v3.25.4
Income Taxes
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025
Income Taxes  
Income Taxes

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(8)  Income Taxes

Income tax expense consisted of the following:

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​

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Year Ended December 31,

​

(in thousands)

​

2023

  ​ ​ ​

2024

  ​ ​ ​

2025

​

Current:

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

State

​

$

(6,377)

​

​

—

​

​

1,646

​

Current income tax expense (benefit)

​

​

(6,377)

​

​

—

​

​

1,646

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Deferred:

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​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

U.S. federal

​

​

108,347

​

​

119,134

​

​

121,729

​

State

​

​

26,317

​

​

28,595

​

​

27,658

​

Deferred income tax expense

​

​

134,664

​

​

147,729

​

​

149,387

​

Total income tax expense

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$

128,287

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​

147,729

​

​

151,033

​

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Income tax expense differs from the amount that would be computed by applying the U.S. statutory federal income tax rate of 21% to income before taxes as a result of the following:

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Year Ended December 31,

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​

​

2023

​

2024

​

2025

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(in thousands, except percentages)

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Amount

​

Percent

  ​ ​ ​

Amount

​

Percent

  ​ ​ ​

Amount

​

Percent

​

U.S. federal statutory income tax

​

$

105,015

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21.0

%

​

$

115,210

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21.0

%

​

$

118,481

​

21.0

%

​

State and local income tax expense, net of federal effect(1)

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​

19,940

​

4.0

%

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​

28,595

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5.2

%

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​

29,304

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5.2

%

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Changes in valuation allowance

​

​

—

​

—

%

​

​

(1,917)

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(0.3)

%

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​

77

​

—

%

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Nontaxable or nondeductible items:

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​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

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Executive compensation

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​

4,530

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0.9

%

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​

6,751

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1.2

%

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​

9,318

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1.7

%

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Other

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​

(1,198)

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(0.2)

%

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​

(910)

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(0.2)

%

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​

(6,147)

​

(1.1)

%

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Total income tax expense / Effective tax rate

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$

128,287

​

25.7

%

​

$

147,729

​

26.9

%

​

$

151,033

​

26.8

%

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(1)

West Virginia made up the majority (greater than 50 percent) of the Company’s state income tax expense, net of the federal effect for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2024 and 2025.

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Income taxes paid (refunded) consisted of the following:

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Year Ended December 31,

(in thousands)

  ​ ​ ​

2023

  ​ ​ ​

2024

  ​ ​ ​

2025

U.S. federal income taxes

​

$

—

​

​

(104)

​

​

2,000

West Virginia income taxes

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​

(9,626)

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​

—

​

​

600

Total income taxes paid (refunded)

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$

(9,626)

​

​

(104)

​

​

2,600

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Deferred income taxes reflect the impact of temporary differences between assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and such amounts as measured by tax laws. The tax effect of the temporary differences giving rise to net deferred income tax assets and liabilities is as follows:

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​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

December 31,

​

(in thousands)

  ​ ​ ​

2024

  ​ ​ ​

2025

​

Deferred income tax assets:

  ​ ​ ​

​

​

  ​ ​ ​

​

​

​

NOL carryforwards

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$

117,854

​

​

137,721

​

Equity-based compensation

​

​

3,359

​

​

3,154

​

Charitable contributions

​

​

237

​

​

332

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Total deferred income tax assets

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​

121,450

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​

141,207

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Valuation allowance

​

​

(237)

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​

(332)

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Deferred income tax assets, net

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​

121,213

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​

140,875

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​

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Deferred income tax liability:

​

​

​

​

​

​

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Investment in Antero Midstream Partners

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​

534,821

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​

703,871

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Deferred income tax liability, net

​

$

(413,608)

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​

(562,996)

​

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In assessing the realizability of the deferred income tax assets, management considers whether some portion or all of the deferred income tax assets will be realized based on a more-likely-than-not standard of judgment. The ultimate realization of deferred income tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which the Company’s temporary differences become deductible. Management considers projected future taxable income and tax planning strategies in making this assessment. Based upon the projections of future taxable income over the periods in which the deferred income tax assets are deductible, management believed that the Company will not realize the benefits of certain of these deductible differences related to charitable contributions. As such, as of December 31, 2024 and 2025, the Company recorded a full valuation allowance for its charitable contributions.

The calculation of the Company’s tax assets and liabilities involves uncertainties in the application of complex tax laws and regulations. The Company gives financial statement recognition to those tax positions that it believes are more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon examination by the IRS or state revenue authorities. As of December 31, 2024 and 2025, the Company did not have any uncertain tax positions.

As of December 31, 2025, the Company has U.S. federal and state NOL carryforwards before the effect of income taxes of $557 million and $406 million, respectively, which have no expiration date. Tax years 2022 through 2025 remain open to examination by the IRS. The Company and its subsidiaries file tax returns with various state taxing authorities, and those returns remain open to examination for tax years 2021 through 2025.