Income Taxes

Earnings before income taxes from continuing operations consist of the following for the years ended December 31:



(in thousands)	2014		2013		2012
Foreign	$	33,349	$	25,010	$	29,645
United States	7,938		2,620		(6,514		)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	$	41,287	$	27,630	$	23,131

Significant components of the income tax provision from continuing operations are as follows:



(in thousands)	2014			2013			2012
Current:
United States:
Federal	$	—		$	(3,308	)	$	(1,537	)
State	16			(286		)	2,189
Foreign	9,824			9,606			7,652
Total current	9,840			6,012			8,304
Deferred:
United States:
Federal	(9,486		)	2,007			11,127
State	(125		)	651			40
Foreign	(120		)	(360		)	107
Total deferred	(9,731		)	2,298			11,274
Income tax expense	$	109		$	8,310		$	19,578

The Company is subject to income tax in jurisdictions in which it operates. A reconciliation of the statutory federal income tax rate to the effective tax rate of the Company for the years 2012 - 2014 is as follows:



(in thousands)	2014					2013					2012
Computed income tax expense at statutory federal income tax rate of 35%	$	14,450		35.0	%	$	9,670		35.0	%	$	8,096		35.0	%
State income taxes, net of federal provision	227			0.5	%	345			1.2	%	470			2.0	%
Foreign tax rate differentials	(1,262		)	(3.1	)%	77			0.3	%	(2,031		)	(8.8	)%
U.S. tax on foreign earnings (net of foreign tax credits)	(2,168		)	(5.3	)%	(1,831		)	(6.6	)%	(595		)	(2.6	)%
Change in valuation allowance	(11,650		)	(28.2	)%	(2,184		)	(7.9	)%	14,220			61.5	%
Proceeds from life insurance	(133		)	(0.3	)%	(196		)	(0.7	)%	(472		)	(2.0	)%
Return to provision and other adjustments	(1,401		)	(3.4	)%	1,664			6.0	%	(371		)	(1.6	)%
Other, net	2,046			5.0	%	765			2.8	%	261			1.1	%
Income tax expense	$	109		0.2	%	$	8,310		30.1	%	$	19,578		84.6	%

The components of deferred income tax assets and liabilities included in the consolidated balance sheets as of December 31 are as follows:



(in thousands)	2014			2013
Deferred tax assets:
Tax credit carryforwards	$	21,783		$	26,945
Pension, compensation and other employee benefits	23,501			23,835
Provisions for losses	12,127			13,674
Net operating loss carryforward	4,886			4,794
State income taxes	2,979			2,170
Other deferred income tax assets	3,927			5,552
Total deferred tax assets	69,203			76,970
Valuation allowance	(3,781		)	(12,393		)
Foreign deferred tax assets included above	(1,536		)	(1,713		)
Net deferred tax assets	63,886			62,864
Deferred tax liabilities:
Property and equipment	(5,856		)	(7,861		)
Deferred tax related to life insurance	(4,962		)	(4,842		)
Goodwill and other intangible assets	(2,705		)	(959		)
Unremitted foreign earnings	—			(398		)
Other deferred income tax liabilities	(1,452		)	(393		)
Total deferred tax liabilities	(14,975		)	(14,453		)
Foreign deferred tax liabilities included above	3,671			1,989
United States deferred tax assets	$	52,582		$	50,400

The Company uses significant judgment in forming conclusions regarding the recoverability of its deferred tax assets and evaluates all available positive and negative evidence to determine if it is more-likely-than-not that the deferred tax assets will be realized. To the extent recovery does not appear likely, a valuation allowance must be recorded. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, Viad had gross deferred tax assets of $69.2 million and $77.0 million, respectively. These deferred tax assets reflect the expected future tax benefits to be realized upon reversal of deductible temporary differences, and the utilization of net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards.

During the year ended 2014, the Company determined it was more likely than not based upon all positive and negative evidence that its foreign tax credits would be fully utilized before expiration. Accordingly, a $11.4 million valuation allowance was released. At the end of 2014, the Company has $12.7 million in foreign tax credit carryforwards that are subject to a 10-year carryforward period and will begin to expire in 2020.

