Get Started for Free Contexxia identifies hard-to-find pieces of information in SEC filings. No more highlighters, no more redlining, no more poring over huge documents. SEI INVESTMENTS CO (350894) 10-Q published on Apr 20, 2017 at 8:52 am
Reporting Period: Mar 30, 2017
There have been no significant changes in significant accounting policies during the three months ended March 31, 2017 as compared to the significant accounting policies described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 with the exception of the adoption of Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting (ASU 2016-09). As required by ASU 2016-09, excess tax benefits recognized on stock-based compensation expense are reflected in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations as a component of the provision for income taxes on a prospective basis (See Note 11). Additionally, excess tax benefits or deficiencies recognized on stock-based compensation expense are classified as an operating activity in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. The Company has applied this provision retrospectively for the periods prior to the date of adoption. As a result, for the three months ended March 31, 2016, net cash provided by operating activities increased by $624 with a corresponding offset to net cash used for financing activities.
ASU 2016-09 also allows for the option to account for forfeitures as they occur when determining the amount of compensation cost to be recognized, rather than estimating expected forfeitures over the course of a vesting period. The Company elected to account for forfeitures as they occur. In addition, ASU 2016-09 eliminates anticipated windfalls and shortfalls that were included in the calculation of assumed proceeds for computing the dilutive effect of share-based payment awards in the calculation of diluted earnings per share. No adjustments to the Company's prior period reported diluted earnings per share amounts were permitted by ASU 2016-09.
The decrease in the tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2017 was primarily due to the adoption of ASU 2016-09. Under this standard, the tax effects of stock option exercises are treated as discrete items in the reporting period in which they occur. Therefore, the tax effect of stock option exercises is not spread over the entire year through the use of the annual effective tax rate, but instead is recorded entirely in the period in which the tax deduction arose. Accordingly, the Company recorded the income tax benefit as a discrete item in income for the three months ended March 31, 2017. The Company's effective tax rate could fluctuate significantly on a quarterly basis due to the tax effects of stock-based compensation.
The Company estimates it will recognize $3,849 of gross unrecognized tax benefits which is expected to be paid within one year due to the expiration of the statute of limitations and resolution of income tax audits and is netted against the current payable account. These unrecognized tax benefits are related to tax positions taken on certain federal, state, and foreign tax returns. However, the timing of the resolution of income tax examinations is highly uncertain, and the amounts ultimately paid, if any, upon resolution of the issues raised by the taxing authorities may differ materially from the amounts accrued for each year. While it is reasonably possible that some issues under examination could be resolved in the next twelve months, based upon the current facts and circumstances, the Company cannot reasonably estimate the timing of such resolution or the total range of potential changes as it relates to the current unrecognized tax benefits that are recorded as part of the Company’s financial statements.
The decrease in our tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2017 was primarily due to the adoption of ASU 2016-09. Under this standard, we no longer record excess tax benefits from stock option exercises as an increase to additional paid in capital, but record such excess tax benefits as a reduction of income tax expense in the reporting period in which the exercises occur. At each interim reporting period, the cumulative stock option exercise activity is remeasured against year to date net income, resulting in an adjustment to the effect from excess tax benefits on our quarterly tax rate. Consequently, our effective tax rate could fluctuate significantly on a quarterly basis due to the tax effects of stock-based compensation.