SUBURBAN PROPANE PARTNERS LP Income Taxes Disclosure
9. Income Taxes
For federal income tax purposes, as well as for state income tax purposes in the majority of the states in which the Partnership operates, the earnings attributable to the Partnership and the Operating Partnership are not subject to income tax at the partnership level. With the exception of those states that impose an entity-level income tax on partnerships, the taxable income or loss attributable to the Partnership and to the Operating Partnership, which may vary substantially from the income (loss) before income taxes reported by the Partnership in the consolidated statement of operations, are includable in the federal and state income tax returns of the Common Unitholders. The aggregate difference in the basis of the Partnership’s net assets for financial and tax reporting purposes cannot be readily determined as the Partnership does not have access to each Common Unitholder’s basis in the Partnership.
As described in Note 1, “Partnership Organization and Formation,” the earnings of the Corporate Entities are subject to U.S. corporate level income tax. However, based upon past performance, the Corporate Entities are currently reporting an income tax provision composed primarily of minimum state income taxes. A full valuation allowance has been provided against the deferred tax assets (with the exception of certain net operating loss carryforwards (“NOLs”) that arose after 2017) based upon an analysis of all available evidence, both negative and positive at the balance sheet date, which, taken as a whole, indicates that it is more likely than not that sufficient future taxable income will not be available to utilize the assets. Management’s periodic reviews include, among other things, the nature and amount of the taxable income and expense items, the expected timing of when assets will be used or liabilities will be required to be reported and the reliability of historical profitability of businesses that are expected to provide future earnings. Furthermore, management considered tax-planning strategies it could use to increase the likelihood that the deferred tax assets will be realized.
NOLs generated by the Corporate Entities beginning in 2018 may be carried forward indefinitely. The Corporate Entities generated a taxable loss during the 2022 tax year, which resulted in a $295 deferred tax benefit recorded during fiscal 2023.
The income tax provision of all the legal entities included in the Partnership’s consolidated statement of operations, which is composed primarily of state income taxes in the few states that impose taxes on partnerships and minimum state income taxes on the Corporate Entities, consists of the following:
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|
Year Ended |
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|
|
September 27, |
|
|
September 28, |
|
|
September 30, |
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|||
|
|
2025 |
|
|
2024 |
|
|
2023 |
|
|||
Current provision |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Federal |
|
$ |
5 |
|
|
$ |
6 |
|
|
$ |
8 |
|
State and local |
|
|
761 |
|
|
|
728 |
|
|
|
955 |
|
|
|
|
766 |
|
|
|
734 |
|
|
|
963 |
|
Deferred provision (benefit) |
|
|
582 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
(295 |
) |
|
|
$ |
1,348 |
|
|
$ |
734 |
|
|
$ |
668 |
|
The provision for income taxes differs from income taxes computed at the U.S. federal statutory rate as a result of the following:
|
|
Year Ended |
|
|||||||||
|
|
September 27, |
|
|
September 28, |
|
|
September 30, |
|
|||
|
|
2025 |
|
|
2024 |
|
|
2023 |
|
|||
Income tax provision at federal statutory tax rate |
|
$ |
22,663 |
|
|
$ |
15,731 |
|
|
$ |
26,128 |
|
Impact of Partnership income not subject to |
|
|
(29,814 |
) |
|
|
(20,245 |
) |
|
|
(31,604 |
) |
Permanent differences |
|
|
(280 |
) |
|
|
135 |
|
|
|
104 |
|
Change in valuation allowance |
|
|
9,505 |
|
|
|
4,725 |
|
|
|
6,721 |
|
State income taxes |
|
|
(547 |
) |
|
|
449 |
|
|
|
(552 |
) |
Other |
|
|
(179 |
) |
|
|
(61 |
) |
|
|
(129 |
) |
Provision for income taxes - current and deferred |
|
$ |
1,348 |
|
|
$ |
734 |
|
|
$ |
668 |
|
The components of net deferred taxes and the related valuation allowance using currently enacted tax rates are as follows:
|
|
Year Ended |
|
|||||
|
|
September 27, |
|
|
September 28, |
|
||
|
|
2025 |
|
|
2024 |
|
||
Deferred tax assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Net operating loss carryforwards |
|
$ |
56,549 |
|
|
$ |
55,785 |
|
Allowance for doubtful accounts |
|
|
323 |
|
|
|
272 |
|
Inventory |
|
|
742 |
|
|
|
873 |
|
Deferred revenue |
|
|
429 |
|
|
|
486 |
|
Other accruals |
|
|
8,735 |
|
|
|
4,026 |
|
Total deferred tax assets |
|
|
66,778 |
|
|
|
61,442 |
|
Deferred tax liabilities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Intangible assets |
|
|
1,886 |
|
|
|
278 |
|
Property, plant and equipment |
|
|
10,362 |
|
|
|
8,949 |
|
Total deferred tax liabilities |
|
|
12,248 |
|
|
|
9,227 |
|
Net deferred tax assets |
|
|
54,530 |
|
|
|
52,215 |
|
Valuation allowance |
|
|
(53,784 |
) |
|
|
(50,888 |
) |
Net deferred tax assets |
|
$ |
746 |
|
|
$ |
1,327 |
|
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.