Note 9 - Income Taxes

6 Months Ended

Jul. 04, 2021

Notes to Financial Statements

Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block]

Note 9 — Income Taxes

The Company recorded a net income tax expense of $5,000 and a net income benefit of $27,000 for the three months ended July 4, 2021 and June 28, 2020, respectively, and a net income tax expense of $157,000 and a net income tax benefit of $9,000 for the six months ended July 4, 2021 and June 28, 2020, respectively.

A majority of the income tax expense for the first quarter of 2021 relates to the Company's foreign subsidiaries, which are cost-plus entities and withholding tax of $125,000 related to one-time distribution resulting from restructuring in India. A tax expense resulting from the assessment and statutory closing of prior years’ foreign tax returns relates to the Company's foreign subsidiaries, which are cost-plus entities.  

The Company believes it is more likely than not that federal and state net deferred tax assets will not be fully realized. In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, the Company’s management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of our deferred tax assets will be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. A valuation allowance is recorded for loss carryforwards and other deferred tax assets where it is more likely than not that such deferred tax assets will not be realized. Accordingly, the Company continues to maintain a valuation allowance against all of U.S. and certain foreign net deferred tax assets as of July 4, 2021. The Company continues to maintain a full valuation allowance against net federal, state and certain foreign deferred tax assets until there is sufficient evidence to support recoverability of the Company’s deferred tax assets.

The Company had no unrecognized tax benefits as of July 4, 2021 and January 3, 2021 which would affect the Company's effective tax rate. The Company does not anticipate any material changes to its unrecognized tax benefits during the next 12 months.

Accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits are recognized as part of the income tax provision in the condensed consolidated statements of operations.

The Company is subject to U.S. federal income tax as well as income taxes in many U.S. states and foreign jurisdictions in which the Company operates. The U.S. tax years from 1999 forward remain effectively open to examination due to the carryover of unused net operating losses and tax credits.

Under the Tax Reform Act of 1986, the amount of and the benefit from net operating loss carryforwards and credit carryforwards may be impaired or limited in certain circumstances. Events which may restrict utilization of a company's net operating loss and credit carryforwards include, but are not limited to, certain ownership change limitations as defined in Internal Revenue Code Section 382 and similar state provisions. In the event the Company has had a change of ownership, utilization of carryforwards could be restricted to an annual limitation. The annual limitation may result in the expiration of net operating loss carryforwards and credit carryforwards before utilization.

The Company has not undertaken a study to determine if its net operating losses are limited. In the event the Company previously experienced an ownership change, or should experience an ownership change in the future, the amount of net operating losses and research and development credit carryovers available in any taxable year could be limited and may expire unutilized.

On March 27, 2020, the United States enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. The Act includes provisions relating to loan programs for small businesses ("Paycheck Protection Program" or "PPP"), refundable payroll tax credits, deferment of the employer portion of certain payroll taxes, net operating loss carryback periods, alternative minimum tax credit refunds, modifications of the net interest deduction limitations and technical corrections to tax depreciation methods for qualified improvement property. The Company applied for and received $1.2M of the PPP loan in Q2 2020 and the amount was utilized on qualified business expenses under the guidance of PPP. On December 27, 2020, the President signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 (the "Bill") into law. The Bill confirms the business expenses paid out of PPP loans maybe deducted for federal income tax purposes and the borrower's tax basis and other attributes of the borrower's assets will not be reduced as a result of the loan forgiveness. The Company applied for the loan forgiveness and the application was approved by the lender on January 26, 2021. The loan was reclassified to gain on forgiveness of debt in Q1 2021 for GAAP and is not taxable for federal purposes according to the CARES Act.

California has issued specific guidance regarding its conformity to the CARES Act. No provisions are expected to have a material impact on the Company, except for that under Assembly Bill 80 ("AB 80"), which was signed into law on April 29, 2021, the business expenses paid out of the PPP loan is not deductible for publicly-traded companies for California tax purposes.

On June 29, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 85 ("AB 85") into law, which temporarily suspends net operating loss deductions for most businesses and limits certain general business credits. These provisions will be applied retroactively to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2022. However, the law provides for a small business exemption for taxpayers with income subject to tax under $1 million. The Company has evaluated the current legislation and does not anticipate AB 85 to have a material impact on its financial statements.

On December 18, 2019, the FASB issued new guidance ASU 2019-12 that simplifies the accounting for income taxes to reduce complexity in accounting standards which the Company adopted on January 4, 2021. The majority of the key provisions of the ASU 2019-12 does not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements. We considered the majority of our non-U.S. subsidiaries’ undistributed earnings to be permanently reinvested. Therefore no U.S. or foreign income taxes have been recorded on the permanently reinvested amount as of July 4, 2021. Due to potential restructuring plans in India, there may be a one-time distribution in 2021. As a result, we have recorded withholding taxes of approximately $125,000 on the potential one-time distribution. However, the rest of our foreign subsidiaries’ earnings continue to be permanently reinvested with no deferred tax liabilities necessary.

We considered the majority of our non-U.S. subsidiaries’ undistributed earnings to be permanently reinvested. Therefore no U.S. or foreign income taxes have been recorded on the permanently reinvested amount as of July 4, 2021. Due to potential restructuring plans in India, there may be a one-time distribution in 2021. As a result, we have recorded withholding taxes of approximately $125,000 on the potential one-time distribution. However, the rest of our foreign subsidiaries’ earnings continue to be permanently reinvested with no deferred tax liabilities necessary.