Note 3 - Income Taxes (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2015

Notes Tables

Schedule of Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit) [Table Text Block]

	2015			2014			2013
Current:
Federal	$	458,000		$	1,065,000		$	1,011,000
State		(271,000	)		484,000			(228,000	)
		187,000			1,549,000			783,000
Deferred:
Federal		(1,053,000	)		(1,790,000	)		(30,000	)
State		(254,000	)		(249,000	)		37,000
		(1,307,000	)		(2,039,000	)		7,000
	$	(1,120,000	)	$	(490,000	)	$	790,000

Schedule of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation [Table Text Block]

	2015			2014			2013
Statutory federal income tax rate		34.0	%		34.0	%		34.0	%
State franchise taxes (net of federal tax benefit)		(23.3	)		(38.3	)		5.0
State enterprise zone benefits		134.9			---			---
Business meals/gifts		(18.8	)		36.1			1.0
Domestic production activity deduction		(2.2	)		(135.7	)		(2.0	)
Dividends received deduction		225.7			(424.6	)		(10.2	)
Penalties for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits		---			115.5			---
Prior year true-up		(7.30	)		84.7			---
Foreign tax credits		28.4			(17.9	)		(0.3	)
Effect of state rate change on beginning balance of deferred tax liabilities		(5.0	)		---			(2.4	)
Others		(5.5	)		(1.3	)		(7.8	)
Effective tax rate		360.9	%		(347.5	)%		17.3	%

Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities [Table Text Block]

	2015			2014			2013
Deferred tax assets attributable to:
Accrued liabilities, including supplemental compensation and vacation pay accrual	$	605,000		$	1,063,000		$	1,083,000
Impairment losses on investments		1,369,000			1,779,000			1,778,000
Bad debt reserves not yet deductible		82,000			78,000			78,000
Depreciation and amortization		3,251,000			1,822,000			356,000
Deferred revenues		1,378,000			1,116,000			---
Credits and other		869,000			12,000			41,000
Total deferred tax assets		7,554,000			5,870,000			3,336,000
Deferred tax liabilities attributable to:
Unrealized gains on investments		(43,278,000	)		(48,896,000	)		(34,610,000	)
Goodwill		(896,000	)		(495,000	)	--- _
Total deferred tax liabilities		(44,174,000	)		(49,391,000	)		(34,610,000	)
Net deferred income taxes	$	(36,620,000	)	$	(43,521,000	)	$	(31,274,000	)

Summary of Income Tax Contingencies [Table Text Block]

Uncertain Tax Liability
	2015			2014		2013
Beginning balance	$	3,244,000		$	---	$	---
Added liability for the prior year		---			2,393,000		---
Added liability for the current year		---			851,000		---
Tax payment upon settlement		---			---		---
Reduced liability for the current year		(253,000	)		---		---
Ending balance	$	2,991,000		$	3,244,000	$	---