Note 9 – Income Taxes
The components of income tax expense are as follows for the years ended December 31,:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| (Dollars in thousands) | | 2025 | | 2024 | | 2023 |
| Income, before income tax expense (benefit) | | | | | | |
| United States | | $ | 36,850 | | | $ | 26,344 | | | $ | 39,125 | |
| | | | | | |
| Income tax expense (benefit) | | | | | | |
| Current: | | | | | | |
| Federal | | $ | 8,674 | | | $ | 3,438 | | | $ | 6,707 | |
| State | | 1,644 | | | 465 | | | 1,315 | |
| Total current tax expense | | $ | 10,318 | | | $ | 3,903 | | | $ | 8,022 | |
| Deferred: | | | | | | |
| Federal | | $ | (414) | | | $ | 1,873 | | | $ | 8 | |
| State | | 24 | | | 323 | | | 89 | |
| Total deferred tax (benefit) expense | | (390) | | | 2,196 | | | 97 | |
| Total income taxes | | | | | | |
| Federal | | 8,260 | | | $ | 5,311 | | | $ | 6,715 | |
| State | | 1,668 | | | 788 | | | 1,404 | |
| Total income taxes | | $ | 9,928 | | | $ | 6,099 | | | $ | 8,119 | |
There was no income from foreign countries for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023.
The following is a reconciliation of income taxes at federal statutory rates to recorded income taxes for the year ended December 31:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | 2025 | | 2024 | | 2023 |
| (Dollars in thousands) | | Amount | | % | | Amount | | % | | Amount | | % |
| Income tax at federal statutory rate | | $ | 7,738 | | | 21.0 | % | | $ | 5,532 | | | 21.0 | % | | $ | 8,217 | | | 21.0 | % |
| Tax effect of: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| State income taxes, net of federal income taxes | | 1,322 | | | 3.6 | % | | 623 | | | 2.4 | % | | 1,109 | | | 2.8 | % |
| Tax credits | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Research and development tax credit | | — | | | — | % | | (456) | | | (1.7) | % | | — | | | — | % |
| Investment tax credits | | (1,678) | | | (4.5) | % | | — | | | — | % | | — | | | — | % |
| Other tax credits | | 80 | | | 0.2 | % | | — | | | — | % | | — | | | — | % |
| Nontaxable or nondeductible items | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Nontaxable income: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Interest on municipal securities | | (517) | | | (1.4) | % | | (540) | | | (2.0) | % | | (706) | | | (1.8) | % |
| Income on bank-owned life insurance | | (318) | | | (0.9) | % | | (245) | | | (0.9) | % | | (220) | | | (0.6) | % |
| Other nontaxable income | | — | | | — | % | | (23) | | | (0.1) | % | | (27) | | | (0.1) | % |
| Nondeductible expenses: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Municipal bond interest expense | | 302 | | | 0.8 | % | | 406 | | | 1.4 | % | | 103 | | | 0.3 | % |
| Public relations expense | | 415 | | | 1.1 | % | | 254 | | | 1.0 | % | | 335 | | | 0.9 | % |
| Executive compensation expense | | 1,561 | | | 4.2 | % | | 227 | | | 0.9 | % | | 298 | | | 0.8 | % |
| Other nondeductible expenses | | 474 | | | 1.3 | % | | 149 | | | 0.6 | % | | 209 | | | 0.5 | % |
| Other | | 549 | | | 1.5 | % | | 172 | | | 0.6 | % | | (1,199) | | | (3.0) | % |
| | $ | 9,928 | | | 26.9 | % | | $ | 6,099 | | | 23.2 | % | | $ | 8,119 | | | 20.8 | % |
There were no domestic federal reconciling items related to the effect of cross-border tax laws, changes in tax laws or rates enacted in the current period, changes in valuation allowance, foreign tax effects, and changes in unrecognized tax benefits.
The components of income taxes paid, net of refunds, are as follows for the years ended December 31:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| (Dollars in thousands) | | 2025 | | 2024 | | 2023 |
| Federal | | $ | 16,192 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 10,910 | |
| State | | 1,310 | | | 924 | | | 2,172 | |
| | | | | | |
| Total | | $ | 17,502 | | | $ | 924 | | | $ | 13,082 | |
| | | | | | |
Income taxes paid exceeded five percent of total income taxes paid in the following jurisdictions: |
| State | | | | | | |
| California | | * | | $ | 121 | | | * |
| Florida | | * | | 171 | | | * |
| Maryland | | * | | 94 | | | * |
| North Carolina | | * | | 112 | | | * |
| Pennsylvania | | * | | 103 | | | * |
* Jurisdiction below the threshold for the period presented
Deferred income tax assets and liabilities were comprised of the following as of December 31:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| (Dollars in thousands) | | 2025 | | 2024 |
| Gross deferred tax assets: | | | | |
| Allowance for credit losses | | $ | 5,286 | | | $ | 5,118 | |
| Minimum pension liability | | 654 | | | 734 | |
| Research and development | | — | | | 1,126 | |
| Stock-based compensation | | 924 | | | 903 | |
| Supplemental executive retirement plan | | — | | | 401 | |
| Unrealized loss on securities available-for-sale | | 3,553 | | | 7,958 | |
| Lease liabilities | | 6,341 | | | 6,772 | |
| Depreciation | | 817 | | | 329 | |
| Other | | 978 | | | 660 | |
| Total gross deferred tax assets | | 18,553 | | | 24,001 | |
| | | | |
| Gross deferred tax liabilities: | | | | |
| Pension | | (1,113) | | | (1,086) | |
| | | | |
| Holding gain on equity securities | | (4,243) | | | (4,247) | |
| Equity method investment | | (2,119) | | | (2,061) | |
| Goodwill | | (107) | | | (88) | |
| Right-of-use assets | | (6,003) | | | (6,479) | |
| | | | |
| Other | | (1,836) | | | (2,697) | |
| Total gross deferred tax liabilities | | (15,421) | | | (16,658) | |
| | | | |
| Net deferred tax assets | | $ | 3,132 | | | $ | 7,343 | |
Net deferred income tax assets are included in accrued interest and other assets. The Company has no unrecognized tax benefits, nor pending examination issues related to tax positions taken in preparation of its income tax returns. With limited exceptions, the Company is no longer subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service for years prior to 2022.
In December 2025, the Company purchased approximately $14.2 million of Investment Tax Credits ("ITCs") related to two projects that involve anaerobic digesters that qualify as “qualified biogas properties” under Section 48 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. The Company paid $12.5 million for the ITCs, reducing its 2025 income tax liability by approximately $1.7 million. The Company accounted for the purchased ITCs in accordance with guidance included in ASC 740, Income Taxes.
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.