XML 32 R20.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.10.0.1
Income Taxes
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes
Income Taxes
The effective tax rate for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 was (4.4)% and 19.2%, respectively, and the effective tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 was 13.0% and 21.1%, respectively. The effective tax rate for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 includes a $7 million and $13 million benefit, respectively, from the resolution of certain tax examinations. The effective tax rate for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 includes a $6 million and $20 million benefit, respectively, from the resolution of certain tax examinations. The effective tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 includes a $2 million and $4 million charge, respectively, from the write-off of deferred tax assets associated with the expiration of out-of-the-money vested stock options and the vesting of restricted stock.
The provisional amounts recorded to reflect the impact of tax legislation in 2017 have been adjusted for both the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2018 and include a benefit of $8 million and $17 million, respectively, related to the re-measurement of deferred tax assets and liabilities and revisions of the U.S. tax on unremitted earnings of our foreign subsidiaries. The amounts recorded as of December 31, 2017 and adjusted September 30, 2018 remain provisional and further adjustments are expected to be made during the measurement period.
As is the case with other large corporations, our tax returns are examined by tax authorities in the U.S. and other global taxing jurisdictions in which we have operations. As a result, it is reasonably possible that the amount of unrecognized tax benefits will decrease in the next 12 months, and this decrease could be up to 20% of our unrecognized tax benefits.
The IRS examinations of our consolidated U.S. income tax returns for tax years prior to 2015 are closed to audit; however, various post-2011 U.S. state and local tax returns are still subject to examination. In Canada, the examination of our tax filings prior to 2014 are closed to audit, except for the pending application of legal principles to specific issues arising in earlier years. Other significant jurisdictions include France, which is closed to audit through the end of 2014, Germany, which is closed to audit through the end of 2012 and the UK, which, except for an item under appeal, is closed to audit through the end of 2015. We also have other less significant tax filings currently subject to examination.