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Income Taxes
12 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2024
Income Taxes.  
Income Taxes

Note 17 - Income Taxes

Income before income taxes is earned in the following tax jurisdictions:

    

January 31,

    

January 31,

    

January 31,

Year Ended

2024

2023

2022

Canada

 

53,246

 

49,158

 

36,312

United States

 

62,346

 

51,268

 

32,338

Other countries

 

35,560

 

33,302

 

33,960

 

151,152

 

133,728

 

102,610

Income tax expense is incurred in the following jurisdictions:

    

January 31,

    

January 31,

    

January 31,

Year Ended

2024

2023

2022

Current income tax expense

 

  

 

  

 

  

Canada

 

16,376

 

9,673

 

1,817

United States

 

16,532

 

13,085

 

8,689

Other countries

 

8,315

 

5,490

 

4,308

 

41,223

 

28,248

 

14,814

Deferred income tax expense (recovery)

 

  

 

  

 

  

Canada

 

(2,369)

 

5,059

 

8,381

United States

 

(5,060)

 

(1,888)

 

1,941

Other countries

 

1,451

 

73

 

(8,808)

 

(5,978)

 

3,244

 

1,514

 

35,245

 

31,492

 

16,328

Income tax expense for 2024, 2023 and 2022 was 23%, 24% and 16% of income before income taxes, respectively, with current income tax expense being 27%, 21% and 14% of income before income taxes, respectively.

Current income tax expense increased in 2024 compared to 2023 primarily due to a decrease in tax attributes available to shelter income in Canada and the new requirement to capitalize research and development expenses in the United States.

Current income tax expense increased in 2023 compared to 2022 primarily due to the impact of the loss restriction rules in the UK and lower tax attributes available in Canada and US to deduct against income, in 2023.

Deferred income tax expense decreased in 2024 compared to 2023 primarily due to the capitalization of research and development expenses in the United States in 2024 and the increased utilization of tax attributes in Canada in 2023.

Deferred income tax expense increased in 2023 compared to 2022 primarily due to a release in valuation allowances on tax losses carried forward in the comparative period, partially offset against a recovery of certain deferred tax attributes in the US recorded in 2023, as well as normal course changes in timing differences in Canada.

The components of the deferred income tax assets and liabilities are as follows:

    

January 31,

    

January 31,

2024

2023

Assets

 

  

 

  

Accrued liabilities not currently deductible

 

11,736

 

5,506

Accumulated net operating losses

 

2,397

 

7,577

Difference between tax and accounting basis of property and equipment

 

9,088

 

7,400

Research and development expenditures and tax credits

 

7,680

 

3,339

Total deferred income tax assets

 

30,901

 

23,822

Liabilities

 

 

Difference between tax and accounting basis of intangible assets

 

(42,423)

 

(42,958)

Temporary difference on equity derivative and related party debt

 

(5,513)

 

(3,077)

Total deferred income tax liabilities

 

(47,936)

 

(46,035)

Net deferred income taxes

 

(17,035)

 

(22,213)

Valuation allowance

 

(1,969)

 

(1,704)

Net deferred income taxes, net of valuation allowance

 

(19,004)

 

(23,917)

As at January 31, 2024, we have not accrued for foreign withholding taxes and Canadian income taxes applicable to approximately $909.0 million of unremitted earnings of subsidiaries operating outside of Canada. These earnings, which we consider to be invested indefinitely, will become subject to these taxes if and when they are remitted as dividends or if we sell our stock in the subsidiaries. If we decide to repatriate the foreign earnings, we would need to adjust our income tax provision in the period we determined that the earnings will no longer be indefinitely invested outside Canada.

The provision (recovery) for income taxes varies from the expected provision at the statutory rates for the reasons detailed in the table below:

    

January 31,

    

January 31,

    

January 31,

 

Year Ended

2024

2023

2022

 

Income before income taxes

 

151,152

 

133,728

 

102,610

Combined basic Canadian statutory rates

 

26.5

%  

26.5

%  

26.5

%

Income tax expense based on the above rates

 

40,055

 

35,438

 

27,192

Increase (decrease) in income taxes resulting from:

 

  

 

  

 

  

Permanent differences

 

124

 

590

 

3,467

Effect of differences between Canadian and foreign tax rates

 

(1,293)

 

(1,859)

 

(1,855)

Effect of rate changes on current year timing differences

 

(48)

 

(219)

 

(1,085)

Change in estimates relating to prior periods

 

(2,888)

 

(972)

 

(569)

Increase (decrease) in accruals for uncertain tax positions

 

(117)

 

(1,181)

 

(849)

Valuation allowance

 

263

 

(155)

 

(9,102)

Other, including foreign exchange and tax credits

 

(851)

 

(150)

 

(871)

Income tax expense

 

35,245

 

31,492

 

16,328

We have income tax loss carry forwards which expire as follows:

United

Expiry year

    

Canada

    

States

    

EMEA

    

Asia Pacific

    

Total

2025

167

167

2026

 

 

 

 

60

 

60

2027

 

 

138

 

 

276

 

414

2028

 

 

138

 

 

53

 

191

2029

 

 

138

 

 

154

 

292

Thereafter

 

 

843

 

7,793

 

377

 

9,013

 

 

1,257

 

7,793

 

1,087

 

10,137

The following is a tabular reconciliation of the total estimated liability associated with uncertain tax positions taken:

    

January 31,

    

January 31,

2024

2023

Liability, beginning of year

 

6,120

 

7,354

Gross increases – current period

 

3,946

 

640

Lapsing due to statutes of limitations

 

(3,913)

 

(1,874)

Liability, end of year

 

6,153

 

6,120

We have identified accruals of $6.1 million with respect to uncertain tax positions as at January 31, 2024. It is possible that these accruals for uncertain tax positions will not be required in which case up to $6.1 million of the recorded liability will decrease the effective tax rate in future years if this liability is reversed. We believe that it is reasonably possible that $0.4 million of the uncertain tax positions could decrease tax expense in the next 12 months relating primarily to tax years becoming statute barred for purposes of future tax examinations by local taxing jurisdictions.

We recognize accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions as a current tax expense. As at January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023, the unrecognized tax positions have resulted in no material liability for estimated interest and penalties.

Descartes and our subsidiaries file their tax returns as prescribed by the tax laws of the jurisdictions within which they operate. We are no longer subject to income tax examinations by tax authorities in our major tax jurisdictions as follows:

Years No Longer Subject to

    

Audit

Tax Jurisdiction

  

United States Federal

 

2020 and prior

Canada

 

2018 and prior

United Kingdom

 

2020 and prior

Sweden

 

2021 and prior

Norway

 

2017 and prior

Netherlands

 

2018 and prior

Belgium

 

2021 and prior

Germany

 

2018 and prior

Switzerland

 

2019 and prior

Brazil

 

2019 and prior