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Note 8 - Federal, State and Local Income Taxes
9 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2020
Notes to Financial Statements  
Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block]
Note
8
- Federal, State and Local Income Taxes:
 
In accordance with the requirements of the Income Tax Topic of the FASB's ASC, the Company's provision for income taxes includes the following:
 
   
Three Months Ended January 31,
   
Nine Months Ended January 31,
 
($ in thousands)
 
2020
   
2019
   
2020
   
2019
 
Current tax expense:
                               
Federal
  $
1,347
    $
513
    $
3,480
    $
2,118
 
State and local
   
300
     
173
     
915
     
333
 
Current tax expense
   
1,647
     
686
     
4,395
     
2,451
 
Deferred tax expense (benefit):
                               
Federal
   
154
     
429
     
100
     
434
 
State and local
   
(2
)    
197
     
270
     
(57
)
Deferred tax expense (benefit):
   
152
     
626
     
370
     
377
 
Income tax provision
  $
1,799
    $
1,312
    $
4,765
    $
2,828
 
 
On
December 22, 2017
H.R.
1,
originally known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the "Tax Act"), was enacted.  The Tax Act lowered the U.S. federal income tax rate ("Federal Tax Rate") from
35%
to
21%
effective
January 1, 2018. 
Accordingly, the Company computes Federal income tax expense using the Federal Tax Rate of
21%
in fiscal year
2020
and each year thereafter.
 
The overall effective income tax rates, as a percentage of pre-tax ordinary income for the
nine
months ended
January 31, 2020
and
January 31, 2019
were
27.05%
and
24.20%,
respectively.  The increase in the effective tax rate during the quarter ended
January 31, 2020
is primarily a result of an increase in the state and local income taxes as a result of changes in state and local tax legislation and the effect of the lowering of the NYC tax allocation factor on deferred taxes in fiscal
2019.
  The Company's annualized overall effective tax rate fluctuates due to a number of factors, in addition to changes in tax law, including but
not
limited to an increase or decrease in the ratio of items that do
not
have tax consequences to pre-tax income, the Company's geographic profit mix between tax jurisdictions, taxation method adopted by each locality, new interpretations of existing tax laws and rulings and settlements with tax authorities.
 
Deferred income taxes, a liability, are provided for temporary differences between the financial reporting basis and the tax basis of the Company's assets and liabilities.  The tax effect of temporary differences giving rise to the Company's long-term deferred tax liability are as follows:
 
   
January 31,
   
April 30,
 
($ in thousands)
 
2020
   
2019
 
Federal tax liability (benefit):
               
Deferred gain on deconsolidation of EAM
  $
10,669
    $
10,669
 
Deferred non-cash post-employment compensation
   
(372
)    
(372
)
Depreciation and amortization
   
108
     
130
 
Unrealized gain on securities held for sale
   
570
     
446
 
Deferred charges
   
(333
)    
(354
)
Other
   
(58
)    
(279
)
Total federal tax liability
   
10,584
     
10,240
 
                 
State and local tax liabilities (benefits):
               
Deferred gain on deconsolidation of EAM
   
2,676
     
2,530
 
Deferred non-cash post-employment compensation
   
(93
)    
(74
)
Depreciation and amortization
   
27
     
40
 
Unrealized gain on securities held for sale
   
143
     
-
 
Other
   
(84
)    
(112
)
Total state and local tax liabilities
   
2,669
     
2,384
 
Deferred tax liability, long-term
  $
13,253
    $
12,624
 
 
At the end of each interim reporting period, the Company estimates the effective income tax rate to apply for the full fiscal year. The Company uses the effective income tax rate determined to provide for income taxes on a year-to-date basis and reflects the tax effect of any tax law changes and certain other discrete events in the period in which they occur.
 
The provision for income taxes differs from the amount of income tax determined by applying the applicable U.S. statutory income tax rate to pretax income as a result of the following:
 
   
Nine Months Ended January 31,
 
   
2020
   
2019
 
U.S. statutory federal tax rate
   
21.00
%    
21.00
%
Increase (decrease) in tax rate from:
               
State and local income taxes, net of federal income tax benefit
   
6.20
%    
3.45
%
Effect of dividends received deductions
   
(0.20
%)    
(0.25
%)
Other, net
   
0.05
%    
-
 
Effective income tax rate
   
27.05
%    
24.20
%
 
The Company believes that, as of
January 31, 2020,
there were
no
material uncertain tax positions that would require disclosure under GAAP.
 
The Company is included in the consolidated federal income tax return of the Parent.  The Company has a tax sharing agreement which requires it to make tax payments to the Parent equal to the Company's liability/(benefit) as if it filed a separate return.  Beginning with the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2017,
the Company files combined income tax returns with the Parent on a unitary basis in certain states as a result of changes in state tax regulations.  The Company does
not
anticipate any significant tax implications from the change to unitary state tax filing.
 
The Company’s federal income tax returns (included in the Parent’s consolidated returns) and state and city tax returns for fiscal years ended
2016
through
2018,
are subject to examination by the tax authorities, generally for
three
years after they are filed with the tax authorities. The Company is presently engaged in a federal tax audit for the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2015
and does
not
expect it to have a material effect on the financial statements.