Income taxes

6 Months Ended

Jul. 31, 2020

Income taxes

Income taxes

3. Income taxes

Under the accounting standards for income taxes, the asset and liability method is used for computing the future income tax consequences of events that have been recognized in the Company’s consolidated financial statements or income tax returns.

Income tax reserves are determined using the methodology established by accounting standards for income taxes which require companies to assess each income tax position taken using the following two-step approach. A determination is first made as to whether it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained, based upon the technical merits, upon examination by the taxing authorities. If the tax position is expected to meet the more likely than not criteria, the benefit recorded for the tax position equals the largest amount that is greater than 50% likely to be realized upon ultimate settlement of the respective tax position.

The Company’s 2015 and earlier tax years are not open for further examination by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”). The IRS, at its discretion, may choose to examine the Company’s 2016 through 2018 fiscal year income tax filings. The Company has various state income tax examinations that are currently in progress. Generally, with few exceptions, the Company’s 2016 and later tax years remain open for examination by the various state taxing authorities.

As of July 31, 2020, the total reserves for uncertain tax benefits, interest expense related to income taxes and potential income tax penalties were $5.1 million, $0.5 million and $0.0 million, respectively, for a total of $5.6 million. This total amount is reflected in noncurrent other liabilities in the condensed consolidated balance sheet.

The Company’s reserve for uncertain tax positions is not expected to be reduced in the coming twelve months as a result of expiring statutes of limitations. As of July 31, 2020, approximately $5.1 million of the reserve for uncertain tax positions would impact the Company’s effective income tax rate if the Company were to recognize the tax benefit for these positions.

The effective income tax rates for the 13-week and 26-week periods ended July 31, 2020 were 21.5% and 21.8%, respectively, compared to rates of 22.9% and 21.9% for the 13-week and 26-week periods ended August 2, 2019. The income tax rates for the 13-week and 26-week periods in 2020 were lower than the comparable 13-week and 26-week periods in 2019 primarily due to increased income tax benefits associated with share-based compensation partially offset by a lower income tax rate benefit from federal income tax credits due to higher pre-tax earnings in the 2020 periods compared to the 2019 periods. In addition, the effective income tax rate for the 13-week period in 2020 was lower than the comparable period in 2019 due to increased income tax expense associated with prior state law changes that occurred in the 2019 period that did not reoccur in the 2020 period.