Income Taxes

3 Months Ended

Mar. 29, 2020

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.

Our effective tax rate (ETR) from continuing operations was 5.7% for the quarter ended March 29, 2020 and 9.7% for the quarter ended March 31, 2019.

The following items caused the quarterly ETR to be significantly different from our historical annual ETR:


•	during the quarter ended March 29, 2020, the Company recorded a discrete net tax benefit of $20,081, of which $22,332 is a result of the eOne acquisition and related costs incurred. Additionally, our estimated annual ETR increased to 20.6% from 18.5% as a result of the eOne acquisition during the first quarter of 2020, and a change in the mix of forecasted income by jurisdiction.


•	during the quarter ended March 31, 2019, we recorded a discrete net tax benefit of $2,607 primarily associated with the decrease to our liability for uncertain tax positions that resulted from statute of limitations expiring in certain jurisdictions.

In May 2019, a public referendum held in Switzerland approved Swiss Federal Act on Tax Reform and AHV Financing (TRAF) proposals previously approved by Swiss Parliament. The Swiss tax reform measures were effective on January 1, 2020. Changes in tax reform include the abolishment of preferential tax regimes for holding companies, domicile companies and mixed companies at the cantonal level. The enacted changes in Swiss federal tax were not material to the Company's consolidated financial statements. Swiss cantonal tax was enacted in December 2019. The Company is still assessing the transitional provision options it may elect; however, the legislation is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. We will continue to review TRAF as the Swiss authorities provide additional interpretive guidance on the new law and related transitional methodology.

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 2012. The Company is currently under income tax examination in several U.S. state and local and non-U.S. jurisdictions.