Income Taxes (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Components of Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes

For financial reporting purposes, income from continuing operations before income taxes includes the following components, in thousands:

	Year Ended December 31,
	2016		2015		2014
Income from continuing operations before income taxes:
United States	$	148,055	$	164,282	$	65,176
Foreign		111,757		134,391		142,114
	$	259,812	$	298,673	$	207,290

Components of Income Tax Expense

Components of income tax expense, in thousands, were as follows:

	Year Ended December 31,
	2016			2015			2014
Current income tax expense:
Federal	$	62,499		$	54,447		$	56,624
State		8,392			8,942			7,380
Foreign		25,743			35,438			35,307
		96,634			98,827			99,311
Deferred income tax expense (benefit):
Federal		(26,231	)		10,620			(20,735	)
State		(2,248	)		878			(2,429	)
Foreign		(1,732	)		(2,568	)		(3,468	)
		(30,211	)		8,930			(26,632	)
Total income tax expense attributed to continuing operations	$	66,423		$	107,757		$	72,679

Reconciliation of Income Tax Expense Computed at Statutory Tax Rates Compared to Effective Tax Rates

A reconciliation of income tax expense computed at statutory tax rates compared to effective income tax rates was as follows:

	Year Ended December 31,
	2016			2015			2014
Statutory rate		35.0	%		35.0	%		35.0	%
Federal tax credits		(0.3	)%		(0.3	)%		(1.8	)%
Uncertain tax positions		(0.4	)%		3.3	%		0.4	%
Foreign rate differential		(7.3	)%		(4.7	)%		(9.0	)%
Foreign deferred tax liability on unremitted earnings		(4.0	)%		0.5	%		8.0	%
State income taxes, net of Federal benefit		2.1	%		1.9	%		2.1	%
Other		0.5	%		0.4	%		0.4	%
Effective income tax rates from continuing operations		25.6	%		36.1	%		35.1	%

Components of Deferred Taxes

Significant temporary differences between reported financial and taxable earnings that give rise to deferred income tax assets and liabilities, in thousands, were as follows:

	Year Ended December 31,
	2016			2015
Deferred income tax assets:
Net operating loss carryforwards	$	107,813		$	111,288
Compensation and benefit plans		47,204			44,813
Accrued expenses		30,693			28,179
Deferred Revenue		14,076			10,984
Tax credits		13,882			13,882
Foreign currency translation		—			2,183
Allowance for doubtful accounts		3,045			3,796
Reserves not currently deductible for tax purposes		4,258			4,404
Gross deferred income tax assets		220,971			219,529
Less valuation allowance		(102,590	)		(100,205	)
Total deferred income tax assets	$	118,381		$	119,324
Deferred income tax liabilities:
Acquired intangibles amortization	$	136,639		$	139,137
Foreign earnings		18,373			33,597
Excess tax depreciation over financial depreciation		44,401			42,634
Prepaid expenses		7,383			7,553
Other		412			625
Foreign currency translation		37			—
Total deferred income tax liabilities		207,245			223,546
Net deferred income tax liability	$	88,864		$	104,222

Summary of Activity Related to Unrecognized Tax Benefits

The following summarizes the activity related to our unrecognized tax benefits recorded in accordance with ASC 740-10 in 2016, 2015 and 2014, in thousands:

	For the year ended December 31,
	2016			2015			2014
Beginning balance	$	28,959		$	23,807		$	22,680
Increases for positions taken in current year		327			1,768			580
Increases for positions taken in prior years		2,740			4,241			4,318
Decreases for positions taken in prior years		—			—			(2,243	)
Decrease due to settlements with taxing authorities		—			(440	)		(1,528	)
Expiration of the statute of limitations for the assessment of taxes		(1,140	)		(417	)		—
Ending balance	$	30,886		$	28,959		$	23,807