Seasonality and Management Use of Estimates	3 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2025
Seasonality [Abstract]
Seasonality and Management Use of Estimates	Seasonality and Management Use of Estimates The market for educational furniture is marked by extreme seasonality, with approximately 50% of the Company’s total sales typically occurring from June to August each year, the Company’s peak season. Hence, the Company typically builds and carries significant amounts of inventory during and in anticipation of this peak summer season to facilitate the rapid delivery requirements of customers in the educational market. This requires a large up-front investment in inventory, labor, storage and related costs as inventory is built in anticipation of peak sales during the summer months. As the capital required for this build-up generally exceeds cash available from operations, the Company has generally relied on third-party bank financing to meet cash flow requirements during the build-up period immediately preceding the peak season. In addition, the Company typically is faced with an overall higher accounts receivable balance during the peak season. This occurs for two primary reasons. First, accounts receivable balances typically increase during the peak season as shipments of products increase. Second, many customers during this period are educational institutions and government entities, which tend to pay accounts receivable slower than commercial customers. The Company’s working capital requirements during and in anticipation of the peak summer season require management to make estimates and judgments that affect assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related contingent assets and liabilities. On an ongoing basis, management evaluates its estimates, including those related to market demand, labor costs and stocking inventory. Significant estimates made by management include, but are not limited to, valuation of inventory; deferred tax assets and liabilities; useful lives of property, plant and equipment; liabilities under pension, warranty and self-insurance; and the accounts receivable allowance for credit losses.

Seasonality and Management Use of Estimates

3 Months Ended

Apr. 30, 2025

Seasonality and Management Use of Estimates

The market for educational furniture is marked by extreme seasonality, with approximately 50% of the Company’s total sales typically occurring from June to August each year, the Company’s peak season. Hence, the Company typically builds and carries significant amounts of inventory during and in anticipation of this peak summer season to facilitate the rapid delivery requirements of customers in the educational market. This requires a large up-front investment in inventory, labor, storage and related costs as inventory is built in anticipation of peak sales during the summer months. As the capital required for this build-up generally exceeds cash available from operations, the Company has generally relied on third-party bank financing to meet cash flow requirements during the build-up period immediately preceding the peak season. In addition, the Company typically is faced with an overall higher accounts receivable balance during the peak season. This occurs for two primary reasons. First, accounts receivable balances typically increase during the peak season as shipments of products increase. Second, many customers during this period are educational institutions and government entities, which tend to pay accounts receivable slower than commercial customers.

The Company’s working capital requirements during and in anticipation of the peak summer season require management to make estimates and judgments that affect assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related contingent assets and liabilities. On an ongoing basis, management evaluates its estimates, including those related to market demand, labor costs and stocking inventory. Significant estimates made by management include, but are not limited to, valuation of inventory; deferred tax assets and liabilities; useful lives of property, plant and equipment; liabilities under pension, warranty and self-insurance; and the accounts receivable allowance for credit losses.