INCOME TAXES

As a result of the Merger described in Note 2, TechnipFMC plc is a public limited company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales. Therefore, our earnings are subject to the United Kingdom statutory rate of 19.3% beginning on the effective date of the Merger. Previously these earnings were subject to the French statutory rate of 34.4%. Our consolidated effective income tax rate information has been presented accordingly. The Merger transaction was generally a non-taxable event for the significant jurisdictions in which we operate.

Our income tax provision (benefit) for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, reflected effective tax rates of 34.8% and 24.4%, respectively. The year-over-year increase in the effective tax rate was primarily due to an unfavorable change in the forecasted country mix of earnings and increases in our valuation allowance due to additional losses generated during the year for which no tax benefit is expected to be realized.

Our effective tax rate can fluctuate depending on our country mix of earnings. In certain jurisdictions, primarily Singapore and Malaysia, our tax rate is significantly less than the relevant statutory rate due to tax holidays.

The effective income tax rate was different from the statutory income tax rate due to the following:



	Three Months Ended March 31,
(In millions)	2017		2016
Statutory income tax rate	19.3	%	34.4	%
Net difference resulting from:
Foreign earnings subject to different tax rates	0.7	%	(16.5	)%
Branch profits tax	1.0	%	—	%
Deemed dividends	1.2	%	—	%
State and other complement tax	2.9	%	1.1	%
Return to provision	1.3	%	—	%
Valuation allowance	6.3	%	10.5	%
Other	2.1	%	(5.1	)%
Effective tax rate	34.8	%	24.4	%