INCOME TAXES	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2018
INCOME TAXES
INCOME TAXES	NOTE D – INCOME TAXES On December 22, 2017, H.R. 1/Public Law 115-97 which includes tax legislation titled Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Reform Act”) was signed into law. Effective January 1, 2018, the Tax Reform Act reduced the U.S. federal corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%. As a result of the Tax Reform Act, the Company recorded a provisional reduction of net deferred income tax liabilities of approximately $24.5 million at December 31, 2017, pursuant to the provisions of ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes, which requires the impact of tax law changes to be recognized in the period in which the legislation is enacted. An additional provisional reduction of net deferred income tax liabilities of less than $0.1 million and $2.6 million was recognized in the three and six months ended June 30, 2018, respectively. The additional reductions relate to the reversal of temporary differences through the Company’s fiscal tax year end of February 28, 2018. State tax rates vary among states and average approximately 6.0% to 6.5%, although some state rates are higher and a small number of states do not impose an income tax. The effective tax benefit rate was 68.0% and 15.0% for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018, respectively, compared to an effective tax rate of 34.6% and 27.1% for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017, respectively. In addition to the provisional effect on net deferred tax liabilities, the Company recorded a provisional reduction in current income tax expense of approximately $1.3 million at December 31, 2017, as a result of the Tax Reform Act, to reflect the Company’s use of a fiscal year rather than a calendar year for U.S. income tax filing. Due to the fact that the Company’s current fiscal tax year includes the effective date of the rate change under the Tax Reform Act, taxes are required to be calculated by applying a blended rate to the taxable income for the current taxable year ending February 28, 2018. The blended rate is calculated based on the ratio of days in the fiscal year prior to and after the effective date of the rate change. In computing total tax expense for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018, a 32.74% blended federal statutory rate was applied to the two months ended February 28, 2018, and a projected combined tax rate of 26.5% (based on the federal statutory rate of 21% plus applicable state tax rates) was applied to the months of March 2018 through June 2018. For the six months ended June 30, 2018, the difference between the Company’s effective tax rate and the federal statutory rate primarily results from the $2.6 million provisional reduction of net deferred income tax liabilities, as previously discussed, and the $1.2 million alternative fuel tax credit related to the year ended December 31, 2017 which was recognized in first quarter 2018 due to the February 2018 passage of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 which retroactively reinstated the alternative fuel tax credit that had previously expired on December 31, 2016. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017, the difference between the Company’s effective tax rate and the federal statutory rate also resulted from state income taxes, nondeductible expenses, changes in tax valuation allowances, deferred tax benefit related to future state rate changes, the tax benefit from the vesting of stock awards, and changes in the cash surrender value of life insurance. As of June 30, 2018, the Company’s deferred tax liabilities, which will reverse in future years, exceeded the deferred tax assets. The Company evaluated the total deferred tax assets at June 30, 2018 and concluded that, other than for certain deferred tax assets related to state net operating loss and contribution carryforwards, the assets did not exceed the amount for which realization is more likely than not. In making this determination, the Company considered the future reversal of existing taxable temporary differences, future taxable income, and tax planning strategies. Valuation allowances for deferred tax assets totaled $0.7 million and $0.8 million at June 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively. The Company established a reserve for uncertain tax positions of less than $0.1 million at December 31, 2016, and maintained the reserve at June 30, 2018, due to uncertainty of how the IRS will interpret regulations related to research and development credits claimed on the Company’s 2015 federal return. The Company established a reserve for an uncertain tax position of $0.9 million at March 31, 2018, and maintained the reserve at June 30, 2018, due to credits taken on amended federal returns. The Company paid state and foreign income taxes of $2.5 million and $0.4 million during the six months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively. During the six months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017, the Company received refunds of $1.1 million and $0.1 million, respectively, of federal and state income taxes that were paid in prior years.

NOTE D – INCOME TAXES

On December 22, 2017, H.R. 1/Public Law 115-97 which includes tax legislation titled Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Reform Act”) was signed into law. Effective January 1, 2018, the Tax Reform Act reduced the U.S. federal corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%. As a result of the Tax Reform Act, the Company recorded a provisional reduction of net deferred income tax liabilities of approximately $24.5 million at December 31, 2017, pursuant to the provisions of ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes, which requires the impact of tax law changes to be recognized in the period in which the legislation is enacted. An additional provisional reduction of net deferred income tax liabilities of less than $0.1 million and $2.6 million was recognized in the three and six months ended June 30, 2018, respectively. The additional reductions relate to the reversal of temporary differences through the Company’s fiscal tax year end of February 28, 2018. State tax rates vary among states and average approximately 6.0% to 6.5%, although some state rates are higher and a small number of states do not impose an income tax. The effective tax benefit rate was 68.0% and 15.0% for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018, respectively, compared to an effective tax rate of 34.6% and 27.1% for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017, respectively.

In addition to the provisional effect on net deferred tax liabilities, the Company recorded a provisional reduction in current income tax expense of approximately $1.3 million at December 31, 2017, as a result of the Tax Reform Act, to reflect the Company’s use of a fiscal year rather than a calendar year for U.S. income tax filing. Due to the fact that the Company’s current fiscal tax year includes the effective date of the rate change under the Tax Reform Act, taxes are required to be calculated by applying a blended rate to the taxable income for the current taxable year ending February 28, 2018. The blended rate is calculated based on the ratio of days in the fiscal year prior to and after the effective date of the rate change. In computing total tax expense for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018, a 32.74% blended federal statutory rate was applied to the two months ended February 28, 2018, and a projected combined tax rate of 26.5% (based on the federal statutory rate of 21% plus applicable state tax rates) was applied to the months of March 2018 through June 2018.

For the six months ended June 30, 2018, the difference between the Company’s effective tax rate and the federal statutory rate primarily results from the $2.6 million provisional reduction of net deferred income tax liabilities, as previously discussed, and the $1.2 million alternative fuel tax credit related to the year ended December 31, 2017 which was recognized in first quarter 2018 due to the February 2018 passage of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 which retroactively reinstated the alternative fuel tax credit that had previously expired on December 31, 2016. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017, the difference between the Company’s effective tax rate and the federal statutory rate also resulted from state income taxes, nondeductible expenses, changes in tax valuation allowances, deferred tax benefit related to future state rate changes, the tax benefit from the vesting of stock awards, and changes in the cash surrender value of life insurance.

As of June 30, 2018, the Company’s deferred tax liabilities, which will reverse in future years, exceeded the deferred tax assets. The Company evaluated the total deferred tax assets at June 30, 2018 and concluded that, other than for certain deferred tax assets related to state net operating loss and contribution carryforwards, the assets did not exceed the amount for which realization is more likely than not. In making this determination, the Company considered the future reversal of existing taxable temporary differences, future taxable income, and tax planning strategies. Valuation allowances for deferred tax assets totaled $0.7 million and $0.8 million at June 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively.

The Company established a reserve for uncertain tax positions of less than $0.1 million at December 31, 2016, and maintained the reserve at June 30, 2018, due to uncertainty of how the IRS will interpret regulations related to research and development credits claimed on the Company’s 2015 federal return. The Company established a reserve for an uncertain tax position of $0.9 million at March 31, 2018, and maintained the reserve at June 30, 2018, due to credits taken on amended federal returns.

The Company paid state and foreign income taxes of $2.5 million and $0.4 million during the six months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively. During the six months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017, the Company received refunds of $1.1 million and $0.1 million, respectively, of federal and state income taxes that were paid in prior years.