INCOME TAXES



	Three Months Ended June 30						Six Months Ended June 30
$ in millions	2018			2017			2018			2017
Federal and foreign income tax expense	$	160		$	257		$	292		$	395
Effective income tax rate	18.8		%	31.7		%	17.0		%	24.7		%

Current Quarter

The company’s effective tax rate of 18.8 percent for the three months ended June 30, 2018 was lower as compared with the same period in 2017 principally due to the reduction of the U.S. corporate income tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent as a result of the 2017 Tax Act. In addition, the company’s effective tax rate for the three months ended June 30, 2018 was lower than the statutory tax rate principally due to $22 million of tax benefits associated with research credits.

Year to Date

The company’s effective tax rate of 17.0 percent for the six months ended June 30, 2018 was lower as compared with the same period in 2017 principally due to the reduction of the U.S. corporate income tax rate described above. Both periods reflect comparable tax benefits associated with research credits. In addition, the company’s effective tax rate for the six months ended June 30, 2018 includes $26 million of excess tax benefits related to employee share-based compensation. The company’s effective tax rate for the six months ended June 30, 2017 included $47 million of excess tax benefits related to employee share-based compensation, a $42 million benefit recognized in connection with the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation’s approval of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) examination of the company’s 2012-2013 tax returns and $31 million of tax benefits associated with domestic manufacturing deductions.

In December 2017, the 2017 Tax Act was enacted. The 2017 Tax Act includes a number of changes to previous U.S. tax laws that impact the company, most notably a reduction of the U.S. corporate income tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017. The company recognized the income tax effects of the 2017 Tax Act in the financial statements included in its 2017 Annual Report on Form 10-K in accordance with Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118, which provides SEC staff guidance for the application of ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes, in the reporting period in which the 2017 Tax Act was signed into law. During the six months ended June 30, 2018, the company did not recognize any changes to the provisional amounts recorded in its 2017 Annual Report on Form 10-K in connection with the 2017 Tax Act as the company is continuing to collect the information necessary to complete those calculations. We expect to finalize our analysis in the second half of the year as we complete our federal and state tax returns.

In connection with the Merger, the company has initially recognized an increase in unrecognized tax benefits of approximately $150 million for matters associated with Innovation Systems, principally related to federal and state research credits. In addition, in the second quarter of 2018, we increased our unrecognized tax benefits related to our methods of accounting associated with the 2017 Tax Act by approximately $50 million and it is reasonably possible that within the next twelve months those unrecognized tax benefits may increase by up to an additional $100 million.

We file income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and in various state and foreign jurisdictions. The Northrop Grumman 2014-2015 federal tax returns and refund claims related to its 2007-2011 federal tax returns are currently under IRS examination. The company believes it is reasonably possible that within the next twelve months we may resolve certain matters related to the examination of the 2014-2015 tax years, which may result in reductions of our unrecognized tax benefits up to $115 million and income tax expense up to $30 million. In addition, Innovation Systems federal tax returns for the year ended March 31, 2015 and nine-month transition period ended December 31, 2015 are currently under IRS examination. The company believes it is reasonably possible that within the next twelve months we may resolve certain matters related to the examination of these periods, which may result in reductions of our unrecognized tax benefits up to $35 million and income tax expense up to $30 million.