WISCONSIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TAX CREDITS

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

WISCONSIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TAX CREDITS

WISCONSIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TAX CREDITS

(14) WISCONSIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TAX CREDITS

During the first quarter of 2015, the Company entered into an agreement with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (“WEDC”) to earn $9.0 million in refundable tax credits if the Company expends $26.3 million in capital investments and establishes and maintains 758 full-time positions over a seven-year period. The tax credits earned are first applied against the tax liability otherwise due, and if there is no such liability present, the claim for tax credits will be reimbursed in cash to the Company. The maximum amount of the refundable tax credit to be earned for each year is fixed, and the Company earns the credits by meeting certain capital investment and job creation thresholds over the seven-year period. Should the Company earn and receive the job creation tax credits but not maintain those full-time positions through the end of the agreement, the Company may be required to pay those credits back to the WEDC.

The Company records the earned tax credits as job creation and capital investments occur. The amount of tax credits earned is recorded as a liability and amortized as a reduction of operating expenses over the expected period of benefit. The tax credits earned from capital investment are recognized as an offset to depreciation expense over the expected life of the acquired capital assets. The tax credits earned related to job creation are recognized as an offset to operational expenses over the life of the agreement, as the Company is required to maintain the minimum level of full-time positions through the seven-year period.​

As of March 31, 2020, the Company has earned $9.0 million of tax credits and has received payment of $5.9 million from the WEDC. The unpaid portion is $3.1 million, of which $1.6 million is reported in prepaid expenses and other current assets and $1.5 million is reported in other long-term assets, reflecting when collection of the refundable tax credits is expected to occur. As of March 31, 2020, the Company also has recorded a $1.6 million liability in other current liabilities, which reflects when the expected benefit of the tax credit amortization will reduce future operating expenses.​

During the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company amortized $0.6 million and $0.6 million, respectively, of the tax credits earned as a reduction of operating expenses.