ONE Group Hospitality, Inc. Income Taxes Disclosure
Note 8 - Income Taxes
The components of loss before provision (benefit) for income taxes were as follows (in thousands):
For the year ended December 28, | For the year ended December 31, | |||||
| 2025 | | 2024 | |||
Domestic | $ | (32,851) | $ | (26,383) | ||
Foreign |
| (50) |
| 22 | ||
Total | $ | (32,901) | $ | (26,361) | ||
The components of the Company’s provision (benefit) for income taxes were as follows (in thousands):
For the year ended December 28, | For the year ended December 31, | |||||
| 2025 | | 2024 | |||
Current: |
| |
| | ||
Federal | $ | (66) | $ | 66 | ||
State and local |
| 1,041 |
| 544 | ||
Foreign |
| 232 |
| 143 | ||
Total current |
| 1,207 |
| 753 | ||
Deferred: |
| |
| | ||
Federal |
| 52,318 |
| (8,054) | ||
State and local |
| 7,159 |
| (1,133) | ||
Foreign |
| — |
| — | ||
Total deferred |
| 59,477 |
| (9,187) | ||
Total provision (benefit) for income taxes | $ | 60,684 | $ | (8,434) | ||
The Company’s effective tax rate differs from the statutory rates as follows:
For the year ended December 28, | For the year ended December 31, | |||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||
Amount | Percent | Amount | Percent | |||||||
US Federal Statutory Tax Rate | $ | (6,909) | 21.0% | $ | (5,536) | 21.0% | ||||
Domestic State and Local Income Taxes, Net of Federal Effect(1) |
| 7,981 | (24.3)% |
| (835) | 3.2% | ||||
Tax Credits |
| |||||||||
FICA TIP Credit |
| (7,571) | 23.0% |
| (5,668) | 21.5% | ||||
Nontaxable or Nondeductible items |
| |||||||||
FICA TIP Wages |
| 1,590 | (4.8)% |
| 1,190 | (4.5)% | ||||
Nondeductible Executive Compensation |
| 433 | (1.3)% |
| 813 | (3.1)% | ||||
Transaction Costs |
| — | — |
| 931 | (3.5)% | ||||
Other Nondeductible items | 510 | (1.6)% | 384 | (1.5)% | ||||||
Changes in Valuation Allowance | 63,897 | (194.2)% | — | — | ||||||
Other Adjustments | 753 | (2.3)% | 287 | (1.1)% | ||||||
| $ | 60,684 | (184.4)% | $ | (8,434) | 32.0% | ||||
(1) For the year ending December 28, 2025 and December 31, 2024, state and local income taxes in California, Florida, and New York comprise the majority of the domestic state and local income taxes.
The income tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of deferred tax assets and liabilities are as follows (in thousands):
For the year ended December 28, | For the year ended December 31, | |||||
| 2025 | | 2024 | |||
Deferred tax assets: |
| |
| | ||
Operating lease liabilities | $ | 73,405 | $ | 71,448 | ||
Stock compensation |
| 379 |
| 361 | ||
FICA tip credit carryforward |
| 57,224 |
| 49,407 | ||
Net operating loss |
| 9,946 |
| 7,324 | ||
Goodwill |
| 435 |
| 589 | ||
Inventory |
| 36 |
| 101 | ||
Charitable contributions carryforward |
| 184 |
| 37 | ||
Foreign tax credit carryforward |
| 622 |
| 622 | ||
Deferred revenue |
| 620 |
| 1,627 | ||
State and local tax credit carryforward |
| 21 |
| 21 | ||
Expenses not deductible until paid |
| 2,706 |
| 2,961 | ||
IRC 163(j) disallowed interest carryforward | 38,287 | 34,002 | ||||
Debt issuance costs | 187 | — | ||||
Kona Grill related acquisition costs | 558 | 621 | ||||
Total deferred tax assets |
| 184,610 |
| 169,121 | ||
Deferred tax liabilities: |
| |
| | ||
Operating lease right-of-use assets | (60,838) | (60,641) | ||||
Depreciation and amortization |
| (23,124) |
| (19,599) | ||
Trademarks and franchise agreements |
| (30,221) |
| (30,215) | ||
Basis in LLC interest | (39) | — | ||||
Other |
| (451) |
| (136) | ||
Total deferred tax liabilities |
| (114,673) |
| (110,591) | ||
Valuation allowance |
