Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Note 16 - Income Taxes

v3.20.1
Note 16 - Income Taxes
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Notes to Financial Statements  
Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block]

NOTE 16.

INCOME TAXES

 

The components of income tax expense are as follows:

 

   

Year Ended December 31,

 
   

2019

   

2018

   

2017

 
   

(In Thousands)

 

Current tax expense:

                       

Federal

  $ 36,683     $ 43,207     $ 27,952  

State

    2,012       2,950       2,258  

Total current tax expense

    38,695       46,157       30,210  

Deferred tax (benefit) expense:

                       

Federal

    (166 )     (12,636 )     17,073  

State

    (911 )     (1,619 )     (3,025 )

Total deferred tax (benefit) expense

    (1,077 )     (14,255 )     14,048  

Total income tax expense

  $ 37,618     $ 31,902     $ 44,258  

 

The Company’s total income tax expense differs from the amounts computed by applying the Federal income tax statutory rates to income before income taxes. A reconciliation of the differences is as follows:

 

   

Year Ended December 31, 2019

 
   

Amount

   

% of Pre-tax

Earnings

 
   

(In Thousands)

         

Income tax at statutory federal rate

  $ 39,241       21.00

%

Effect on rate of:

               

State income tax, net of federal tax effect

    822       0.44

%

Tax-exempt income, net of expenses

    (461 )     (0.25 )%

Bank owned life insurance contracts

    (787 )     (0.42

)%

Excess tax benefit from stock compensation

    (1,405 )     (0.75

)%

Federal tax credits

    (170 )     (0.09

)%

Other

    378       0.20

%

Effective income tax and rate

  $ 37,618       20.13

%

 

   

Year Ended December 31, 2018

 
   

Amount

   

% of Pre-tax

Earnings

 
   

(In Thousands)

         

Income tax at statutory federal rate

  $ 35,457       21.00

%

Effect on rate of:

               

State income tax, net of federal tax effect

    808       0.48

%

Tax-exempt income, net of expenses

    (655 )     (0.39

)%

Bank owned life insurance contracts

    (657 )     (0.39

)%

Excess tax benefit from stock compensation

    (3,118 )     (1.84

)%

Federal tax credits

    (113 )     (0.07

)%

Other

    180       0.10

%

Effective income tax and rate

  $ 31,902       18.89

%

 

   

Year Ended December 31, 2017

 
   

Amount

   

% of Pre-tax

Earnings

 
   

(In Thousands)

         

Income tax at statutory federal rate

  $ 48,073       35.00

%

Effect on rate of:

               

State income tax, net of federal tax effect

    43       0.03

%

Tax-exempt income, net of expenses

    (1,356 )     (0.99

)%

Bank owned life insurance contracts

    (1,096 )     (0.80

)%

Excess tax benefit from stock compensation

    (4,278 )     (3.11

)%

Federal tax credits

    (234 )     (0.17

)%

Enacted tax rate change

    3,108       2.26  

Other

    (2 )     -

%

Effective income tax and rate

  $ 44,258       32.22

%

 

The components of net deferred tax asset are as follows:

 

   

December 31,

 
   

2019

   

2018

 
   

(In Thousands)

 

Deferred tax assets:

               

Allowance for loan losses

  $ 17,733     $ 17,212  

Other real estate owned

    225       317  

Nonqualified equity awards

    953       788  

Nonaccrual interest

    231       311  

State tax credits

    7,787       6,791  

Investments

    1,119       1,130  

Deferred loan fees

    891       804  

Reserve for unfunded commitments

    183       135  

Accrued bonus

    2,029       2,025  

Differences in amounts reflected in financial statements and income tax basis of assets acquired and liabilities assumed in acquisition

    121       139  

Net unrealized loss on securities available for sale

    -       1,273  

Other deferred tax assets

    487       669  

Total deferred tax assets

    31,759       31,594  
                 

Deferred tax liabilities:

               

Net unrealized gain on securities available for sale

    1,515       -  

Depreciation

    4,021       3,732  

Prepaid expenses

    516       376  

Acquired intangible assets

    141       209  

Total deferred tax liabilities

    6,193       4,317  

Net deferred tax assets

  $ 25,566     $ 27,277  

 

The Company believes its net deferred tax asset is recoverable as of December 31, 2019 based on the expectation of future taxable income and other relevant considerations.

 

Pursuant to ASC 740-10-30-2 Income Taxes, deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates applicable to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled.  The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.  On December 22, 2017, the President of the United States signed the “Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to titles II and V of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018” (referred to as the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” or the Act).  The Act provided for a reduction in the corporate tax rate from a maximum tax rate of 35% to a flat tax rate of 21% effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017.  As a result, the Company revalued its deferred tax assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2017, and recorded the effect of this change as a component of tax expense.  Tax expense recorded related to the change in the enacted federal tax rate was $3,108,000 in 2017.

 

The Company and its subsidiaries file a consolidated U.S. Federal income tax return and various consolidated and separate company state income tax returns. The Company is currently open to audit under the statute of limitations by the Internal Revenue Service for the years ended December 31, 2016 through 2019. The Company is also currently open to audit by several state departments of revenue for the years ended December 31, 2016 through 2019. The audit periods differ depending on the date the Company began business activities in each state. Currently, there are no years for which the Company filed a federal or state income tax return that are under examination by the IRS or any state department of revenue.

 

Accrued interest and penalties on unrecognized income tax benefits totaled $135,000 and $106,000 as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Unrecognized income tax benefits as of December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, that, if recognized, would impact the effective income tax rate totaled $2,683,000 and $2,133,000 (net of the federal benefit on state income tax issues), respectively. The Company does not expect any of the uncertain tax positions to be settled or resolved during the next twelve months.

 

The following table presents a summary of the changes during 2019, 2018 and 2017 in the amount of unrecognized tax benefits that are included in the consolidated balance sheets.

 

   

2019

   

2018

   

2017

 
   

(In Thousands)

 

Balance, beginning of year

  $ 2,133     $ 1,779     $ 1,375  

Increases related to prior year tax positions

    998       799       365  

Decreases related to prior year tax positions

    -       -       -  

Increases related to current year tax positions

    -       -       -  

Settlements

    -       -       -  

Enacted tax rate change

    -       -       315  

Lapse of statute

    (448 )     (445 )     (276 )

Balance, end of year

  $ 2,683     $ 2,133     $ 1,779