At the end of each interim period, the Company makes its best estimate of the annual expected effective income tax rate and applies that rate to its ordinary year-to-date earnings or loss. The income tax provision or benefit related to unusual or infrequent items, if applicable, that will be separately reported or reported net of their related tax effects are individually computed and recognized in the interim period in which those items occur. In addition, the effect of changes in enacted tax laws or rates, tax status, judgment on the realizability of a beginning-of-the-year deferred tax asset in future years or income tax contingencies is recognized in the interim period in which the change occurs.

The computation of the annual expected effective income tax rate at each interim period requires certain estimates and assumptions including, but not limited to, the expected pre-tax income (or loss) for the year, projections of the proportion of income (and/or loss) earned and taxed in respective jurisdictions, permanent and temporary differences, and the likelihood of the realizability of deferred tax assets generated in the current year. Jurisdictions with a projected loss for the year for which no tax benefit can be recognized due to a valuation allowance are excluded from the estimated annual effective tax rate. The impact of such an exclusion could result in a higher or lower effective tax rate during a particular quarter, based upon the composition and timing of actual earnings compared to annual projections. The estimates used to compute the provision or benefit for income taxes may change as new events occur, additional information is obtained or as our tax environment changes. To the extent that the expected annual effective income tax rate changes, the effect of the change on prior interim periods is included in the income tax provision in the period in which the change in estimate occurs.

A summary of the provision for income taxes and the corresponding effective tax rate for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, is shown below:

	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2021			2020			2021			2020
Income tax expense	$	4,646		$	9,603		$	17,959		$	15,214
Earnings (loss) before income tax	$	20,332		$	33,749		$	91,345		$	40,911
Effective tax rate		22.9	%		28.5	%		19.7	%		37.2	%

Income tax expense was $4,646 for the three months ended September 30, 2021 on earnings before income tax of $20,332 representing an effective tax rate of 22.9%. The effective tax rate differed from the U.S. Federal statutory rate of 21.0% primarily due to the unfavorable impact of quarterly accrual for uncertain tax positions, global intangible low-tax income (“GILTI”), withholding taxes and other non-deductible expenses, partially offset by the impact of income taxes on foreign earnings taxed at rates varying from the U.S. statutory rate in the third quarter of 2021.

Income tax expense was $17,959 for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 on earnings before income tax of $91,345 representing an effective tax rate of 19.7%. The effective tax rate differed from the U.S. Federal statutory rate of 21% primarily due to certain favorable tax effect on equity vesting, intercompany transactions in 2021 and the impact of income taxes on foreign earnings taxed at rates varying from the U.S. statutory rate; partially offset by the unfavorable impact of uncertain tax positions, GILTI, withholding taxes and other non-deductible expenses.

Income tax expense was $9,603 for the three months ended September 30, 2020 on earnings before income tax of $33,749 representing an effective tax rate of 28.5%. The effective tax rate differed from the U.S. Federal statutory rate of 21.0% primarily due to the unfavorable impact of international provisions of the U.S. tax reform, such as GILTI, partially offset by certain intercompany transactions which disproportionately benefited lower tax rate jurisdictions.

Income tax expense was $15,214 for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 on earnings before income tax of $40,911 representing an effective tax rate of 37.2%. The tax amount included the effect of the settlement and closure of multi-year international tax audits of $3,358. Adjusted for the audit impacts, the effective tax rate was 29.0%. The effective tax rate differed from the U.S. Federal statutory rate of 21% primarily due to the unfavorable impact of international provisions of the U.S. tax law, such as GILTI, partially offset by certain intercompany transactions which disproportionately benefited lower tax rate jurisdictions.