Note 3 - Income Taxes (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Notes Tables

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

	2019			2018			2017
Current:
Federal	$	132,000		$	(209,000	)	$	(2,570,000	)
State		---			(90,000	)		(6,000	)
		132,000			(299,000	)		(2,576,000	)
Deferred:
Federal		(4,685,000	)		(18,577,000	)		(3,854,000	)
State		(1,707,000	)		(664,000	)		(720,000	)
		(6,392,000	)		(19,241,000	)		(4,574,000	)
	$	(6,260,000	)	$	(19,540,000	)	$	(7,150,000	)

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

	2019			2018			2017
Statutory federal income tax rate		21.0	%		24.3	%		34.0	%
State franchise taxes (net of federal tax benefit)		4.5			5.7			6.2
Revalue of deferred taxes due to federal rate change		---			176.0			---
Effect of federal rate change on beginning net deferred tax liabilities		---			(34.0	)		---
Business meals/gifts/other permanent differences		(0.1	)		(0.4	)		(0.8	)
Goodwill impairment		(6.5	)		---			---
Domestic production activity deduction and deferred revenue		---			(0.9	)		---
Dividends received deduction		1.5			5.8			10.0
Reversal of uncertain and unrecognized tax position		---			---			37.6
Penalties for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits		---			---			2.0
Prior year true-up		0.2			(1.8	)		1.0
Foreign tax credits		0.1			---			2.0
Effect of state rate change on beginning balance of deferred tax liabilities		(0.2	)		(0.7	)		(0.3	)
Others		(0.6	)		(1.7	)		(3.0	)
Effective tax rate		19.9	%		172.3	%		88.7	%

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

	2019			2018
Deferred tax assets attributable to:
Accrued liabilities, including supplemental compensation and vacation pay accrual	$	178,000		$	(106,000	)
Impairment losses on investments		2,201,000			2,215,000
Bad debt reserves not yet deductible		41,000			42,000
Depreciation and amortization		3,999,000			4,446,000
Deferred revenues		885,000			745,000
Goodwill		677,000			---
Net operating losses		5,195,000			4,643,000
Credits and other		456,000			455,000
Total deferred tax assets		13,632,000			12,440,000
Deferred tax liabilities attributable to:
Unrealized gains on investments		(37,241,000	)		(42,151,000	)
Goodwill		---			(290,000	)
Total deferred tax liabilities		(37,241,000	)		(42,441,000	)
Net deferred income taxes	$	(23,609,000	)	$	(30,001,000	)

Summary of Operating Loss Carryforwards [Table Text Block]

Fiscal year ended	Federal NOL		California NOL		Other State NOL
	(in millions)
September 30, 2036	$	.8	$	---	$	---
September 30, 2037		6.5		.7		1.5
September 30, 2038		11.1		6.3		2.0
September 30, 2039		---		.7		.3
No expiration		2.5		---		---