Interest expense. Interest expense totaled $602,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2023, an increase of $102,000 from $499,000 for the same period in the prior year. The increase in interest expense was primarily due to interest paid for equipment financing added in late fiscal year 2023 and an increase in interest rates.
Loss Gain on sale of equipment. Loss on sale of equipment totaled $13,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2023, a decrease of $18,000 from $31,000 for the same period in the prior year. The Company sold certain underutilized or non-working pieces of equipment during the three months ended December 31, 2023, with no comparable sale occurring during the three months ended December 31, 2022.
Net income. Income before income taxes was $3.1 million for the three months ended December 31, 2023, as compared to $59,000 for the same period in the prior year. The increase was primarily related to the items mentioned above.
Income tax expense for the three months ended December 31, 2023, was $1.1 million compared to an income tax benefit of ($80,000) for the same period in the prior year. The increase in income tax expense was due to the increase in taxable income for the three months ended December 31, 2023, as compared to the prior period.
Net income for the three months ended December 31, 2023, was $2.0 million, as compared to $138,000 for the same period in the prior year.
Comparison of Financial Condition at December 31, 2023, and September 30, 2023
The Company had total assets of $136.4 million at December 31, 2023, a decrease of $6.1 million from the prior fiscal year end balance of $142.5 million.
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts, totaled $43.2 million at December 31, 2023, a decrease of $8.0 million from the prior fiscal year end balance of $51.2 million. The decrease was primarily due to the timing of cash collections and project invoicing since September 30, 2023.
Cash and cash equivalents totaled $11.3 million at December 31, 2023, an increase of $5.2 million from the prior fiscal year end balance of $16.4 million. The decrease was primarily due to a net $2.9 million provided from operating activities, partially offset by a net $1.0 million investment in equipment, and $7.0 million in net short-term and long-term debt repayments.
Prepaid expenses and other totaled $2.7 million at December 31, 2023, a decrease of $833,000 from the prior fiscal year end balance of $3.5 million. The decrease was primarily due to expensing prepaid insurance during the three months ended December 31, 2023.
Right-of-use assets totaled $2.9 million at December 31, 2023, a decrease of $409,000 from the prior fiscal year end balance of $3.3 million. The decrease was primarily due to the amortization of operating leases during the three months ended December 31, 2023, partially offset by a net increase in leased vehicles.
The Company had net property, plant and equipment of $36.3 million at December 31, 2023, a decrease of $248,000 from the prior fiscal year end balance of $36.5 million. The decrease was due to $2.2 million in asset additions, partially offset by $2.1 million in depreciation and net equipment disposals of $379,000.
Intangible assets, net totaled $3.3 million at December 31, 2023, a decrease of $108,000 from the prior fiscal year end balance of $3.4 million. The decrease was due to the amortization of intangible assets during the three months ended December 31, 2023.
Contract assets totaled $21.8 million at December 31, 2023, an increase of $5.8 million from the prior fiscal year end balance of $16.0 million. The increase was due to a difference in the timing of project billings at December 31, 2023, compared to September 30, 2023.
Retainage receivable totaled $9.7 million at December 31, 2023, an increase of $2.1 million from the prior fiscal year end balance of $7.6 million. The increase was primarily due to more current year projects that require retainages to be withheld.
Goodwill totaled $4.1 million at December 31, 2023 and September 30, 2023.