Note 7 - Income Taxes

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2025

Notes to Financial Statements

Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block]

(7) Income Taxes

Components of income tax expense from operations follows:

	Three months ended						Six months ended
	June 30,						June 30,
(in thousands)	2025			2024			2025			2024
Current income tax expense:
Federal	$	8,640		$	7,096		$	15,038		$	12,212
State		1,796			1,658			3,164			2,856
Total current income tax expense		10,436			8,754			18,202			15,068
Deferred income tax benefit:
Federal		(1,248	)		(857	)		(792	)		(270	)
State		(266	)		(227	)		(138	)		(60	)
Total deferred income tax benefit		(1,514	)		(1,084	)		(930	)		(330	)
Change in valuation allowance		-			-			-			-
Total income tax expense	$	8,922		$	7,670		$	17,272		$	14,738

An analysis of the difference between the statutory and ETRs from operations follows:

	Three months ended						Six months ended
	June 30,						June 30,
	2025			2024			2025			2024
U.S. federal statutory income tax rate		21.00	%		21.00	%		21.00	%		21.00	%
State income taxes, net of federal benefit		2.81			3.21			2.83			3.20
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation arrangements		(0.24	)		0.09			(0.44	)		0.20
Change in cash surrender value of life insurance		(0.90	)		(0.45	)		(0.56	)		(0.70	)
Tax Credits		(2.54	)		(1.51	)		(2.62	)		(1.10	)
Tax exempt interest income		(0.33	)		(0.45	)		(0.34	)		(0.50	)
Other, net		0.97			(0.14	)		0.55			(0.50	)
Effective tax rate		20.77	%		21.75	%		20.42	%		21.60	%

Current state income tax expense for 2025 and 2024 represents tax owed to the states of Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois. Ohio state taxes are based on bank capital levels and are recorded as other non-interest expense.

On April 10, 2023, the IRS issued a proposed regulation that would potentially classify section 831(b) captive activity as a “listed transaction,” and disallow the related tax benefits, both prospectively and retroactively. The regulation was finalized on January 10, 2025, clarifying what is considered a listed transaction or a transaction of interest. Based on the final regulations, there is no change in the status for the captive insurance structure in place previously, which Bancorp dissolved in 2023. The captive remains classified as a transaction of interest for the open tax years and there is no reserve for an uncertain tax position based on the final regulation.

GAAP provides guidance on financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken, or expected to be taken, in tax returns. If recognized, tax benefits would reduce tax expense and accordingly, increase net income. The amount of unrecognized tax benefits may increase or decrease in the future for various reasons including adding amounts for current year tax positions, expiration of open income tax returns due to statutes of limitation, changes in management’s judgment about the level of uncertainty, status of examination, litigation and legislative activity and addition or elimination of uncertain tax positions. As of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, the gross amount of unrecognized tax benefits was immaterial to Bancorp’s consolidated financial statements. Federal income tax returns are subject to examination for the years after 2020 and state income tax returns are subject to examination for the years after 2019.

On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed into law the legislation formally titled “An Act to Provide for Reconciliation Pursuant to Title II of H. Con. Res. 14” and commonly referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill (“the Act”). Bancorp is currently evaluating income tax implications of the Act, but does not expect the Act to have a material impact on the financial statements.

Bancorp periodically invests in certain partnerships that generate federal income tax credits. The tax benefit of these investments exceeds the amortization expense associated with them, resulting in a positive impact on net income. In addition to income tax benefits, these investments also serve as an economical means of achieving CRA goals. The investments in such partnerships are recorded in other assets on the consolidated balance sheets, while the corresponding contribution requirements are recorded in other liabilities. While contributions are made periodically over the life of the respective investments, which can be up to 10 years depending on the type of investment, the majority of contributions associated with a respective investment are made within the first few years after entering the partnership.

Bancorp’s investments in tax credit partnerships, including the related unfunded contributions, totaled $198 million and $185 million as of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively, and are included in other assets on the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

As of June 30, 2025, Bancorp’s expected payments for unfunded contributions related to investments in tax credit partnerships, which are accrued and included in other liabilities on the condensed consolidated balance sheets, were as follows:

(dollars in thousands)	June 30, 2025
Remainder of 2025	$	46,710
2026		52,675
2027		23,367
2028		3,166
2029		1,439
Thereafter		7,444
Total unfunded contributions	$	134,801

The following table presents tax credits and other tax benefits recognized in addition to amortization expense related to Bancorp’s investment in tax credit partnerships for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2025 and 2024:

	Three months ended				Six months ended
	June 30,				June 30,
(in thousands)	2025		2024		2025		2024
Proportional amortization method:
Tax credits and other tax benefits recognized	$	5,705	$	3,469	$	11,409	$	7,122
Amortization expense in provision for income taxes		4,446		2,920		8,893		5,826

There were no impairment losses related to Bancorp’s investments in tax credit partnerships during the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2025 and 2024.