NOTE 15 — INCOME TAXES

The Company elected to be taxed as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code, commencing with its taxable year ended December 31, 1983. To qualify as a REIT, the Company must meet a number of organizational and operational requirements, including a requirement that it currently distribute at least 90% of its ordinary taxable income to its stockholders. As a REIT, the Company generally will not be subject to corporate level federal, state and local income tax on taxable income it distributes currently to its stockholders. If the Company fails to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year, it will be subject to federal, state and local income taxes at regular corporate rates (including any applicable alternative minimum tax) and may not be able to qualify as a REIT for four subsequent taxable years. It is management’s current intention to maintain the Company’s REIT status.

Even though the Company qualifies for taxation as a REIT, the Company is subject to certain state and local taxes on its income and property, and to federal income and excise taxes on its undistributed taxable income. As of December 31, 2025, tax returns for the calendar years 2022 through 2024 remain subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service and various state and local tax jurisdictions. In 2025 and 2024, the Company collected refunds of $135,000 and $238,000, respectively, from Tennessee related to franchise taxes paid during 2020 through 2023, as the state amended the method of calculating such taxes, resulting in overpayments made in such years. The refunds are included in State Taxes on the consolidated statements of income for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.

During 2025, 2024 and 2023, the Company did not incur any federal income tax expense. The Company does not have any deferred tax assets or liabilities at December 31, 2025 and 2024.

NOTE 15 — INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED)

The approximate allocation of the distributions made to stockholders is as follows for the years indicated:

Year Ended December 31,

  ​ ​ ​

2025

  ​ ​ ​

2024

  ​ ​ ​

2023

Ordinary income (a)

51

%

55

%

53

%

Capital gains

49

45

47

100

%

100

%

100

%

(a)The ordinary income portion of the distributions are considered qualified REIT dividends and will be taxed at a rate reduced by up to 20% pursuant to Internal Revenue Code Section 199A.

The Company treats depreciation expense, straight-line rent adjustments and certain other items differently for tax purposes than for financial reporting purposes. Therefore, its taxable income and dividends paid deduction differs from its financial statement income.

The following table reconciles dividends declared with the dividends paid deduction for the years indicated (amounts in thousands):

  ​ ​ ​

2025

  ​ ​ ​

2024

  ​ ​ ​

2023

Estimate

Actual

Actual

Dividends declared

$

38,907

$

38,421

$

38,116

Dividend reinvestment plan (a)

 

21

 

70

 

157

 

38,928

 

38,491

 

38,273

Less: Spillover dividends designated to previous year

 

 

(740)

 

(4,240)

Less: Spillover dividends designated to following year

(8,336)

(6,008)

Plus: Dividends designated from prior year

6,008

Plus: Dividends designated from following year

 

 

 

740

Dividends paid deduction

$

36,600

$

31,743

$

34,773

(a)Reflects the discount on common stock purchased through the dividend reinvestment plan of 3%.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Mar 6, 2026Showing above
2024Mar 6, 2025
2023Mar 6, 2024
2022Mar 14, 2023
2021Mar 11, 2022
2020Mar 12, 2021
2019Mar 16, 2020
2018Mar 18, 2019
2017Mar 14, 2018
2016Mar 10, 2017
2015Mar 15, 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.