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Income Taxes
3 Months Ended
Apr. 01, 2016
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes
INCOME TAXES
The Company’s effective tax rate from continuing operations for the three month period ended April 1, 2016 was 27.3% as compared to 23.4% for the three month period ended April 3, 2015.
The Company's effective tax rate for 2016 and 2015 differs from the U.S. federal statutory rate of 35.0% due principally to the Company’s earnings outside the United States that are indefinitely reinvested and taxed at rates lower than the U.S. federal statutory rate. A higher tax rate associated with the gain on the sale of the marketable equity securities during the quarter resulted in a 2.7% increase in the reported tax rate on a year-over-year basis for the three month period ended April 1, 2016. The Company also recorded approximately $6 million of discrete income tax expense primarily related to certain legal entity reorganizations associated with the Separation during the three month period ended April 1, 2016. The effective tax rate for the three month period ended April 3, 2015 includes tax effects of certain discrete items specific to the quarter, none of which are significant individually or in the aggregate.
Tax authorities in Denmark have raised significant issues related to interest accrued by certain of the Company's subsidiaries. On December 10, 2013, the Company received assessments from the Danish tax authority (“SKAT”) totaling approximately DKK 1.3 billion including interest through April 1, 2016 (approximately $196 million based on exchange rates as of April 1, 2016), imposing withholding tax relating to interest accrued in Denmark on borrowings from certain of the Company's subsidiaries for the years 2004-2009. If the SKAT claims are successful, it is likely that the Company would be assessed additional amounts for the years 2010-2012 totaling approximately DKK 760 million including interest through April 1, 2016 (approximately $116 million based on exchange rates as of April 1, 2016). Management believes the positions the Company has taken in Denmark are in accordance with the relevant tax laws and intends to vigorously defend its positions. The Company appealed these assessments with the National Tax Tribunal in 2014 and intends on pursuing this matter through the European Court of Justice should this appeal be unsuccessful. The ultimate resolution of this matter is uncertain, could take many years, and could result in a material adverse impact to the Company's financial statements, including its effective tax rate.