NOTE 10. Income Taxes

The following table presents the provision for income taxes for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023:

(in thousands)

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

 

2023

 

Current tax expense (benefit):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Federal

 

$

 

60,835

 

 

$

 

41,502

 

 

$

 

32,457

 

State

 

 

 

13,149

 

 

 

 

10,840

 

 

 

 

8,554

 

Foreign

 

 

 

21

 

 

 

 

34

 

 

 

 

201

 

Total current tax expense

 

 

 

74,005

 

 

 

 

52,376

 

 

 

 

41,212

 

Deferred tax expense (benefit):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Federal

 

 

 

36,320

 

 

 

 

26,680

 

 

 

 

17,951

 

State

 

 

 

(2,078

)

 

 

 

5,658

 

 

 

 

3,618

 

Foreign

 

 

 

11

 

 

 

 

178

 

 

 

 

(30

)

Total deferred tax expense

 

 

 

34,253

 

 

 

 

32,516

 

 

 

 

21,539

 

Income tax expense

 

$

 

108,258

 

 

$

 

84,892

 

 

$

 

62,751

 

 

The Company adopted ASU 2023-09 on a prospective basis. As a result, the December 31, 2025 disclosure differs from December 31, 2024, and 2023.

The following table presents a reconciliation between the reported income tax expense and the amount computed by applying the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate of 21.0% to income before income taxes for the year ended December 31, 2025:

 

 

 

 

2025

 

 

 

 

 

Amount

 

 

Percent

 

 

Federal income tax at U.S. statutory rate

 

 

 

92,047

 

 

 

21.0

 

%

State income tax rate, net of federal tax benefit(1)

 

 

 

8,742

 

 

 

2.0

 

%

Foreign Tax Effects

 

 

 

30

 

 

 

 

%

Tax Credits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Research and development tax credits

 

 

 

(239

)

 

 

(0.1

)

%

Nontaxable or Nondeductible Items

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Excess tax benefits on share-based compensation

 

 

 

(2,930

)

 

 

(0.7

)

%

Nondeductible transaction costs

 

 

 

5,798

 

 

 

1.3

 

%

Other

 

 

 

4,472

 

 

 

1.1

 

%

Changes in Unrecognized Tax Benefits

 

 

 

(8

)

 

 

 

%

Other Adjustments

 

 

 

346

 

 

 

0.1

 

%

Income tax expense

 

 

 

108,258

 

 

 

24.7

 

%

 

(1)
The states and local jurisdictions that contribute to the majority (greater than 50 percent) of the tax effect in this category include New York state and city, California, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

 

The following table presents the tax rates for the years ended December 31, 2024, and 2023.

 

 

2024

 

 

 

2023

 

 

Federal income tax at U.S. statutory rate

 

 

21.0

 

%

 

 

21.0

 

%

State income tax rate, net of federal tax benefit

 

 

3.3

 

%

 

 

3.3

 

%

Excess tax benefits on share-based compensation

 

 

(2.4

)

%

 

 

(2.3

)

%

Foreign taxes and other

 

 

0.8

 

%

 

 

0.7

 

%

Income tax expense

 

 

22.7

 

%

 

 

22.7

 

%

 

The effective tax rate for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 differs from the United States federal statutory rate primarily because of state and local income taxes and excess tax benefits on share-based compensation.

Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effect of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amount used for income tax reporting purposes.

In assessing the realization of deferred tax assets, management considers the reversal of deferred tax liabilities as well as projections of future taxable income during the periods in which temporary differences are expected to reverse. Based on the consideration of these facts, the Company believes it is more likely than not that all of its gross deferred tax assets will be realized in the future, and as a result, has not recorded a valuation allowance on these amounts as of December 31, 2025 and 2024.

