HACKETT GROUP, INC. Income Taxes Disclosure

9. Income Taxes

The Company files federal income tax returns, as well as multiple state, local and foreign jurisdiction tax returns. A number of years may elapse before an uncertain tax position is audited and finally resolved. While it is often difficult to predict the final outcome or the timing of resolution on any particular uncertain tax position, the Company believes that its reserves for income taxes reflect the most probable outcome. The Company adjusts these reserves, as well as the related interest, in the light of changing facts and circumstances. The resolution of a matter would be recognized as an adjustment to the provision for income taxes and the effective tax rate in the period of resolution. The Company is no longer subject to examinations of its federal income tax returns by the Internal Revenue Service for years through 2021 and all significant state, local and foreign matters have been concluded for years through 2020.

9. Income Taxes (continued)

(1) Fiscal 2025 primarily includes from highest to lowest effective tax rate Florida, Georgia, New Jersey and California.

9. Income Taxes (continued)

The increase in the tax rate from 2023 to 2025 has been primarily due to the limitation of deductions related to executive compensation, primarily driven by the stock price award program. See Note 10, "Stock Based Compensation," for additional details.

As of December 26, 2025, the Company had $0.7 million of U.S. state net operating loss carryforwards. Additionally, as of December 26, 2025, the Company had $7.3 million of foreign net operating loss carryforwards primarily from operations in the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Australia. A portion of the foreign net operating losses may be carried forward indefinitely.

The liability method of accounting for deferred income taxes requires a valuation allowance against deferred tax assets if, based on the weight of available evidence, it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. In determining the need for valuation allowances the Company considers evidence such as history of losses and general economic conditions. As of December 26, 2025 and December 27, 2024 the Company had a valuation allowance of $1.4 million and of $1.3 million, respectively, to reduce deferred income tax assets, primarily related to foreign net operating loss carryforwards, to the amounts expected to be realized.

The undistributed earnings in foreign subsidiaries as of December 26, 2025, was approximately $17.4 million. The Company has historically reinvested its foreign earnings abroad indefinitely and continues to reinvest future earnings abroad.

9. Income Taxes (continued)

Penalties and tax-related interest expense are reported as a component of income tax expense. For the years ended December 26, 2025, December 27, 2024, and December 29, 2023 the total amount of accrued income tax-related interest and penalties was $50 thousand in each year.

The Company prescribes a more-likely-than-not threshold for financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. This interpretation also provides guidance on de-recognition of income tax assets and liabilities, classification of current and deferred income tax assets and liabilities, accounting for interest and penalties associated with tax positions, accounting for income taxes in interim periods and income tax disclosures.

As of December 26, 2025 and December 27, 2024, the Company had a liability related to the ASC 740-10, “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes,” of $0.2 million in both periods which was classified as a current liability and included in accrued expenses and other liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets in both periods.

The Company does not believe there will be any material changes in its unrecognized tax positions over the next twelve months. The reversal of ASC 740-10 tax liabilities as of December 26, 2025 and December 27, 2024 would have a favorable impact on the effective tax rate in future period.