Income Taxes

9 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2021

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

Our provision for income taxes is based on estimated effective tax rates derived from an estimate of annual consolidated earnings before taxes, adjusted for nondeductible expenses, other permanent items, and any applicable income tax credits.

The following table presents the provision for income taxes (in thousands) and the effective tax rates:

	Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	December 25,			December 26,			December 25,			December 26,
	2021			2020			2021			2020
Income before income taxes	$	144,009		$	130,649		$	260,721		$	217,326
Provision for income taxes	$	16,373		$	16,281		$	30,780		$	25,263
Effective tax rate	11.4		%	12.5		%	11.8		%	11.6		%

Our income tax expense was $16.4 million and $16.3 million for the third quarters of fiscal years 2022 and 2021, respectively, resulting in effective tax rates of 11.4% and 12.5%, respectively.  Our income tax expense was $30.8 million and $25.3 million for the first nine months of fiscal years 2022 and 2021, respectively, resulting in effective tax rates of 11.8% and 11.6%, respectively. Our effective tax rates for the third quarter and first nine months of fiscal year 2022 were lower than the federal statutory rate primarily due to the effect of income earned in certain foreign jurisdictions that is taxed below the federal statutory rate and excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation. Our effective tax rates for the third quarter and first nine months of fiscal year 2021 were lower than the federal statutory rate primarily due to the effect of income earned in certain foreign jurisdictions that is taxed below the federal statutory rate and excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation. The effective tax rate for the first nine months of fiscal year 2021 was further impacted by the favorable remeasurement of previously unrecognized tax benefits recognized as a discrete item in the second quarter of fiscal year 2021.

The Company records unrecognized tax benefits for the estimated risk associated with tax positions taken on tax returns.  At December 25, 2021, the Company had unrecognized tax benefits of $32.9 million, all of which would impact the effective tax rate if recognized.  The Company’s total unrecognized tax benefits are classified as “Non-current income taxes" in the consolidated condensed balance sheets. The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in the provision for income taxes.  As of December 25, 2021, the balance of accrued interest and penalties, net of tax, was $4.8 million. 

On July 27, 2015, the U.S. Tax Court issued an opinion in Altera Corp. et al. v. Commissioner which concluded that the regulations relating to the treatment of stock-based compensation expense in intercompany cost-sharing arrangements were invalid. In 2016 the U.S. Internal Revenue Service appealed the decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (the “Ninth Circuit”). On July 24, 2018, the Ninth Circuit issued a decision that was subsequently withdrawn and a reconstituted panel conferred on the appeal. On June 7, 2019, the Ninth Circuit reversed the decision of the U.S. Tax Court and upheld the cost-sharing regulations. On February 10, 2020, Altera Corp. filed a Petition for a Writ of Certiorari with the Supreme Court of the United States, which was denied by the Supreme Court on June 22, 2020. Although the issue is now resolved in the Ninth Circuit, the Ninth Circuit's opinion is not binding in other circuits. The potential impact of this issue on the Company, which is not located within the jurisdiction of the Ninth Circuit, is unclear at this time. We will continue to monitor developments related to this issue and the potential impact of those developments on the Company's current and prior fiscal years.

The Company and its subsidiaries are subject to U.S. federal income tax as well as income tax in multiple state and foreign jurisdictions. Fiscal years 2017 through 2021 remain open to examination by the major taxing jurisdictions to which the Company is subject, although carry forward attributes that were generated in tax years prior to fiscal year 2017 may be adjusted upon examination by the tax authorities if they have been, or will be, used in a future period.  The Company's federal income tax returns for fiscal years 2017, 2018, and 2019 are under examination by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.  The Company believes it has accrued adequate reserves related to the matters under examination. The Company is not under an income tax audit in any other major taxing jurisdiction.