Income Taxes

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2019

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income Taxes

12. Income Taxes

For interim tax reporting, the Company estimates its annual effective tax rate and applies it to year-to-date ordinary income. Jurisdictions where no tax benefit can be recognized due to a valuation allowance are excluded from the estimated annual effective tax rate. The effect of including these jurisdictions on the quarterly effective rate calculation could result in a higher or lower effective tax rate during a quarter due to the mix and timing of actual earnings versus annual projections. The tax effects of certain items, including changes in judgment about valuation allowances and effects of changes in tax laws or rates, are excluded from the estimated annual effective tax rate calculation and recognized in the interim period in which they occur.

For the three months ended June 30, 2019, the Company recorded income tax expense of $14 million on income from continuing operations before income taxes of $59 million. This compares to income tax expense of $26 million on income from continuing operations before income taxes of $89 million in the same period of 2018.

For the six months ended June 30, 2019, the Company recorded income tax expense of $14 million on loss from continuing operations before income taxes of $46 million. This compares to income tax expense of $51 million on income from continuing operations before income taxes of $188 million in the same period of 2018.

Income tax expense for the three and six months ended June 30, 2019 differs from the U.S. statutory rate due primarily to pre-tax income taxed at rates higher than the U.S. statutory rate and pre-tax losses with no tax benefit.

Income tax expense for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 differs from the U.S. statutory rate due primarily to $2 million of tax expense for changes in the toll tax, pre-tax income taxed at rates lower than the U.S. statutory rate, and pre-tax losses with no tax benefit. In addition, during the three and six months ended June 30, 2018, a $5 million and $7 million tax benefit was recognized related to acquisition charges.

On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ("TCJA") was enacted into U.S. law, which, among other provisions, lowered the corporate income tax rate effective January 1, 2018 from 35% to 21%, and implemented significant changes with respect to U.S. tax treatment of earnings originating from outside the U.S. Many of the provisions of TCJA are subject to regulatory interpretation and U.S. state conforming enactments. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued final regulations, effective on February 5, 2019, which provided additional guidance to assist taxpayers in computing the toll tax. Based on the final regulations a $2 million discrete benefit was recorded in income tax expense during the six months ended June 30, 2019.

The Company evaluates its deferred tax assets quarterly to determine if valuation allowances are required or should be adjusted. This assessment considers, among other matters, the nature, frequency and amount of recent losses, the duration of statutory carryforward periods, and tax planning strategies. In making such judgments, significant weight is given to evidence that can be objectively verified. If recent operational improvements continue in our foreign subsidiaries or if certain restructuring steps are completed as part of the Federal-Mogul Acquisition and anticipated spin-off of DRiV, the Company believes it is reasonably possible sufficient positive evidence may be available to release all, or a portion, of its valuation allowance in the next twelve months in certain jurisdictions. This may result in a one-time tax benefit of up to $45 million, primarily related to Spain and the Czech Republic.

The Company believes it is reasonably possible up to $11 million in unrecognized tax benefits related to the expiration of foreign statute of limitations and the conclusion of income tax examinations may be recognized within the next twelve months.