As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, Viad had gross federal, state and foreign net operating loss carryforwards of $75.8 million and $96.0 million, respectively, for which the Company had deferred tax assets of $4.9 million and $4.8 million. The state and foreign net operating loss carryforwards expire on various dates from 2015 through 2034. During 2014, the Company decreased its valuation allowance related to state net operating loss carryforwards by $0.6 million. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, Viad had a valuation allowance of $3.8 million and $1.5 million, respectively, related to state and foreign deferred tax assets.

As of December 31, 2014, Viad had tax credit carryforwards related to alternative minimum tax of $8.8 million that may be carried forward indefinitely. Additionally, Viad had foreign tax credit carryforwards of $12.7 million, of which $4.7 million expire in 2020, $5.5 million expire in 2021, $0.6 million expire in 2022 and $1.9 million expire in 2023.

While management believes that the deferred tax assets, net of existing valuation allowances will be utilized in future periods, there are inherent uncertainties regarding the ultimate realization of these assets. It is possible that the relative weight of positive and negative evidence regarding the realization of deferred tax assets may change, which could result in a material increase or decrease in the Company’s valuation allowance. Such a change could result in a material increase or decrease to income tax expense in the period the assessment was made.

Viad has not recorded deferred taxes on certain historical unremitted earnings of its Canadian subsidiaries as management intends to reinvest those earnings in its Canadian operations. As of December 31, 2014, the incremental unrecognized tax liability (net of estimated foreign tax credits) related to those undistributed earnings was approximately $350,000. To the extent that circumstances change and it becomes apparent that some or all of those undistributed earnings will be remitted to the U.S., Viad would accrue income taxes attributable to such remittance.

Viad exercises judgment in determining its income tax provision when the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. Viad classifies liabilities associated with uncertain tax positions as non-current liabilities in its consolidated balance sheets unless they are expected to be paid within the next year. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, the Company had liabilities associated with uncertain tax positions (including interest and penalties) of $2.4 million and $1.8 million, respectively, which were classified as non-current liabilities.

As of December 31, 2014, the Company recognized a net increase in the liability for uncertain tax positions for continuing operations of approximately $0.2 million. As of December 31, 2014, Viad had accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions for continuing operations of $0.1 million which are classified as a component of income tax expense. The tax expense impact of the uncertain tax positions was $0.4 million due to tax credit carryforwards that were available to offset the expense. The Company expects that positions approximating $0.3 million will be resolved or settled during 2015.

The Company had accrued liabilities for uncertain tax positions for discontinued operations of $0.6 million as of December 31, 2014 and 2013. In addition, as of both December 31, 2014 and 2013, Viad had accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions for discontinued operations of $0.5 million. Future tax resolutions or settlements that may occur related to these uncertain tax positions would be recorded through discontinued operations (net of federal tax effect, if applicable). The Company does not expect a material amount of uncertain tax positions to be resolved or settled within the next twelve months.

A reconciliation of the liabilities associated with uncertain tax positions (excluding interest and penalties) is as follows:



(in thousands)	Continuing Operations			Discontinued Operations		Total
Balance, December 31, 2011	$	—		$	636	$	636
Net additions and reductions	—			—		—
Balance at December 31, 2012	—			636		636
Additions for tax positions taken in prior years	736			—		736
Balance at December 31, 2013	736			636		1,372
Additions for tax positions taken in prior years	1,019			—		1,019
Reductions for lapse of applicable statutes	(472		)	—		(472		)
Balance at December 31, 2014	$	1,283		$	636	$	1,919

Viad is subject to regular and recurring audits by taxing authorities in jurisdictions in which the Company currently operates or has operated in the past. This includes the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Viad’s 2008 through 2014 U.S. federal tax years and various state tax years from 2010 through 2014 remain subject to income tax examinations by tax authorities. The 2006 Federal tax year remains subject to examination due to a federal net operating loss carryback claim. Tax years 2011 through 2014 remain subject to examination by various foreign taxing jurisdictions.