Note 4 - Inventories

9 Months Ended

Dec. 27, 2025

Notes to Financial Statements

Inventory Disclosure [Text Block]

4. Inventories

The Company uses the last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) method of valuing inventory as it believes this method allows for better matching of current production cost to current revenue. An actual valuation of inventory under the LIFO method is made at the end of each fiscal year based on the inventory levels and costs at that time. Accordingly, interim LIFO calculations are based on management’s estimates of expected year-end inventory levels, production pack yields, sales and the expected rate of inflation or deflation for the year.

As of December 27, 2025, December 28, 2024, and March 31, 2025, first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) based inventory costs exceeded LIFO based inventory costs, resulting in a LIFO reserve of $337.1 million, $347.8 million, and $359.3 million, respectively. In order to state inventories at LIFO, the Company recorded a LIFO credit which decreased cost of products sold by $2.6 million and $22.1 million for the three and nine months ended December 27, 2025, respectively. The Company recorded a LIFO charge which increased cost of products sold by $10.9 million and $23.0 million for the three and nine months ended December 28, 2024, respectively.

The inventories by category and the impact of using the LIFO method are shown in the following table (in thousands):

	As of:
	December 27,			December 28,			March 31,
	2025			2024			2025
Finished products	$	709,101		$	794,430		$	619,598
Work in process		114,694			118,381			106,006
Raw materials and supplies		182,033			170,631			237,607
		1,005,828			1,083,442			963,211
Less: excess of FIFO cost over LIFO cost		(337,140	)		(347,760	)		(359,256	)
Total inventories	$	668,688		$	735,682		$	603,955