NOTE 5 INCOME TAXES

Income before income taxes consists of:


Years Ended December 31,	2015		2014		2013
United States	$	73,492	$	31,681	$	28,968
International		221,079		254,620		235,415
Total	$	294,571	$	286,301	$	264,383

The provision (benefit) for income taxes is comprised of:


Years Ended December 31,	2015		2014		2013
Current:
U.S. Federal	$	19,749	$	14,023	$	7,174
State/Local		82		42		(631)
International		82,586		99,585		79,070
	$	102,417	$	113,650	$	85,613
Deferred:
U.S. Federal/State	$	1,605	$	(10,130)	$	9,575
International		(8,746)		(8,843)		(2,731)
	$	(7,141)	$	(18,973)	$	6,844
Total	$	95,276	$	94,677	$	92,457

The difference between the actual income tax provision and the tax provision computed by applying the statutory federal income tax rate of 35.0% in 2015, 2014 and 2013 to income before income taxes is as follows:


Years Ended December 31,	2015			2014			2013
Income tax at statutory rate	$	103,100		$	100,205		$	92,534
State income (benefits) taxes, net of federal (tax) benefit		(1,254)			770			(610)
Provision for distribution of current foreign earnings		2,031			695			11,388
Rate differential on earnings of foreign operations		(6,395)			(5,478)			(10,167)
Other items, net		(2,206)			(1,515)			(688)
Actual income tax provision	$	95,276		$	94,677		$	92,457
Effective income tax rate		32.3	%		33.1	%		35.0	%

The tax provision for 2015 reflects a benefit of $1.6 million related to the reduction of valuation allowances mostly associated with U.S. state tax credits. Additional benefits of $3.1 million associated with the exceptional depreciation allowances enacted in France during 2015 were partially offset by a $2.4 million charge for expected income tax assessments in France for a transfer pricing issue. While the Company expects to seek compensating offsets for this amount, no receivable has been recorded at this time. The $2.0 million charge pertaining to the distribution of earnings reflects $1.6 million of tax incurred in 2015 for income recognized under the U.S. deemed dividend provisions and $0.4 million for planned cash movements in Europe during 2016.

In 2014, we did not repatriate foreign earnings to the U.S. Therefore, the 2014 tax provision is lower than the prior year as 2013 included $10.1 million of net additional tax expense due to repatriations.

The tax provision for 2013 reflects an increase of $6.7 million due to tax law changes in France. These changes were enacted on December 31, 2013 but retroactive to January 1, 2013. An additional $2.3 million of tax was incurred as a result of new French distribution taxes effective for distributions after August 17, 2012. The increases were partially offset by a benefit of $3.6 million from the expected use of net operating losses in Brazil and a benefit of $1.4 million from a tax law change in Italy.

Significant deferred tax assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 are comprised of the following temporary differences:


	2015		2014
Deferred Tax Assets:
Pension liabilities	$	27,155	$	35,582
Stock compensation		20,170		15,672
Foreign tax credit carryforward		7,471		10,348
Net operating loss carryforwards		5,053		7,896
U.S. state tax credits		8,554		7,641
Vacation		4,167		5,892
Workers compensation		4,693		4,526
Other		6,503		9,584
Total gross deferred tax assets		83,766		97,141
Less valuation allowance		(6,125)		(7,734)
Net deferred tax assets		77,641		89,407
Deferred Tax Liabilities:
Depreciation, amortization and leases		47,154		53,121
Acquisition related intangibles		15,720		18,058
Total gross deferred tax liabilities		62,874		71,179
Net deferred tax assets	$	14,767	$	18,228

The foreign tax credit carryforward will expire in the years 2023 and 2024. There is no expiration date on $4.3 million of the tax‑effected net operating loss carry forwards and $0.7 million (tax effected) will expire in the years 2016 to 2034. The U.S. state tax credit carryforwards of $8.6 million (tax effected) will expire in the years 2016 to 2030. No state tax credit carryforwards are expected to expire unused in 2016.

The Company evaluates the deferred tax assets and records a valuation allowance when it is believed it is more likely than not that the benefit will not be realized. The Company has established a valuation allowance of $2.1 million of the $5.1 million of tax effected net operating loss carry forwards. These losses are generally in start‑up jurisdictions or locations that have not produced an operating profit to date. A valuation allowance of $3.8 million has been established against the $8.6 million of U.S. state tax credit carry forwards. A valuation allowance of $0.2 million has been established related to other future tax deductions in non‑U.S. jurisdictions, the benefit of which management believes will not be realized.

As of December 31, 2015, the Company had $1.4 billion of undistributed earnings from non‑U.S. subsidiaries which have been designated as permanently reinvested. The Company has not made a provision for U.S. or additional foreign taxes on this amount. However, we estimate the amount of additional tax that might be payable on these earnings to be in the range of $75 million to $100 million. These earnings will continue to be reinvested indefinitely and could become subject to the additional tax if they were remitted as dividends or lent to a U.S. affiliate, or if the Company should sell its stock in the subsidiaries.

The Company has not provided for taxes on certain tax‑deferred income of a foreign operation. The income arose predominately from government grants. Taxes of approximately $1.7 million would become payable in the event the terms of the grant are not fulfilled.

INCOME TAX UNCERTAINTIES

The Company provides a liability for the amount of tax benefits realized from uncertain tax positions. A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of income tax uncertainties is as follows:


	2015		2014		2013
Balance at January 1	$	6,408	$	7,988	$	8,464
Increases based on tax positions for the current year		255		113		110
Increases based on tax positions of prior years		2,684		228		381
Decreases based on tax positions of prior years		(518)		(1,073)		(92)
Settlements		(207)		(407)		(515)
Lapse of statute of limitations		(688)		(441)		(360)
Balance at December 31	$	7,934	$	6,408	$	7,988

The amount of income tax uncertainties that, if recognized, would impact the effective tax rate is close to $7.9 million. The Company estimates that it is reasonably possible that the liability for uncertain tax positions will decrease no more than $7.0 million in the next twelve months from the resolution of various uncertain positions as a result of the completion of tax audits, litigation and the expiration of the statute of limitations in various jurisdictions.

The Company recognizes interest and penalties accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits as a component of income taxes. As of December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, the Company had approximately $1.1 million, $0.7 million and $0.9 million, respectively, accrued for the payment of interest and penalties, of which approximately $0.4 million, ($0.2) million and ($0.4) million was recognized in income tax expense in the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

The Company or its subsidiaries file income tax returns in the U.S. Federal jurisdiction and various state and foreign jurisdictions. The major tax jurisdictions the Company files in, with the years still subject to income tax examinations, are listed below:


		Tax Years
Major Tax		Subject to
Jurisdiction		Examination
United States — Federal		2013-2015
United States — State		2009-2015
France		2012-2015
Germany		2011-2015
Italy		2011-2015
China		2006-2015