Income Taxes

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2023

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income Taxes

7.   Income Taxes. Our provision for income taxes for the three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 was a tax expense of $4.4 million and $2.3 million, respectively, which resulted in an effective tax rate of 14.5% and 13.2%, respectively. Our provision for income taxes for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 was a tax expense of $13.8 million and $11.4 million, respectively, which resulted in an effective tax rate of 17.2% and 21.6%, respectively. The increase in the income tax expense for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023, when compared to the respective prior-year periods, and the corresponding increase in the effective income tax rate for the three month period ended September 30, 2023, when compared to the prior-year period, was primarily due to increased pre-tax book income and decreased benefit from discrete items such as share-based compensation. The decrease in the effective income tax rate for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023, when compared to the prior-year period, was primarily due to increased benefit from discrete items such as contingent liabilities and deferred compensation, as well as decreased foreign inclusions. Our effective tax rate differs from the U.S. statutory rate primarily due to the impact of global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”) inclusions, state income taxes, foreign taxes, other non-deductible permanent items and discrete items (such as share-based compensation).

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (“OECD”) Pillar 2 global minimum tax rules, which generally provide for a minimum effective tax rate of 15%, are intended to apply for tax years beginning in 2024. On February 2, 2023, the OECD issued administrative guidance providing transition and safe harbor rules around the implementation of the Pillar 2 global minimum tax. Under a transitional safe harbor released July 17, 2023, the undertaxed profits rule top-up tax in the jurisdiction of a company's ultimate parent entity will be zero for each fiscal year of the transition period, if that jurisdiction has a corporate tax rate of at least 20%. The safe harbor transition period will apply to fiscal years beginning on or before December 31, 2025 and ending before December 31, 2026. We are closely monitoring developments and evaluating the impact these new rules are anticipated to have on our tax rate, including eligibility to qualify for these safe harbor rules.