10. Income Taxes

 

The current and deferred federal and state income tax provision from continuing operations, are comprised of the following:

 

  

For the Years Ended December 31,

 
  

(Amounts in Thousands)

 
  

2025

  

2024

  

2023

 

Current

            

Federal

 $10,775  $8,998  $11,839 

State

  2,893   3,533   4,139 

Deferred

            

Federal

  14,732   11,258   2,306 

State

  3,135   1,966   526 

Provision for income taxes

 $31,535  $25,755  $18,810 

 

The tax effects of certain temporary differences between the Company’s book and tax bases of assets and liabilities give rise to significant portions of the deferred income tax assets (liabilities) at December 31, 2025 and 2024. The deferred tax assets (liabilities) consisted of the following:

 

  

For the Years Ended December 31,

 
  

(Amounts in Thousands)

 
  

2025

  

2024

 

Deferred tax assets

        

Long-term

        

Accounts receivable allowances

 $14,343  $20,843 

Operating lease liabilities

  12,802   14,917 

Accrued compensation

  5,901   5,683 

Accrued workers’ compensation

  3,355   3,253 

Transaction costs

  2,610   2,547 

Stock-based compensation

  1,698   1,400 

Net operating loss

  59   73 

Restructuring costs

     555 

Other

  2,865   2,517 

Total long-term deferred tax assets

  43,633   51,788 

Deferred tax liabilities

        

Long-term

        

Goodwill and intangible assets

  (72,059)  (61,177)

Operating lease assets, net

  (10,562)  (12,521)

Property and equipment

  (3,603)  (2,796)

Insurance premiums

  (1,446)  (1,079)

Other

  (28)  (35)

Total long-term deferred tax liabilities

  (87,698)  (77,608)

Total net deferred tax (liabilities) assets

 $(44,065) $(25,820)

 

Management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. Management considers all available evidence in making this assessment.

 

A reconciliation for continuing operations of the statutory federal tax rate of 21.0% to the effective income tax rate is summarized as follows:

 

      

For the Years Ended December 31,

 
      

(Amounts in Thousands)

 
  

2025

  

2024

  

2023

 

U.S. federal statutory tax rate

 $26,763   21.0% $20,864   21.0% $17,079   21.0%

State and local taxes, net of federal income tax effect*

  6,019   4.7   5,469   5.5   4,667   5.7 

Tax credits

                        

Work opportunity tax credits, net of federal taxable income add back

  (2,923)  (2.3)  (2,844)  (2.9)  (2,765)  (3.4)

Other credit programs

  (711)  (0.6)  (474)  (0.4)  (474)  (0.6)

Nontaxable or nondeductible items

                        

162(m) compensation

  4,830   3.8   1,992   2.0   1,409   1.7 

Excess tax benefit

  (2,433)  (1.9)  (408)  (0.4)  (320)  (0.4)

Stock acquisition cost

        1,081   1.1   4   0.1 

Other nondeductible items

  181   0.2   130   0.1   176   0.2 

Other adjustments

                        

Federal RTP

  (191)  (0.2)  (55)  (0.1)  (966)  (1.2)

Effective income tax rate

 $31,535   24.7% $25,755   25.9% $18,810   23.1%

 

*State taxes in Illinois for 2025, 2024, and 2023 made up the majority (greater than 50 percent) of the tax effect within this category.

 

Cash income taxes paid for continuing operations, disaggregated by federal and state jurisdictions, are summarized as follows:

 

  

For the Years Ended December 31,

 
  

(Amounts in Thousands)

 
  

2025

  

2024

  

2023

 

Federal income tax paid

 $8,600   68.1% $18,911   72.0% $9,483   63.3%

State income tax paid

                        

Illinois

  2,060   16.3   4,391   16.7   3,262   21.8 

New York

              836   5.6 

Tennessee

  713   5.6             

Other states

  1,247   10.0   2,949   11.3   1,404   9.3 

Total income tax paid (net of refund)

 $12,620   100.0% $26,251   100.0% $14,985   100.0%

 

The effective income tax rate was 24.7%, 25.9% and 23.1% for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The difference between our federal statutory and effective income tax rates was principally due to the inclusion of state taxes, non-deductible compensation, partially offset by the use of federal employment tax credits and an excess tax benefit.

 

The Company is subject to taxation in the jurisdictions in which it operates. The Company continues to remain subject to examination by U.S. federal authorities for the years 2022 through 2024 and for various state authorities for the years 2020 through 2024.

   

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Feb 24, 2026Showing above
2024Feb 25, 2025
2023Feb 27, 2024
2022Feb 28, 2023
2021Feb 25, 2022
2020Mar 1, 2021
2019Aug 10, 2020
2018Mar 18, 2019
2017Mar 14, 2018
2016Mar 15, 2017
2015Mar 11, 2016

About Income Taxes Disclosures

The income tax disclosure reveals how much a company actually pays in taxes versus what the statutory rate would predict. Analysts focus on the effective tax rate (ETR) reconciliation, which breaks down every item driving the gap between the 21% federal rate and the company's reported ETR — including R&D credits, foreign rate differentials, and state taxes. Deferred tax assets (DTAs) and their valuation allowances signal management's confidence in future profitability: a rising allowance suggests the company doubts it can use accumulated tax benefits. Uncertain tax benefit (UTB) reserves quantify exposure to IRS challenges on aggressive positions.

Key signals to watch: sudden ETR drops without clear operational reasons, large increases in valuation allowances, growing UTB balances, and significant unremitted foreign earnings. Post-TCJA, pay attention to GILTI and BEAT provisions that affect multinational tax structures. Compare the cash taxes paid (from the cash flow statement) against the income tax provision to gauge earnings quality.