The following table presents the components of our property, equipment and improvements, net at September 26, 2025 and September 27, 2024 (in thousands):
 September 26, 2025September 27, 2024
Land$— $69 
Buildings43,792 45,747 
Equipment742,145 702,680 
Leasehold improvements174,497 165,043 
Construction in progress8,754 7,183 
 969,188 920,722 
Accumulated depreciation and amortization(657,316)(605,092)
 $311,872 $315,630 

About PP&E Disclosures

The PP&E disclosure details a company's physical asset base — land, buildings, machinery, and equipment — along with the depreciation methods and useful life assumptions that determine how these costs flow through the income statement. Capitalization policy thresholds reveal management's judgment on the boundary between expense and asset, directly affecting both reported earnings and asset values.

Key signals: changes in estimated useful lives or depreciation methods can materially shift reported earnings without any operational change. Compare capital expenditures against depreciation expense — when capex consistently trails depreciation, the asset base may be aging and underinvested. Watch for large asset impairments or write-downs that signal overvalued carrying amounts. Asset retirement obligations reveal future environmental or decommissioning costs that are often underappreciated. Compare PP&E intensity (PP&E-to-revenue) against industry peers to assess capital efficiency and competitive positioning.