NOTE 3. INCOME TAXES

Moody’s effective tax rate was 32.1% and 31.9% for the three months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively and 27.8% and 32.1% for the six month periods ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively. The slight increase in the three months ended June 30, 2017 included the tax effects of the Purchase Price Hedge Gains which are incurred in a higher tax jurisdiction, partially offset by approximately $9 million in Excess Tax Benefits on stock-based compensation. The second quarter of 2016 included an approximate $4 million benefit from the favorable resolution of state and local tax matters. The decrease in the ETR in the six months ended June 30, 2017 was primarily due to approximately $28 million in Excess Tax Benefits, as further discussed in Note 1 above and the non-taxable CCXI Gain as discussed in Note 10 below.

The Company classifies interest related to UTBs in interest expense, net in its consolidated statements of operations. Penalties, if incurred, would be recognized in other non-operating (expense) income, net. The Company had an increase in its UTBs of $10.8 million ($10.6 million net of federal tax) during the second quarter of 2017 and an increase in its UTBs during the first six months of 2017 of $13.8 million ($14.3 million net of federal tax).

Moody’s Corporation and subsidiaries are subject to U.S. federal income tax as well as income tax in various state, local and foreign jurisdictions. The Company’s U.S. federal income tax returns for the years 2011 and 2012 are under examination and its returns for 2013, 2014 and 2015 remain open to examination. The Company’s New York State tax returns for 2011 through 2014 are currently under examination and the Company’s New York City tax return for 2014 is currently under examination. The Company’s U.K. tax return for 2012 is currently under examination and its returns for 2013, 2014 and 2015 remain open to examination.

For ongoing audits, it is possible the balance of UTBs could decrease in the next twelve months as a result of the settlement of these audits, which might involve the payment of additional taxes, the adjustment of certain deferred taxes and/or the recognition of tax benefits. It is also possible that new issues might be raised by tax authorities which could necessitate increases to the balance of UTBs. As the Company is unable to predict the timing or outcome of these audits, it is therefore unable to estimate the amount of changes to the balance of UTBs at this time. However, the Company believes that it has adequately provided for its financial exposure relating to all open tax years by tax jurisdiction in accordance with the applicable provisions of Topic 740 of the ASC regarding UTBs.

On March 30, 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share Based Payment Accounting as more fully discussed in Note 1 to the condensed consolidated financial statements. The new guidance requires all tax effects related to share based payments to be recorded through the provision for income taxes in the income statement. The Company has adopted the new guidance as of the first quarter of 2017 and expects the adoption to result in a benefit to the provision for income taxes of approximately $30 million for the full-year of 2017, or $0.16 per diluted share.

In the first quarter of 2017, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update 2016-16, Accounting for Income Taxes: Intra-Entity Asset Transfers of Assets Other than Inventory. Under previous guidance, the tax effects of intra-entity asset transfers (intercompany sales) were deferred until the transferred asset was sold to a third party or otherwise recovered through use. The new guidance eliminates the exception for all intra-entity sales of assets other than inventory. Upon adoption, a cumulative-effect adjustment is recorded in retained earnings as of the beginning of the period of adoption. The net impact upon adoption is a reduction to retained earnings of $4.6 million. The Company does not expect any material impact on its future operations as a result of the adoption of this guidance.

The following table shows the amount the Company paid for income taxes: