Overall, Blucora reported $30.7 million in net income for the most recently ended quarter, a 34.6-percent increase from $22.8 million a year earlier. Company revenue was $182.4 million, up 10 percent from $165.8 million in last year's corresponding period.

Tax preparation revenue was slightly less than $100 million for the first quarter ended March 31, an increase of 12.7 percent from $88.5 million a year earlier.

CEO John Clendening noted in a recent earnings webcast Blucora seeks higher-value customers while de-emphasizing free with offerings. With the market dominated by promotions of free preparation and filing, Blucora is moving a different direction

"We see an opportunity to differentiate TaxAct as a brand that stands for essential value," he said.

For tax season, Blucora reported 4.3 million efiles, a decline of 14 percent from slightly more than 5 million for the 2016 season. The only efile segment to rise was software provided through the Free File Alliance, up 4 percent. There were slightly less than 4 million efiles from online preparation this year, down 14 percent from 4.6 million in last year's corresponding period.

Consumer tax software sales produced most of the revenue for the segment. There was $88.2 million from that source for the first quarter, moving up 13.9 percent from $77.5 million the prior year. Sales to tax professionals reached $11.5 million, a rise of 4.2 percent from just over $11 million a year earlier.

Bob Scott

• Email

Bob Scott has provided information to the tax and accounting community since 1991, first as technology editor of Accounting Today, and from 1997 through 2009 as editor of its sister publication, Accounting Technology. He is known throughout the industry for his depth of knowledge and for his high journalistic standards.  Scott has made frequent appearances as a speaker, moderator and panelist and events serving tax and accounting professionals. He  has a strong background in computer journalism as an editor with two former trade publications, Computer+Software News and MIS Week and spent several years with weekly and daily newspapers in Morris County New Jersey prior to that.  A graduate of Indiana University with a degree in journalism, Bob is a native of Madison, Ind