INCOME TAXES	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
INCOME TAXES
INCOME TAXES	NOTE D – INCOME TAXES On December 22, 2017, H.R. 1/Public Law 115-97 which includes tax legislation titled Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Reform Act”) was signed into law. Effective January 1, 2018, the Tax Reform Act reduced the U.S. federal corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%. As a result of the Tax Reform Act, the Company recorded a provisional reduction of net deferred income tax liabilities of approximately $24.5 million at December 31, 2017, pursuant to the provisions of ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes, which requires the impact of tax law changes to be recognized in the period in which the legislation is enacted. An additional provisional reduction of net deferred income tax liabilities of approximately $2.6 million was recognized in the first quarter of 2018. The additional reduction relates to the reversal of temporary differences through the Company’s fiscal tax year end of February 28, 2018. State tax rates vary among states and average approximately 6.0% to 6.5%, although some state rates are higher and a small number of states do not impose an income tax. The effective tax benefit rate was 10.7% and 41.4% for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. In addition to the provisional effect on net deferred tax liabilities, the Company recorded a provisional reduction in current income tax expense of approximately $1.3 million at December 31, 2017, as a result of the Tax Reform Act, to reflect the Company’s use of a fiscal year rather than a calendar year for U.S. income tax filing. Due to the fact that the Company’s current fiscal tax year includes the effective date of the rate change under the Tax Reform Act, taxes are required to be calculated by applying a blended rate to the taxable income for the current taxable year ending February 28, 2018. The blended rate is calculated based on the ratio of days in the fiscal year prior to and after the effective date of the rate change. In computing total tax expense for the first quarter 2018, a 32.74% blended federal statutory rate was applied to the two months ended February 28, 2018, and a projected combined tax rate of 25.8% (based on the federal statutory rate of 21% plus applicable state tax rates) was applied to the month of March 2018. For the three-month period ended March 31, 2018, the difference between the Company’s effective tax rate and the federal statutory rate primarily results from the $2.6 million provisional reduction of net deferred income tax liabilities, as previously discussed, and the $1.2 million alternative fuel tax credit related to the year ended December 31, 2017 which was recognized in first quarter 2018 due to the February 2018 passage of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 which retroactively reinstated the alternative fuel tax credit that had previously expired on December 31, 2016. For the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, the difference between the Company’s effective tax rate and the federal statutory rate also resulted from state income taxes, nondeductible expenses, changes in tax valuation allowances, and changes in the cash surrender value of life insurance. As of March 31, 2018, the Company’s deferred tax liabilities, which will reverse in future years, exceeded the deferred tax assets. The Company evaluated the total deferred tax assets at March 31, 2018 and concluded that, other than for certain deferred tax assets related to state net operating loss and contribution carryforwards, the assets did not exceed the amount for which realization is more likely than not. In making this determination, the Company considered the future reversal of existing taxable temporary differences, future taxable income, and tax planning strategies. Valuation allowances for deferred tax assets totaled $0.6 million and $0.8 million at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively. At March 31, 2018, the Company also had a $0.5 million valuation allowance relating to anticipated foreign tax credit carryforwards that are unlikely to be used as a result of the lower U.S. income tax rate. The Company established a reserve for uncertain tax positions of less than $0.1 million at December 31, 2016, and maintained the reserve at March 31, 2018, due to uncertainty of how the IRS will interpret regulations related to research and development credits claimed on the Company’s 2015 federal return. The Company established a reserve for an uncertain tax position of $0.9 million at March 31, 2018, due to credits taken on amended federal returns. The Company paid state and foreign income taxes of $1.1 million and state income taxes of less than $0.1 million during the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. During the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company received refunds of $1.0 million of federal and state income taxes and less than $0.1 million of state income taxes that were paid in prior years, respectively.

NOTE D – INCOME TAXES

On December 22, 2017, H.R. 1/Public Law 115-97 which includes tax legislation titled Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Reform Act”) was signed into law. Effective January 1, 2018, the Tax Reform Act reduced the U.S. federal corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%. As a result of the Tax Reform Act, the Company recorded a provisional reduction of net deferred income tax liabilities of approximately $24.5 million at December 31, 2017, pursuant to the provisions of ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes, which requires the impact of tax law changes to be recognized in the period in which the legislation is enacted. An additional provisional reduction of net deferred income tax liabilities of approximately $2.6 million was recognized in the first quarter of 2018. The additional reduction relates to the reversal of temporary differences through the Company’s fiscal tax year end of February 28, 2018. State tax rates vary among states and average approximately 6.0% to 6.5%, although some state rates are higher and a small number of states do not impose an income tax. The effective tax benefit rate was 10.7% and 41.4% for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

In addition to the provisional effect on net deferred tax liabilities, the Company recorded a provisional reduction in current income tax expense of approximately $1.3 million at December 31, 2017, as a result of the Tax Reform Act, to reflect the Company’s use of a fiscal year rather than a calendar year for U.S. income tax filing. Due to the fact that the Company’s current fiscal tax year includes the effective date of the rate change under the Tax Reform Act, taxes are required to be calculated by applying a blended rate to the taxable income for the current taxable year ending February 28, 2018. The blended rate is calculated based on the ratio of days in the fiscal year prior to and after the effective date of the rate change. In computing total tax expense for the first quarter 2018, a 32.74% blended federal statutory rate was applied to the two months ended February 28, 2018, and a projected combined tax rate of 25.8% (based on the federal statutory rate of 21% plus applicable state tax rates) was applied to the month of March 2018.

For the three-month period ended March 31, 2018, the difference between the Company’s effective tax rate and the federal statutory rate primarily results from the $2.6 million provisional reduction of net deferred income tax liabilities, as previously discussed, and the $1.2 million alternative fuel tax credit related to the year ended December 31, 2017 which was recognized in first quarter 2018 due to the February 2018 passage of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 which retroactively reinstated the alternative fuel tax credit that had previously expired on December 31, 2016. For the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, the difference between the Company’s effective tax rate and the federal statutory rate also resulted from state income taxes, nondeductible expenses, changes in tax valuation allowances, and changes in the cash surrender value of life insurance.

As of March 31, 2018, the Company’s deferred tax liabilities, which will reverse in future years, exceeded the deferred tax assets. The Company evaluated the total deferred tax assets at March 31, 2018 and concluded that, other than for certain deferred tax assets related to state net operating loss and contribution carryforwards, the assets did not exceed the amount for which realization is more likely than not. In making this determination, the Company considered the future reversal of existing taxable temporary differences, future taxable income, and tax planning strategies. Valuation allowances for deferred tax assets totaled $0.6 million and $0.8 million at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively. At March 31, 2018, the Company also had a $0.5 million valuation allowance relating to anticipated foreign tax credit carryforwards that are unlikely to be used as a result of the lower U.S. income tax rate.

The Company established a reserve for uncertain tax positions of less than $0.1 million at December 31, 2016, and maintained the reserve at March 31, 2018, due to uncertainty of how the IRS will interpret regulations related to research and development credits claimed on the Company’s 2015 federal return. The Company established a reserve for an uncertain tax position of $0.9 million at March 31, 2018, due to credits taken on amended federal returns.

The Company paid state and foreign income taxes of $1.1 million and state income taxes of less than $0.1 million during the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. During the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company received refunds of $1.0 million of federal and state income taxes and less than $0.1 million of state income taxes that were paid in prior years, respectively.