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Income Taxes
9 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
INCOME TAXES
NOTE O – INCOME TAXES
Income tax expense for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2015 was approximately $59 million and $222 million, respectively, compared with income tax expense for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2014 of approximately $88 million and $248 million, respectively. For the three and nine months ended December 31, 2015, the Company recognized a net discrete tax benefit of approximately $19 million and $16 million, respectively, resulting primarily from the resolution of uncertain tax positions for non-U.S. jurisdictions, refinements of tax positions taken in prior periods and the retroactive reinstatement in December 2015 of the research and development tax credit in the U.S. For the three and nine months ended December 31, 2014, the Company recognized a net discrete tax benefit of approximately $6 million and $23 million, respectively, resulting from the resolution of uncertain tax positions upon the completion of the examination of the Company's U.S. federal income tax returns for the tax years ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, the expiration of the statute of limitations relating to uncertain tax positions for a non-U.S. jurisdiction and the retroactive reinstatement in December 2014 of the research and development tax credit in the U.S.
The Company’s estimated annual effective tax rate, which excludes the impact of discrete items, for the nine months ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 was 29.0% and 29.7%, respectively. Changes in tax laws, the outcome of tax audits and any other changes in potential tax liabilities may result in additional tax expense or benefit in fiscal year 2016, which are not considered in the Company’s estimated annual effective tax rate. While the Company does not currently view any such items as individually material to the results of the Company’s consolidated financial position or results of operations, the impact of certain items may yield additional tax expense or benefit in the remaining quarter of fiscal year 2016 and the Company is anticipating a fiscal year 2016 effective tax rate between 28% and 29%.