INCOME TAXES

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2025

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

INCOME TAXES

8.INCOME TAXES

Income taxes are accounted for under the provisions of ASC 740, "Income Taxes". ASC 740 generally requires CoreCivic to record deferred income taxes for the tax effect of differences between book and tax bases of its assets and liabilities. Deferred income taxes reflect the available net operating losses and the net tax effect of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities is recognized in the consolidated statement of operations in the period that includes the enactment date. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act ("OBBBA") was passed by the U.S. Congress in 2025 and signed into law by President Trump on July 4, 2025. The OBBBA includes a broad range of tax reform provisions, such as the permanent extension of certain expiring provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, modifications to the international tax framework and the restoration of favorable tax treatment for certain business provisions. The legislation has multiple effective dates, with certain provisions effective in 2025 and others implemented through 2027. The Company is continuing to evaluate the impact of these legislative changes.

Realization of the future tax benefits related to deferred tax assets is dependent on many factors, including CoreCivic's past earnings history, expected future earnings, the character and jurisdiction of such earnings, unsettled circumstances that, if unfavorably resolved, would adversely affect utilization of its deferred tax assets, carryback and carryforward periods, and tax strategies that could potentially enhance the likelihood of realization of a deferred tax asset. CoreCivic recorded an income tax expense of $13.7 million and $8.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively. CoreCivic recorded an income tax expense of $20.7 million and $8.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively. The Company’s net income tax rate in the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024 varied from its statutory tax rate primarily due to a $2.5 million and $2.6 million tax benefit for stock-based compensation vesting recognized in the first six months of 2025 and 2024, respectively.

Income Tax Contingencies

ASC 740 prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. The guidance prescribed in ASC 740 establishes a recognition threshold of more likely than not that a tax position will be sustained upon examination. The measurement attribute requires that a tax position be measured at the largest amount of benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement.

CoreCivic had no liabilities recorded for uncertain tax positions as of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024. CoreCivic recognizes interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax positions in income tax expense. CoreCivic does not currently anticipate that the total amount of unrecognized tax positions will significantly change in the next twelve months.