Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Income Taxes (Tables)

v3.6.0.2
Income Taxes (Tables)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
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,

 

 

 

2016

 

 

2015

 

 

2014

 

 

 

(In thousands)

 

Current:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Federal

 

$

43,655

 

 

$

36,241

 

 

$

36,874

 

State

 

 

3,766

 

 

 

6,414

 

 

 

5,771

 

Total current

 

 

47,421

 

 

 

42,655

 

 

 

42,645

 

Deferred

 

 

13,275

 

 

 

14,410

 

 

 

20,523

 

Total provision for income taxes for continuing operations - (benefit) expense

 

$

60,696

 

 

$

57,065

 

 

$

63,168

 

 

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,

 

 

 

2016

 

 

2015

 

 

2014

 

Statutory federal income tax rate

 

 

35.00

%

 

 

35.00

%

 

 

35.00

%

Effective state income tax rate

 

 

2.04

%

 

 

3.26

%

 

 

3.15

%

Valuation allowance adjustments

 

 

0.85

%

 

 

(0.45

%)

 

 

(0.14

%)

Uncertain tax positions

 

 

0.17

%

 

 

(0.14

%)

 

 

(0.08

%)

Other

 

 

1.05

%

 

 

1.64

%

 

 

1.13

%

Effective income tax rate

 

 

39.11

%

 

 

39.31

%

 

 

39.06

%

 

Components of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities

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

 

 

 

December 31, 2016

 

 

December 31, 2015

 

 

 

(In thousands)

 

Deferred tax assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accruals and reserves

 

$

34,884

 

 

$

33,397

 

State net operating loss carryforwards

 

 

10,777

 

 

 

10,187

 

Fair value of interest rate swaps

 

 

1,406

 

 

 

3,793

 

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

 

 

1,746

 

 

 

1,725

 

Other

 

 

774

 

 

 

864

 

Total deferred tax assets

 

 

49,587

 

 

 

49,966

 

Deferred tax liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basis difference in inventory

 

 

(1,506

)

 

 

(1,530

)

Basis difference in property and equipment

 

 

(9,335

)

 

 

(9,850

)

Basis difference in goodwill

 

 

(101,999

)

 

 

(86,504

)

Other

 

 

(3,540

)

 

 

(3,249

)

Total deferred tax liability

 

 

(116,380

)

 

 

(101,133

)

Valuation allowance

 

 

(7,211

)

 

 

(5,880

)

Net deferred tax asset (liability)

 

$

(74,004

)

 

$

(57,047

)

 

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.

 

 

 

2016

 

 

2015

 

 

2014

 

 

 

(In thousands)

 

Unrecognized tax benefit liability, January 1 (1)

 

$

4,755

 

 

$

5,740

 

 

$

6,693

 

Prior period positions:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Increases

 

 

939

 

 

 

175

 

 

 

181

 

Decreases

 

 

(415

)

 

 

-

 

 

 

(66

)

Increases from current period positions

 

 

615

 

 

 

184

 

 

 

195

 

Settlements

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

(897

)

Lapse of statute of limitations

 

 

(1,290

)

 

 

(1,114

)

 

 

(170

)

Other

 

 

(247

)

 

 

(230

)

 

 

(196

)

Unrecognized tax benefit liability, December 31 (2)

 

$

4,357

 

 

$

4,755

 

 

$

5,740

 

(1)

Excludes accrued interest and penalties of $1.1 million, $1.2 million and $1.1 million at January 1, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

(2)

Excludes accrued interest and penalties of $0.8 million, $1.1 million and $1.2 million at December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Amount presented is net of state net operating losses of $0.3 million, $0.6 million and $0.8 million at December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.