Note 9. Income Taxes

The components of income tax expense (benefit) attributable to continuing operations were as follows:

 

 

 

December 31,

 

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

 

2023

 

Current:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Federal

 

$

25,990

 

 

$

5,976

 

 

$

(5,079

)

State

 

 

6,440

 

 

 

1,583

 

 

 

(1,274

)

Foreign

 

 

209

 

 

 

84

 

 

 

67

 

Total current income tax expense (benefit)

 

 

32,639

 

 

 

7,643

 

 

 

(6,286

)

Deferred:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Federal

 

 

(4,946

)

 

 

1,216

 

 

 

(4,691

)

State

 

 

(160

)

 

 

312

 

 

 

(1,042

)

Foreign

 

 

10

 

 

 

(3

)

 

 

1

 

Total deferred income taxes

 

 

(5,096

)

 

 

1,525

 

 

 

(5,732

)

Income tax expense (benefit) from continuing operations

 

$

27,543

 

 

$

9,168

 

 

$

(12,018

)

 

Total taxes paid, net of refunds, for the years presented are as follows:

 

 

 

December 31,

 

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

 

2023 (1)

 

Federal

 

$

26,176

 

 

$

2,574

 

 

$

(3,152

)

State

 

 

5,931

 

 

 

715

 

 

 

(786

)

Foreign

 

 

198

 

 

 

129

 

 

 

145

 

Discontinued operations

 

 

 

 

 

10,530

 

 

 

(6,739

)

Cash paid for income taxes, net of refunds (2)

 

 

32,305

 

 

 

13,948

 

 

 

(10,532

)

(1)
The cash paid for income taxes, net of refunds, represents a 2023 net income tax refund paid from HCI pursuant to the tax allocation agreement. The Company had a taxable loss for the year, resulting in an enforceable right to receive tax benefits for losses incurred.
(2)
The refunds for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 were $1,918, $313 and $11,398, respectively.

Income taxes paid, net of refunds received, are disaggregated by jurisdiction for those jurisdictions where such amounts exceeded 5% of total income taxes paid, net of refunds, for the periods presented. For all periods shown, income taxes paid in India fell below this threshold and are therefore excluded. Accordingly, income taxes paid (refunds) by jurisdiction for the periods presented are as follows:

 

 

 

December 31,

 

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

 

2023

 

State:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Florida

 

$

5,931

 

 

$

715

 

 

$

(786

)

 

The Company's income tax expense (benefit) differs from the amount that would result from applying the statutory U.S. federal income rate to income from continuing operations before taxes as follows:

 

 

 

December 31,

 

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

 

2023

 

(in thousands, except percentages)

 

($)

 

 

(%)

 

 

($)

 

 

(%)

 

 

($)

 

 

(%)

 

U.S. federal statutory tax rate

 

$

23,161

 

 

 

21.0

%

 

$

7,400

 

 

 

21.0

%

 

$

185

 

 

 

21.0

%

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

 

 

4,411

 

 

 

4.0

%

 

 

1,436

 

 

 

4.1

%

 

 

82

 

 

 

9.3

%

Foreign tax effect

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

India - statutory tax rate

 

 

5

 

 

 

0.0

%

 

 

35

 

 

 

0.1

%

 

 

62

 

 

 

7.0

%

Return to provision adjustment

 

 

190

 

 

 

0.2

%

 

 

 

 

 

0.0

%

 

 

 

 

 

0.0

%

Change in valuation allowances

 

 

 

 

 

0.0

%

 

 

 

 

 

0.0

%

 

 

(12,806

)

 

 

(1450.3

)%

Nontaxable or nondeductible items

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stock-based compensation

 

 

248

 

 

 

0.2

%

 

 

49

 

 

 

0.1

%

 

 

77

 

 

 

8.8

%

Executive compensation under 162(m)

 

 

698

 

 

 

0.7

%

 

 

321

 

 

 

0.9

%

 

 

292

 

 

 

33.0

%

Restricted stock windfall tax benefit

 

 

(1,192

)

 

 

(1.1

)%

 

 

(51

)

 

 

(0.1

)%

 

 

(24

)

 

 

(2.7

)%

Other

 

 

22

 

 

 

0.0

%

 

 

(22

)

 

 

(0.1

)%

 

 

19

 

 

 

2.1

%

Other adjustment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Return to provision adjustment

 

 

 

 

 

0.0

%

 

 

 

 

 

0.0

%

 

 

95

 

 

 

10.8

%

Income tax expense (benefit)

 

$

27,543

 

 

 

25.0

%

 

$

9,168

 

 

 

26.0

%

 

$

(12,018

)

 

 

(1361.0

)%

(1)
State taxes in Florida made up a majority (greater than 50%) of the tax effect in this category.

Tax Allocation Agreement and Filing Status

The Company is included in the consolidated federal and state income tax returns of its parent company, HCI. A written tax allocation agreement governs the manner in which consolidated income taxes are allocated among HCI’s subsidiaries. Under this agreement, each subsidiary records income tax expense or benefit as if it filed a separate income tax return. The agreement provides the Company with an enforceable right to receive tax benefits for losses or credits generated.

The consolidated income tax returns of HCI and its subsidiaries for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 remain subject to examination by U.S. federal and state taxing authorities.

The Company has no uncertain tax positions that, if recognized, would have a material impact on the effective tax rate. The Company classifies interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions, if any, as income tax expense. No such amounts were recognized during the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024, or 2023.

Significant components of the Company’s deferred income tax assets and liabilities were as follows:

 

 

 

December 31,

 

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

Deferred tax assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stock-based compensation

 

$

227

 

 

$

115

 

Unearned revenue

 

 

4,329

 

 

 

 

Accrued expenses

 

 

84

 

 

 

81

 

Intercompany deferred loss

 

 

1,208

 

 

 

544

 

Total deferred tax assets

 

 

5,848

 

 

 

740

 

Valuation allowance

 

 

(1,208

)

 

 

(544

)

Total deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowance

 

 

4,640

 

 

 

196

 

Deferred tax liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Property and equipment - capitalized software

 

 

(1,296

)

 

 

(878

)

Prepaid expenses

 

 

(369

)

 

 

(149

)

Unearned revenue

 

 

 

 

 

(1,290

)

Total deferred tax liabilities

 

 

(1,665

)

 

 

(2,317

)

Net deferred income tax asset (liability)

 

 

2,975

 

 

 

(2,121

)

 

The Company had no federal or state net operating loss carryforwards as of December 31, 2025.

A valuation allowance must be established for deferred tax assets when it is more likely than not that such assets will not be realized based on available evidence both positive and negative, including recent results, available tax planning strategies, and projected future taxable income. As a result of the sale of TTIC, the Company incurred a tax loss and recognized a deferred tax asset of $544 as of December 31, 2024. Subsequently the Company increased the deferred tax asset to $1,208 as of December 31, 2025 as a result of return-to-tax provision adjustments finalized during the current period. The valuation allowance reflects management's conclusion that it is more likely than not that the deferred tax asset related to the sale of TTIC would not be realized.

On July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act ("OBBBA") was signed into law. The OBBBA includes various 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 OBBBA has multiple effective dates, with certain provisions effective in 2025 and others implemented through 2027. The OBBBA has an immaterial impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements.

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.