Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Income Taxes (Tables)

v2.4.1.9
Income Taxes (Tables)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Provision for Income Tax (Benefit) Expense from Continuing Operations

The provision for income tax (benefit) expense from continuing operations consists of the following:

 

 

 

Year Ended December 31,

 

 

 

2014

 

 

2013

 

 

2012

 

 

 

(In thousands)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Federal

 

$

36,874

 

 

$

33,367

 

 

$

22,982

 

State

 

 

5,771

 

 

 

5,647

 

 

 

1,090

 

Total current

 

 

42,645

 

 

 

39,014

 

 

 

24,072

 

Deferred

 

 

20,523

 

 

 

5,329

 

 

 

25,900

 

Total provision for income taxes - (benefit) expense

 

$

63,168

 

 

$

44,343

 

 

$

49,972

 

 

Reconciliation of Statutory Federal Income Tax Rate with Federal and State Overall Effective Income Tax Rate from Continuing Operations

The reconciliation of the statutory federal income tax rate with Sonic’s federal and state overall effective income tax rate from continuing operations is as follows:

 

 

 

Year Ended December 31,

 

 

 

2014

 

 

2013

 

 

2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Statutory federal rate

 

 

35.00

%

 

 

35.00

%

 

 

35.00

%

Effective state income tax rate

 

 

3.15

%

 

 

3.22

%

 

 

4.22

%

Valuation allowance adjustments

 

 

(0.14

%)

 

 

0.33

%

 

 

(3.15

%)

Uncertain tax positions

 

 

(0.08

%)

 

 

(1.76

%)

 

 

(3.37

%)

Other

 

 

1.13

%

 

 

(2.42

%)

 

 

2.68

%

Effective tax rate

 

 

39.06

%

 

 

34.37

%

 

 

35.38

%

 

Components of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities

Significant components of Sonic’s deferred tax assets and liabilities are as follows:

 

 

 

December 31, 2014

 

 

December 31, 2013

 

 

 

(In thousands)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deferred tax assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accruals and reserves

 

$

36,633

 

 

$

38,931

 

State net operating loss carryforwards

 

 

10,307

 

 

 

10,194

 

Fair value of interest rate swaps

 

 

4,203

 

 

 

6,185

 

Interest and state taxes associated with the liability for uncertain income tax positions

 

 

1,842

 

 

 

1,910

 

Other

 

 

792

 

 

 

701

 

Total deferred tax assets

 

 

53,777

 

 

 

57,921

 

Deferred tax liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basis difference in inventory

 

 

(1,597

)

 

 

(1,636

)

Basis difference in property and equipment

 

 

(9,655

)

 

 

(1,978

)

Basis difference in goodwill

 

 

(72,696

)

 

 

(57,028

)

Other

 

 

(3,861

)

 

 

(2,328

)

Total deferred tax liability

 

 

(87,809

)

 

 

(62,970

)

Valuation allowance

 

 

(6,534

)

 

 

(6,758

)

Net deferred tax asset (liability)

 

$

(40,566

)

 

$

(11,807

)

 

Summary of Changes in Liability Related to Unrecognized Tax Benefits

A summary of the changes in the liability related to Sonic’s unrecognized tax benefits is presented below.

 

 

 

2014

 

 

2013

 

 

2012

 

 

 

(In thousands)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unrecognized tax benefit liability, January 1 (1)

 

$

6,693

 

 

$

9,097

 

 

$

13,689

 

Prior period positions:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Increases

 

 

181

 

 

 

409

 

 

 

35

 

Decreases

 

 

(66

)

 

 

(233

)

 

 

(1,101

)

Increases from current period positions

 

 

195

 

 

 

799

 

 

 

1,155

 

Settlements

 

 

(897

)

 

 

(1,721

)

 

 

(2,924

)

Lapse of statute of limitations

 

 

(170

)

 

 

(1,164

)

 

 

(1,275

)

Other

 

 

(196

)

 

 

(494

)

 

 

(482

)

Unrecognized tax benefit liability, December 31 (2)

 

$

5,740

 

 

$

6,693

 

 

$

9,097

 

(1)

Excludes accrued interest and penalties of $1.1 million, $2.4 million and $4.9 million at January 1, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

(2)

Excludes accrued interest and penalties of $1.2 million, $1.1 million and $2.4 million at December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. Amount presented is net of state net operating losses of $0.8 million, $1.0 million and $1.3 million at December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.