Income taxes

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income taxes

Income taxes

Effective tax rates for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, were 13.6% and 14.2%, respectively, compared with 11.2% and 12.1%, respectively, for the corresponding periods of the prior year.

The increases in our effective tax rates for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, were due primarily to a prior-year tax benefit associated with intercompany sales under U.S. corporate tax reform. The effective tax rates differ from the federal statutory rate primarily as a result of foreign earnings from the Company’s operations conducted in Puerto Rico, a territory of the United States that is treated as a foreign jurisdiction for U.S. tax purposes and that is subject to tax incentive grants through 2035; these earnings are subject to U.S. tax at a reduced rate of 10.5%.

The U.S. territory of Puerto Rico imposes an excise tax on the gross intercompany purchase price of goods and services from our manufacturer in Puerto Rico. The rate of 4% is effective through December 31, 2027. We account for the excise tax as a manufacturing cost that is capitalized in inventory and expensed in cost of sales when the related products are sold. For U.S. income tax purposes, the excise tax results in foreign tax credits that are generally recognized in our provision for income taxes when the excise tax is incurred.

One or more of our legal entities file income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction, various U.S. state jurisdictions and certain foreign jurisdictions. Our income tax returns are routinely examined by tax authorities in those jurisdictions. Significant disputes may arise with authorities involving issues of the timing and amount of deductions, the use of tax credits and allocations of income and expenses among various tax jurisdictions because of differing interpretations of tax laws, regulations and relevant facts. As previously disclosed, we received a Revenue Agent Report (RAR) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for the years 2010, 2011 and 2012. The RAR proposes to make significant adjustments that relate primarily to the allocation of profits between certain of our entities in the United States and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. In November 2017, we received a modified RAR that revised the IRS’s calculation but continued to propose substantial adjustments. We disagree with the proposed adjustments and are pursuing resolution with the IRS administrative appeals office, which currently has jurisdiction over the matter. If we deem necessary, we will vigorously contest the proposed adjustments through the judicial process. Final resolution of this complex matter is not likely within the next 12 months and could have a material impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements. We believe our accrual for income tax liabilities is appropriate based on past experience, interpretations of tax law and judgments about potential actions by tax authorities; however, due to the complexity of the provision for income taxes, the ultimate resolution of any tax matters may result in payments greater or less than amounts accrued. We are no longer subject to U.S. federal income tax examinations for years ended on or before December 31, 2009. In addition, we are currently under examination by a number of other state and foreign tax jurisdictions.

During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, the gross amounts of our unrecognized tax benefits (UTBs) increased $50 million and $160 million, respectively, as a result of tax positions taken during the current year. Substantially all of the UTBs as of September 30, 2019, if recognized, would affect our effective tax rate.