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Income Taxes
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Income Taxes [Abstract]  
Income Taxes

NOTE 12: INCOME TAXES

For the three months ended March 31, 2012, the Company recorded an income tax expense from operations of $2.7 million compared to an income tax benefit of $1.2 million in the prior year. The $2.7 million tax expense in the first quarter of 2012 primarily represents foreign and U.S. state income tax expense for the period plus an increase in the valuation allowance related to the closing of an income tax examination. Due to existing U.S. federal tax loss carry forwards and a valuation allowance on related deferred tax assets, no U.S. federal income tax expense on earnings was recorded in the quarter.

In accordance with FASB ASC 740, "Income Taxes," the Company assesses the realizability of its deferred tax assets. The Company records a valuation allowance when, based upon the evaluation of all available evidence, it is more-likely-than-not that all or a portion of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. In making this determination, we analyze, among other things, our recent history of earnings, the nature and timing of reversing book-tax temporary differences, tax planning strategies and future income. After considering both the positive and negative evidence available, in the second quarter of 2009, the Company determined that it was more-likely-than-not that it would not realize a portion of its U.S. deferred tax assets. As a result, the Company established a valuation allowance against a portion of its U.S. deferred tax assets. The Company has maintained a valuation allowance against a portion of its U.S. deferred tax assets since that time. The valuation allowance is reviewed quarterly and will be maintained until sufficient positive evidence exists to support the reversal of some or all of the valuation allowance. The valuation allowance was $106.6 million and $121.5 million at March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively.