WORTHINGTON ENTERPRISES, INC. Income Taxes Disclosure
Note M – Income Taxes
Earnings before income taxes for the prior three fiscal years included the following components:
|
|
2025 |
|
|
2024 |
|
|
2023 |
|
|||
U.S. based operations |
|
$ |
132,160 |
|
|
$ |
107,643 |
|
|
$ |
149,670 |
|
Non – U.S. based operations |
|
|
(3,351 |
) |
|
|
(33,636 |
) |
|
|
10,616 |
|
Earnings before income taxes |
|
|
128,809 |
|
|
|
74,007 |
|
|
|
160,286 |
|
Plus: net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests (1) |
|
|
1,083 |
|
|
|
263 |
|
|
|
- |
|
Earnings before income taxes attributable to controlling interest |
|
$ |
129,892 |
|
|
$ |
74,270 |
|
|
$ |
160,286 |
|
|
Significant components of income tax expense (benefit) for the three prior fiscal years were as follows:
|
|
2025 |
|
|
2024 |
|
|
2023 |
|
|||
Current |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Federal |
|
$ |
44,669 |
|
|
$ |
32,743 |
|
|
$ |
34,734 |
|
State and local |
|
|
5,714 |
|
|
|
1,576 |
|
|
|
2,891 |
|
Foreign |
|
|
1,894 |
|
|
|
1,666 |
|
|
|
3,988 |
|
Subtotal |
|
|
52,277 |
|
|
|
35,985 |
|
|
|
41,613 |
|
Deferred |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Federal |
|
|
(14,775 |
) |
|
|
(3,751 |
) |
|
|
(4,427 |
) |
State and local |
|
|
(2,256 |
) |
|
|
3,801 |
|
|
|
(1,943 |
) |
Foreign |
|
|
(1,407 |
) |
|
|
2,992 |
|
|
|
(708 |
) |
Subtotal |
|
|
(18,438 |
) |
|
|
3,042 |
|
|
|
(7,078 |
) |
Total |
|
$ |
33,839 |
|
|
$ |
39,027 |
|
|
$ |
34,535 |
|
A reconciliation of the federal statutory corporate income tax rate to total tax provision for the three prior fiscal years follows:
|
|
2025 |
|
|
2024 |
|
|
2023 |
|
|||
Federal statutory corporate income tax rate |
|
|
21.0 |
% |
|
|
21.0 |
% |
|
|
21.0 |
% |
State and local income taxes, net of federal tax benefit |
|
|
1.8 |
|
|
|
3.5 |
|
|
|
0.6 |
|
Non-U.S. income taxes at other than federal statutory rate |
|
|
0.8 |
|
|
|
0.5 |
|
|
|
0.7 |
|
Excess benefit related to share-based payment awards |
|
|
(0.7 |
) |
|
|
(2.7 |
) |
|
|
(0.1 |
) |
Non-deductible executive compensation |
|
|
1.6 |
|
|
|
4.9 |
|
|
|
2.1 |
|
Research and development tax credit |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(0.2 |
) |
|
|
(0.8 |
) |
Non-deductible spin-off transaction costs |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
7.5 |
|
|
|
- |
|
Non-deductible note receivable impairment |
|
|
0.8 |
|
|
|
3.2 |
|
|
|
- |
|
Federal NOL deferred tax asset valuation allowance |
|
|
1.3 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
FIN 48 |
|
|
(1.2 |
) |
|
|
0.3 |
|
|
|
0.1 |
|
Tax impact of Sustainable Energy Solutions impairment and deconsolidation |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
11.1 |
|
|
|
- |
|
Deferred state tax adjustment due to the Separation |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
4.2 |
|
|
|
- |
|
Other |
|
|
0.7 |
|
|
|
(0.7 |
) |
|
|
(2.0 |
) |
Effective tax rate attributable to controlling interest |
|
|
26.1 |
% |
|
|
52.6 |
% |
|
|
21.5 |
% |
The above effective tax rate attributable to controlling interest excludes any impact from the inclusion of net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests in our consolidated statements of earnings. The effective tax rate upon inclusion of net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests was 26.3% for fiscal 2025. Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests are primarily a result of our acquisition of Halo in fiscal 2024. The earnings attributable to the noncontrolling interests in Halo do not generate tax expense to us since the investors in Halo’s operations are taxed directly based on the earnings attributable to them.
Under applicable accounting guidance, a tax benefit may be recognized from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. Any tax benefits recognized in our financial statements from such a position were measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than fifty percent likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement.
