Income Taxes

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2022

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income Taxes

Note K – Income Taxes

The Company’s effective income tax rate is calculated as the amount of income tax expense (benefit) divided by income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes.  For the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, the Company’s effective income tax rates were as follows:

	2022	2021
Three months ended September 30,	21.7%	21.1%
Nine months ended September 30,	21.2%	28.6%

The effective tax rate for the three-month period ended September 30, 2022, was above the U.S. statutory tax rate of 21% primarily due to several factors, including: the effects of income generated in foreign tax jurisdictions, certain of which have income tax rates higher than the U.S. Federal rate; U.S. state tax expense; and certain expenses, including exploration and other expenses in certain foreign jurisdictions, for which no income tax benefits are currently available. These impacts were partially offset by no tax applied to the pre-tax income of the noncontrolling interest in MP GOM.

The effective tax rate for the three-month period ended September 30, 2021, was above the statutory tax rate of 21% primarily due to income generated in Canada, which has a higher tax rate, offset by no tax applied to the pre-tax income of the noncontrolling interest in MP GOM, which has the impact of decreasing the effective tax rate on income.

The effective tax rate for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2022, was above the U.S. statutory tax rate of 21% primarily due to several factors, including: the effects of income generated in foreign tax jurisdictions, certain of which have income tax rates higher than the U.S. Federal rate; U.S. state tax expense; and certain expenses, including exploration and other expenses in certain foreign jurisdictions, for which no income tax benefits are currently available. These impacts were mostly offset by no tax applied to the pre-tax income of the noncontrolling interest in MP GOM.

The effective tax rate for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2021, was above the statutory tax rate of 21% primarily due to no tax applied to the pretax income of the noncontrolling interest in MP GOM, which has the impact of increasing the effective tax rate on an overall loss.

The Company’s tax returns in multiple jurisdictions are subject to audit by taxing authorities. These audits often take years to complete and settle. Although the Company believes that recorded liabilities for unsettled issues are adequate, additional gains

or losses could occur in future years from resolution of outstanding unsettled matters. Additionally, the Company could be required to pay amounts into an escrow account as any matters are identified and appealed with the relevant taxing authorities.  As of September 30, 2022, the earliest years remaining open for audit and/or settlement in our major taxing jurisdictions are as follows: United States – 2016; Canada – 2016; and Malaysia – 2014. Following the sale in 2019, the Company has retained certain possible liabilities and rights to income tax receivables relating to the divested Malaysia business for the years prior to 2019. The Company believes current recorded liabilities are adequate.