INCOME TAXES

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

INCOME TAXES

INCOME TAXES

Income tax expense consists of U.S. and international income taxes, determined using an estimate of the Company's annual effective tax rate, which is based upon the applicable tax rates and tax laws of the countries in which the income is generated. A deferred tax liability is recognized for all taxable temporary differences, and a deferred tax asset is recognized for all deductible temporary differences and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. A valuation allowance is provided when it is more likely than not that some portion or all of a deferred tax asset will not be realized. The Company considers many factors when assessing the likelihood of future realization of the deferred tax assets, including its recent cumulative earnings experience by taxing jurisdiction, expectations of future income, tax planning strategies, the carryforward periods available for tax reporting purposes and other relevant factors.

The Company's effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2020 was 3.1%, compared to 21.0% for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The Company's 2020 effective tax rate differs from the U.S. federal statutory tax rate of 21%, and was lower for the three months ended March 31, 2020, compared to the three months ended March 31, 2019, primarily due to the non-deductible goodwill impairment charge related to OpenTable and KAYAK and valuation allowances recorded against the deferred tax assets generated from the impairment of a long-term investment.

During the three months ended March 31, 2019, a majority of the Company's income was reported in the Netherlands, where Booking.com is based. According to Dutch corporate income tax law, income generated from qualifying innovative activities is taxed at a rate of 7% ("Innovation Box Tax") rather than the Dutch statutory rate of 25%. A portion of Booking.com's earnings during the three months ended March 31, 2019 qualified for Innovation Box Tax treatment, which had a beneficial impact on the Company's effective tax rate for that period. During the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company did not benefit from the Innovation Box Tax.