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, 2017, January 31, 2017 and October 31, 2016:



	10/31/2017		1/31/2017		10/31/2016
Finished goods	$	11,890	$	11,174	$	9,498
WIP	13,988		13,486		11,906
Raw materials	10,499		11,029		10,251
Inventories, net	$	36,377	$	35,689	$	31,655

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