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Income Taxes
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2012
Income Taxes

Note I – Income Taxes

The effective tax rate for the second quarter and first half of 2012 was 20% and 28%, respectively, compared to 27% and -32%, respectively, for the same periods of 2011. The second quarter 2012 rate includes a $16 million accrued benefit based on a ruling from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) allowing the company to carryback certain accounting method changes to the 2009 tax year. Receipt of cash related to this ruling is not expected prior to resolution of the previously-disclosed dispute with the IRS relating to a foreign royalty assessment as discussed below. The year-to-date effective tax rate includes this benefit and is also impacted by the Recovery of purchase price that is treated as a purchase price adjustment for tax purposes. As discussed in Note C, this recovery would have been a reduction of related goodwill for financial reporting purposes, but the related goodwill was impaired in 2008. Additionally, the loss on extinguishment of debt in the United States during the quarter ended March 31, 2012 did not generate a financial statement tax benefit because of existing valuation allowances. Similarly, operating losses in other jurisdictions with valuation allowances do not result in deferred tax benefits being recognized in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. Accordingly, tax expense recognized in jurisdictions with positive earnings, and no tax benefit on certain jurisdictions with losses, can cause the effective rate to be different from blended statutory rates and, in the case of the first half of 2011, to result in tax expense in periods of pre-tax losses. This interim accounting is likely to result in significant variability of the effective tax rate throughout the course of the year. Changes in income projections and the mix of income across jurisdictions could impact the effective tax rate each quarter.

We file a U.S. federal income tax return and other income tax returns in various states and foreign jurisdictions. With few exceptions, we are no longer subject to U.S. federal, state and local income tax examinations for years before 2009. Our U.S. federal filings for 2009, 2010 and 2011 are under routine examination, and it is reasonably possible that audits for some of these periods will be closed prior to the end of 2012. Significant international tax jurisdictions include the UK, the Netherlands, France and Germany. Generally, we are subject to routine examination for years 2006 and forward in these jurisdictions. It is reasonably possible that certain of these audits will close within the next 12 months, which could result in a decrease of as much as $2.1 million or an increase of as much as $1.0 million to our accrued uncertain tax positions. Additionally, we anticipate that it is reasonably possible that new issues will be raised or resolved by tax authorities that may require changes to the balance of unrecognized tax benefits, however, an estimate of such changes cannot reasonably be made.

As part of the ongoing 2009 and 2010 audits, the IRS has proposed a deemed royalty assessment from our foreign operations with a tax and penalty amount of approximately $126 million. The company disagrees with this assessment and, based on the technical merits of this issue, believes that no accrual is required at this time. The company is working with its outside tax advisors and the IRS to resolve this dispute in a timely manner. To the extent the IRS prevails on this issue, the income statement impact may be lowered because of available net operating losses and other deferred tax assets.