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Income Taxes
3 Months Ended
Mar. 30, 2014
Income Taxes (Thousands of Dollars) [Abstract]  
Income Taxes
(5) Income Taxes

The Company and its subsidiaries file income tax returns in the United States and various state and international jurisdictions. In the normal course of business, the Company is regularly audited by U.S. federal, state and local and international tax authorities in various tax jurisdictions.

The U.S. Internal Revenue Service completed an examination related to the 2008 and 2009 U.S. federal income tax returns in 2013. During the first quarter of 2014, as a result of amending tax years 2010 through 2012 and making similar adjustments indentified in the completion of the 2008 and 2009 examinations, the Company recognized $12,159 of previously accrued unrecognized tax benefits including the reversal of related accrued interest, primarily related to the deductibility of certain expenses, as well as the tax treatment of certain subsidiary and other transactions. Of this amount, $324 was recorded as a reduction of deferred tax assets and the remainder as a reduction to income tax expense. The total income tax benefit resulting from the amended returns, including other adjustments, totaled $13,480 during the first quarter of 2014.

The Company is no longer subject to U.S. federal income tax examinations for years before 2013. With few exceptions, the Company is no longer subject to U.S. state or local and non-U.S. income tax examinations by tax authorities in its major jurisdictions for years before 2006. The Company is currently under income tax examination in several U.S. state and local and non-U.S. jurisdictions.

In connection with the Mexican tax examinations for the years 2000 to 2007, the Company has received tax assessments totaling approximately $252,140 (at March 30, 2014 exchange rates), which include interest, penalties and inflation updates, related to transfer pricing which the Company is vigorously defending. In order to continue the process of defending its position, the Company was required to guarantee the amount of the assessments for the years 2000 to 2004, as is usual and customary in Mexico with respect to these matters. Accordingly, as of March 30, 2014, bonds totaling approximately $190,660 (at March 30, 2014 exchange rates) have been provided to the Mexican government related to the 2000 to 2004 assessments, allowing the Company to defend its positions. The Company is not currently required to guarantee the amounts of the 2005 through 2007 assessments. The Company expects to be successful in sustaining its position with respect to these assessments as well as similar positions that may be taken by the Mexican tax authorities for periods subsequent to 2007 if these disputes continue through litigation and/or administrative processes. However, in the interest of resolving these open disputes and to provide for a mutually agreeable framework in future years, the Company is party to discussions with the Mexican tax authorities to determine if the two parties can reach an agreed settlement of these issues.