Income Taxes

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Income Taxes [Abstract]

Income Taxes

(8) Income Taxes

The Company's effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011 was 133.7% and 36.5%, respectively.   The current period income tax expense of $4.8 million includes discrete items of $3.6 million, related to an increase in unrecognized tax benefits and an adjustment, both associated with certain stock-based compensation items identified during the current period.

For financial statement purposes the Company uses the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold and a tax benefit measurement process for recording changes to unrecognized tax benefits. The Company recognizes interest and penalties on any income tax liabilities as a component of its income tax provision. The total amount of gross unrecognized tax benefits recorded was approximately $2.9 million and $1.7 million as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively.

The Company has been notified by the Internal Revenue Service that its 2010 U.S. Federal tax return will be examined.