Income Taxes

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income Taxes [Text Block]

Income Taxes

We estimate the effective tax rate expected to be applicable for the full fiscal year and use that rate to provide for income taxes in interim reporting periods. We also recognize the tax impact of certain unusual or infrequently occurring items, including changes in judgment about valuation allowances and effects of changes in tax laws or rates, in the interim period in which they occur.

We have generally not recognized tax benefits on losses generated in several entities where the recent history of operating losses does not allow us to satisfy the “more likely than not” criterion for the recognition of deferred tax assets. Consequently, there is no income tax expense or benefit recognized on the pre-tax income or losses in these jurisdictions as valuation allowances are adjusted to offset the associated tax expense or benefit.

We record interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions as a component of income tax expense. Net interest expense for the periods presented herein is not significant.

We reported an income tax expense of $5 and $31 for the third quarters of 2019 and 2018 and income tax benefit of $27 and income tax expense of $75 for the respective year-to-date periods. Our effective tax rates were (28)% and 19% for the first nine months of 2019 and 2018. During the third quarter of 2019, we recognized a benefit of $22 for the release of a valuation allowance in a subsidiary in Brazil based on recent history of profitability and increased income projections. During the second quarter of 2019, a pre-tax pension settlement charge of $258 with an associated income tax benefit of $9 was recorded. Also during the second quarter of 2019, we recorded tax benefits of $48 related to tax actions that adjusted federal tax credits and

$30 related to the development of a tax planning strategy which reduced valuation allowances on existing federal tax credits. During the first quarter of 2019, we recognized a benefit of $22 related to the reduction of valuation allowances in the U.S. based on increased income projections. Partially offsetting this benefit in the first quarter of 2019 was $6 of expense related to a U.S. state law change. Excluding these items, the effective tax rate would be 28% for the 2019 nine-month period. The 2018 tax expense reflected several discrete items in the second quarter, during which we recognized a benefit of $46 related to U.S. state law changes and the development and implementation of a tax planning strategy which adjusted federal tax credits, federal and state net operating losses and the associated valuation allowances. Partially offsetting this benefit was $7 of expense to settle outstanding tax matters in a foreign jurisdiction and foreign taxes related to cash repatriation actions. Excluding these items, the effective tax rate would be 29% for the 2018 nine-month period. Our effective income tax rates vary from the U.S. federal statutory rate of 21% due to establishment, release and adjustment of valuation allowances in several countries, nondeductible expenses and deemed income, local tax incentives in several countries outside the U.S., different statutory tax rates outside the U.S. and withholding taxes related to repatriations of international earnings. The effective income tax rate may vary significantly due to fluctuations in the amounts and sources, both foreign and domestic, of pretax income and changes in the amounts of non-deductible expenses.

Dividends of earnings from non-U.S. operations are generally no longer subjected to U.S. income tax. We continue to analyze and adjust the estimated tax impact of the income and non-U.S. withholding tax liabilities based on the amounts and sources of these earnings.