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INCOME TAXES
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
INCOME TAXES  
INCOME TAXES

NOTE 8—INCOME TAXES

The Company’s worldwide effective income tax rate is based on actual income (loss), statutory rates, valuation allowances against deferred tax assets and tax planning opportunities available in the various jurisdictions in which it operates. The Company is using a discrete income tax calculation for the first quarter of 2020 due to the inability to determine reliable annual estimates of taxable income (loss) due to COVID-19. Historically, for interim financial reporting, the Company estimates the worldwide annual income tax rate based on projected taxable income (loss) for the full year and records a quarterly income tax provision or benefit in accordance with the anticipated annual rate, adjusted for discrete items, if any. The Company will return to the historic approach of computing quarterly tax expense based on an annual effective rate in the future interim period when more reliable estimates of annual income become available. The Company recognizes income tax-related interest expense and penalties as income tax expense and general and administrative expense, respectively.

The Company evaluates its deferred tax assets each period to determine if a valuation allowance is required based on whether it is “more likely than not” that some portion of the deferred tax assets would not be realized. The ultimate realization of these deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of sufficient taxable income during future periods on a federal, state and foreign jurisdiction basis. The Company conducts its evaluation by considering all available positive and negative evidence, including historical operating results, forecasts of future profitability, the duration of statutory carryforward periods, and the outlooks for the U.S. motion picture and broader economy, among others.

During the first quarter of 2020, the severe impact of COVID-19 on operations in Germany and Spain caused the Company to conclude the realizability of deferred tax assets held in those jurisdictions does not meet the more likely than not standard. As such, a charge of $33.1 million and $40.1 million was recorded for Germany and Spain, respectively. During the fourth quarter of 2017, the Company determined that it was appropriate to record a valuation allowance against U.S. deferred tax assets. In addition, several other international jurisdictions carried valuation allowances against their deferred tax assets at the beginning of 2020.

As a result, the effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2020 reflects the impact of these valuation allowances against U.S. and international deferred tax assets generated during the three month period. The actual effective rate for the three months ended March 31, 2020 was (3.2)%. The Company’s consolidated tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2020 differs from the U.S. statutory tax rate primarily due to the valuation allowances in U.S. and foreign jurisdictions, foreign tax rate differences, federal and state tax credits, partially offset by state income taxes, permanent differences related to goodwill impairments, interest, compensation, and other discrete items. No tax impact was recorded on the $1,744.3 million goodwill impairment charge incurred during the three months ended March 31, 2020, as the portion impaired was permanently non-deductible. At March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company has recorded net deferred tax liabilities of $47.2 million and net deferred tax assets of $24.1 million, respectively.

On March 27, 2020, the U.S. government enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”). The CARES Act, among other things, includes provisions relating to refundable payroll tax credits, deferment of employer side social security payments, net operating loss carryback periods, alternative minimum tax credit refunds, modifications to the net interest deduction limitations and technical corrections to tax depreciation methods for qualified improvement property, as well as loans to certain qualifying businesses. The Company continues to examine the impacts that the CARES Act may have on its business. While the Company may take advantage of certain CARES Act’s cash deferral provisions, many of the provisions are not applicable to the Company. Additionally, as of the date of this filing, the Company has not participated in CARES Act loans.