16. INCOME TAXES

Income tax benefit (expense) for the following periods consisted of (in thousands):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fiscal Year Ended April 30,
2025

 

 

Four Months Ended April 30,
2024

 

 

Calendar Year Ended December 31,
2023

 

Income (loss) before income taxes

 

$

119,292

 

 

$

24,576

 

 

$

42,915

 

Income tax benefit (expense)

 

 

(25,710

)

 

 

(6,799

)

 

 

(8,939

)

Effective tax rate

 

 

(21.6

)%

 

 

(27.7

)%

 

 

(20.8

)%

 

Income tax expense for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, resulted primarily from estimated domestic and foreign taxes included in the calculation of the effective tax rate. Provision for income taxes for the four months ended April 30, 2024 resulted primarily from estimated domestic and foreign taxes included in the calculation of the effective tax rate. Benefit from income taxes for the calendar year ended December 31, 2023, resulted primarily from estimated domestic and foreign taxes included in the calculation of the effective tax rate. We provided no valuation allowance for federal assets and continue to maintain full valuation allowance for state and certain foreign deferred tax assets in the United States and Canada.

The components of income (loss) before income taxes for the following periods consisted of (in thousands):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2025

 

 

Four Months Ended April 30, 2024

 

 

Calendar Year Ended December 31, 2023

 

Domestic

 

$

102,041

 

 

$

9,721

 

 

$

30,458

 

Foreign

 

 

17,251

 

 

 

14,855

 

 

 

12,457

 

Total

 

$

119,292

 

 

$

24,576

 

 

$

42,915

 

 

The income tax expense (benefit) for the following periods consisted of (in thousands):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2025

 

 

Four Months Ended April 30, 2024

 

 

Calendar Year Ended December 31, 2023

 

Current:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. federal

 

$

16,750

 

 

$

4,378

 

 

$

3,554

 

State

 

 

3,364

 

 

 

17

 

 

 

236

 

Foreign

 

 

4,783

 

 

 

1,854

 

 

 

1,621

 

Total current

 

 

24,897

 

 

 

6,249

 

 

 

5,411

 

Deferred:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. federal

 

 

803

 

 

 

(9

)

 

 

2,921

 

States and local

 

 

38

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foreign

 

 

(28

)

 

 

559

 

 

 

607

 

Total deferred

 

 

813

 

 

 

550

 

 

 

3,528

 

Total Income tax expense (benefit)

 

$

25,710

 

 

$

6,799

 

 

$

8,939

 

 

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes, tax losses, and credit carryforwards.

Significant components of the net deferred tax assets and liabilities consisted of (in thousands):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 30, 2025

 

 

December 31, 2023

 

Deferred tax assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net operating loss carryforwards

 

$

69,286

 

 

$

4,785

 

State income taxes

 

 

143

 

 

 

50

 

Deferred revenue

 

 

1,653

 

 

 

2,769

 

Research and development and other credits

 

 

4,289

 

 

 

3,701

 

Reserve and accruals recognized in different periods

 

 

30,890

 

 

 

(563

)

Capitalized research and development expenses

 

 

2,628

 

 

 

2,850

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

634

 

 

 

587

 

Lease liability

 

 

38,153

 

 

 

7

 

Interest and loss carryovers

 

 

17,685

 

 

 

 

Deferred financing costs

 

 

2,954

 

 

 

 

Other

 

 

1,399

 

 

 

 

Total deferred tax assets

 

 

169,714

 

 

 

14,186

 

Valuation allowance

 

 

(80,079

)

 

 

(10,837

)

Net deferred tax assets

 

 

89,635

 

 

 

3,349

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deferred tax liability

 

 

 

 

 

 

ROU assets

 

 

(39,702

)

 

 

(6

)

Intangibles

 

 

(19,714

)

 

 

 

Property and Equipment

 

 

(11,666

)

 

 

 

LIFO

 

 

(16,944

)

 

 

 

Other

 

 

(16,836

)

 

 

 

Total deferred tax liabilities

 

 

(104,862

)

 

 

(6

)

Net Deferred tax assets (liabilities)

 

$

(15,227

)

 

$

3,342

 

