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Income Taxes
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011
Income Taxes
9.  Income Taxes

The Company and its subsidiaries file a consolidated federal income tax return, as well as returns required by various state and foreign jurisdictions.  In the normal course of business, the Company is subject to examination by taxing authorities, including such major jurisdictions as the United States, France, Germany and the Netherlands.  With few exceptions, the Company is no longer subject to U.S. federal examinations for years before 2006, state and local examinations for years before 2002, and non-U.S. income tax examinations for years before 2007.

In assessing the need for reserves for uncertainties in income taxes recognized, a significant number of estimates and judgments must be made by the Company.  The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate was $0.4 million as of June 30, 2011.  There have been no significant changes to these amounts during the quarter or six months ended June 30, 2011.

The Company's effective tax rate for income from continuing operations was 28.4% and 31.9% for the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010 and 32.6% and 28.0% for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010. The Company's effective tax rate for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 includes a discrete $0.3 million benefit resulting from the correction of a prior year item.

The Company’s effective tax rates in future periods could be affected by earnings being lower or higher than anticipated in countries where tax rates differ from the United States federal rate, the relative impact of permanent tax adjustments on higher or lower earnings from domestic operations, changes in net deferred tax asset valuation allowances, completion of acquisitions or divestitures, changes in tax rates or tax laws and the completion of tax audits.