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Significant Accounting Policies (Policies) | 6 Months Ended
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Oct. 31, 2023
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block] | Use of Estimates: The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect certain reported amounts and disclosures. Accordingly, actual results may differ from those estimates.
Consolidation, Policy [Policy Text Block] | Principles of Consolidation: The Company follows the guidance in the Financial Accounting Standards Board's ("FASB") Topic 810 “Consolidation” to determine if it should consolidate its investment in a variable interest entity ("VIE"). A VIE is a legal entity in which either (i) equity investors do not have sufficient equity investment at risk to enable the entity to finance its activities independently or (ii) the equity holders at risk lack the obligation to absorb losses, the right to receive residual returns or the right to make decisions about the entity’s activities that most significantly affect the entity's economic performance. A holder of a variable interest in a VIE is required to consolidate the entity if it is determined that it has a controlling financial interest in the VIE and is therefore the primary beneficiary. The determination of a controlling financial interest in a VIE is based on a qualitative assessment to identify the variable interest holder, if any, that has (i) the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance, and (ii) either the obligation to absorb losses of the entity or the right to receive benefits from the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE. The accounting guidance requires the Company to perform an ongoing assessment of whether the Company is the primary beneficiary of a VIE and the Company has determined it is not the primary beneficiary of a VIE (see Note 3). In accordance with FASB's Topic 810, the assets, liabilities, and results of operations of subsidiaries in which the Company has a controlling interest have been consolidated. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The Company holds a significant non-voting revenues interest (excluding distribution revenues) and a significant non-voting profits interest in EULAV Asset Management, a Delaware statutory trust (“EAM” or “EAM Trust”). The Company relied on the guidance in FASB's ASC Topics 323 and 810 in its determination not to consolidate its investment in EAM and to account for such investment under the equity method of accounting. The Company reports the amount it receives for its non-voting revenues and non-voting profits interests as a separate line item below operating income in the Consolidated Condensed Statements of Income.
Revenue [Policy Text Block] | Revenue Recognition: Depending upon the product, subscription fulfillment for Value Line periodicals and related publications is available in print or digitally, via internet access. The length of a subscription varies by product and offer received by the subscriber. Generally, subscriptions are offered as annual subscriptions. Subscription revenues, net of discounts, are recognized ratably on a straight line basis when the product is served to the client over the life of the subscription. Accordingly, the amount of subscription fees to be earned by fulfilling subscriptions after the date of the balance sheets are shown as unearned revenue within current and long-term liabilities. Copyright fees are derived from providing certain Value Line trademarks and the Value Line Proprietary Ranks to third parties under written agreements for use in selecting securities for third party marketed products, including unit investment trusts, annuities and exchange traded funds ("ETFs"). The Company earns asset-based copyright fees upon delivery of the product to the customer as specified in the individual agreements. Revenue is recognized monthly and received either quarterly or in advance over the term of the agreement and, because it is asset-based, will fluctuate as the market value of the underlying portfolio increases or decreases in value.
Equity Method Investments [Policy Text Block] | Investment in Unconsolidated Entities: The Company accounts for its investment in its unconsolidated entity, EAM, using the equity method of accounting in accordance with FASB’s ASC 323. The equity method is an appropriate means of recognizing increases or decreases measured by GAAP in the economic resources underlying the investments. Under the equity method, an investor recognizes its share of the earnings or losses of an investee in the periods for which they are reported by the investee in its financial statements rather than in the period in which an investee declares a dividend or distribution. An investor adjusts the carrying amount of an investment for its share of the earnings or losses recognized by the investee. The Company’s “interests” in EAM, the investment adviser to and the sole member of the distributor of the Value Line Funds, consist of a "non-voting revenues interest" and a "non-voting profits interest" in EAM as defined in the EAM Trust Agreement. The non-voting revenues interest entitles the Company to receive a range of 41% to 55% of EAM’s adjusted gross revenues, excluding EULAV Securities' distribution revenues (“Revenues Interest”). The non-voting profits interest entitles the Company to receive 50% of EAM's profits, subject to certain limited adjustments as defined in the EAM Trust Agreement (“Profits Interest”). The Revenues Interest and at least 90% of the Profits Interest are to be distributed each quarter to all interest holders of EAM, including Value Line. The Company's Revenues Interest in EAM excludes participation in the service and distribution fees of EAM's subsidiary EULAV Securities. The Company reflects its non-voting revenues and non-voting profits interests in EAM as non-operating income under the equity method of accounting. Although the Company does not have control over the operating and financial policies of EAM, pursuant to the EAM Trust Agreement, the Company has a contractual right to receive its share of EAM's revenues and profits.