 

We account for deferred taxes under ASC 740 which requires a reduction of the carrying amounts of deferred tax assets by a valuation allowance if, based on available evidence, it is more likely than not that such assets will not be realized. Accordingly, the need to establish valuation allowances for deferred tax assets is assessed periodically based on the ASC 740 more-likely-than-not realization threshold criterion. This assessment considers matters such as future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, projected future taxable income, tax-planning strategies, and results of recent operations. The evaluation of the recoverability of the deferred tax assets requires that we weigh all positive and negative evidence to reach a conclusion that it is more likely than not that all or some portion of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The weight given to the evidence is commensurate with the extent to which it can be objectively verified. At April 30, 2025, based on our assessment of the realizability of our deferred tax assets, we recorded valuation allowances for certain federal, state, and foreign deferred tax assets whose realization is not considered more likely than not. As of April 30, 2024, based on our assessment of the realizability of our deferred tax assets, we put partial valuation allowance for certain federal assets, whose future realization is not more likely than not and continue to maintain full valuation allowance for state and certain foreign deferred tax assets in the United States and Canada. The valuation allowance for periods ending April 30, 2025, April 30, 2024, and December 31, 2023 increased by $69.3 million, decreased by $33 thousand, and decreased by $1.5 million, respectively. The significant change in valuation allowance between April 30, 2025 and April 30, 2024 is due to consolidated impacts of Barnes & Noble Education.

 

As of April 30, 2025, Immersion net operating loss carryforwards for state income tax purposes were approximately $52.8 million. The state net operating losses begin to expire in 2028. Immersion has no net operating loss carryforward from federal or foreign jurisdictions. As of April 30, 2025, Immersion had state tax credit carryforwards of approximately $2.5 million available to offset future tax liabilities. The state tax credits will carryforward indefinitely. In addition, as of April 30, 2025, Immersion has Canadian research and development credit carryforwards of $1.7 million, which will begin to expire in 2038. These operating losses and credit carryforwards have not been reviewed by the relevant tax authorities and could be subject to adjustment upon examinations.

As of April 30, 2025, Barnes & Noble Education’s net operating loss carryforwards for federal and state income tax purposes were approximately $211.9 million and $406.0 million, respectively. The federal net operating losses do not expire while the state net operating losses begin to expire in 2026. Barnes & Noble Education has no net operating loss carryforward from foreign jurisdictions. As of April 30, 2025, Barnes & Noble Education had federal and state tax credit carryforwards of approximately $1.1 million and $0.3 million, respectively, available to offset future tax liabilities. The federal tax credits will begin to expire in 2040 while the state tax credits will begin to expire in 2026. These operating losses and credit carryforwards have not been reviewed by the relevant tax authorities and could be subject to adjustment upon examinations.

Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code (“IRC Section 382”) imposes limitations on a corporation’s ability to utilize its net operating losses and credit carryforwards if it experiences an “ownership change” as defined by IRC Section 382. Utilization of a portion of our federal net operating loss carryforward was limited in accordance with IRC Section 382, due to an ownership change that occurred during 1999. This limitation has fully lapsed as of December 31, 2010.

The reconciliation of federal statutory income tax rate to our effective tax rate was as follows (in thousands):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2025

 

 

Four Months Ended April 30, 2024

 

 

Calendar Year Ended
December 31, 2023

 

Federal statutory rate

 

 

21.00

%

 

 

21.00

%

 

 

21.00

%

Foreign withholding

 

 

1.68

%

 

 

2.15

%

 

 

0.69

%

Stock-based compensation expense

 

 

0.01

%

 

 

1.32

%

 

 

(0.74

)%

Foreign rate differential

 

 

(0.80

)%

 

 

(4.89

)%

 

 

(2.10

)%

Prior year true-up items

 

 

(0.44

)%

 

 

%

 

 

%

Tax reserves

 

 

1.25

%

 

 

8.74

%

 

 

4.06

%

Transaction costs

 

 

0.05

%

 

 

%

 

 

%

Purchase accounting amortization

 

 

(6.36

)%

 

 

%

 

 

%

Other

 

 

0.15

%

 

 

(15.27

)%

 

