Income Taxes

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

On a quarterly basis, the Company estimates the effective tax rate expected to be applicable for the full year and makes changes, if necessary, based on new information or events. The estimated annual effective tax rate is forecasted based on actual historical information and forward-looking estimates and is used to provide for income taxes in interim reporting periods. The Company also recognizes the tax impact of certain unusual or infrequently occurring items, such as the effects of changes in tax laws or rates and impacts from settlements with tax authorities, discretely in the quarter in which they occur.

For the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company recorded an income tax benefit of $1.5 million at an effective income tax rate of 2.8%. The annual effective tax rate differs from the statutory U.S. Federal tax rate as the tax benefit from consolidated pre-tax losses is completely offset by the portion of losses owned by non-controlling interests that do not provide for a tax benefit. The decrease in effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2020 as compared to the same period last year was primarily attributed to the tax expense generated from the current period loss before taxes at the estimated annual effective tax rate, offset by tax benefits from anticipated net operating loss carrybacks as result of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and. Economic Security Act ("CARES") Act. For the three months ended March 31, 2019, the Company recorded an income tax benefit of $5.4 million at an effective income tax rate of 27.8%.  

The 2020 effective tax rate can be affected by variances in the estimates and amounts of taxable income among the various states, entities and activity types, realization of tax credits, adjustments from resolution of tax matters under review, valuation allowances and the company’s assessment of its liability for uncertain tax positions. The amount of unrecognized tax benefits for uncertain tax positions was $25.4 million as of March 31, 2020, and $0.6 million for the period ended March 31, 2019. The unrecognized tax benefits of $25.4 million include $21.7 million recorded as a reduction of the deferred tax asset and refundable credits associated with the R&D Credits.

On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into U.S. federal law the CARES Act, which is aimed at providing emergency assistance and health care for individuals, families and businesses affected by the Coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic and generally supporting the U.S. economy. The CARES Act, among other things, includes provisions relating to refundable payroll tax credits, deferment of employer side social security payments, net operating loss carryback periods, alternative minimum tax credit refunds, modifications to the net interest deduction limitations and technical corrections to tax depreciation methods for qualified improvement property. In particular, under the CARES Act, (i) for taxable years beginning before 2021, net operating loss carryforwards and carrybacks may offset 100% of taxable income, (ii) NOLs arising in 2018, 2019, and 2020 taxable years may be carried back to each of the preceding five years to generate a refund and (iii) for taxable years beginning in 2019 and 2020, the base for interest deductibility is increased from 30% to 50% of EBITDA. The Company has analyzed the impact of the CARES Act to determine the estimated impact on 2019 filing positions that could be carried back to prior tax years, and recorded a financial statement benefit of $6.6 million. On April 17, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service issued Revenue Procedure 2020-25, allowing for companies to revoke an election out of bonus depreciation. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this additional guidance.