Meritage Homes Corporation Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2015

Components of the income tax provision are as follows (in thousands):



	Three Months Ended June 30,				Six Months Ended June 30,
	2015		2014		2015		2014
Federal	$	11,767	$	17,976	$	19,427	$	30,858
State	514		2,181		1,751		3,680
Total	$	12,281	$	20,157	$	21,178	$	34,538

The effective tax rate for the three and six months ended June 30, 2015 was 29.7% and 31.7%, respectively, and for the three and six months ended June 30, 2014 was 36.5% and 36.4%, respectively. Our tax rate has been favorably impacted in both periods by the homebuilding manufacturing deduction and in 2015 there was a favorable impact from additional estimated federal energy tax credits related to prior tax years. The 2014 impact from such credits was fully recognized in the fourth quarter of 2014. In the second quarter of 2015, there was also a favorable impact from a state tax rate reduction in Texas due to a change in law.

At June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, we have no unrecognized tax benefits due to the lapse of the statute of limitations and completion of audits for prior years. We believe that our current income tax filing positions and deductions will be sustained on audit and do not anticipate any adjustments that will result in a material change. Our policy is to accrue interest and penalties on unrecognized tax benefits and include them in federal income tax expense.

In accordance with ASC 740-10, Income Taxes ("ASC 740"), we determine our deferred tax assets and liabilities by taxing jurisdiction. We evaluate our deferred tax assets, including the benefit from NOLs, by jurisdiction to determine if a valuation allowance is required. Companies must assess whether a valuation allowance should be established based on the consideration of all available evidence using a “more likely than not” standard with significant weight being given to evidence that can be objectively verified. This assessment considers, among other matters, the nature, frequency and severity of cumulative losses, forecasts of future profitability, the length of statutory carryforward periods, experiences with operating losses and experiences of utilizing tax credit carryforwards and tax planning alternatives. We have no valuation allowance on our deferred tax assets and NOL carryovers at June 30, 2015.

At June 30, 2015, we had no remaining federal NOL carryforward or federal tax credits. At June 30, 2015, we had tax benefits for state NOL carryforwards of $4.6 million, unchanged from December 31, 2014, that begin to expire in 2015 depending on the state jurisdiction.

At June 30, 2015, we have income taxes payable of $0.4 million, which primarily consists of current federal and state tax accruals, net of estimated tax payments and tax credits. This amount is recorded in Accrued liabilities in the accompanying unaudited balance sheet at June 30, 2015.

We conduct business and are subject to tax in the U.S. and several states. With few exceptions, we are no longer subject to U.S. federal, state, or local income tax examinations by taxing authorities for years prior to 2010. We have one state income tax examination pending resolution at this time.

The tax benefits from NOLs, built-in losses, and tax credits would be materially reduced or potentially eliminated if we experience an “ownership change” as defined under Internal Revenue Code §382. Based on our analysis performed as of June 30, 2015 we do not believe that we have experienced an ownership change. As a protective measure, our stockholders held a Special Meeting of Stockholders on February 16, 2009 and approved an amendment to our Articles of Incorporation that restricts certain transfers of our common stock. The amendment is intended to help us avoid an unintended ownership change and thereby preserve the value of any tax benefit for future utilization.