The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits was $1,826 as of May 31, 2025, and $3,467 as of May 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. As of May 31, 2025, the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would impact the effective tax rate attributable to controlling interest was $1,442. Unrecognized tax benefits are the differences between a tax position taken, or expected to be taken, in a tax return, and the benefit recognized for accounting purposes. Accrued amounts of interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits are recognized as part of income tax expense within our consolidated statements of earnings. As of May 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, we had accrued liabilities of $564, $881 and $556, respectively, for interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits.
A tabular reconciliation of unrecognized tax benefits follows:
Balance at May 31, 2024 |
|
$ |
3,467 |
|
Increases - tax positions taken in prior years |
|
|
- |
|
Decreases - tax positions taken in prior years |
|
|
(1,088 |
) |
Increases - current tax positions |
|
|
- |
|
Settlements |
|
|
- |
|
Lapse of statutes of limitations |
|
|
(553 |
) |
Balance at May 31, 2025 |
|
$ |
1,826 |
|
Approximately $1,670 of the liability for unrecognized tax benefits is expected to be settled in the next twelve months due to the expiration of statutes of limitations in various tax jurisdictions and as a result of expected settlements with various tax jurisdictions. While it is expected that the amount of unrecognized tax benefits will change in the next twelve months, any such change is not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
During the year, we filed an amended U.S. federal income tax return for fiscal year 2021 to carry back capital losses primarily generated as a result of the deconsolidation of our former Sustainable Energy Solutions segment. We have recognized an income tax receivable of approximately $15,374 related to the anticipated refund. Due to the size of the claim, the refund is subject to review by the Internal Revenue Service Joint Committee on Taxation.
The following is a summary of the tax years open to examination by major tax jurisdiction:
The components of our deferred tax assets and liabilities as of May 31 were as follows:
|
|
2025 |
|
|
2024 |
|
||
Deferred tax assets |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Accounts receivable |
|
$ |
731 |
|
|
$ |
850 |
|
Note receivable |
|
|
4,026 |
|
|
|
2,346 |
|
Inventories |
|
|
3,821 |
|
|
|
3,616 |
|
Accrued expenses |
|
|
14,926 |
|
|
|
13,238 |
|
NOL carry forwards |
|
|
5,562 |
|
|
|
5,497 |
|
Stock-based compensation |
|
|
3,694 |
|
|
|
3,508 |
|
Derivative contracts |
|
|
1,818 |
|
|
|
303 |
|
Operating lease - ROU liability |
|
|
3,663 |
|
|
|
4,595 |
|
Capital loss |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
10,110 |
|
Other |
|
|
5,228 |
|
|
|
3,866 |
|
Total deferred tax assets |
|
|
43,469 |
|
|
|
47,929 |
|
Valuation allowance for deferred tax assets |
|
|
(10,477 |
) |
|
|
(7,083 |
) |
Net deferred tax assets |
|
|
32,992 |
|
|
|
40,846 |
|
Deferred tax liabilities |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Property, plant and equipment |
|
|
(27,057 |
) |
|
|
(28,770 |
) |
Intangibles |
|
|
(67,076 |
) |
|
|
(72,898 |
) |
Investment in affiliated companies, principally due |
|
|
(17,069 |
) |
|
|
(17,434 |
) |
Operating lease - ROU asset |
|
|
(3,544 |
) |
|
|
(4,613 |
) |
Other |
|
|
(1,146 |
) |
|
|
(1,281 |
) |
Total deferred tax liability |
|
|
(115,892 |
) |
|
|
(124,996 |
) |
Net deferred tax liability |
|
$ |
(82,900 |
) |
|
$ |
(84,150 |
) |
At May 31, 2025, we had tax benefits for federal NOL carry forwards of $1,636, with no expiration date, tax benefits for state net NOL carry forwards of $3,926 that expire from fiscal 2026 to fiscal 2044.
The valuation allowance for deferred tax assets of $10,477 on May 31, 2025, is associated primarily with a write-down of a prior Sustainable Energy Solutions investment, the federal NOL carry forward, and various state NOL carry forwards.
Based on our history of profitability, the scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities, and taxable income projections, we have determined that it is more likely than not that the remaining deferred tax assets are otherwise realizable.
On July 4, 2025, the U.S. government enacted The One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 which includes, among other provisions, changes to the U.S. corporate income tax system including the allowance of immediate expensing of qualifying research and development expenses and permanent extensions of certain provisions within the Tax Cuts and Jobs Acts. Certain provisions are effective for us beginning in fiscal 2026. We do not expect the impacts from this legislation to be significant to our financial statements.
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Jul 30, 2025 | Showing above |
| 2024 | Jul 30, 2024 | |
| 2023 | Jul 31, 2023 | |
| 2022 | Aug 1, 2022 | |
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.