ACNB Corporation (NASDAQ:ACNB) Files An 8-K Other EventsITEM 8.01 Other Events
On December22, 2017, the United States government enacted comprehensive federal tax legislation, known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”). The Tax Act made broad and complex changes to the U.S. tax code, including a reduction in the base federal corporate tax rate from the prior existing statutory rate, which was 35% for ACNB Corporation (the “Company”), to 21%. The Company continues to analyze the Tax Act to determine the full effects of the new law, including a new lower corporate tax rate, on its financial condition and results of operations.
Based on preliminary estimates and current accounting guidance, the Company estimates that the Tax Act will result in a one-time, noncash charge against 2017 net income of approximately $1.7 million, primarily due to the write-down of the Company’s net deferred tax assets due to the Tax Act’s reduction in the base corporate tax rate to 21%. This estimate is based on a preliminary review and analysis of the Company’s net deferred tax assets at December31, 2017, as well as expected adjustments to various deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities in the fourth quarter, including those accounted for in accumulated other comprehensive income. The write-down is expected to result in a reduction of net income of approximately $0.24 per share based on estimated fourth quarter weighted average shares of approximately 7,020,000. The actual amount of this adjustment may vary from the estimate.
While the Tax Act will negatively impact earnings for the fourth quarter of 2017, the Company expects to remain well capitalized under the regulatory framework, and it is not expected to adversely impact the Company’s dividend policy, dividend payments, or future ability to pay dividends. The lower corporate tax rate is expected to be a significant ongoing benefit that should increase the Company’s future capacity to generate capital through an anticipated increase in organic earnings.
These preliminary estimates of the impact of the Tax Act on the Company should not be viewed as a substitute for full financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, and are not necessarily indicative of the results to be achieved for future periods. The estimates have been prepared by management and the Company’s independent auditors have not completed their audit or review of the information. The actual write-down may vary materially from the estimates due to a number of uncertainties and factors, including completion of the Company’s consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ending December31, 2017, and is subject to further clarification of the new law that cannot be reasonably estimated at this time.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS – This Current Report on Form8-K may contain forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, (a)projections or statements regarding future earnings, expenses, net interest income, other income, earnings or loss per share, asset mix and quality, growth prospects, capital structure, and other financial terms, (b)statements of plans and objectives of management or the Board of Directors, and (c)statements of assumptions, such as economic conditions in the Company’s market areas. Such forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “believes”, “expects”, “may”, “intends”, “will”, “should”, “anticipates”, or the negative of any of the foregoing or other variations thereon or comparable terminology, or by discussion of strategy. Forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties such as local economic conditions, competitive factors, and regulatory limitations. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors that could