v3.26.1
Income Taxes
12 Months Ended
May 31, 2026
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes

NOTE H — INCOME TAXES

The provision for income taxes is calculated in accordance with ASC 740, "Income Taxes," which requires the recognition of deferred income taxes using the asset and liability method.

Income before income taxes as shown in the Consolidated Statements of Income is summarized below for the periods indicated.

Year Ended May 31,

 

2026

 

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

(In thousands)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

United States

 

$

671,812

 

 

$

645,397

 

 

$

625,167

 

Foreign

 

 

198,528

 

 

 

147,363

 

 

 

162,670

 

Income Before Income Taxes

 

$

870,340

 

 

$

792,760

 

 

$

787,837

 

 

Provision (benefit) for income taxes consists of the following for the periods indicated:

Year Ended May 31,

 

2026

 

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

(In thousands)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. federal

 

$

88,816

 

 

$

113,885

 

 

$

109,869

 

State and local

 

 

24,010

 

 

 

43,881

 

 

 

31,996

 

Foreign

 

 

62,199

 

 

 

49,174

 

 

 

62,168

 

Total Current

 

 

175,025

 

 

 

206,940

 

 

 

204,033

 

Deferred:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. federal

 

 

17,525

 

 

 

25,656

 

 

 

(2,263

)

State and local

 

 

10,391

 

 

 

160

 

 

 

618

 

Foreign

 

 

4,916

 

 

 

(130,323

)

 

 

(3,993

)

Total Deferred

 

 

32,832

 

 

 

(104,507

)

 

 

(5,638

)

Provision for Income Taxes

 

$

207,857

 

 

$

102,433

 

 

$

198,395

 

The significant components of deferred income tax assets and liabilities as of May 31, 2026 and 2025 were as follows:

 

 

2026

 

 

2025

 

(In thousands)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deferred income tax assets related to:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inventories

 

$

19,650

 

 

$

17,348

 

Accrued compensation and benefits

 

 

22,456

 

 

 

15,430

 

Other accrued and prepaid expenses, net

 

 

27,166

 

 

 

21,294

 

Deferred income and other long-term liabilities

 

 

26,954

 

 

 

24,880

 

Credit, net operating, interest and capital loss carryforwards

 

 

109,875

 

 

 

60,457

 

Research and development

 

 

-

 

 

 

42,258

 

Pension and other postretirement benefits

 

 

-

 

 

 

5,069

 

Total Deferred Income Tax Assets

 

 

206,101

 

 

 

186,736

 

Less: valuation allowances

 

 

(77,342

)

 

 

(49,167

)

Net Deferred Income Tax Assets

 

 

128,759

 

 

 

137,569

 

Deferred income tax (liabilities) related to:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation

 

 

(165,326

)

 

 

(136,966

)

Amortization of intangibles

 

 

(79,602

)

 

 

(77,142

)

Unremitted foreign earnings

 

 

(435

)

 

 

-

 

Net unrealized gain on securities

 

 

(5,633

)

 

 

(372

)

Pension and other postretirement benefits

 

 

(6,112

)

 

 

-

 

Total Deferred Income Tax (Liabilities)

 

 

(257,108

)

 

 

(214,480

)

Deferred Income Tax Assets (Liabilities), Net

 

$

(128,349

)

 

$

(76,911

)

As of May 31, 2026, we had foreign tax credit carryforwards of $31.2 million, which expire at various dates through fiscal 2036, and $25.9 million of U.S. capital loss carryforwards which expire in fiscal 2031. Additionally, as of May 31, 2026, we had approximately $62.8 million of U.S. interest deduction carryforward attributes that have an indefinite carryforward period.

As of May 31, 2026, we had foreign net operating losses of approximately $119.5 million and interest deduction carryforwards of approximately $85.7 million, totaling approximately $205.2 million. Of these carryforward amounts, approximately $14.6 million will expire at various dates beginning in fiscal 2027 and approximately $190.6 million have an indefinite carryforward period. Additionally, as of May 31, 2026, we had foreign capital loss carryforwards of approximately $26.2 million that can be carried forward indefinitely.