 

(6.01

)%

FTC and R&D Credits

 

 

(3.31

)%

 

 

2.53

%

 

 

0.59

%

State taxes, net of federal benefit

 

 

2.73

%

 

 

0.14

%

 

 

0.17

%

Subpart F, GILTI and FDII

 

 

(0.33

)%

 

 

10.54

%

 

 

3.82

%

Non-deductible officers compensation

 

 

3.02

%

 

 

1.53

%

 

 

2.85

%

Valuation allowance

 

 

(0.50

)%

 

 

(0.14

)%

 

 

(3.50

)%

Deductible dividend

 

 

(0.12

)%

 

 

%

 

 

%

Deferred tax liability on outside basis difference in investment

 

 

3.52

%

 

 

%

 

 

%

Effective tax rate

 

 

21.55

%

 

 

27.67

%

 

 

20.83

%

 

The undistributed earnings of our Ireland subsidiary are not considered to be indefinitely reinvested and accordingly, a provision for applicable income taxes has been considered thereon. As of April 30, 2025, the Company continues to assert permanent reinvestment of earnings in its other foreign jurisdictions.

 

We maintain liabilities for uncertain tax positions. These liabilities involve considerable judgment and estimation and are continuously monitored by management based on the best information available, including changes in tax regulations, the outcome of relevant court cases, and other information.

A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of gross unrecognized tax benefits is as follows (in thousands):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2025

 

 

Four Months Ended April 30, 2024

 

 

Calendar Year Ended
December 31, 2023

 

Balance at beginning of period

 

$

7,580

 

 

$

7,490

 

 

$

7,093

 

Increases for tax positions of prior years

 

 

 

 

 

14

 

 

 

125

 

Gross decreases for federal tax rate change for tax positions of prior years

 

 

901

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gross increases for tax positions of current year

 

 

4,788

 

 

 

76

 

 

 

272

 

Balance at end of period

 

$

13,269

 

 

$

7,580

 

 

$

7,490

 

 

The unrecognized tax benefits relate primarily to federal and state research and development credits, intercompany profit on the transfer of certain IP rights to one of our foreign subsidiaries as part of our tax reorganization completed in 2015, deferred revenue and withholding tax reserve.

We account for interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions as a component of income tax expense. At April 30, 2025, we accrued $0.6 million interest or penalties related to uncertain tax positions. At April 30, 2025, the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits that would affect our effective tax rate, if recognized, was $13.3 million.

Because we have net operating loss and credit carryforwards, there are open statutes of limitations in which federal, state and foreign taxing authorities may examine our tax returns for all years from 2008 through the current period.

Barnes & Noble Education’s Potential Limitation to Future Tax Attribute Utilization

Under Sections 382 and 383 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), if a corporation undergoes an “ownership change” (generally defined as a cumulative change in our ownership by “5-percent shareholders” that exceeds 50 percentage points over a rolling three-year period), Barnes & Noble Education’s ability to use its pre-change net operating losses and certain other pre-change tax attributes to offset its post-change income and taxes may be limited. Similar rules may apply under state tax laws. As a result of the Rights Offering, Backstop Commitment, Private Investment, and Term Loan Debt Conversion completed on June 10, 2024, Barnes & Noble Education may have experienced an ownership change as defined by Sections 382 and 383. Barnes & Noble Education conducted a study to determine if an ownership change occurred. It was determined that an ownership change occurred under Section 382 and 383, and the corresponding annual limitations materially impact the utilization of Barnes & Noble Education’s tax attributes including its $211.9 million NOL carryforwards, $60.2 million disallowed interest expense carryforwards, and $1.1 million tax credit carryforwards as of April 30, 2025. Barnes & Noble Education anticipates that $63.1 million of these tax attributes will be made available during fiscal year 2026 and fiscal year 2027. Barnes & Noble Education does not have any material uncertain tax positions requiring recognition in the financial statements as of April 30, 2025.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Mar 12, 2026Showing above
2023Mar 11, 2024
2020Mar 5, 2021
2019Mar 6, 2020
2018Feb 27, 2019
2017Feb 27, 2018
2016Mar 3, 2017

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.