11.

Income Taxes

The Company recorded an income tax benefit of $6,474 on a pre-tax loss of $17,252 during the 13 weeks ended July 29, 2017, which represented an effective income tax rate of 37.5%. The Company recorded an income tax benefit of $8,602 on a pre-tax loss of $23,018 during the 13 weeks ended July 30, 2016, which represented an effective income tax rate of 37.4%. The Company’s effective tax rate differs from the statutory rate due to the impact of permanent items such as meals and entertainment, non-deductible executive compensation, tax credits, changes in uncertain tax positions and state tax provision, net of federal benefit. The Company continues to maintain a valuation allowance against certain state items.

During the 13 weeks ended July 29, 2017, the Company recognized $566 tax expense as a result of the adoption of ASU 2016-09, which requires all excess tax benefits or deficiencies from share-based payments to be recognized as income tax expense or benefit in the consolidated statement of operations as discrete in the reporting period in which they occur. Additionally, the Company recorded unrecognized excess tax benefits of $1,823 as a cumulative-effect adjustment, which increased retained earnings, and reduced deferred taxes by the same.

The Company believes that it is reasonably possible that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits at July 29, 2017 could decrease by approximately $3,568 within the next twelve months, as a result of settlement of certain tax audits or lapses of statutes of limitations, which could impact the effective tax rate.