For the three months ended November 30, 2021 and 2020, 40,000 potential common shares (issuable upon conversion of 36,000 shares of the Company’s Series A cumulative convertible preferred stock) have been excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share because their inclusion would be anti-dilutive since the conversion price was greater than the average market price of the common stock.
Note 6. Related Party Transactions
The Company leases its Chicago area sales office and distribution center located in Glendale Heights, Illinois under an operating lease agreement (the “Glendale Lease”) from the Glen F. Ceiley and Barbara A.Ceiley Revocable Trust (the “Trust”), which is the grantor trust of Glen Ceiley, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board, and majority shareholder. The Glendale Lease is a ten year lease with an initial monthly rental rate of $22,600, which is subject to annual rent increases of approximately 2.5% as set forth in the Glendale Lease. During the three months ended November 30, 2021 and 2020, the Company incurred expense related to the Glendale Lease of approximately $75,000 and $72,000, respectively.
On July 26, 2019, the Company entered into a Commercial Lease Agreement with the Trust (the “Hunter Lease”), for the lease of the Hunter Property, which houses the Company’s new corporate headquarters. The Company completed its move to the new headquarters located at the Hunter Property in March 2020. The term of the Hunter Lease commenced on September 2, 2019 and ends on August 31, 2029 with an initial monthly rental rate of $66,300, which is subject to annual rent increases of approximately 2.5% as set forth in the Hunter Lease. During the three months ended November 30, 2021 and 2020, the Company incurred expense related to the Hunter Lease of approximately $209,000 and $204,000, respectively.
Note 7. Income Taxes
On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (“the CARES Act”). Intended to provide economic relief to those impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the CARES Act includes provisions, among others, addressing the carryback of net operating losses for specific periods, refunds of alternative minimum tax credits, temporary modifications to the limitations placed on the tax deductibility of net interest expenses, and technical amendments for qualified improvement property (“QIP”). Additionally, the CARES Act, in efforts to enhance business’ liquidity, provides for refundable employee retention tax credits and the deferral of the employer-paid portion of social security taxes.
We are continuing to examine additional impacts that the CARES Act may have on our U.S. business, and other operations impacted by COVID-19. The effects and ultimate results of our evaluation, if any, could result in temporary book-to-tax timing differences (i.e., no effective tax rate impact) for income tax purposes.
During the three months ended November 30, 2021 and 2020, the Company recorded an income tax provision of $2,389,000 and $298,000, respectively, resulting in an effective tax rate of 26.0% and 25.9%, respectively. The current period effective tax rate differs from the statutory rate of 21% primarily due to the state tax rates and permanent book tax differences.
Accounting for uncertainty in income taxes prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return and provides guidance on de-recognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure, and transition. For the three months ended November 30, 2021, the Company did not have a liability for any unrecognized tax benefit. The Company has elected to classify interest and penalties as a component of its income tax provision. For the three months ended November 30, 2021, the Company did not have a liability for penalties or interest. The Company does not expect any changes to its unrecognized tax benefit for the next nine months that would materially impact its consolidated financial statements.
The Company’s tax years for 2018, 2019 and 2020 are subject to examination by the taxing authorities. With few exceptions, the Company is no longer subject to U.S. federal, state, local or foreign examinations by taxing authorities for years before 2017.
Note 8. Commitments and Contingencies
From time to time, we may be subject to legal proceedings and claims which arise in the normal course of our business. Any such matters and disputes could be costly and time consuming, subject us to damages or equitable remedies, and divert our management and key personnel from our business operations. We currently are not a party to any legal proceedings, the adverse outcome of which, in management’s opinion, individually or in the aggregate, would have a material adverse effect on our consolidated results of operations, financial position or cash flows.