INCOME TAXES	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019
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 $2.6 million was recognized at March 31, 2018 related 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 rate was 25.9% for the three months ended March 31, 2019, and the effective tax benefit rate was 10.7% for the three months ended March 31, 2018. In addition to the provisional effect on net deferred tax liabilities, the Company recorded a provisional reduction in current income tax expense of $1.3 million and $0.1 million at December 31, 2017 and March 31, 2018, respectively, 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 fiscal tax year included the effective date of the rate change under the Tax Reform Act, taxes were required to be calculated by applying a blended rate to the taxable income for the taxable year ended 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 months ended March 31, 2018, a 32.74% blended federal statutory rate was applied to the two months ended February 28, 2018, and a 21.0% federal statutory rate was applied to the month of March 2018. A federal statutory rate of 21.0% was applied to the three months ended March 31, 2019. The accounting for the income tax effects of the Tax Reform Act was completed as of December 31, 2018, and all amounts recorded were considered final. For the three months ended March 31, 2019, the difference between the Company’s effective tax rate and the federal statutory rate primarily resulted from state income taxes, nondeductible expenses, and changes in the cash surrender value of life insurance. For the three months ended March 31, 2018, the difference between the Company’s effective tax rate and the federal statutory rate primarily resulted 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. The difference between the Company’s effective tax rate and the federal statutory rate for the three months ended March 31, 2018 also resulted from state income taxes, nondeductible expenses, changes in tax valuation allowances, the tax benefit from the vesting of stock awards, and changes in the cash surrender value of life insurance. As of March 31, 2019, 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 March 31, 2019 and concluded that, other than for certain deferred tax assets related to state 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 $0.1 million at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018. The Company had reserves for uncertain tax positions of $1.0 million at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018. In first quarter of 2019, the Company recorded a deferred tax asset of approximately $19.0 million related to operating lease liabilities and recorded a deferred tax liability of approximately $19.0 million related to operating lease right-of-use assets due to the adoption of ASC Topic 842. The Company paid federal, state, and foreign income taxes of $6.6 million during the three months ended March 31, 2019, and paid $1.1 million of foreign and state income taxes during the three months ended March 31, 2018. The Company received refunds of less than $0.1 million of state income taxes and refunds of $1.0 million of federal and state income taxes that were paid in prior years during the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

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 $2.6 million was recognized at March 31, 2018 related 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 rate was 25.9% for the three months ended March 31, 2019, and the effective tax benefit rate was 10.7% for the three months ended March 31, 2018.

In addition to the provisional effect on net deferred tax liabilities, the Company recorded a provisional reduction in current income tax expense of $1.3 million and $0.1 million at December 31, 2017 and March 31, 2018, respectively, 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 fiscal tax year included the effective date of the rate change under the Tax Reform Act, taxes were required to be calculated by applying a blended rate to the taxable income for the taxable year ended 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 months ended March 31, 2018, a 32.74% blended federal statutory rate was applied to the two months ended February 28, 2018, and a 21.0% federal statutory rate was applied to the month of March 2018. A federal statutory rate of 21.0% was applied to the three months ended March 31, 2019.

The accounting for the income tax effects of the Tax Reform Act was completed as of December 31, 2018, and all amounts recorded were considered final.

For the three months ended March 31, 2019, the difference between the Company’s effective tax rate and the federal statutory rate primarily resulted from state income taxes, nondeductible expenses, and changes in the cash surrender value of life insurance. For the three months ended March 31, 2018, the difference between the Company’s effective tax rate and the federal statutory rate primarily resulted 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. The difference between the Company’s effective tax rate and the federal statutory rate for the three months ended March 31, 2018 also resulted from state income taxes, nondeductible expenses, changes in tax valuation allowances, the tax benefit from the vesting of stock awards, and changes in the cash surrender value of life insurance.

As of March 31, 2019, 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 March 31, 2019 and concluded that, other than for certain deferred tax assets related to state 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 $0.1 million at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018.

The Company had reserves for uncertain tax positions of $1.0 million at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018.

In first quarter of 2019, the Company recorded a deferred tax asset of approximately $19.0 million related to operating lease liabilities and recorded a deferred tax liability of approximately $19.0 million related to operating lease right-of-use assets due to the adoption of ASC Topic 842.

The Company paid federal, state, and foreign income taxes of $6.6 million during the three months ended March 31, 2019, and paid $1.1 million of foreign and state income taxes during the three months ended March 31, 2018. The Company received refunds of less than $0.1 million of state income taxes and refunds of $1.0 million of federal and state income taxes that were paid in prior years during the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.