Income Taxes

3 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2019

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

The provision for income taxes reflects tax on foreign earnings and federal and state tax on U.S. earnings. The Company’s effective tax rates for the three months ended June 30, 2019 and June 30, 2018 were not meaningful due to the amount of pre-tax income and the tax benefits recorded during the period.

The Company's effective tax rate for the three months ended June 30, 2019 is lower compared to the prior year primarily due to discrete benefits related to releases of uncertain tax positions due to lapses of statutes of limitations. The Company's effective tax rate is different than the statutory rates in the U.S. due to foreign income taxed at different rates than the U.S., changes in uncertain tax benefit positions, changes to valuation allowances, generation of tax credits, and the impact of the Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income ("GILTI") tax in the United States. In addition, the Company has numerous tax holidays it receives related to its Thailand manufacturing operations based on its investment in property, plant and equipment in Thailand, as well as Microsemi’s tax holiday in Malaysia that effectively reduces its income tax rate in that jurisdiction. The Company's tax holiday periods in Thailand expire at various times in the future, however, the Company actively seeks to obtain new tax holidays. The Company does not expect the future expiration of any of its tax holiday periods in Thailand to have a material impact on its effective tax rate. Microsemi’s tax holiday in Malaysia was granted in 2009 and is effective through December 2019, subject to continued compliance with the tax holiday’s requirements. The material components of foreign income taxed at a rate lower than the U.S. are earnings accrued in Thailand, Malta and Ireland.

The Company files U.S. federal, U.S. state, and foreign income tax returns.  For U.S. federal, and in general for U.S. state tax returns, the fiscal 2007 and later tax years remain effectively open for examination by tax authorities.  For foreign tax returns, the Company is generally no longer subject to income tax examinations for years prior to fiscal 2007.

The Company records benefits for uncertain tax positions based on an assessment of whether it is more likely than not that the tax positions will be sustained based on their technical merits under currently enacted law. If this threshold is not met, no tax benefit of the uncertain tax position is recognized. If this threshold is met, the Company recognizes the largest amount of the tax benefit that is more likely than not to be realized upon ultimate settlement. The Company believes that it has appropriate support for the income tax positions taken and to be taken on its tax returns and that its accruals for tax liabilities are adequate for all open years based on an assessment of many factors including past experience and interpretations of tax laws applied to the facts of each matter.

The Company believes it maintains appropriate reserves to offset any potential income tax liabilities that may arise upon final resolution of matters for open tax years.  If such reserve amounts ultimately prove to be unnecessary, the resulting reversal of such reserves could result in tax benefits being recorded in the period the reserves are no longer deemed necessary.  If such amounts prove to be less than an ultimate assessment, a future charge to expense would be recorded in the period in which the assessment is determined.