Note 6 - Income Taxes

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2022

Notes to Financial Statements

Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block]

Note 6. Income Taxes

Income tax expense in both 2022 and 2021 varies from the amount computed by applying the federal corporate income tax rates of 21% to income before income taxes, primarily due to state income taxes, net of federal income tax effect, adjusted for permanent differences. The IRS has issued guidance that allows meals and incidental expense per diem to be 100% deductible for tax years 2021 and 2022. Accordingly, there is no adjustment in 2021 or 2022 as our per diem plan qualifies for this treatment. In years with partially nondeductible per diem, the per diem program increases our drivers' net pay per mile, after taxes, while decreasing gross pay, before taxes. As a result, salaries, wages, and related expenses are slightly lower and our effective income tax rate is higher than the statutory rate. Generally, as pre-tax income increases, the impact of the driver per diem program on our effective tax rate decreases, because aggregate per diem pay becomes smaller in relation to pre-tax income, while in periods where earnings are at or near breakeven the impact of the per diem program on our effective tax rate is significant. Drivers who meet the requirements to receive per diem receive non-taxable per diem pay in lieu of a portion of their taxable wages.

Our liability recorded for uncertain tax positions as of  June 30, 2022 has increased by less than $0.1 million since December 31, 2021.

The net deferred tax liability of $84.6 million primarily relates to differences in cumulative book versus tax depreciation of property and equipment, partially off-set by net operating loss carryovers and insurance claims that have been reserved but not paid. The carrying value of our deferred tax assets assumes that we will be able to generate, based on certain estimates and assumptions, sufficient future taxable income in certain tax jurisdictions to utilize these deferred tax benefits. If these estimates and related assumptions change in the future, we may be required to establish a valuation allowance against the carrying value of the deferred tax assets, which would result in additional income tax expense. On a periodic basis, we assess the need for adjustment of the valuation allowance. The Company has determined that a valuation allowance was not necessary at June 30, 2022 for its deferred tax assets since it is more likely than not they will be realized from the future reversals of temporary differences. If these estimates and related assumptions change in the future, we may be required to modify our valuation allowance against the carrying value of the deferred tax assets.

On  March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the "CARES Act") was signed into law. The CARES Act, among other things, includes provisions for refundable payroll tax credits, deferral for employer-side social-security payments, net operating loss carryback periods, alternative minimum tax credit refunds, modifications to the net interest deduction limitations, and technical corrections to tax depreciation methods for qualified improvement property. As of September 30, 2021, the Company recorded a benefit of $0.6 million against labor expense for refundable payroll tax credits. The Company will continue to monitor the benefits of the Cares Act going forward.

On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan ("ARPA") into law. Of relevance to the Company, the ARPA extended the reach of Internal Revenue Code Section 162(m) to include compensation paid to the eight highest-paid individuals (rather than three highest); however, this change is not effective until 2027. There is no material impact to the financial statements at this time.