RAYCOM MEDIA, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Carve-Out Financial Statements
December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015
For the year ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, the Company had approximately, $983 million, $1,014 million and $1,076 million of federal net operating loss carryforwards expiring in 2020 through 2037 and $897 million, $916 million and $970 million, respectively, of state and city net operating losses carryforwards expiring in 2016 through 2037.
On September 29, 2017, the Company acquired 100% of the equity interest of Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. (CNHI). The RSA is the primary lender for both the Company and CNHI and, due to that relationship, CNHI is considered an entity under common control. Thesecarve-out financial statements only include the deferred tax asset for CNHI’s net operating losses (NOLs) as these are to be acquired by Gray. The consolidated statements of income, statement in changes in deficit in net assets, and cash flows are presented as if the transaction occurred on January 1, 2015. The Company recorded a federal deferred tax asset for the CNHI NOLs for the period ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 of $215.5 million, $354.9 million, and $346.7 million at the historical cost. CNHI’s accumulated federal net operating losses as of December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 are $1,026 million, $1,014 million, and $990.6 million, respectively. The Company recorded the state deferred tax asset for the CNHI NOLs for the period ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 of $41.5 million, $33.4 million, and $32.3 million at the historical cost. The state net operating losses generated by CNHI in the periods ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 are $784.9 million, $767.8 million, and $741.4 million, respectively. The CNHI net operating losses have been recorded as additions to the deferred tax asset balance and as a “Noncash contribution from the Parent” in the statement of deficit in net assets. The Company recorded a valuation allowance against a portion of the CNHI state net operating losses that are expected to expire unutilized. The Company also recorded unrecognized tax benefits related to the CNHI federal and state net operating losses. The valuation allowance and unrecognized tax benefits were recorded as a reduction to the “Noncash contribution from the Parent” recorded in the statement of deficit in net assets (see additional discussion below). The tax effected net impact of these transactions to “Noncash contribution from the Parent” in the period ended December, 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015 were $5.2 million, $6.7 million, and $10.4 million, respectively.
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 be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax asset is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which temporary differences become deductible. Management considers scheduled reversals of deferred tax liabilities, cumulative earnings, projected future taxable income, and tax planning strategies that can be implemented by the Company in making the assessment. Based upon the level of historical taxable income, scheduled reversals of deferred tax liabilities, and projections of future taxable income over the periods in which the temporary differences become deductible and based on available tax planning strategies, the Company’s management presently believes that all deferred tax assets will be realized as of the period ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 with the exception of certain state net operating losses that may expire unutilized. The net valuation allowance recorded on state net operating losses for the period ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015 are $22.53 million, $18.84 million, and $18.57 million, respectively.
Unrecognized tax benefits related to the historical Raycom business recorded for the period ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015 were $3.1 million, $2.5 million, and $3.8 million, respectively.
Interest expense recorded related to unrecognized tax benefits recorded for the period ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015 amounted to $0.5 million, $0.3 million, and $2.5 million, respectively.