Income Taxes

6 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Income Taxes [Abstract]

Income Taxes

Note 8: Income Taxes

The Company’s effective tax rate for the three months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 was (336.4) percent and (144.9) percent, respectively.  The Company’s effective tax rate for the six months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 was 66.0 percent and (41.3) percent, respectively.  The effective tax rates for the fiscal 2019 periods were favorably impacted by income tax benefits of $10.8 million related to the Company’s accounting for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”) and income tax benefits of $13.6 million related to the recognition of tax assets for foreign tax credits. In fiscal 2019, the effective tax rate was also favorably impacted by an income tax benefit recorded for a manufacturing deduction in the United States. Compared with the prior year, the Company’s effective tax rate for fiscal 2020 was negatively impacted by the global intangible low taxed income (“GILTI”) provision of the Tax Act, changes in the mix of foreign and domestic earnings, and changes in the valuation allowances in certain jurisdictions.

As of September 30, 2019, valuation allowances against deferred tax assets in certain foreign jurisdictions totaled $37.6 million and valuation allowances against certain U.S. deferred tax assets totaled $7.4 million, as it is more likely than not these assets will not be realized based upon historical financial results.  The Company will continue to provide a valuation allowance against its net deferred tax assets in each of the applicable jurisdictions until the need for a valuation allowance is eliminated.  The need for a valuation allowance is eliminated when the Company determines it is more likely than not the deferred tax assets will be realized.

Accounting policies for interim reporting require the Company to adjust its effective tax rate each quarter to be consistent with its estimated annual effective tax rate.  Under this methodology, the Company applies its estimated annual income tax rate to its year-to-date ordinary earnings to derive its income tax provision each quarter.  The Company records the tax impacts of certain significant, unusual or infrequently occurring items in the period in which they occur.  The Company excluded the impact of its operations in certain foreign locations from the overall effective tax rate methodology and recorded them discretely based upon year-to-date results because the Company anticipates net operating losses for the full fiscal year in these jurisdictions.  The Company does not anticipate a significant change in unrecognized tax benefits during the remainder of fiscal 2020.