CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
Net sales	$ 715,440	$ 730,471	$ 726,044
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales	445,045	458,311	437,998
Selling, general and administrative expenses	167,534	159,490	162,734
Amortization of intangible assets	20,829	21,812	18,492
Interest expense, net	2,255	6,730	8,092
Pension plan termination charge		40,600
Other (income) expenses, net	(894)	7,122	851
Total costs and expenses	634,769	694,065	628,167
Earnings before income tax	80,671	36,406	97,877
Income tax expense	17,175	13,510	20,388
Net earnings from continuing operations	63,496	22,896	77,489
(Loss) earnings from discontinued operations, net of tax expense of $269 and $789 in 2020 and 2019, respectively		(601)	3,550
Gain on sale from discontinued operations, net of tax expense of $23,232		77,116
Net earnings from discontinued operations		76,515	3,550
Net earnings	$ 63,496	$ 99,411	$ 81,039
Earnings per share:
Basic - Continuing operations	$ 2.44	$ 0.88	$ 2.99
Basic - Discontinued operations		2.94	0.13
Basic - Net earnings	2.44	3.82	3.12
Diluted - Continuing operations	2.42	0.88	2.97
Diluted - Discontinued operations		2.93	0.13
Diluted - Net earnings	$ 2.42	$ 3.81	$ 3.10
Average common shares outstanding
Basic	26,046	26,010	25,946
Diluted	26,225	26,135	26,097