Income Taxes

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income Taxes

8. Income Taxes

The Company's effective tax rate for the first quarter of 2013 was 29.8% compared to an effective tax rate of 25.8% in the first quarter of 2012. During the first quarter of 2013, the Company concluded certain U.S. federal income tax matters through the year ended December 31, 2009 and recognized a discrete tax benefit of $0.5 million. The difference in the Company’s effective tax rate for the quarter ended March 31, 2012 compared to statutory federal income tax rates was primarily due a $0.8 million reversal of valuation allowance against foreign tax credit carryovers.

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 2010, state and local examinations for years before 2002, and non-U.S. income tax examinations for years before 2003.

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.