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Income Taxes
3 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2011
Income Taxes  
Income Taxes

NOTE 4 — INCOME TAXES

The Company's effective tax rate was 26.6% in the first quarter of fiscal 2012 and 27.7% in the first quarter of fiscal 2011. The decrease in the effective rate for the first quarter of fiscal 2012 compared to the same period of the prior year is primarily the result of the relative mix of earnings and losses within the tax jurisdictions in which the Company operates.

The effective tax rate differed from the U.S. federal statutory rate of 35% during these periods primarily due to the relative mix of earnings or losses within the tax jurisdictions in which the Company operates such as: a) losses in tax jurisdictions where the Company is not able to record a tax benefit; b) earnings in tax jurisdictions where the Company has previously recorded a valuation allowance on deferred tax assets; and c) earnings in lower-tax jurisdictions for which no U.S. taxes have been provided because such earnings are planned to be reinvested indefinitely outside the United States.

The overall effective tax rate will continue to be dependent upon the geographic distribution of the Company's earnings or losses, changes in tax laws, or interpretations of these laws in these operating jurisdictions. The Company monitors the assumptions used in estimating the annual effective tax rate and makes adjustments, if required, throughout the year. If actual results differ from the assumptions used in estimating the Company's annual effective income tax rates, future income tax expense could be materially affected.

The Company's future effective tax rates could be affected by changes in the relative mix of taxable income and taxable loss jurisdictions, changes in the valuation of deferred tax assets or liabilities or changes in tax laws or interpretations thereof. In addition, the Company's income tax returns are subject to continuous examination by the Internal Revenue Service and other tax authorities. The Company regularly assesses the likelihood of adverse outcomes from these examinations to determine the adequacy of the Company's provision for income taxes. To the extent the Company prevails in matters for which accruals have been established or is required to pay amounts in excess of such accruals, the effective tax rate could be materially affected.