Fair Value Measurement, Policy [Policy Text Block] | Valuation of Securities: The Company's securities classified as cash equivalents, equity securities and available-for-sale fixed income securities consist of shares of money market funds that invest primarily in short-term U.S. Government securities, investments in equities including ETFs and fixed income securities invested primarily in short-term U.S. Treasury bills that are valued in accordance with the requirements of the Fair Value Measurements Topic of the FASB's ASC 820. The securities classified as equity securities reflected in the Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets are valued at market and unrealized gains and losses are recorded in the Consolidated Condensed Statements of Income per FASB Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-01 ("ASU 2016-01"). The securities classified as available-for-sale fixed income securities reflected in the Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets are valued at market and unrealized gains and losses, net of applicable taxes, are reported as a separate component of shareholders' equity. Investment gains and losses on sales of the equity securities are the difference between proceeds from sales and the fair value of the equity securities sold at the beginning of the period or the purchase date, if later. Investment gains and losses on sales of the available-for-sale fixed income securities are the difference between proceeds from sales and the cost of the securities. Investment gains and losses on sales of the securities are recorded in earnings as of the trade date and are determined on the identified cost method. The Company classifies its equity securities and available-for-sale fixed income securities as current assets to properly reflect its liquidity and to recognize the fact that it has liquid assets available-for-sale should the need arise. Market valuations of securities listed on a securities exchange and ETF shares are based on the closing sales prices on the last business day of each month. The market value of the Company's fixed maturity U.S. Government debt securities is determined utilizing publicly quoted market prices. Cash equivalents consist of investments in money market funds that invest primarily in U.S. Government securities valued in accordance with rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act. The Fair Value Measurements Topic of FASB's ASC defines fair value as the price that the Company would receive upon selling an investment in a timely transaction to an independent buyer in the principal or most advantageous market for the investment. The Fair Value Measurements Topic established a three-tier hierarchy to maximize the use of observable market data and minimize the use of unobservable inputs and to establish classification of fair value measurements for disclosure purposes. Inputs refer broadly to the information that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk. Examples of risks include those inherent in a particular valuation technique used to measure fair value such as the risk inherent in the inputs to the valuation technique. Inputs are classified as observable or unobservable. Observable inputs are inputs that reflect the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity. Unobservable inputs are inputs that reflect the reporting entity’s own assumptions about the factors market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on the best information available in the circumstances. The three-tier hierarchy of inputs is summarized in the three broad levels listed below. Level 1 – quoted prices in active markets for identical investments Level 2 – other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar investments, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.) Level 3 – significant unobservable inputs (including the Company’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments) The following summarizes the levels of fair value measurements of the Company’s investments:
|  | As of October 31, 2023 |
($ in thousands) |  | Level 1 |  |  | Level 2 |  |  | Level 3 |  |  | Total |
Cash equivalents |  | $ | 3,427 |  |  | $ | - |  |  | $ | - |  |  | $ | 3,427 |
Equity securities |  |  | 13,064 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 13,064 |
Available-for-sale fixed income securities |  |  | 42,406 |  |  |  | 500 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 42,906 |
|  | $ | 58,897 |  |  | $ | 500 |  |  | $ | - |  |  | $ | 59,397 |
|  | As of April 30, 2023 |
($ in thousands) |  | Level 1 |  |  | Level 2 |  |  | Level 3 |  |  | Total |
Cash equivalents |  | $ | 7,240 |  |  | $ | - |  |  | $ | - |  |  | $ | 7,240 |
Equity securities |  |  | 14,546 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 14,546 |
Available-for-sale fixed income securities |  |  | 39,178 |  |  |  | 750 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 39,928 |
|  | $ | 60,964 |  |  | $ | 750 |  |  | $ | - |  |  | $ | 61,714 |
The Company had no other financial instruments such as futures, forwards and swap contracts. For the periods ended October 31, 2023 and April 30, 2023, there were no Level 3 investments. The Company does not have any liabilities that are subject to fair value measurement.