| (75,124) | (4,248) | |||
Net deferred tax assets | $ | (5,187) | $ | 54,282 | ||
Tax Carryforwards
As of December 28, 2025, the Company has federal net operating loss (“NOL”) carryforwards of $30.5 million which have no expiration date. As of December 28, 2025, the Company has federal FICA tip credit carryforwards of $57.2 million which have expiration dates from 2033 through 2046. The Company has various state NOL carryforwards. The determination of the state NOL carryforwards is dependent upon apportionment percentages and state laws that can change from year to year and impact the amount of such carryforwards. As of December 28, 2025, the Company has $3.5 million in state NOL carryforwards after applying applicable apportionment percentages and tax rates. The state NOLs expire at various dates from to .
In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, the Company evaluates whether it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will be realized. In the assessment of the valuation allowance, appropriate consideration was given to all positive and negative evidence including current operating results, tax planning strategies and forecasts of future earnings. A significant piece of objective negative evidence evaluated was the cumulative loss incurred over the three-year period ended December 28, 2025. As of December 28, 2025 and December 31, 2024, the Company had a valuation allowance of $75.1 million and $4.2 million, respectively.
Uncertain tax positions
The following table summarizes the activity related to the Company’s uncertain tax positions (in thousands):
For the year ended December 28, | For the year ended December 31, | |||||
| 2025 | | 2024 | |||
Balance, beginning of year | $ | 127 | $ | — | ||
Increase related to acquisitions |
| — |
| 127 | ||
Balance, end of year | $ | 127 | $ | 127 | ||
Included in the balance of unrecognized tax benefits as of December 28, 2025 are tax benefits that, if recognized, would result in adjustments to taxes payable. The Company recognizes interest accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits and penalties as income tax expense. Related to the unrecognized tax benefits noted above, we accrued interest of $0.2 million as of December 28, 2025 and December 31, 2024.
The Company’s foreign income tax returns prior to fiscal year 2022 are closed and management continually evaluates expiring statutes of limitations, audits, proposed settlements, changes in tax law and new authoritative rulings.
The following table summarizes the Company’s income taxes paid, net of refunds, as of December 28, 2025 and December 31, 2024 (in thousands):
For the year ended December 28, | For the year ended December 31, | |||||
| 2025 | | 2024 | |||
Federal | $ | 131 | $ | — | ||
Aggregated state and local jurisdictions |
| 171 |
| 45 | ||
Disaggregated state and local jurisdictions |
| |||||
Texas | 306 | 187 | ||||
Minnesota | 109 | — | ||||
Florida | 80 | 75 | ||||
New York | 116 | 40 | ||||
Pennsylvania | 66 | — | ||||
Massachusetts | 49 | — | ||||
Illinois | — | 50 | ||||
Tennessee | — | (28) | ||||
Foreign |
| 183 |
| 128 | ||
Cash paid for income taxes, net of refunds |
| 1,211 |
| 497 | ||
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Mar 19, 2026 | Showing above |
| 2024 | Mar 10, 2025 | |
| 2023 | Mar 14, 2024 | |
| 2022 | Mar 9, 2023 | |
| 2021 | Mar 16, 2022 | |
| 2020 | Mar 19, 2021 | |
| 2019 | Mar 26, 2020 | |
| 2018 | Mar 28, 2019 | |
| 2017 | Apr 17, 2018 | |
| 2016 | Apr 5, 2017 | |
| 2015 | Mar 30, 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.