13. Income taxes
Income before provision for income taxes consisted of:
|
|
Year Ended
December 31, |
|
(US$ in thousands) |
|
2011 |
|
2010 |
|
2009 |
|
U.S. |
|
$ |
18,762 |
|
$ |
57,849 |
|
$ |
28,542 |
|
Non-U.S. |
|
1,941 |
|
14,549 |
|
11,479 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
20,703 |
|
$ |
72,398 |
|
$ |
40,021 |
|
The provision for (benefit from) income taxes in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations consists of the following:
|
|
Year Ended
December 31, |
|
(US$ in thousands) |
|
2011 |
|
2010 |
|
2009 |
|
U.S. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current |
|
$ |
17,351 |
|
$ |
23,208 |
|
$ |
17,929 |
|
Deferred |
|
(169 |
) |
(1,533 |
) |
(6,698 |
) |
Non-U.S. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current |
|
3,489 |
|
4,804 |
|
2,029 |
|
Deferred |
|
1,105 |
|
1,711 |
|
2,289 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total tax expense |
|
$ |
21,776 |
|
$ |
28,190 |
|
$ |
15,549 |
|
The tax effects of the significant temporary differences, which comprise the deferred tax assets and liabilities and assets, are as follows:
(US$ in thousands) |
|
2011 |
|
2010 |
|
Patents, trademarks, other intangible assets and goodwill |
|
$ |
(5,144 |
) |
$ |
(6,048 |
) |
Property, plant and equipment |
|
(9,767 |
) |
(6,672 |
) |
Withholding taxes |
|
(9,777 |
) |
(8,102 |
) |
Inventories and related reserves |
|
11,920 |
|
11,576 |
|
Accrued compensation |
|
6,833 |
|
15,484 |
|
Allowance for doubtful accounts |
|
4,278 |
|
4,163 |
|
Interest |
|
16,123 |
|
12,471 |
|
Net operating loss carryforwards |
|
20,161 |
|
21,790 |
|
Other, net |
|
1,241 |
|
1,856 |
|
Valuation allowance |
|
(19,116 |
) |
(21,023 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net deferred tax asset |
|
$ |
16,752 |
|
$ |
25,495 |
|
In 2011 the Company made a reclassification adjustment of approximately $9 million from deferred tax assets to additional paid-in-capital. The reduction in the deffered tax asset related to a benefit taken for the exercise of stock options through December 31, 2011.
The valuation allowance as of December 31, 2011 and 2010 was $19.1 million and $21.0 million, respectively. The net decrease in the valuation allowance of $1.9 million during the year principally relates to the reduction of net operating losses due to the expiration of carryforward periods, partially offset by current period foreign losses not benefitted. The valuation allowance is attributable to net operating loss carryforwards and certain temporary differences in certain foreign jurisdictions, the benefit for which is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income in that location. In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. Management considers the scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable income and tax planning strategies in making this assessment. Based upon the level of historical taxable income and projections for future taxable income over the periods in which the deferred tax assets are deductible, management believes it is more likely than not the Company will realize the benefits of these deductible differences, net of the existing valuation allowances at December 31, 2011.
The Company has state net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $23.7 million that begin to expire in 2012. The Company has net operating losses of foreign taxing jurisdictions of approximately $74.1 million with the majority of the losses related to the Company’s Netherlands operations expiring in various amounts in tax years beginning in 2012. The Company has provided a valuation allowance against a significant portion of these net operating loss carryforwards since it does not believe that this deferred tax asset can be realized prior to expiration.
The rate reconciliation presented below is based on the U.S. federal income tax rate, rather than the parent company’s country of domicile tax rate. Management believes, given the large proportion of taxable income earned in the United States, such disclosure is more meaningful.