When evaluating the realizability of deferred income tax assets, we consider, among other items, whether a jurisdiction has experienced cumulative pretax losses and whether a jurisdiction will generate the appropriate character of income to recognize a deferred income tax asset. More specifically, if a jurisdiction experiences cumulative pretax losses for a period of three years, including the current fiscal year, or if a jurisdiction does not have sufficient income of the appropriate character in the relevant carryback or projected carryforward periods, we generally conclude that it is more likely than not that the respective deferred tax asset will not be realized unless factors such as expected operational changes, availability of prudent and feasible tax planning strategies, reversal of taxable temporary differences or other information exists that would lead us to conclude otherwise. If, after we have evaluated these factors, the deferred income tax assets are not expected to be realized within the carryforward or carryback periods allowed for that jurisdiction, we would conclude that a valuation allowance is required.

Total valuation allowances approximating $77.3 and $49.2 million have been recorded as of May 31, 2026 and 2025, respectively. These recorded valuation allowances relate primarily to certain foreign net operating losses, U.S. and foreign interest deduction carryforwards, U.S. foreign tax credit and capital loss carryforwards and other net foreign deferred tax assets.

The following table reconciles fiscal 2026 income tax expense and the effective tax rate by applying the U.S. statutory federal income tax rate against income before income taxes to the tax provision for income taxes in accordance with the adoption of ASU 2023-09:

Year Ended May 31,

 

2026

 

(In thousands, except percentages)

 

Amount

 

Percent

 

Federal statutory tax rate

 

$

182,771

 

 

21.0

%

State and local income taxes, net (1)

 

 

29,359

 

 

3.4

%

Foreign tax effects:

 

 

 

 

 

Canada

 

 

 

 

 

Withholding tax

 

 

19,856

 

 

2.3

%

Other adjustments

 

 

1,497

 

 

0.2

%

United Kingdom

 

 

 

 

 

Intragroup asset transfer

 

 

18,509

 

 

2.1

%

Other adjustments

 

 

(155

)

 

0.0

%

Other foreign jurisdictions

 

 

6,943

 

 

0.8

%

Effect of cross border tax laws

 

 

(2,107

)

 

(0.2

%)

Tax credits:

 

 

 

 

 

Foreign tax credit

 

 

(23,503

)

 

(2.7

%)

Other

 

 

(3,000

)

 

(0.4

%)

Changes in valuation allowances

 

 

18,981

 

 

2.2

%

Nontaxable or nondeductible items

 

 

4,858

 

 

0.5

%

Changes in unrecognized tax benefits

 

 

(13

)

 

0.0

%

Other adjustments:

 

 

 

 

 

Capital losses

 

 

(18,369

)

 

(2.1

%)

U.S. interest deduction carryforwards

 

 

(13,315

)

 

(1.5

%)

Intragroup asset transfer

 

 

(17,839

)

 

(2.1

%)

Other

 

 

3,384

 

 

0.4

%

Effective Income Tax Rate

 

$

207,857

 

 

23.9

%

(1)
State income taxes in California, Illinois, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York and Wisconsin account for the majority (greater than 50%) of the tax effect in this category.

The following table reconciles income tax expense for years prior to the adoption of ASU 2023-09:

Year Ended May 31,

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

(In thousands, except percentages)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income tax expense at the U.S. statutory federal income tax rate

 

$

166,480

 

 

$

165,446

 

Foreign rate differential and other foreign tax adjustments

 

 

(32,497

)

 

 

9,632

 

Impact of foreign derived intangible income deduction

 

 

(38,174

)

 

 

(5,290

)

State and local income taxes, net

 

 

34,432

 

 

 

28,000

 

Impact of GILTI provisions

 

 

3,960

 

 

 

3,548

 

Nondeductible business expense

 

 

1,895

 

 

 

1,944

 

Valuation allowance

 

 

17,246

 

 

 

(754

)

Deferred tax liability for unremitted foreign earnings

 

 

-

 

 

 

3,658

 

Changes in unrecognized tax benefits

 

 

(3,771

)

 

 

