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INCOME TAXES
3 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2021
INCOME TAXES [Abstract]  
INCOME TAXES
NOTE 10 - INCOME TAXES


We calculate our provision for income taxes at the end of each interim reporting period on the basis of an estimated annual effective tax rate adjusted for tax items that are discrete to each period.


The effective tax rate of 23.6% in the three-month period ended January 31, 2021 differs from the U.S. statutory rate of 21% primarily due to the non-recognition of the tax benefit of losses that, in certain jurisdictions, have been offset by valuation allowances and non-U.S. pre-tax income being taxed at higher statutory rates in the non-U.S. jurisdictions that were partially offset by the benefits of investment credits in a foreign jurisdiction.


The effective tax rate of 45.4% differs from the U.S. statutory rate of 21.0% in the three-month period ended February 2, 2020, primarily due to the non-recognition of the tax benefit of losses that, in certain jurisdictions, have been offset by valuation allowances, and the establishment of a valuation allowance for a loss carryforward in a non-U.S. jurisdiction, which were partially offset by the benefit of a tax holiday and investment credits in certain foreign jurisdictions.


Valuation allowances, in jurisdictions with historic losses, eliminate the current tax benefit of losses in these jurisdictions where, based on the weight of information available to us, we determined that it is more likely than not that the tax benefits will not be realized. In the three-month period ended February 2, 2020, as a result of the reassessment of the aforementioned available information, we established a valuation allowance of $2.1 million against a non-U.S. based loss-carryforward deferred tax asset that is not more likely than not to be realized.


Unrecognized tax benefits related to uncertain tax positions were $2.6 million and $2.7 million at January 31, 2021 and October 31, 2020, respectively, of which $1.9 million and $2.0 million, if recognized, would favorably impact the Company’s effective tax rate. Accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits was $0.1 million at January 31, 2021 and October 31, 2020. Although the timing of the expirations of statutes of limitations may be uncertain, as they can be dependent upon the settlement of tax audits, the Company believes that the amount of uncertain tax positions (including interest and penalties, and net of tax benefits) that may be resolved over the next twelve months is immaterial. Resolution of these uncertain tax positions may result from either or both the lapses of statutes of limitations and tax settlements. The Company is no longer subject to tax authority examinations in the U.S. and major foreign or state jurisdictions for years prior to fiscal year 2015.


We were granted a five-year tax holiday in Taiwan that expired on December 31, 2019. This tax holiday reduced foreign taxes by $0.1 million in the three-month period ended February 2, 2020; per share impact was immaterial.