INCOME TAXES

As of July 31, 2013, the Company’s liability for gross unrecognized tax benefits related to uncertain tax positions was $2.0 million of which $1.3 million would decrease the Company’s income tax expense and effective income tax rate if the tax benefits were recognized. A reconciliation of the activity related to the liability for gross unrecognized tax benefits for the nine months ended July 31, 2013 is as follows (in thousands):



Balance as of October 31, 2012		$2,527
Settlements	(570		)
Decreases related to prior year tax positions	(151		)
Lapse of statutes of limitations	(65		)
Increases related to current year tax positions	224
Balance as of July 31, 2013		$1,965

The settlements and decreases related to prior year tax positions pertain to a state income tax position regarding nexus that was originally recognized in fiscal 2012 and resolved through the filing of state income tax returns in fiscal 2013. The accrual of interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits was not material for the nine months ended July 31, 2013. Further, the Company does not expect the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits to materially change in the next twelve months.

In January 2013, Section 41 of the Internal Revenue Code, "Credit for Increasing Research Activities," was retroactively extended to cover a two-year period from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2013. As a result, an income tax credit for qualified research and development activities for the last ten months of fiscal 2012 was recognized by the Company in the first quarter of fiscal 2013. The tax credit, net of expenses, increased net income attributable to HEICO by approximately $1.0 million.

During the third quarter of fiscal 2013, the Company filed its fiscal 2012 U.S. federal and state tax returns. As a result, the Company recognized an aggregate benefit, net of expenses, which increased net income attributable to HEICO by approximately $1.6 million from higher research and development tax credits and a credit for foreign taxes paid on earnings that were repatriated by one of the Company's foreign subsidiaries.

The Company's effective tax rate for the first nine months of fiscal 2013 decreased to 29.5% from 33.3% for the first nine months of fiscal 2012. The decrease is partially due to the previously mentioned income tax credit for qualified research and development activities for the last ten months of fiscal 2012 that was recognized in the first quarter of fiscal 2013. The decrease in the effective tax rate was also attributed to an income tax deduction under Section 404(k) of the Internal Revenue Code for the one-time special and extraordinary cash dividend paid in December 2012 to participants of the HEICO Savings and Investment Plan holding HEICO common stock and the benefit from higher tax-exempt unrealized gains in the cash surrender values of life insurance policies related to the HEICO Corporation Leadership Compensation Plan (the "LCP"). Furthermore, the Company recognized an additional tax benefit upon the filing of its fiscal 2012 U.S. federal income tax return in the third quarter of fiscal 2013 associated with the previously mentioned credit for foreign taxes paid on earnings that were repatriated by one of the Company's foreign subsidiaries that also contributed to the lower effective tax rate.

The Company's effective tax rate in the third quarter of fiscal 2013 decreased to 26.6% from 31.4% in the third quarter of fiscal 2012. The decrease is partially due to the aforementioned benefit associated with a credit for foreign taxes paid on earnings that were repatriated by one of the Company's foreign subsidiaries. The decrease in the effective tax rate was also attributed to the previously mentioned benefit from higher tax-exempt unrealized gains in the cash surrender values of life insurance policies related to the LCP and for the income tax deduction for the one-time special and extraordinary cash dividend paid in December 2012 to participants of the HEICO Savings and Investment Plan holding HEICO common stock.