(in thousands)

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

Deferred tax assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Definite-lived intangibles

 

$

 

 

 

$

 

22,437

 

Share-based compensation expense

 

 

 

2,567

 

 

 

 

2,573

 

Acquisition-related costs

 

 

 

3,919

 

 

 

 

6,142

 

Deferred compensation

 

 

 

16,805

 

 

 

 

6,330

 

Restructuring expenses

 

 

 

963

 

 

 

 

1,042

 

Contingent consideration arrangements

 

 

 

189

 

 

 

 

239

 

R&E expenditures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,331

 

Other

 

 

 

843

 

 

 

 

89

 

Total deferred tax assets

 

 

 

25,286

 

 

 

 

42,183

 

Deferred tax liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Definite-lived intangibles

 

 

 

44,063

 

 

 

 

 

Indefinite-lived intangibles

 

 

 

424,960

 

 

 

 

171,905

 

Goodwill

 

 

 

26,598

 

 

 

 

18,413

 

Debt issuance costs

 

 

 

840

 

 

 

 

1,226

 

Depreciation

 

 

 

2,986

 

 

 

 

890

 

OCI - Swap gain and cumulative translation adjustment

 

 

 

3,641

 

 

 

 

6,221

 

Prepaid expenses

 

 

 

561

 

 

 

 

308

 

Unrealized gain on deferred compensation investments

 

 

 

664

 

 

 

 

340

 

Other

 

 

 

765

 

 

 

 

 

Total deferred tax liabilities

 

 

 

505,078

 

 

 

 

199,303

 

Deferred tax liability, net

 

$

 

(479,792

)

 

$

 

(157,120

)

 

As of December 31, 2025 and 2024, the Company had no material net operating loss carryforwards.

As of December 31, 2025, the amount of gross unrecognized tax benefits and interest and penalties totaled $0.8 million which was included in other liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. If these balances were recognized in a future period, it would result in a tax benefit and a decrease in effective tax rate. The aggregate changes in the Company’s total gross amount of unrecognized tax benefits are summarized as follows:

(in thousands)

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

 

2023

 

Balance at the beginning of the year

 

$

-

 

 

$

-

 

 

$

-

 

Increases related to tax positions in prior years from acquisition

 

 

729

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

Increases related to tax positions in prior years

 

 

44

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

Decreases related to expiration of statute of limitations

 

 

(10

)

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

Balance at the end of the year

 

$

763

 

 

$

-

 

 

$

-

 

 

As of December 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023, the Company had no material interest and penalties related to the liability for unrecognized tax benefits in its income tax provision.

 

For the year ended December 31, 2025, income taxes paid (net of refunds received) were as follows:

(in thousands)

 

2025

 

Federal

 

$

 

57,200

 

State

 

 

 

15,631

 

Foreign

 

 

 

54

 

Total income taxes paid (net of refunds received)

 

$

 

72,885

 

 

In the normal course of business, the Company is subject to examination by federal and certain state and local tax regulators. As of December 31, 2025, U.S. federal income tax returns for 2022, 2023 and 2024 are open and therefore subject to examination. The Company's 2023 U.S. federal income tax return is currently under audit. State and local income tax returns filed are generally open for examination from 2021 to 2024.

We have analyzed the Company’s tax positions for all open years and have concluded that no additional provision for income tax is required in the consolidated financial statements. The Company does not expect the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits to significantly increase in the next twelve months.

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development released a framework (“Pillar 2”) in 2021 to introduce a global minimum tax of 15% for companies with global revenues and profits above certain thresholds. Certain aspects of Pillar 2 were effective January 1, 2024 and other aspects are effective January 1, 2025. Each country is required to implement Pillar 2 through its own local tax legislation. Although the U.S. has not yet enacted legislation to adopt Pillar 2, many other countries have adopted, or are in the process of adopting, legislation to implement Pillar 2. Pillar 2 did not materially impact the Company’s effective tax rate or its Consolidated Balance Sheets, Consolidated Statement of Operations or Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows in 2025. The Company does not currently expect Pillar 2 to have a material impact on its future effective tax rates or consolidated financial statements and continues to monitor Pillar 2 developments.

On July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (“OBBBA”) was enacted into U.S law. The OBBBA includes significant provisions, such as the permanent extension of certain expiring provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, modifications to the international tax framework and the restoration of favorable tax treatment for certain business provisions. The legislation has multiple effective dates, with certain provisions effective in 2025 and others implemented through 2027. As of December 31, 2025, we have determined that OBBBA does not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Feb 26, 2026Showing above
2024Feb 28, 2025
2023Feb 29, 2024
2022Mar 6, 2023
2021Mar 14, 2022
2020Mar 15, 2021
2019Mar 13, 2020
2018Mar 15, 2019
2017Mar 29, 2018

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.