18. Income Taxes

For the three months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, the Company recorded income tax expense of $95.3 million and $0.3 million resulting in an effective tax rate of 40.0% and 44.8%, respectively. For the six months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, the Company recorded income tax expense of and $114.1 million and $3.5 million resulting in an effective tax rate of 40.0% and 38.4%, respectively. The increase in the effective tax rate for the six months ended June 30, 2013 as compared to the same period of 2012 results primarily from changes in corporate operations during the current year, which were driven by our recent business and asset acquisitions.

Income Tax Exposure

The Company was part of the Walter Energy consolidated group prior to the spin-off from Walter Energy, the principal agent, on April 17, 2009. As such, the Company is jointly and severally liable with Walter Energy for any final taxes, interest and/or penalties owed by the Walter Energy consolidated group during the time that the Company was a part of the Walter Energy consolidated group. However, in connection with the spin-off of the Company’s business from Walter Energy, the Company and Walter Energy entered into a Tax Separation Agreement dated April 17, 2009, pursuant to which Walter Energy is responsible for the payment of all federal income taxes (including any interest or penalties applicable thereto) of the consolidated group. Nonetheless, to the extent that Walter Energy is unable to pay any amounts owed, the Company could be responsible for any unpaid amounts including, according to Walter Energy’s most recent public filing on Form 10-Q, those related to the following:

•

The Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, has filed a proof of claim for a substantial amount of taxes, interest and penalties with respect to fiscal years ended August 31, 1983 through May 31, 1994. The public filing goes on to disclose that issues have been litigated in bankruptcy court and that an opinion was issued by the court in June 2010 as to the remaining disputed issues. The filing further states that the amounts initially asserted by the IRS do not reflect the subsequent resolution of various issues through settlements or concessions by the parties. Walter Energy believes that any financial exposure with respect to those issues that have not been resolved or settled by the Proof of Claim is limited to interest and possible penalties and the amount of tax assessed has been offset by tax reduction in future years. All of the issues in the Proof of Claim, which have not been settled or conceded, have been litigated before the Bankruptcy Court and are subject to appeal but only at the conclusion of the entire adversary proceedings.

•

The IRS completed its audit of Walter Energy’s federal income tax returns for the years ended May 31, 2000 through December 31, 2005. The IRS issued 30-Day Letters to Walter Energy proposing changes to tax for these tax years which Walter Energy has protested. Walter Energy’s filing states that the disputed issues in this audit period are similar to the issues remaining in the above-referenced dispute and therefore Walter Energy believes that its financial exposure for these years is limited to interest and possible penalties.

•

While the IRS had completed its audit of Walter Energy’s federal income tax returns for the years 2006 to 2008 and issued 30-Day Letters to Walter Energy proposing changes to tax for these tax years which Walter Energy has protested, the IRS reopened the audit of these periods in 2012. Walter Energy’s filing states that the disputed issues in this audit period are similar to the issue remaining in the above-referenced dispute and therefore Walter Energy believes that its financial exposure for these years is limited to interest and possible penalties.

•

Walter Energy reports that the IRS is conducting an audit of Walter Energy’s tax returns filed for 2009 and 2010. Since examination is ongoing, Walter Energy cannot estimate the amount of any resulting tax deficiency or overpayment, if any.

Walter Energy believes that all of its current and prior tax filing positions have substantial merit and intends to defend vigorously any tax claims asserted and they believe that they have sufficient accruals to address any claims, including interest and penalties, and as a result, believes that any potential difference between actual losses and costs incurred and the amounts accrued would be immaterial.

The Tax Separation Agreement also provides that Walter Energy is responsible for the preparation and filing of any tax returns for the consolidated group for the periods when the Company was part of the Walter Energy consolidated group. This arrangement may result in conflicts between Walter Energy and the Company. In addition, the spin-off of the Company from Walter Energy was intended to qualify as a tax-free spin-off under Section 355 of the Code. The Tax Separation Agreement provides generally that if the spin-off is determined not to be tax-free pursuant to Section 355 of the Code, any taxes imposed on Walter Energy or a Walter Energy shareholder as a result of such determination, or Distribution Taxes, which are the result of the acts or omissions of Walter Energy or its affiliates, will be the responsibility of Walter Energy. However, should Distribution Taxes result from the acts or omissions of the Company or its affiliates, such Distribution Taxes will be the responsibility of the Company. The Tax Separation Agreement goes on to provide that Walter Energy and the Company shall be jointly liable, pursuant to a designated allocation formula, for any Distribution Taxes that are not specifically allocated to Walter Energy or the Company. To the extent that Walter Energy is unable or unwilling to pay any Distribution Taxes for which it is responsible under the Tax Separation Agreement, the Company could be liable for those taxes as a result of being a member of the Walter Energy consolidated group for the year in which the spin-off occurred. The Tax Separation Agreement also provides for payments from Walter Energy in the event that an additional taxable dividend is required to cure a REIT disqualification from the determination of a shortfall in the distribution of non-REIT earnings and profits made immediately following the spin-off. As with Distribution Taxes, the Company will be responsible for this dividend if Walter Energy is unable or unwilling to pay.

Other Tax Exposure

On June 28, 2010, the Alabama Department of Revenue, or ADOR, preliminarily assessed financial institution excise tax of approximately $4.2 million, which includes interest and penalties, on a predecessor entity for the years 2004 through 2008. This tax is imposed on financial institutions doing business in the State of Alabama. The Company was informed that the ADOR had requested legal advice with regard to the application of certain provisions of the Alabama Constitution in response to issues the Company had previously raised in its protests to the initial assessments. In November 2012, the Company received communication from the State of Alabama that they anticipate issuing a final assessment if payment is not made. The Company has contested the assessment and believes that it did not meet the definition of a financial institution doing business in the State of Alabama as defined by the Alabama Tax Code.