Income Taxes

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income Taxes

Income TaxesFor interim financial reporting, the Company estimates the annual tax rate based on projected taxable income for the full year and records a quarterly income tax provision in accordance with ASC No. 740-270 "Accounting for Income

Taxes in Interim Periods." These interim estimates are subject to variation due to several factors, including the ability of the Company to accurately forecast pre-tax and taxable income and loss by jurisdiction, changes in laws or regulations, and expenses or losses for which tax benefits are not recognized. Jurisdictions with a projected loss for the year or an actual year-to-date loss where no tax benefit can be recognized are excluded from the estimated annual effective tax rate. The impact of including these jurisdictions on the quarterly effective tax rate calculations could result in a higher or lower effective tax rate during a quarter, based upon the mix and timing of actual earnings versus annual projections.

Prior to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the Company asserted that substantially all of the undistributed earnings of its foreign subsidiaries were considered indefinitely reinvested and accordingly, no deferred taxes were provided. Due to the Tax Act, the Company has significant previously taxed earnings and profits from its foreign subsidiaries, as a result of transition tax, that is generally able to be repatriated free of U. S. federal tax. In addition, future earnings of foreign subsidiaries are generally expected to be able to be repatriated free of U.S. federal income tax because these earnings were taxed in the U.S. under the GILTI regime or would be eligible for a 100% dividends received deduction. As a result of the Company’s treasury policy to simplify and expediate the intercompany cash flows to SWM US, as evidenced by the implementation of the Cash Pool, and in light of the Company’s demonstrated goal of driving growth though inorganic/acquisitional means, the Company has decided to no longer assert indefinite reinvestment with respect to earnings generated by foreign subsidiaries prior to January 1, 2018. Therefore, the Company does not intend to assert indefinite reinvestment of its foreign subsidiaries to the extent of each CFC’s earnings and profits and to the extent of any foreign partnership’s U.S. tax capital accounts. As a result, the Company has provided for non-U.S. withholding taxes, U.S. federal tax related to currency movement on previously-taxed earnings and profits, and U.S. state taxes on unremitted earnings.

All unrecognized tax positions could impact the Company's effective tax rate if recognized. With respect to penalties and interest incurred from income tax assessments or related to unrecognized tax benefits, the Company’s policy is to classify penalties as provision for income taxes and interest as interest expense in its condensed consolidated statement of income. There were no material income tax penalties or interest accrued during the three months ended March 31, 2022 or 2021.

The Company's effective tax rate was 131.3% and 26.4% for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The increase was materially due to discrete items partially offset by favorable mix of earnings by jurisdiction.