Income Taxes (Tables)
|
12 Months Ended |
Dec. 31, 2015 |
|---|
| Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract] |
|
| Provision for Income Taxes for Continuing Operations - (Benefit) Expense |
The provision for income taxes for continuing operations - (benefit) expense consists of the following:
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31,
|
|
|
|
|
2015
|
|
|
2014
|
|
|
2013
|
|
|
|
|
(In thousands)
|
|
|
Current:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Federal
|
|
$
|
36,241
|
|
|
$
|
36,874
|
|
|
$
|
33,367
|
|
|
State
|
|
|
6,414
|
|
|
|
5,771
|
|
|
|
5,647
|
|
|
Total current
|
|
|
42,655
|
|
|
|
42,645
|
|
|
|
39,014
|
|
|
Deferred
|
|
|
14,410
|
|
|
|
20,523
|
|
|
|
5,329
|
|
|
Total provision for income taxes for continuing operations - (benefit) expense
|
|
$
|
57,065
|
|
|
$
|
63,168
|
|
|
$
|
44,343
|
|
|
| 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,
|
|
|
|
|
2015
|
|
|
2014
|
|
|
2013
|
|
|
Statutory federal income tax rate
|
|
|
35.00
|
%
|
|
|
35.00
|
%
|
|
|
35.00
|
%
|
|
Effective state income tax rate
|
|
|
3.26
|
%
|
|
|
3.15
|
%
|
|
|
3.22
|
%
|
|
Valuation allowance adjustments
|
|
|
(0.45
|
%)
|
|
|
(0.14
|
%)
|
|
|
0.33
|
%
|
|
Uncertain tax positions
|
|
|
(0.14
|
%)
|
|
|
(0.08
|
%)
|
|
|
(1.76
|
%)
|
|
Other
|
|
|
1.64
|
%
|
|
|
1.13
|
%
|
|
|
(2.42
|
%)
|
|
Effective income tax rate
|
|
|
39.31
|
%
|
|
|
39.06
|
%
|
|
|
34.37
|
%
|
|
| Components of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities |
Significant components of Sonic’s deferred tax assets and liabilities are as follows:
|
|
|
December 31, 2015
|
|
|
December 31, 2014
|
|
|
|
|
(In thousands)
|
|
|
Deferred tax assets:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accruals and reserves
|
|
$
|
33,397
|
|
|
$
|
36,633
|
|
|
State net operating loss carryforwards
|
|
|
10,187
|
|
|
|
10,307
|
|
|
Fair value of interest rate swaps
|
|
|
3,793
|
|
|
|
4,203
|
|
|
Interest and state taxes associated with the liability for uncertain income tax positions
|
|
|
1,725
|
|
|
|
1,842
|
|
|
Other
|
|
|
864
|
|
|
|
792
|
|
|
Total deferred tax assets
|
|
|
49,966
|
|
|
|
53,777
|
|
|
Deferred tax liabilities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basis difference in inventory
|
|
|
(1,530
|
)
|
|
|
(1,597
|
)
|
|
Basis difference in property and equipment
|
|
|
(9,850
|
)
|
|
|
(9,655
|
)
|
|
Basis difference in goodwill
|
|
|
(86,504
|
)
|
|
|
(72,696
|
)
|
|
Other
|
|
|
(3,249
|
)
|
|
|
(3,861
|
)
|
|
Total deferred tax liability
|
|
|
(101,133
|
)
|
|
|
(87,809
|
)
|
|
Valuation allowance
|
|
|
(5,880
|
)
|
|
|
(6,534
|
)
|
|
Net deferred tax asset (liability)
|
|
$
|
(57,047
|
)
|
|
$
|
(40,566
|
)
|
|
| 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.
|
|
|
2015
|
|
|
2014
|
|
|
2013
|
|
|
|
|
(In thousands)
|
|
|
Unrecognized tax benefit liability, January 1 (1)
|
|
$
|
5,740
|
|
|
$
|
6,693
|
|
|
$
|
9,097
|
|
|
Prior period positions:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Increases
|
|
|
175
|
|
|
|
181
|
|
|
|
409
|
|
|
Decreases
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(66
|
)
|
|
|
(233
|
)
|
|
Increases from current period positions
|
|
|
184
|
|
|
|
195
|
|
|
|
799
|
|
|
Settlements
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(897
|
)
|
|
|
(1,721
|
)
|
|
Lapse of statute of limitations
|
|
|
(1,114
|
)
|
|
|
(170
|
)
|
|
|
(1,164
|
)
|
|
Other
|
|
|
(230
|
)
|
|
|
(196
|
)
|
|
|
(494
|
)
|
|
Unrecognized tax benefit liability, December 31 (2)
|
|
$
|
4,755
|
|
|
$
|
5,740
|
|
|
$
|
6,693
|
|
|
(1)
|
Excludes accrued interest and penalties of $1.2 million, $1.1 million and $2.4 million at January 1, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
|
|
(2)
|
Excludes accrued interest and penalties of $1.1 million, $1.2 million and $1.1 million at December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. Amount presented is net of state net operating losses of $0.6 million, $0.8 million and $1.0 million at December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
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