6.	INVENTORIES

The composition of inventories at March 31, 2018, and December 31, 2017, was as follows:

(In thousands)	March 31, 2018		December 31, 2017
Finished goods	$	128,474	$	117,529
Raw materials		59,263		55,219
Total inventories	$	187,737	$	172,748

Inventories are priced primarily using the last-in, first-out inventory valuation method. If the first-in, first-out inventory valuation method had been used for all inventories, inventory balances would have been approximately $35,145,000 and $33,518,000 higher than reported at March 31, 2018, and December 31, 2017, respectively.