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Income Taxes
12 Months Ended
Apr. 24, 2020
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes Income Taxes
The income tax (benefit) provision is based on income before income taxes reported for financial statement purposes. The components of income before income taxes, based on tax jurisdiction, are as follows:
 Fiscal Year
(in millions)202020192018
U.S.$466  $877  $(958) 
International3,589  4,320  6,633  
Income before income taxes$4,055  $5,197  $5,675  
The income tax (benefit) provision consists of the following:
 Fiscal Year
(in millions)202020192018
Current tax expense:   
U.S.$151  $579  $2,899  
International375  406  796  
Total current tax expense526  985  3,695  
Deferred tax expense (benefit):   
U.S.(138) (310) 45  
International(1,139) (128) (1,160) 
Net deferred tax benefit(1,277) (438) (1,115) 
Income tax (benefit) provision
$(751) $547  $2,580  
Tax assets (liabilities), shown before jurisdictional netting of deferred tax assets (liabilities), are comprised of the following:
(in millions)April 24, 2020April 26, 2019
Deferred tax assets:  
Net operating loss, capital loss, and credit carryforwards$6,432  $6,574  
Other accrued liabilities390  389  
Accrued compensation285  315  
Pension and post-retirement benefits350  300  
Stock-based compensation136  162  
Other338  339  
Inventory191  194  
Lease obligations101  —  
Federal and state benefit on uncertain tax positions96  83  
Interest limitation236  111  
Unrealized loss on available-for-sale securities and derivative financial instruments—  17  
Gross deferred tax assets8,555  8,484  
Valuation allowance(5,482) (6,300) 
Total deferred tax assets3,073  2,184  
Deferred tax liabilities:  
Intangible assets(1,017) (1,614) 
Realized loss on derivative financial instruments(65) (70) 
Other(110) (152) 
Right of use leases(97) —  
Unrealized gain on available-for-sale securities and derivative financial instruments(12) —  
Accumulated depreciation(87) (38) 
Outside basis difference of subsidiaries(77) (119) 
Total deferred tax liabilities(1,465) (1,993) 
Prepaid income taxes449  363  
Income tax receivables 381  335  
Tax assets, net$2,438  $889  
Reported as (after valuation allowance and jurisdictional netting):  
Other current assets$780  $648  
Tax assets2,832  1,519  
Deferred tax liabilities(1,174) (1,278) 
Tax assets, net$2,438  $889  

No deferred taxes have been provided on the approximately $69.9 billion and $64.1 billion of undistributed earnings of the Company’s subsidiaries at April 24, 2020 and April 26, 2019, respectively, since these earnings have been, and under current plans will continue to be, permanently reinvested in these subsidiaries. During fiscal year 2018, the Company removed its permanently reinvested assertion on the undistributed earnings subject to the transition tax of foreign subsidiaries with a U.S. parent. Due to the number of legal entities and jurisdictions involved, the complexity of the legal entity structure of the Company, and the complexity of the tax laws in the relevant jurisdictions, the Company believes it is not practicable to estimate, within any reasonable range, the amount of additional taxes which may be payable upon distribution of these undistributed earnings.

At April 24, 2020, the Company had approximately $25.1 billion of net operating loss carryforwards in certain non-U.S. jurisdictions, of which $22.1 billion have no expiration, and the remaining $3.0 billion will expire during fiscal years 2021 through 2040. Included in these net operating loss carryforwards are $17.5 billion of net operating losses related to a subsidiary
of the Company, substantially all of which were recorded in fiscal year 2008 as a result of the receipt of a favorable tax ruling from certain non-U.S. taxing authorities. The Company has recorded a full valuation allowance against these net operating losses, as management does not believe that it is more likely than not that these net operating losses will be utilized. Certain of the remaining non-U.S. net operating loss carryforwards of $7.6 billion have a valuation allowance recorded against the carryforwards, as management does not believe that it is more likely than not that these net operating losses will be utilized.
At April 24, 2020, the Company had $524 million of U.S. federal net operating loss carryforwards, of which $102 million have no expiration. The remaining loss carryforwards will expire during fiscal years 2021 through 2038. For U.S. state purposes, the Company had $1.4 billion of net operating loss carryforwards at April 24, 2020, which will expire during fiscal years 2021 through 2040.
At April 24, 2020, the Company also had $200 million of tax credits available to reduce future income taxes payable, of which $96 million have no expiration. The remaining credits will expire during fiscal years 2021 through 2040.

