Interest and debt expense in fiscal year 2021 increased $23,000 compared to fiscal year 2020.
The provisions for income taxes for fiscal years 2021 and 2020 were based on estimated annual effective income tax rates of 24.4% and 24.2%, respectively, adjusted for discrete events, such as benefits resulting from stock-based awards. The increase in the estimated annual effective income tax rate was primarily attributable to an increased provision for nondeductible executive compensation during the 2021 period. The actual effective income tax rate for fiscal year 2021 was 24.0%, which was higher than the statutory federal income tax rate of 21% primarily attributable to state taxes and nondeductible executive compensation, partially offset by excess tax benefits realized on stock-based awards. The actual effective income tax rate for fiscal year 2020 was 22.8%, which was higher than the statutory federal income tax rate of 21% primarily attributable to state taxes and the meals and entertainment exclusion, partially offset by excess tax benefits realized on stock-based awards, the favorable resolution of certain tax matters during the 2020 fiscal year and state tax refunds. The effective income tax rate in fiscal year 2021 of 24.0% was lower than the 24.4% estimated annual effective income tax rate primarily due to excess tax benefits recognized on stock-based compensation arrangements in fiscal year 2021. The effective income tax rate in fiscal year 2020 of 22.8% was lower than the 24.2% estimated annual effective income tax rate primarily due to excess tax benefits recognized on stock-based compensation arrangements, the favorable resolution of certain tax matters during the 2020 fiscal year and state tax refunds in the 2020 fiscal year.
Net income was $381,524,000, or $9.98 per diluted share, in fiscal year 2021. Net income was $192,106,000, or $4.98 per diluted share, in fiscal year 2020. Net income during fiscal year 2020 was unfavorably impacted by $15,494,000, or $0.31 per diluted share, related to a one-time cost to buyout certain incentive commission arrangements with several agents, $12,593,000, or $0.25 per diluted share, related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic relief incentive payments and $2,582,000, or $0.05 per diluted share, of non-cash impairment charges related to certain assets, primarily customer contract and related customer relationship intangible assets of the Company’s Mexico subsidiaries.
Capital Resources and Liquidity
Working capital and the ratio of current assets to current liabilities were $561,255,000 and 1.6 to 1, respectively, at December 31, 2022, compared with $512,917,000 and 1.5 to 1, respectively, at December 25, 2021, and $402,038,000 and 1.5 to 1, respectively, at December 26, 2020. Landstar has historically operated with current ratios within the range of 1.5 to 1 to 2.0 to 1. Cash provided by operating activities was $622,659,000, $276,740,000, and $210,717,000 in fiscal years 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively. The increase in cash flow provided by operating activities for fiscal year 2022 was primarily attributable to favorable net working capital impacts in connection with the timing of collections of receivables and payment of certain payables and increased net income. The increase in cash flow provided by operating activities for fiscal year 2021 was primarily attributable to increased net income, partially offset by the 58% increase in revenue year-over-year, which increased net receivables, defined as accounts receivable less accounts payable.
The Company declared and paid $1.10 per share, or $40,284,000 in the aggregate, in cash dividends during fiscal year 2022. During fiscal year 2022, the Company also paid $75,387,000 of dividends payable which were declared during fiscal year 2021 and included in current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet at December 25, 2021. In addition, on December 6, 2022, the Company announced that its Board of Directors declared a special cash dividend of $2.00 per share, or $71,854,000 in the aggregate, payable on January 20, 2023 to stockholders of record of its Common Stock as of January 6, 2023. Dividends payable of $71,854,000 related to this special dividend were included in current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2022. The Company declared and paid $0.92 per share, or $35,191,000 in the aggregate, in cash dividends during fiscal year 2021 and, during such period, also paid $76,770,000 of dividends payable which were declared during fiscal year 2020 and included in current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet at December 26, 2020. The Company declared and paid $0.79 per share, or $30,557,000 in the aggregate, in cash dividends during fiscal year 2020 and, during such period, also paid $78,947,000 of dividends payable which were declared during fiscal year 2019 and included in current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet at December 28, 2019. Since paying its first cash dividend in August 2005, the Company has paid approximately $728,000,000 in cash dividends in the aggregate to its stockholders, inclusive of the $2.00 per share special dividend paid on January 20, 2023.
During fiscal year 2022, the Company purchased 1,900,826 shares of its Common Stock at a total cost of $285,983,000. During fiscal year 2021, the Company purchased 733,854 shares of its Common Stock at a total cost of $122,722,000. During fiscal year 2020, the Company purchased 1,178,970 shares of its Common Stock at a total cost of $115,962,000. The Company has used cash provided by operating activities to fund the purchases. Since January 1997, the Company has purchased approximately $2,200,000,000 of its Common Stock under programs authorized by the Board of Directors of the Company in open market and private block transactions. As of December 31, 2022, the Company may purchase in the aggregate up to 3,000,000 shares of its Common Stock under its authorized stock purchase programs. Long-term debt, including current maturities, was $103,400,000 at December 31, 2022, compared to $111,804,000 at December 25, 2021 and $100,774,000 at December 26, 2020.
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