Segment Information

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2023

Segment Information [Abstract]

Segment Information

5. Segment Information

The Company reports financial information based on the organizational structure used by the Company’s chief operating decision maker for making operating and investment decisions and for assessing performance. The Company’s reportable business segments consist of: (1) United States; (2) Canada; and (3) Europe. As described below, the activities of the Company’s Asian operations are closely linked to those of the U.S. operations; accordingly, the Company’s chief operating decision maker reviews the financial results of both, on a consolidated basis, and as such, the results of the Asian operations have been aggregated with the results of the United States operations to form one reportable segment called the “United States segment” or “U.S. segment”. Each reportable segment derives its revenue from the sales of first aid and medical products, cutting and sharpening devices and measuring instruments for school, office, home, hardware, sporting and industrial use.

Domestic sales orders are filled primarily from the Company’s distribution centers in North Carolina, Washington, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Florida, New Hampshire and California. The Company is responsible for the costs of shipping, insurance, customs clearance, duties, storage and distribution related to such products. Orders filled from the Company’s inventory are generally for less than container-sized lots.

Direct import sales are products sold by the Company’s Asian subsidiary, directly to major U.S. retailers, who take ownership of the products in Asia. These sales are completed by delivering products to the customers’ common carriers at the shipping points in Asia. Direct import sales are made in larger quantities than domestic sales, typically full containers. Direct import sales represented approximately 7% of the Company’s total net sales for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 compared to 8% and 9%, respectively for the same periods in 2022.

The chief operating decision maker evaluates the performance of each operating segment based on segment revenues and operating income. Segment revenues are defined as total revenues, including both external customer revenue and inter-segment revenue. Segment operating earnings

are defined as segment revenues, less cost of goods sold and operating expenses. Identifiable assets by segment are those assets used in the respective reportable segment’s operations. Inter-segment amounts are eliminated to arrive at consolidated financial results.

The following table sets forth certain financial data by segment for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022:

Financial data by segment:

(in thousands)

	Three Months Ended September 30,					Nine Months Ended September 30,
Sales to external customers:	2023		2022			2023		2022
United States	$	43,688	$	42,943		$	127,743	$	127,589
Canada		3,305		3,629			10,938		11,120
Europe		3,391		3,172			10,878		11,140
Consolidated	$	50,384	$	49,744		$	149,559	$	149,849
Operating income:
United States	$	3,420	$	767		$	9,451	$	5,032
Canada		34		354			995		1,214
Europe		203		(168	)		650		53
Consolidated	$	3,657	$	953		$	11,096	$	6,299
Interest expense, net		784		714			2,517		1,443
Other expense, net		55		209			9		354
Consolidated income before income taxes	$	2,818	$	30		$	8,570	$	4,502

Assets by segment:

(in thousands)

	September 30,		December 31,
	2023		2022
United States	$	136,903	$	144,466
Canada		9,246		9,078
Europe		10,120		10,833
Consolidated	$	156,269	$	164,377