The Company has established valuation allowances of $5.5 billion and $6.3 billion at April 24, 2020 and April 26, 2019, respectively, primarily related to the uncertainty of the utilization of certain deferred tax assets which are primarily comprised of tax loss and credit carryforwards in various jurisdictions. The decrease in the valuation allowance during fiscal year 2020 is primarily related to the utilization of certain net operating losses in connection with a planned intercompany sale of intellectual property and the effects of currency fluctuations. These valuation allowances would result in a reduction to the income tax provision in the consolidated statements of income if they are ultimately not required.
The Company’s effective income tax rate varied from the U.S. federal statutory tax rate as follows:
 Fiscal Year
 202020192018
U.S. federal statutory tax rate21.0 %21.0 %30.5 %
Increase (decrease) in tax rate resulting from:   
U.S. state taxes, net of federal tax benefit0.5  0.9  0.8  
Research and development credit(2.1) (1.2) (0.8) 
Puerto Rico Excise Tax(1.5) (1.6) (1.1) 
International(10.0) (10.7) (18.9) 
U.S. Tax Reform—  0.2  43.0  
Stock based compensation(1.5) (1.0) (1.0) 
Other, net0.4  (0.5) 1.6  
Interest on uncertain tax positions1.3  0.9  1.4  
Base Erosion Anti-Abuse Tax2.6  0.1  —  
Foreign Derived Intangible Income Benefit(1.2) (0.6) —  
Divestiture-related—  (0.4) (3.8) 
Certain tax adjustments(30.8) (0.6) (8.9) 
U.S. tax on foreign earnings2.8  4.0  2.7  
Effective tax rate(18.5)%10.5 %45.5 %

During fiscal year 2020, certain tax adjustments of $1.2 billion, recognized in income tax (benefit) provision in the consolidated statements of income, included the following:
A net benefit of $63 million related to the finalization of certain state tax impacts from U.S. Tax Reform, and the issuance of certain final U.S. Treasury Regulations associated with U.S. Tax Reform. The primary impact of these regulations resulted in the Company re-establishing its permanently reinvested assertion on certain foreign earnings and reversing the previously accrued tax liability. This benefit was partially offset by additional tax associated with a previously executed internal reorganization of certain foreign subsidiaries.

A benefit of $252 million related to tax legislative changes in Switzerland which abolished certain preferential tax regimes the Company benefited from and replaced them with a new set of internationally accepted measures. The
legislation provided for higher effective tax rates but allowed for a transitional period whereby an amortizable asset was created for Swiss federal income tax purposes which will be amortized and deducted over a 10-year period.
A benefit of $658 million related to the release of a valuation allowance previously recorded against certain net operating losses. Luxembourg enacted tax legislation during the year which required the Company to reassess the realizability of certain net operating losses. The Company evaluated both the positive and negative evidence and released valuation allowance equal to the expected benefit from the utilization of certain net operating losses in connection with a planned intercompany sale of intellectual property.

A benefit of $269 million associated with the intercompany sale of intellectual property and the establishment of a deferred tax asset.
During fiscal year 2019, certain tax adjustments of $40 million, recognized in income tax (benefit) provision in the consolidated statements of income, included the following:
A net benefit of $30 million associated with the finalization of the transition tax liability and the Tax Act impact to deferred tax assets, liabilities, and valuation allowances.

A charge of $42 million related to the recognition of a prepaid tax expense resulting from the reduction in the U.S. statutory tax rate under the Tax Act and the current year sale of U.S. manufactured inventory held as of April 27, 2018.

A benefit of $32 million related to intercompany legal entity restructuring.

