Note 10 - Income Taxes

Income taxes are estimated for each of the jurisdictions in which the Company operates. Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effect of temporary differences between the carrying amount of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes, as well as the tax effect of carryforwards. Realization of net deferred tax assets is dependent on future taxable income. At September 30, 2018, the Company’s U.S. deferred tax assets are fully offset by a valuation allowance since the Company cannot conclude that it is more likely than not that these future benefits will be realized.

At the end of each interim reporting period, the effective tax rate is aligned with expectations for the full year. This estimate is used to determine the income tax provision on a year-to-date basis and may change in subsequent interim periods. If necessary, the year-to-date tax benefit for interim period losses is limited to the amount that could be recognizable at the end of the fiscal year.

On December 22, 2017, the U.S. government enacted comprehensive tax legislation commonly referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The 2017 Tax Act makes broad and complex changes to the U.S. tax code that affects the Company’s 2018 financial results, including, but not limited to; a reduction in the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent; current U.S. taxation of global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”) of non-U.S. operations; additional limitations on the deductibility of executive compensation; and limitations on the deductibility of interest.

The Company recognized the income tax effects of the 2017 Tax Act in its 2017 financial statements in accordance with SAB 118, which provides SEC staff guidance for the application of ASC 740 in the reporting period in which the 2017 Tax Act was signed into law. As such, the Company’s 2017 financial results reflect the income tax effects of the 2017 Tax Act, including provisional amounts for specific income tax effects of the 2017 Tax Act for which the accounting under ASC 740 is incomplete but for which a reasonable estimate could be determined. During the second quarter of 2018, the Company recognized an income tax benefit of $1.6 million related to the alternative minimum tax credits that became refundable in accordance with the 2017 Tax Act. The Company is still in the process of evaluating the impacts of the 2017 Tax Act and considers the amounts previously recorded to be provisional, except for the tax benefit of alternative minimum tax credits and the impact of the change in tax rate on the Company’s deferred tax assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2017, for which the accounting is complete. The Company will complete its analysis and finalize the amounts by the end of the fourth quarter of 2018, which is within the measurement period as provided by SAB 118.

During the second quarter of 2018, the Company also recognized a tax benefit of $25.3 million primarily due to the intangible asset impairment charge of $252.3 million incurred during the quarter. See Note 4, “Assets” - Intangible Assets, for additional information.

Loss before income taxes and income tax benefit for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 were as follows:


	Three months ended September 30,				Nine months ended September 30,
	2018		2017		2018		2017
	(in thousands)
Loss before income taxes	$	(8,652)	$	(26,206)	$	(290,368)	$	(69,252)
Income tax expense (benefit)	$	301	$	(2,466)	$	(27,954)	$	(26,334)

The Company’s tax expense for the three months ended September 30, 2018 was $0.3 million, compared to a tax benefit of $2.5 million for the comparable prior period. The 2018 tax expense is mainly related to the Company’s non-U.S. operations, compared to 2017 when the benefit included a $2.8 million benefit related to domestic operations, offset by a $0.3 million expense related to the Company’s non-U.S. operations. The prior period domestic tax benefit is primarily attributable to an income tax benefit for losses incurred during the three months ended September 30, 2017, as the deferred tax liability created by the issuance of the Convertible Senior Notes is treated as a source of income in fiscal 2017, offset by a deferred provision related to tax amortization on indefinite-lived intangible assets. The prior period non-U.S. tax expense is attributable to the profitable non-U.S. operations.

The Company’s tax benefit for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 was $28.0 million, compared to $26.3 million for the comparable prior period. The 2018 tax benefit included a $1.1 million benefit related to the Company’s domestic operations and a $26.9 million benefit related to the Company’s non-U.S. operations, compared to 2017 when the benefit included a $22.7 million benefit related to domestic operations and a $3.6 million benefit related to non-U.S. operations. The current period domestic tax benefit is primarily attributable to refundable alternative minimum tax credits in accordance with 2017 Tax Act, offset by the tax amortization of indefinite-lived intangible assets that is not available to offset U.S. deferred tax assets. The current period foreign tax benefit is primarily attributable to the asset impairment charge incurred during the period. The prior period domestic tax benefit is primarily attributable to an income tax benefit for losses incurred during the nine months ended September 30, 2017, as the deferred tax liability created by the issuance of the Convertible Senior Notes is treated as a source of income in fiscal 2017, offset by a deferred provision related to tax amortization on indefinite-lived intangible assets. The prior period non-U.S. tax benefit is primarily attributable to the remeasurement of an uncertain tax position, which included the reversal of a previously established non-U.S. tax liability and the recognition of a deferred tax benefit related to certain foreign net operating losses generated in prior years that were determined to be realizable, offset by tax expense attributed to the profitable non-U.S. operations.