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Income Taxes
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes

NOTE 10 — INCOME TAXES

 

The Company files a consolidated U.S. federal income tax return. State tax returns in the state jurisdictions of California, Texas, Pennsylvania and New Jersey are filed on a consolidated, combined or separate basis depending on the applicable laws relating to the Company and its domestic subsidiaries. Additionally, the Company’s subsidiaries files tax returns in England and France. The Company provides for income taxes at the end of each interim period based on the estimated effective tax rate adjusted for certain discreet items for the full fiscal year. Cumulative adjustments to the Company’s estimate are recorded in the interim period in which a change in the estimated annual effective rate is determined.

 

The effective tax rate is subject to significant volatility on a consolidated basis, because the profits of the Company’s subsidiaries in England are subject to income tax at the local statutory rate of 23% and the Company’s subsidiary in France is subject to income tax at the local statutory rate of 33%. The tax loss carry-forwards of the U.S. entities are not available for offset against the profits of the overseas subsidiaries. The Company has minimal tax liabilities in the U.S. because it has not generated taxable profits in the United States in the period. The tax charges in the three months ended March 31, 2014 and the three months ended March 31, 2013, are entirely attributable to the taxable profits generated by the Company’s U.K. subsidiaries. In the three months ended March 31, 2014, the UK subsidiaries generated a profit after interest of less than $0.1 million. The first quarter profits generated in the UK in 2013 were $0.6 million.

 

The Company’s business is subject to regulation under a wide variety of United States federal, state and foreign tax laws, regulations and policies. The majority of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries have earnings and profits that are reinvested indefinitely. However, the foreign subsidiaries have previously issued guarantees on a financing agreement held by the Company and, as a result, under Internal Revenue Code Section 956, have been deemed to have distributed these earnings to fund U.S. operations. This has resulted in U.S. federal taxable income and an increase in U.S. tax liability, which has been reduced through utilization of available net operating loss carry-forwards and foreign tax credits. The Company has utilized a significant portion of its net operating losses available to be carried forward into future periods and, as a result, income from operations and/or gain on sales of assets could result in tax obligations.

  

As of March 31, 2014, the Company had not recorded any net unrecognized tax benefits. The Company currently has no open matters with tax authorities nor is it engaged in an examination by any tax authority. The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions in interest expense and selling, general and administrative expense, respectively, in the condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income. No interest or penalties were recognized during the three months ended March 31, 2014. As of March 31, 2014, the Company had no accrual for interest or penalties.

 

The Company is no longer subject to United States federal and state tax examinations for years before 2009 and 2008 respectively, and is no longer subject to tax examinations for the United Kingdom for years prior to 2011, and for France for years prior to 2009.