2,209

 

Equity-based compensation

 

 

(1,963

)

 

 

(5,496

)

Nondeductible goodwill impairment

 

 

2,119

 

 

 

-

 

Deferred tax adjustment to U.S. foreign tax credit carryforwards

 

 

(43,922

)

 

 

-

 

Other

 

 

(3,372

)

 

 

(4,502

)

Provision for Income Tax Expense

 

$

102,433

 

 

$

198,395

 

Effective Income Tax Rate

 

 

12.9

%

 

 

25.2

%

The fiscal 2025 provision for income taxes includes incremental benefits of the U.S. deduction for foreign derived intangible income and the foreign tax rate differential associated with certain global capital structure initiatives. Additionally, during fiscal 2025, following developments in U.S. tax case law, we assessed certain of our income tax positions and recorded a deferred tax adjustment totaling $43.9 million, which represents an increase to our deferred income tax assets for U.S. foreign tax credit carryforwards.

The following table summarizes total income taxes paid, net of refunds received, by material jurisdiction in accordance with the adoption of ASU 2023-09:

Year Ended May 31,

 

2026

 

(In thousands)

 

 

 

U.S. federal

 

$

103,150

 

State and local:

 

 

 

California

 

 

9,690

 

Other states

 

 

32,968

 

Foreign

 

 

52,560

 

Total income taxes paid, net of refunds

 

$

198,368

 

Uncertain income tax positions are accounted for in accordance with ASC 740. The following table summarizes the activity related to unrecognized tax benefits:

(In millions)

 

2026

 

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

Balance at June 1

 

$

1.6

 

 

$

4.4

 

 

$

2.9

 

Additions for tax positions of prior years

 

 

-

 

 

 

0.2

 

 

 

3.4

 

Reductions for tax positions of prior years

 

 

(0.1

)

 

 

(2.9

)

 

 

(1.4

)

Settlements

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

(0.5

)

Foreign currency translation

 

 

-

 

 

 

(0.1

)

 

 

-

 

Balance at May 31

 

$

1.5

 

 

$

1.6

 

 

$

4.4

 

The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits that would impact the effective tax rate, if recognized, at May 31, 2026, 2025 and 2024 was $1.5 million, $1.6 million and $4.4 million, respectively.

We recognize interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense. At May 31, 2026, 2025 and 2024, the accrual for interest and penalties was $0.7 million, $0.6 million and $3.0 million, respectively. Unrecognized tax benefits, including interest and penalties, have been classified as other long-term liabilities unless expected to be paid in one year.

We file income tax returns in the United States and in various state, local and foreign jurisdictions. With limited exceptions, we are subject to federal, state and local, or non-U.S. income tax examinations by tax authorities for fiscal 2019 through 2027. Our fiscal 2023 U.S. federal income tax return is currently under examination. Additionally, we are currently under examination, or have been notified of an upcoming tax examination, for various non-U.S. and domestic state and local jurisdictions.

As of May 31, 2026, we have approximately $171.6 million of unremitted foreign earnings that are not considered to be permanently reinvested. There is a $0.4 million deferred income tax liability associated with these earnings.

We have not provided for U.S. income taxes or foreign withholding taxes on the remaining foreign unremitted earnings because such earnings have been retained and reinvested by the foreign subsidiaries as of May 31, 2026. Accordingly, no provision has been made for U.S. income taxes or foreign withholding taxes, which may become payable if the remaining unremitted earnings of foreign subsidiaries were distributed to the United States. Due to the uncertainties and complexities involved in the various options for repatriation of foreign earnings, it is not practical to calculate the deferred taxes associated with the remaining foreign earnings.

On July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (the “Act”) was enacted in the U.S. The Act includes significant changes to corporate income tax provisions. Included in the Act are certain changes including immediate expensing for most business assets acquired and the elimination of the requirement to capitalize and amortize domestic R&D expenditures. Additionally, the Act provided taxpayers an election to accelerate amortization deductions for prior year R&D expenditures. The fiscal 2026 provision for income taxes reflects the Company’s intent to elect to accelerate such amortization deductions.