Note 12—Income Taxes

On December 22, 2017, the President signed into law the Tax Reform Act which, among other things, lowered the maximum corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% beginning in 2018. The deferred tax assets and liabilities represent the future tax return consequences of those differences, which will either be taxable or deductible when the assets and liabilities are recovered or settled. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are reflected at income tax rates applicable to the period in which the deferred tax assets or liabilities are expected to be realized or settled. As changes in tax laws or rates are enacted, deferred tax assets and liabilities are adjusted through the provision for income taxes. As a result of the Tax Reform Act, the Company revalued its deferred tax assets and liabilities and recorded a provisional $26.6 million of additional income tax expense in the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

On December 22, 2017, the SEC staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 to address the application of U.S. GAAP in situations when a registrant does not have the necessary information available, prepared, or analyzed (including computations) in reasonable detail to complete the accounting for certain income tax effects of the Tax Reform Act. The Company has recognized the provisional tax impact related to the revaluation of deferred tax assets and liabilities and included that amount in its consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2017. The ultimate impact may differ from these provisional amounts, possibly materially, due to, among other things, additional analysis, changes in interpretations and assumptions the Company has made, additional regulatory guidance that may be issued, and actions the Company may take as a result of the Tax Reform Act. The accounting is expected to be completed when the 2017 U.S. corporate tax return is filed in 2018.

The provision for income taxes consists of the following:


	Year Ended December 31,
(Dollars in thousands)	2017		2016		2015
Current:
Federal	$	46,153	$	37,187	$	41,527
State		3,018		3,325		2,327
Total current tax expense		49,171		40,512		43,854
Deferred:
Federal		31,971		11,684		6,344
State		109		564		704
Total deferred tax expense		32,080		12,248		7,048
Provision for income taxes	$	81,251	$	52,760	$	50,902

The provision for income taxes differs from that computed by applying the federal statutory income tax rate of 35% to income before provision for income taxes, as indicated in the following analysis:


	Year Ended December 31,
(Dollars in thousands)	2017		2016		2015
Income taxes at federal statutory rate	$	59,082	$	53,915	$	52,631
Increase (reduction) of taxes resulting from:
State income taxes, net of federal tax benefit		2,032		2,527		1,970
Non-deductible merger expenses		586		686		—
Tax-exempt interest		(2,840)		(1,956)		(1,842)
Income tax credits		(1,951)		(2,068)		(1,781)
Dividends received deduction		(12)		(12)		(8)
Revaluation of net deferred tax asset due to tax law change		26,558		—		—
Other, net		(2,204)		(332)		(68)
	$	81,251	$	52,760	$	50,902

The components of the net deferred tax asset are as follows:


	December 31,
(Dollars in thousands)	2017		2016
Allowance for loan losses	$	11,011	$	14,913
Other-than-temporary impairment on securities		257		295
Share-based compensation		3,935		3,915
Pension plan and post-retirement benefits		607		1,450
Deferred compensation		13,048		3,155
Purchase accounting adjustments		33,888		34,499
FDIC Acquisition		3,190		—
Other real estate owned		838		962
Tax deductible goodwill		32		682
Net operating loss carryforwards		14,066		14,645
Cash flow hedge		54		190
Unrealized losses on investment securities available for sale		3,472		1,053
Other		643		688
Total deferred tax assets		85,041		76,447
FDIC Acquisition		—		3,540
Depreciation		5,870		7,510
Intangible assets		14,745		11,239
Deferred loan fees		7,840		7,911
Prepaid expense		474		523
Mortgage servicing rights		6,818		10,380
Other		372		2,219
Total deferred tax liabilities		36,119		43,322
Net deferred tax assets before valuation allowance		48,922		33,125
Less, valuation allowance		(3,020)		(2,002)
Net deferred tax assets	$	45,902	$	31,123

The Company had federal net operating loss (“NOL”) carryforwards of $30.3 million and $27.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, which expire in varying amounts through 2034. As a result of the Peoples, Savannah and Park Sterling ownership changes in 2012 and 2017, respectively, Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code places an annual limitation of the amount of federal net operating loss carryforwards which the Company may utilize. Additionally, section 382 limits the Company’s ability to utilize certain tax deductions (realized built‑in losses or “RBIL”) due to the existence of a Net Unrealized Built‑in Loss (“NUBIL”) at the time of the change in control. The Company is allowed to carry forward any such RBIL under terms similar to those related to NOLs. Consequently, $7.5 million of the Company’s NOL carryforwards attributed to the Peoples acquisition are subject to annual limitations of $1.5 million, and $17.0 million of the Company’s NOL carryforwards attributed to the Savannah acquisition are subject to annual limitation of $2.0 million, and $5.8 million of the Company’s NOL carryforwards attributed to the Park Sterling acquisition are subject to annual limitations of $3.3 million. Additionally, the Company’s RBIL carryforwards attributed to the Park Sterling acquisition totaling $15 million are subject to annual limitations of $1.1 million. The Company expects all section 382 limited carryforwards to be realized within the applicable carryforward period.

The Company had state net operating loss carryforwards of $88.5 million and $72.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 respectively, which expire in varying amounts through 2037. There is a valuation allowance of $3.0 million that relates to the parent company’s state operating loss carryforwards for which realizability is uncertain. The change in the valuation allowance for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015 was immaterial.

In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. Management considers the scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable income and tax planning strategies in making this assessment. Based on the level of historical taxable income and projections for future taxable income over the periods in which the deferred tax assets are deductible, management believes it is more likely than not that the Company will realize the benefits of these deferred tax assets, net of the valuation allowance at December 31, 2017.

As of December 31, 2017, the Company had no material unrecognized tax benefits or accrued interest and penalties. It is the Company’s policy to account for interest and penalties accrued relative to unrecognized tax benefits as a component of income tax expense.

Generally, the Company’s federal and state income tax returns are no longer subject to examination by taxing authorities for years prior to 2014.