Income Taxes

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income Taxes

Note J – 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 periods ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company’s effective income tax rates were as follows:

	2023	2022
Three months ended March 31,	20.1%	20.7%

The effective tax rate for the three-month period ended March 31, 2023, was below the U.S. statutory tax rate of 21% primarily due to no tax applied to the pre-tax income of the noncontrolling interest in MP GOM, offset by the effects of income generated in foreign tax jurisdictions, certain of which have income tax rates higher than the U.S. Federal rate and certain expenses, including exploration and other expenses in certain foreign jurisdictions, for which no income tax benefits are currently available.

The effective tax rate for the three-month period ended March 31, 2022, was below the statutory tax rate of 21% primarily due to exploration expenses in certain foreign jurisdictions in which no income tax benefit is currently available, offset by no tax applied to the pre-tax income of the noncontrolling interest in MP GOM.

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 has paid amounts into escrow, and may from time to time pay more amounts into escrow, in order to continue tax disputes with the relevant taxing authorities. As of March 31, 2023, the earliest years remaining open for audit and/or settlement in our major taxing jurisdictions are as follows: U.S. – 2016; Canada – 2016; and Malaysia – 2016. 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.