Note 3 - Income Taxes (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2017

Notes Tables

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

	2017			2016			2015
Current:
Federal	$	(2,570,000	)	$	(268,000	)	$	458,000
State		(6,000	)		(30,000	)		(271,000	)
		(2,576,000	)		(298,000	)		187,000
Deferred:
Federal		(3,854,000	)		(1,369,000	)		(1,053,000	)
State		(720,000	)		(268,000	)		(254,000	)
		(4,574,000	)		(1,637,000	)		(1,307,000	)
	$	(7,150,000	)	$	(1,935,000	)	$	(1,120,000	)

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

	2017			2016			2015
Statutory federal income tax rate		34.0	%		34.0	%		34.0	%
State franchise taxes (net of federal tax benefit)		6.2			5.2			(23.3	)
State enterprise zone benefits		---			---			134.9
Business meals/gifts		(0.8	)		(2.3	)		(18.8	)
Domestic production activity deduction		---			---			(2.2	)
Dividends received deduction		10.0			24.5			225.7
Reversal of uncertain and unrecognized tax position		37.6			---			---
Penalties for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits		2.0			---			---
Prior year true-up		1.0			(2.0	)		(7.3	)
Foreign tax credits		2.0			4.0			28.4
Effect of state rate change on beginning balance of deferred tax liabilities		(0.3	)		1.4			(5.0	)
Others		(3.0	)		0.2			(5.5	)
Effective tax rate		88.7	%		65.0	%		360.9	%

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

	2017			2016			2015
Deferred tax assets attributable to:
Accrued liabilities, including supplemental compensation and vacation pay accrual	$	(69,000	)	$	455,000		$	605,000
Impairment losses on investments		1,376,000			1,382,000			1,369,000
Bad debt reserves not yet deductible		62,000			62,000			82,000
Depreciation and amortization		5,977,000			4,549,000			3,251,000
Deferred revenues		1,431,000			1,555,000			1,378,000
Credits and other		4,403,000			1,519,000			869,000
Total deferred tax assets		13,180,000			9,522,000			7,554,000
Deferred tax liabilities attributable to:
Unrealized gains on investments		(64,550,000	)		(42,250,000	)		(43,278,000	)
Goodwill		(311,000	)		(1,227,000	)		(896,000	)
Total deferred tax liabilities		(64,861,000	)		(43,477,000	)		(44,174,000	)
Net deferred income taxes	$	(51,681,000	)	$	(33,955,000	)	$	(36,620,000	)

Summary of Income Tax Contingencies [Table Text Block]

	2017			2016			2015
Beginning balance	$	2,723,000		$	2,991,000		$	3,244,000
Added liability for the prior year		---			---			---
Added liability for the current year		---			---			---
Tax payment upon settlement		---			---			---
Reversal/r educed liability for the current year		(2,723,000	)		(268,000	)		(253,000	)
Ending balance	$	---		$	2,723,000		$	2,991,000