded that it was immaterial for the quarter ended October 31, 2015, and for all interim periods within the fiscal year ending January 31, 2016. While the amounts included in the prior year disclosure were considered to be immaterial, the Company elected to revise the disclosure of previously reported amounts to be consistent with the presentation as of October 31, 2016 and January 31, 2016. The changes resulted in no change to Inventories, net. The changes resulted in an increase to Finished goods of $2,395,000, a decrease to Work in process of $1,412,000, and a decrease to Raw materials and supplies of $983,000 as of October 31, 2015.

Management continually monitors production costs, material costs and inventory levels to determine that interim inventories are fairly stated.