CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 25, 2021	Dec. 26, 2020
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 104,789	$ 119,075
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts of $2,687 in 2021 and $1,538 in 2020	493,960	357,532
Inventories	405,590	315,002
Other current assets	33,604	33,752
Total current assets	1,037,943	825,361
Property, plant, and equipment, net	370,222	376,572
Operating lease right-of-use assets	24,147	29,301
Goodwill, net	159,988	167,764
Intangible assets, net	63,579	77,207
Investments in unconsolidated affiliates	65,000	37,976
Other assets	7,658	14,387
Total assets	1,728,537	1,528,568
Current liabilities:
Current portion of debt	1,110	41,283
Accounts payable	180,509	147,741
Accrued wages and other employee costs	49,932	46,299
Current portion of operating lease liabilities	6,193	6,259
Other current liabilities	142,354	98,061
Total current liabilities	380,098	339,643
Long-term debt, less current portion	121,012	286,593
Pension liabilities	10,901	13,552
Postretirement benefits other than pensions	13,231	13,289
Environmental reserves	20,902	21,256
Deferred income taxes	13,393	16,842
Noncurrent operating lease liabilities	17,399	21,602
Other noncurrent liabilities	25,369	14,731
Total liabilities	602,305	727,508
Mueller Industries, Inc. stockholders' equity:
Preferred stock - $1.00 par value; shares authorized 5,000,000; none outstanding	0	0
Common stock - $.01 par value; shares authorized 100,000,000; issued 80,183,004; outstanding 57,367,709 in 2021 and 57,087,432 in 2020	802	802
Additional paid-in capital	283,285	280,051
Retained earnings	1,340,337	1,019,694
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(52,155)	(54,883)
Treasury common stock, at cost	(464,707)	(468,919)
Total Mueller Industries, Inc. stockholders' equity	1,107,562	776,745
Noncontrolling interests	18,670	24,315
Total equity	1,126,232	801,060
Commitments and contingencies	0	0
Total liabilities and equity	$ 1,728,537	$ 1,528,568