NOTE E — INCOME TAXES

The income tax provision (benefit) attributable to continuing operations for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015, and 2014, consists of the following:



	Year Ended December 31,
	2016			2015			2014
	(In Thousands)
Current
Federal	$	—		$	(1,310	)	$	(69	)
State	783			2,022			(195		)
Foreign	3,328			7,371			10,318
	4,111			8,083			10,054
Deferred
Federal	—			191			(1,509		)
State	(610		)	(1,613		)	3,784
Foreign	(1,198		)	1,043			(2,625		)
	(1,808		)	(379		)	(350		)
Total tax provision (benefit)	$	2,303		$	7,704		$	9,704

A reconciliation of the provision (benefit) for income taxes attributable to continuing operations, computed by applying the federal statutory rate to income (loss) before income taxes and the reported income taxes, is as follows:



	Year Ended December 31,
	2016			2015			2014
	(In Thousands)
Income tax provision (benefit) computed at statutory federal income tax rates	$	(82,982	)	$	(70,617	)	$	(55,254	)
State income taxes (net of federal benefit)	(2,960		)	(608		)	(1,730		)
Nondeductible meals and entertainment	419			909			1,433
Impact of international operations	7,567			(1,880		)	(7,408		)
Goodwill impairments	12,990			20,412			7,442
Valuation allowance	58,846			55,392			67,781
Other	8,423			4,096			(2,560		)
Total tax provision (benefit)	$	2,303		$	7,704		$	9,704

Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations includes the following components:



	Year Ended December 31,
	2016			2015			2014
	(In Thousands)
Domestic	$	(235,394	)	$	(195,815	)	$	(138,640	)
International	(1,696		)	(5,948		)	(19,231		)
Total	$	(237,090	)	$	(201,763	)	$	(157,871	)

A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of our gross unrecognized tax benefit liability is as follows:



	Year Ended December 31,
	2016			2015			2014
	(In Thousands)
Gross unrecognized tax benefits at beginning of period	$	1,955		$	1,959		$	2,018
Decreases in tax positions for prior years	—			—			—
Increases in tax positions for current year	16			120			191
Lapse in statute of limitations	(378		)	(124		)	(250		)
Gross unrecognized tax benefits at end of period	$	1,593		$	1,955		$	1,959

We recognize interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions in income tax expense. During the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015, and 2014, we recognized $(0.1) million, $0.3 million, and $0.2 million, respectively, of interest and penalties to the provision for income tax. As of December 31, 2016 and 2015, we had $2.3 million and $2.4 million, respectively, of accrued potential interest and penalties associated with these uncertain tax positions. The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits that would affect our effective tax rate if recognized is $3.2 million and $3.5 million as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. We do not expect a significant change to the unrecognized tax benefits during the next twelve months.

We file tax returns in the U.S. and in various state, local, and non-U.S. jurisdictions. The following table summarizes the earliest tax years that remain subject to examination by taxing authorities in any major jurisdiction in which we operate:



Jurisdiction	Earliest Open Tax Period
United States – Federal	2012
United States – State and Local	2002
Non-U.S. jurisdictions	2010

We use the liability method for reporting income taxes, under which current and deferred tax assets and liabilities are recorded in accordance with enacted tax laws and rates. Under this method, at the end of each period, the amounts of deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined using the tax rate expected to be in effect when the taxes are actually paid or recovered. We establish a valuation allowance to reduce the deferred tax assets when it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. We considered all available evidence, both positive and negative, in determining whether, based on the weight of that evidence, a valuation allowance is needed for some portion or all of our deferred tax assets. In determining the need for a valuation allowance on our deferred tax assets we placed greater weight on recent and objectively verifiable current information, as compared to more forward-looking information that is used in valuating other assets on the balance sheet. While we have considered tax planning strategies in assessing the need for the valuation allowance, there can be no guarantee that we will be able to realize all of our deferred tax assets. Significant components of our deferred tax assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, are as follows:



	December 31,
	2016			2015
	(In Thousands)
Net operating losses	$	125,358		$	91,973
Foreign tax credits and alternative minimum tax credits	28,929			19,772
Accruals	30,795			30,033
Income recognized for tax not book	1,793			2,608
All other	8,362			8,686
Total deferred tax assets	195,237			153,072
Valuation allowance	(185,275		)	(126,673		)
Net deferred tax assets	$	9,962		$	26,399



	December 31,
	2016		2015
	(In Thousands)
Depreciation and amortization for tax in excess of book expense	$	17,012	$	34,146
All other	218		1,695
Total deferred tax liability	17,230		35,841
Net deferred tax liability	$	7,268	$	9,442

We believe that it is more likely than not we will not realize all the tax benefits of the deferred tax assets within the allowable carryforward period. Therefore, an appropriate valuation allowance has been provided. The valuation allowance as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 primarily relates to federal deferred tax assets. The increase (decrease) in the valuation allowance during the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015, and 2014, were $58.6 million, $53.0 million, and $69.9 million, respectively.

At December 31, 2016, we had approximately $125.4 million of federal, foreign, and state net operating loss carryforwards. In those countries and states in which net operating losses are subject to an expiration period, our loss carryforwards, if not utilized, will expire at various dates from 2016 through 2036. At December 31, 2016, we had $28.9 million of foreign tax credits available to offset future payment of federal income taxes. The foreign tax credits expire in varying amounts from 2020 through 2026. Utilization of the net operating loss and credit carryforwards may be subject to a significant annual limitation due to ownership changes that have occurred previously or could occur in the future provided by Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code.

In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-17. The update changes how deferred taxes are classified on the balance sheet, eliminating the existing requirement for organizations to present deferred tax liabilities and assets as current and noncurrent in a classified balance sheet. Instead, organizations are required to classify all deferred tax assets and liabilities as noncurrent. The ASU is effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those years beginning after December 15, 2016. As permitted by ASU 2015-17, we elected to early adopt this guidance effective December 31, 2015, using the retrospective adoption. The impact of the retrospective adoption of this standard was not material to our consolidated financial statements.