(US$ in thousands, except percentages) |
|
2011 |
|
2010 |
|
2009 |
|
|
|
Amount |
|
Percent |
|
Amount |
|
Percent |
|
Amount |
|
Percent |
|
Statutory U.S. federal income tax rate |
|
$ |
7,246 |
|
35 |
% |
$ |
25,339 |
|
35 |
% |
$ |
14,007 |
|
35 |
% |
State taxes, net |
|
1,682 |
|
8.1 |
% |
2,903 |
|
4.0 |
% |
1,574 |
|
3.9 |
% |
Foreign rate differential |
|
1,489 |
|
7.2 |
% |
(1,299 |
) |
(1.8 |
)% |
(1,401 |
) |
(3.5 |
)% |
Valuation allowance—foreign losses |
|
4,418 |
|
21.3 |
% |
3,874 |
|
5.4 |
% |
2,861 |
|
7.2 |
% |
Italy step-up amortization |
|
(2,421 |
) |
(11.7 |
)% |
(2,607 |
) |
(3.6 |
)% |
(2,573 |
) |
(6.4 |
)% |
Domestic manufacturing deduction |
|
(1,416 |
) |
(6.8 |
)% |
(1,944 |
) |
(2.7 |
)% |
(839 |
) |
(2.1 |
)% |
Settlement of U.S. Government resolutions |
|
9,745 |
|
47.1 |
% |
— |
|
0.0 |
% |
— |
|
0.0 |
% |
Other items, net |
|
1,033 |
|
5.0 |
% |
1,924 |
|
2.6 |
% |
1,920 |
|
4.8 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income tax expense/effective rate |
|
$ |
21,776 |
|
105.2 |
% |
$ |
28,190 |
|
38.9 |
% |
$ |
15,549 |
|
38.9 |
% |
The income tax expense and effective tax rate for the year ended 2011 reflects a disproportionate ratio to the $28.2 million of income tax expense and effective tax rate of 38.9%. The Company did not record tax benefit on certain expenses associated with the Company’s estimate of the charges related to U.S. Government resolutions. The effective tax rate for 2011 was 38.1% excluding the impact of the charges related to the U.S. Government resolutions. The effective tax rate of 38.9% for 2010 was impacted by the $12 million net gain on the sale of vascular operations.
The Company’s gross unrecognized tax benefit was $0.7 million and $0.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. The Company recognizes potential accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits within its global operations in income tax expense. The Company had approximately $0.5 million and $0.4 million accrued for payment of interest and penalties as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively.
The entire amount of unrecognized tax benefits, including interest, would favorably impact the Company’s effective tax rate if recognized. As of December 31, 2011, the Company does not expect the amount of unrecognized tax benefits to change significantly over the next twelve months.
A reconciliation of the gross unrecognized tax benefits (excluding interest) for the years ended December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010 follows:
(US$ in thousands) |
|
2011 |
|
2010 |
|
Balance as of January 1, |
|
$ |
569 |
|
$ |
442 |
|
Additions for current year tax positions |
|
162 |
|
70 |
|
Decreases (increases) for prior year tax positions |
|
(17 |
) |
57 |
|
Expiration of statutes |
|
(28 |
) |
— |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance as of December 31, |
|
$ |
686 |
|
$ |
569 |
|
The Company files a consolidated income tax return in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and numerous consolidated and separate income tax returns in many state and foreign jurisdictions. The statute of limitations with respect to federal tax authorities is closed for years prior to December 31, 2008. The statute of limitations for the various state tax filings is closed in most instances for the years prior to December 31, 2007. The statute of limitations with respect to the major foreign tax filing jurisdictions is closed for years prior to December 31, 2006.
The Company’s intention is to reinvest the total amount of its unremitted foreign earnings (residing outside the Netherland Antilles) in the local jurisdiction, to the extent they are generated and available, or to repatriate the earnings only when tax-effective. As such, the Company has not provided tax expense on $301.8 million of the unremitted earnings of its foreign subsidiaries. It is not practicable to determine the amounts of net additional income tax that may be payable if such earnings were repatriated. |