Advertising Cost [Policy Text Block] | Advertising expenses: The Company expenses advertising costs as incurred.
Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block] | Income Taxes: The Company computes its income tax provision in accordance with the Income Tax Topic of the FASB's ASC. Deferred tax liabilities and assets are recognized for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been reflected in the Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements. Deferred tax liabilities and assets are determined based on the differences between the book values and the tax bases of particular assets and liabilities, using tax rates currently in effect for the years in which the differences are expected to reverse. The Company adopted the provisions of ASU 2015-17, Income taxes (Topic 740) and classifies all deferred taxes as long-term liabilities on the Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets. The Income Tax Topic of the FASB's ASC establishes for all entities, a minimum threshold for financial statement recognition of the benefit of positions taken in filing tax returns (including whether an entity is taxable in a particular jurisdiction), and requires certain expanded tax disclosures. As of October 31, 2023, management has reviewed the tax positions for the years still subject to tax audit under the statute of limitations, evaluated the implications, and determined that there is no material impact to the Company's financial statements.
Earnings Per Share, Policy [Policy Text Block] | Earnings per share: Earnings per share are based on the weighted average number of shares of common stock and common stock equivalents outstanding during each period. Any shares that are reacquired during the period are weighted for the portion of the period that they are outstanding. The Company does not have any potentially dilutive common shares from outstanding stock options, warrants, restricted stock, or restricted stock units.
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Policy [Policy Text Block] | Cash and Cash Equivalents: For purposes of the Consolidated Condensed Statements of Cash Flows, the Company considers all cash held at banks and short term liquid investments with an original maturity of less than three months to be cash and cash equivalents. As of October 31, 2023 and April 30, 2023, cash equivalents included $3,427,000 and $7,240,000, respectively, for amounts invested in money market mutual funds that invest in short term U.S. government securities or savings accounts located in the United States.

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- Definition Disclosure of accounting policy for cash and cash equivalents, including the policy for determining which items are treated as cash equivalents. Other information that may be disclosed includes (1) the nature of any restrictions on the entity's use of its cash and cash equivalents, (2) whether the entity's cash and cash equivalents are insured or expose the entity to credit risk, (3) the classification of any negative balance accounts (overdrafts), and (4) the carrying basis of cash equivalents (for example, at cost) and whether the carrying amount of cash equivalents approximates fair value. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482913/230-10-50-1 + Details
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- Definition Disclosure of accounting policy regarding (1) the principles it follows in consolidating or combining the separate financial statements, including the principles followed in determining the inclusion or exclusion of subsidiaries or other entities in the consolidated or combined financial statements and (2) its treatment of interests (for example, common stock, a partnership interest or other means of exerting influence) in other entities, for example consolidation or use of the equity or cost methods of accounting. The accounting policy may also address the accounting treatment for intercompany accounts and transactions, noncontrolling interest, and the income statement treatment in consolidation for issuances of stock by a subsidiary. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (a) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147483426/235-10-50-4 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481203/810-10-50-1 + Details
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