Entity information:

14. INCOME TAXES

The components of the income tax (expense) benefit are as follows (in thousands):

 

 

 

January 3, 2017

 

 

December 29, 2015

 

 

December 30, 2014

 

Current:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Federal

 

$

 

 

$

(438

)

 

$

 

State

 

 

(14

)

 

 

(149

)

 

 

(37

)

Foreign

 

 

(65

)

 

 

(114

)

 

 

(131

)

 

 

$

(79

)

 

$

(701

)

 

$

(168

)

Deferred:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Federal

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

State

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foreign

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

Income tax benefit (expense)

 

$

(79

)

 

$

(701

)

 

$

(168

)

 

The difference between the effective income tax rate and the United States federal income tax rate is summarized as follows:

 

 

January 3, 2017

 

 

December 29, 2015

 

 

December 30, 2014

 

Statutory federal rate

 

 

34.0

%

 

 

34.0

%

 

 

34.0

%

State income taxes less federal

   benefit

 

 

(1.4

)

 

 

(9.2

)

 

 

5.9

 

Foreign income taxes

 

 

(0.3

)

 

 

1.1

 

 

 

(2.5

)

Change in valuation allowance

 

 

(24.6

)

 

 

(38.1

)

 

 

(31.5

)

Meals

 

 

(0.1

)

 

 

0.3

 

 

 

(1.2

)

Business Gain on Acquisition

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8.5

 

Alternative minimum taxes

 

 

 

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

(1.0

)

Expired tax attribute carryforwards

 

 

(6.4

)

 

 

11.1

 

 

 

(17.0

)

Tax credits generated

 

 

 

 

 

(0.1

)

 

 

0.3

 

Other

 

 

(1.6

)

 

 

7.7

 

 

 

(0.3

)

 

 

 

(0.4

)%

 

 

6.9

%

 

 

(4.8

)%

 

Deferred income taxes are provided for the temporary differences between the carrying values of the Company’s assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and their corresponding income tax bases. The temporary differences give rise to either a deferred tax asset or liability in the financial statements that is computed by applying current statutory tax rates to taxable and deductible temporary differences. The deferred tax assets (liabilities) consisted of the following temporary differences as of January 3, 2017 and December 29, 2015 (in thousands):

 

 

January 3, 2017

 

 

December 29, 2015

 

Net operating losses

 

$

62,875

 

 

$

50,837

 

Reserves and accruals

 

 

5,073

 

 

 

10,754

 

Deferred rent

 

 

967

 

 

 

1,518

 

Tax credit attributes

 

 

1,957

 

 

 

1,999

 

Basis difference in intangibles

 

 

1,152

 

 

 

1,510

 

Share-based compensation

 

 

1,915

 

 

 

2,979

 

Basis difference in fixed assets

 

 

5,670

 

 

 

3,245

 

Basis difference in intangibles

 

 

(95

)

 

 

(289

)

Basis difference in investments

 

 

144

 

 

 

4

 

Reserves and accruals

 

 

(29

)

 

 

(64

)

Total gross deferred tax asset

 

 

79,629

 

 

 

72,493

 

Valuation allowance

 

 

(79,629

)

 

 

(72,493

)

Total net deferred tax asset

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

Realization of the future tax benefits is dependent on the Company’s ability to generate sufficient taxable income within the carryforward period. A valuation allowance is provided for deferred tax assets when it is “more likely than not” that some portion of the deferred tax asset will not be realized. Because of the Company’s recent history of operating losses, management believes the recognition of the deferred tax assets arising from the above-mentioned future tax benefits is currently not likely to be realized and, accordingly, has provided a valuation allowance. A valuation allowance has been recorded for the net deferred tax assets at January 3, 2017, which increases the valuation allowance by $7.1 million for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2017.

At January 3, 2017, the Company has federal and state net operating loss carryovers (“NOL”) of $148.4 million and $144.5 million, respectively, which, if not used earlier, will expire between 2017 and 2036. In addition, the Company also has tax credit carryforwards for federal and state purposes of $1.1 million and $0.9 million, respectively. Approximately $0.3 million of the federal tax credit carryforwards will start to expire in 2031 if unused before that year. Of the state tax credit carryforwards, approximately $0.7 million will start to expire in 2023 if unused before that year. The remaining federal tax credits and the state tax credits do not expire.

The Company underwent an “ownership change” as defined in section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code during the second quarter of the Company’s 2009 fiscal year, as a result of the Company’s issuance of Series B-1 Convertible Preferred Stock and Series B-2 Convertible Preferred Stock and other prior trading in the Company’s stock. The amount of NOL and tax credits from pre-change years that may be used to offset the Company’s taxable income for tax years ending after the ownership change is subject to an annual limitation, known as a section 382 limitation. The section 382 limitation may cause NOL’s to expire unutilized. The Company reduced its NOL carryovers stated above for the anticipated expirations caused by the Company’s 2009 change.  Since the section 382 ownership change in 2009, the Company has performed quarterly analyses to monitor its ownership for 382 purposes.  The Company has not had any other ownership changes for section 382 purposes since 2009.

Changes in the Company’s unrecognized tax benefits are as follows (in thousands):

 

 

 

Fiscal Year Ended January 3, 2017

 

 

Fiscal Year Ended December 29, 2015

 

Beginning balance

 

$

185

 

 

$

185

 

Increases attributable to tax positions taken

   during prior periods

 

 

 

 

 

 

Decreases resulting from lapse of applicable

   statutes of limitations

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ending balance

 

$

185

 

 

$

185

 

 

As of January 3, 2017, the entire unrecognized tax benefits reduce the deferred tax asset for the net operating loss carryforwards. If recognized, none of the unrecognized tax benefits would impact the Company’s effective tax rate. As of January 3, 2017, it is reasonably possible that the unrecognized tax benefits will not significantly increase or decrease in the next twelve months.

The Company is subject to taxation in the United States and various state and local jurisdictions. As of January 3, 2017, the Company is not subject to any income tax examinations. Due to tax attribute carryforwards, as of January 3, 2017, the Company remains effectively subject to U.S. federal, state and local income tax examinations by tax authorities for the tax years since 2006.