XML 42 R17.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.0.8
11. Income Taxes
6 Months Ended
Aug. 03, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block]
11.        Income Taxes

We recorded income tax expense of $1.2 million for the fiscal 2015 second quarter compared to $930,000 for the comparable prior year period.  The effective tax rates for the fiscal 2015 and 2014 second quarters were 34.4% and 35.5%, respectively. In the fiscal 2014 second quarter we reduced the carrying value of our deferred tax assets to reflect the rate at which they were expected to be utilized. This discrete adjustment increased income tax expense in the fiscal year 2014 quarter by approximately 4%.  Our effective tax rate was lower in the fiscal 2015 second quarter primarily due the absence of a similar adjustment in the fiscal 2015 second quarter, partially offset by the impact of smaller anticipated rate benefits from earnings on company-owned life insurance policies and distributions from our former captive insurance arrangement as a percentage of quarterly income, due to the increased income in the quarter.

We recorded income tax expense of $2.7 million for the fiscal 2015 first-half compared to $2.0 million for the comparable prior year period.  The effective tax rate for the fiscal 2015 and 2014 six-month periods was 34.5%. The impact of the change in deferred rates, recorded in fiscal year 2014 was offset by the impact of smaller anticipated rate benefits from earnings on company-owned life insurance policies and distributions from our former captive insurance arrangement in fiscal year 2015.

The net unrecognized tax benefits as of August 3, 2014 and February 2, 2014, which, if recognized, would affect our effective tax rate are $339,000 and $303,000, respectively.  In fiscal 2014, an uncertain tax position was identified and accrued for which forthcoming remediation action steps will effectively settle the uncertainty in the next 12 months. In fiscal 2014, we also established a reserve for an uncertain tax position related to the use of a portion of state loss carryforwards in our current tax returns. The balance of that reserve at August 3, 2014 and February 2, 2014 was $132,000 and $103,000, respectively.

The tax years ending 2012 through 2014 remain subject to examination by federal taxing authorities. State tax returns for the years ending 2011 through 2014 remain subject to examination.