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Income Taxes
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes

13. Income Taxes

The effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2016 was 29%. The earnings of the Company’s foreign entities for the three months ended March 31, 2016 were $6.9 million. The tax rates in the foreign jurisdictions in which the Company operates are less than the domestic tax rate; therefore, losses in foreign jurisdictions will increase the Company’s effective tax rate, while earnings in the foreign jurisdictions will reduce the Company’s effective tax rate. The effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2016 was reduced by foreign profits taxed at lower rates. The effective tax rate was also reduced by a release of $10.1 million valuation allowance previously established against foreign tax credits that are now expected to be fully utilized as a result of the sale of the Community Financial Services assets and liabilities.

The effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2015 was a benefit of 77%. The earnings of the Company’s foreign entities for the three months ended March 31, 2015 were $7.7 million. The tax rates in the foreign jurisdictions in which the Company operates are less than the domestic tax rate. The effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2015 was negatively impacted by losses in certain foreign jurisdictions taxed at lower rates, partially offset by profits in other foreign jurisdictions taxed at lower rates and domestic losses taxed at higher rates.

The Company’s effective tax rate could fluctuate significantly on a quarterly basis and could be negatively affected to the extent earnings are lower in the countries in which it operates that have a lower statutory rate or higher in the countries in which it operates that have a higher statutory rate or to the extent it has losses sustained in countries where the future utilization of losses are uncertain. The Company’s effective tax rate could also fluctuate due to changes in the valuation of its deferred tax assets or liabilities, or by changes in tax laws, regulations, accounting principles, or interpretations thereof. In addition, the Company is occasionally subject to examination of its income tax returns by tax authorities in the jurisdictions it operates. The Company regularly assesses the likelihood of adverse outcomes resulting from these examinations to determine the adequacy of its provision for income taxes.

The amount of unrecognized tax benefits for uncertain tax positions was $22.5 million as of March 31, 2016 and $21.1 million as of December 31, 2015, excluding related liabilities for interest and penalties of $2.1 million and $2.2 million as of March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively.

The Company believes it is reasonably possible that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will decrease within the next 12 months by approximately $1.6 million, due to the settlement of various audits and the expiration of statutes of limitation.