A net benefit of $20 million with the finalization of certain income tax aspects of the divestiture of the Patient Care, Deep Vein Thrombosis, and Nutritional Insufficiency businesses.
During fiscal year 2018, certain tax adjustments of $1.9 billion, recognized in income tax (benefit) provision in the consolidated statements of income, included the following:
A net charge of $2.4 billion associated with U.S. tax reform, inclusive of the transition tax, remeasurement of U.S. Federal deferred tax assets and liabilities, and the decrease in the U.S. statutory tax rate.
A charge of $73 million associated with an internal reorganization of certain foreign subsidiaries.
A net benefit of $579 million associated with the intercompany sale of intellectual property.
Currently, the Company’s operations in Puerto Rico, Singapore, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, China, and Israel have various tax holidays and tax incentive grants. The tax reductions as compared to the local statutory rate favorably impacted earnings by $231 million, $437 million, and $446 million in fiscal years 2020, 2019, and 2018, respectively, and diluted earnings per share by $0.17, $0.32, and $0.33 in fiscal years 2020, 2019, and 2018, respectively. The tax holidays are conditional upon the Company meeting certain thresholds required under statutory law. The tax incentive grants, unless extended, will expire between fiscal years 2021 and 2030. The Company’s historical practice has been to renew, extend, or obtain new tax incentive grants upon expiration of existing tax incentive grants. If the Company is not able to renew, extend, or obtain new tax incentive grants, the expiration of existing tax incentive grants could have a material impact on the Company’s financial results in future periods. The tax incentive grants which expired during fiscal year 2020 did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.
The Company had $1.9 billion, $1.8 billion, and $1.7 billion of gross unrecognized tax benefits at April 24, 2020, April 26, 2019, and April 27, 2018, respectively. A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits for fiscal years 2020, 2019, and 2018 is as follows:
 Fiscal Year
(in millions)202020192018
Gross unrecognized tax benefits at beginning of fiscal year$1,836  $1,727  $1,896  
Gross increases:   
Prior year tax positions12  34  13  
Current year tax positions55  109  63  
Gross decreases:   
Prior year tax positions(9) (14) (120) 
Settlements(5) —  (80) 
Statute of limitation lapses(27) (20) (45) 
Gross unrecognized tax benefits at end of fiscal year1,862  1,836  1,727  
Cash advance paid to taxing authorities(859) (859) (859) 
Gross unrecognized tax benefits at end of fiscal year, net of cash advance$1,003  $977  $868  

If all of the Company’s unrecognized tax benefits at April 24, 2020, April 26, 2019, and April 27, 2018 were recognized, $1.8 billion, $1.8 billion, and $1.7 billion would impact the Company’s effective tax rate, respectively. Although the Company believes that it has adequately provided for liabilities resulting from tax assessments by taxing authorities, positions taken by these tax authorities could have a material impact on the Company’s effective tax rate in future periods. The Company has recorded gross unrecognized tax benefits, net of cash advance, of $911 million as a noncurrent liability. The Company estimates that within the next 12 months it is reasonably possible that its uncertain tax positions excluding interest, could decrease by as much as $115 million, net as a result of the resolution of tax matters with the IRS and other taxing authorities as well as statute of limitation lapses.
The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to income tax matters in income tax (benefit) provision in the consolidated statements of income and records the liability in the current or noncurrent accrued income taxes in the consolidated balance sheets, as appropriate. The Company had $225 million, $172 million, and $128 million of accrued gross interest and penalties at April 24, 2020, April 26, 2019, and April 27, 2018, respectively. During fiscal years 2020, 2019, and 2018, the Company recognized gross interest expense of approximately $53 million, $48 million, and $84 million, respectively, in income tax (benefit) provision in the consolidated statements of income.
During fiscal year 2018, the Company made a $1.1 billion advance payment to the IRS in connection with certain tax matters for fiscal years 2005 through 2014. This payment was comprised of $859 million of tax and $285 million of interest.
The Company’s reserves for uncertain tax positions related to unresolved matters with the IRS and other taxing authorities. These reserves are subject to a high degree of estimation and management judgment. Resolution of these significant unresolved matters, or positions taken by the IRS or other tax authorities during future tax audits, could have a material impact on the Company’s financial results in future periods. The Company continues to believe that its reserves for uncertain tax positions are appropriate and that it has meritorious defenses for its tax filings and will vigorously defend them during the audit process, appellate process, and through litigation in courts, as necessary.
The major tax jurisdictions where the Company conducts business which remain subject to examination are as follows:
JurisdictionEarliest Year Open
United States - federal and state2005
Australia2016
Brazil2015
Canada2012
China2009
Costa Rica2016
Dominican Republic2017
Germany2014
India2002
Ireland2012
Israel2010
Italy2005
Japan2017
Korea2017
Luxembourg2014
Mexico2007
Puerto Rico2011
Singapore2013
Switzerland2012
United Kingdom2016
See Note 19 for additional information regarding the status of current tax audits and proceedings.