INCOME TAXES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

INCOME TAXES [Abstract]

Components of Earnings From Continuing Operations before Income Taxes

in thousands	2017	2016	2015
Earnings from Continuing Operations
before Income Taxes
Domestic	$      346,668	$     513,721	$     293,547
Foreign	14,648	33,536	34,310
Total	$      361,316	$     547,257	$     327,857

Provision (Benefit) For Income Taxes from Continuing Operations

in thousands	2017	2016	2015
Income Tax Expense (Benefit) from
Continuing Operations
Current
Federal	$        (7,416)	$       72,506	$       67,521
State and local	4,661	14,774	14,035
Foreign	3,109	6,974	7,784
Total	$            354	$       94,254	$       89,340
Deferred
Federal	$    (202,184)	$       37,246	$       11,192
State and local	(30,052)	(6,647)	(4,888)
Foreign	(193)	(2)	(701)
Total	$    (232,429)	$       30,597	$         5,603
Total expense (benefit)	$    (232,075)	$     124,851	$       94,943

Sources and Tax Effects of Differences Between Benefit from Income Taxes and Amount Computed by Applying Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate to Losses from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes

dollars in thousands		2017		2016		2015
Income tax expense at the federal
statutory tax rate of 35%	$    126,461	35.0%	$    191,540	35.0%	$    114,750	35.0%
Expense (Benefit) from
Income Tax Differences
Statutory depletion	(28,995)	-8.0%	(32,230)	-5.9%	(27,702)	-8.4%
State and local income taxes, net of federal
income tax benefit	8,115	2.2%	10,074	1.9%	10,600	3.2%
U.S. production deduction	2,452	0.7%	(8,790)	-1.6%	(5,099)	-1.6%
Foreign tax credit carryforward	0	0.0%	(6,513)	-1.2%	6,486	2.0%
Share-based compensation 1	(20,740)	-5.7%	(22,443)	-4.1%	0	0.0%
Permanently reinvested foreign earnings	(2,211)	-0.6%	(4,578)	-0.8%	(6,396)	-2.0%
Foreign repatriation	12,301	3.4%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%
Revaluation - deferred tax balances	(301,567)	-83.5%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%
Al NOL valuation allowance release	(28,827)	-8.0%	(4,791)	-0.9%	(4,655)	-1.4%
Other, net	936	0.3%	2,582	0.4%	6,959	2.2%
Total income tax expense (benefit)/
Effective tax rate	$  (232,075)	-64.2%	$    124,851	22.8%	$      94,943	29.0%

1 As discussed in Note 1 (under the caption Share-based Compensation), we early adopted ASU 2016-09 as of December 31, 2016.

Components of Net Deferred Income Tax Liability

in thousands	2017	2016
Deferred Tax Assets Related to
Employee benefits	$        29,547	$       85,123
Asset retirement obligations & other reserves	47,116	63,617
Deferred compensation	59,010	103,947
State net operating losses	73,083	54,498
Federal credit carryforwards	51,284	18,139
Other	37,518	44,843
Total gross deferred tax assets	$      297,558	$     370,167
Valuation allowance	(29,723)	(44,237)
Total net deferred tax assets	$      267,835	$     325,930
Deferred Tax Liabilities Related to
Property, plant & equipment	$      490,459	$     664,763
Goodwill/other intangible assets	216,039	327,666
Other	25,418	36,355
Total deferred tax liabilities	$      731,916	$  1,028,784
Net deferred tax liability	$      464,081	$     702,854

Changes in Unrecognized Income Tax Benefits

in thousands	2017	2016	2015
Unrecognized tax benefits as of January 1	$        10,828	$        8,447	$        7,057
Increases for tax positions related to
Prior years	27	1,368	491
Current year	1,039	1,040	942
Decreases for tax positions related to
Prior years	(204)	0	0
Settlements with taxing authorities	0	0	0
Expiration of applicable statute of limitations	(47)	(27)	(43)
Unrecognized tax benefits as of December 31	$        11,643	$      10,828	$        8,447