XML 40 R18.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.8.0.1
INCOME TAXES
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
INCOME TAXES
INCOME TAXES

On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ("the 2017 Act") was signed into law. The 2017 Act reduces the U.S. federal corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, requires companies to pay a one-time mandatory deemed repatriation tax on the cumulative earnings of certain foreign subsidiaries that were previously tax deferred, accelerates federal tax depreciation and creates new taxes on certain foreign earnings in future years.

On December 22, 2017, SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118, Income Tax Accounting Implications of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ("SAB 118"), was issued to address the application of generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America in situations when a registrant does not have the necessary information available, prepared, or analyzed (including computations) in reasonable detail to complete the accounting for certain income tax effects of the 2017 Act. In accordance with SAB 118, as of December 31, 2017, the Company had estimated provisional amounts for $3.3 million of tax benefits in connection with the remeasurement of certain tax assets and liabilities, $327.4 million of current tax expense recorded in connection with the one-time mandatory deemed repatriation tax on cumulative earnings of certain foreign subsidiaries, and $32.3 million of tax benefits associated with a tax reform related restructuring. As a result of new Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") guidance, these benefits, net of a reduction of $8.3 million in the repatriation tax, were reversed in the three months ended March 31, 2018.

The changes included in the 2017 Act are broad and complex. The final transition impacts of the 2017 Act may differ from the above estimate, possibly materially, due to, among other things, changes in interpretations of the 2017 Act, any further legislative or regulatory actions that arise because of the 2017 Act, any changes in accounting standards for income taxes or related interpretations in response to the 2017 Act, or any updates or changes to the estimates the Company has utilized to calculate the transition impacts. Any subsequent adjustment to these amounts will be recorded to current tax expense in the quarter of 2018 when the analysis is complete.

The Company's effective income tax rates was 21.6% for both the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017. The effective rate for March 31, 2018 includes the benefit from the reduction in the U.S. federal corporate rate from 35% to 21% for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, offset by additional expense of $24.0 million related to the adjustment of the estimated provisional amounts recorded at December 31, 2017 in accordance with SAB 118 as a result of new IRS guidance issued during the three months ended March 31, 2018.

Prior to the 2017 Act, the Company asserted that accumulated earnings of most of its foreign subsidiaries would be indefinitely reinvested. However, as a result of the 2017 Act, all of the accumulated earnings of its foreign subsidiaries were subjected to United States federal income tax. In light of the 2017 Act, the Company's analysis is ongoing at this time with respect to its investment intentions for its accumulated foreign earnings. During the period prescribed by SAB 118, the Company will evaluate, among other factors, the profitability of its United States and foreign operations and the need for cash within and outside the United States, legal entity capitalization requirements, cash controls imposed in foreign jurisdictions, withholding taxes and the availability to offset with foreign tax credits, cash requirements for capital improvements, acquisitions, market expansion, and stock repurchase programs in determining its investment assertion on its accumulated foreign earnings.

The Company strives to resolve open matters with each tax authority at the examination level and could reach agreement with a tax authority at any time. While the Company has accrued for matters it believes are more likely than not to require settlement, the final outcome with a tax authority may result in a tax liability that is more or less than that reflected in the consolidated condensed financial statements. Furthermore, the Company may later decide to challenge any assessments, if made, and may exercise its right to appeal. The uncertain tax positions are reviewed quarterly and adjusted as events occur that affect potential liabilities for additional taxes, such as lapsing of applicable statutes of limitations, proposed assessments by tax authorities, negotiations between tax authorities, identification of new issues, and issuance of new legislation, regulations, or case law.

At March 31, 2018, all material state, local, and foreign income tax matters have been concluded for years through 2008. The IRS has substantially completed its fieldwork for the 2009 through 2012 tax years. However, the audits have been in suspense pending a final determination with respect to the application for an Advanced Pricing Agreement. As a result of the partial agreement discussed below, the IRS will now be able to finalize their audits of the 2009 through 2011 years. The IRS began its examination of the 2014 tax year during the fourth quarter of 2016.

As of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, the liability for income taxes associated with uncertain tax positions was $229.3 million and $225.6 million, respectively. The Company estimates that these liabilities would be reduced by $96.1 million and $94.0 million, respectively, from offsetting tax benefits associated with the correlative effects of potential transfer pricing adjustments, state income taxes, and timing adjustments. The net amounts of $133.2 million and $131.6 million, respectively, if not required, would favorably affect the Company's effective tax rate.