Income Tax Expense

3 Months Ended

Mar. 30, 2013

Income Tax Expense

Income Tax Expense

Note 12.  Income Tax Expense

Income tax expense equated to an effective income tax rate of 19.8% and 32.4% in the first quarter of 2013 and 2012, respectively, compared with the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate of 35.0%.  In the first quarter of 2013, the difference between the statutory and the effective income tax rate was primarily related to the retroactive reinstatement and extension of the Federal Research and Development Tax Credit as part of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 enacted on January 2, 2013.

For the three months ended March 31, 2012, the difference between the federal statutory income tax rate and the effective income tax rate was not significant.