Income Taxes	9 Months Ended
Oct. 01, 2016
Income Taxes
Income Taxes	12. Income Taxes Provision for income taxes includes both domestic and foreign income taxes at the applicable tax rates adjusted for non-deductible expenses, research and development tax credits and other permanent differences. Income tax expense was $1.3 million and $0.5 million for the three months ended October 1, 2016 and October 3, 2015, resulting in effective tax rates of 6.3% and 4.5%, respectively. Income tax expense was $3.3 million and $2.1 million for the nine months ended October 1, 2016 and October 3, 2015, resulting in effective tax rates of 7.4% and 8.1%, respectively. The effective tax rate for the three months ended October 1, 2016 increased from the prior period primarily due to a decrease in the foreign tax rate benefit resulting from a net decrease in earnings indefinitely reinvested in lower tax jurisdictions, partially offset by an increase in the realization of the U.S. federal research and development tax credit in the current year. The effective tax rate for the nine months ended October 1, 2016 decreased from the prior period primarily due to an increase in the realization of the U. S. federal research and development tax credit in the current year. On December 1, 2015, the U.S. Tax Court issued its final decision with respect to Altera Corporation’s litigation with the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”). The litigation relates to the treatment of stock-based compensation expense in an intercompany cost-sharing arrangement. In its final decision, the Court accepted Altera’s position of excluding stock-based compensation from its cost-sharing arrangement and concluded that the related IRS Regulations were invalid. In February 2016, the IRS appealed the decision to the U.S Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Although the IRS has appealed the decision, based on the facts and circumstances of the Tax Court Case, the Company believes that it is more likely than not that the Tax Court decision will be upheld. Therefore, the Company continues to reflect the effects of the decision in its Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. This change to cost-sharing is expected to increase the Company’s cumulative foreign earnings at the time of final resolution of the case. As such, the Company continues to accrue a deferred tax liability for the U.S. tax cost of potential repatriation of the associated foreign earnings because at this time, the Company cannot reasonably conclude that it will have the ability and intent to indefinitely reinvest these contingent earnings. The overall net impact on the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements is not material. The Company will continue to monitor ongoing developments and potential impacts to its Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. At October 1, 2016, the Company had gross unrecognized tax benefits of $3.9 million, of which $3.0 million would affect the effective tax rate if recognized. The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in the provision for income taxes. The Company recognized less than $0.1 million of interest, net of tax, in the provision for income taxes for the nine months ended October 1, 2016. The Company also recognized less than $0.1 million of interest, net of tax, in the provision for income taxes for the nine months ended October 3, 2015. As of October 1, 2016, the Company had accrued $0.1 million for the payment of interest related to unrecognized tax positions. The Company believes it is reasonably possible that the gross unrecognized tax benefits will decrease by approximately $1.2 million in the next 12 months due to the lapse of the statute of limitations applicable to tax deductions and tax credits claimed on prior year tax returns. The tax years 2011 through 2016 remain open to examination by the major taxing jurisdictions to which the Company is subject. The Company is not currently under audit in any major taxing jurisdiction.

12. Income Taxes

Provision for income taxes includes both domestic and foreign income taxes at the applicable tax rates adjusted for non-deductible expenses, research and development tax credits and other permanent differences. Income tax expense was $1.3 million and $0.5 million for the three months ended October 1, 2016 and October 3, 2015, resulting in effective tax rates of 6.3% and 4.5%, respectively. Income tax expense was $3.3 million and $2.1 million for the nine months ended October 1, 2016 and October 3, 2015, resulting in effective tax rates of 7.4% and 8.1%, respectively. The effective tax rate for the three months ended October 1, 2016 increased from the prior period primarily due to a decrease in the foreign tax rate benefit resulting from a net decrease in earnings indefinitely reinvested in lower tax jurisdictions, partially offset by an increase in the realization of the U.S. federal research and development tax credit in the current year. The effective tax rate for the nine months ended October 1, 2016 decreased from the prior period primarily due to an increase in the realization of the U. S. federal research and development tax credit in the current year.

On December 1, 2015, the U.S. Tax Court issued its final decision with respect to Altera Corporation’s litigation with the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”). The litigation relates to the treatment of stock-based compensation expense in an intercompany cost-sharing arrangement. In its final decision, the Court accepted Altera’s position of excluding stock-based compensation from its cost-sharing arrangement and concluded that the related IRS Regulations were invalid. In February 2016, the IRS appealed the decision to the U.S Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Although the IRS has appealed the decision, based on the facts and circumstances of the Tax Court Case, the Company believes that it is more likely than not that the Tax Court decision will be upheld. Therefore, the Company continues to reflect the effects of the decision in its Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. This change to cost-sharing is expected to increase the Company’s cumulative foreign earnings at the time of final resolution of the case. As such, the Company continues to accrue a deferred tax liability for the U.S. tax cost of potential repatriation of the associated foreign earnings because at this time, the Company cannot reasonably conclude that it will have the ability and intent to indefinitely reinvest these contingent earnings. The overall net impact on the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements is not material. The Company will continue to monitor ongoing developments and potential impacts to its Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

At October 1, 2016, the Company had gross unrecognized tax benefits of $3.9 million, of which $3.0 million would affect the effective tax rate if recognized. The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in the provision for income taxes. The Company recognized less than $0.1 million of interest, net of tax, in the provision for income taxes for the nine months ended October 1, 2016. The Company also recognized less than $0.1 million of interest, net of tax, in the provision for income taxes for the nine months ended October 3, 2015. As of October 1, 2016, the Company had accrued $0.1 million for the payment of interest related to unrecognized tax positions.

The Company believes it is reasonably possible that the gross unrecognized tax benefits will decrease by approximately $1.2 million in the next 12 months due to the lapse of the statute of limitations applicable to tax deductions and tax credits claimed on prior year tax returns.

The tax years 2011 through 2016 remain open to examination by the major taxing jurisdictions to which the Company is subject. The Company is not currently under audit in any major taxing jurisdiction.