INCOME TAXES

Under ASC 270, "Interim Reporting", and ASC 740-270, "Income Taxes – Intra Period Tax Allocation", the Company is required to adjust its effective tax rate for each quarter to be consistent with the estimated annual effective tax rate. Jurisdictions with a projected loss for the full year where no tax benefit can be recognized are excluded from the calculation of the estimated annual effective tax rate. Applying the provisions of ASC 270 and ASC 740-270 could result in a higher or lower effective tax rate during a particular quarter, based upon the mix and timing of actual earnings versus annual projections.

Effective Tax Rate

The provision for income taxes for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 was $1,525 on a pre-tax income from continuing operations of $623, compared to a provision for income taxes of $1,200 on pre-tax loss from continuing operations of $7,625 for the same period in 2016. The Company’s effective income tax rate was positive 244.8% and negative 15.7% for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2017, the effective tax rate differed from the U.S. Federal statutory rate of 35% primarily due to the inability of the Company to recognize tax benefits on certain losses until positive earnings are achieved in the U.S. and certain other foreign jurisdictions, non-deductible expenses, and variations from the U.S. tax rate in foreign jurisdictions. For the nine months ended September 30, 2016, the effective tax rate differed from the U.S. Federal statutory rate of 35% primarily due to the inability of the Company to recognize tax benefits on certain losses until positive earnings are achieved in the U.S. and certain other foreign jurisdictions, a decrease in tax benefits that were previously recognized, non-deductible expenses, and variations from the U.S. tax rate in foreign jurisdictions.

Uncertain Tax Positions

As of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the Company had $2,204 and $2,211, respectively, of unrecognized tax benefits, including interest and penalties, which if recognized in the future, would lower the Company’s annual effective income tax rate. Accrued interest and penalties were $671 and $610 as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively. Estimated interest and penalties are classified as part of the provision for income taxes in the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations and totaled to a provision of $29 and $31 for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

In many cases, the Company’s unrecognized tax benefits are related to tax years that remain subject to examination by the relevant tax authorities. Tax years with net operating losses ("NOLs") remain open until such losses expire or until the statutes of limitations for those years when the NOLs are used expire. As of September 30, 2017, the Company's open tax years, which remain subject to examination by the relevant tax authorities, were principally as follows:



		Year
Earliest tax years which remain subject to examination by the relevant tax authorities:
U.S. Federal		2014
Majority of U.S. state and local jurisdictions		2012
United Kingdom		2015
Australia		2013
Majority of other non-U.S. jurisdictions		2012

The Company believes that its tax reserves are adequate for all years that remain subject to examination or are currently under examination.

Based on information available as of September 30, 2017, it is reasonably possible that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits could decrease in the range of $200 to $500 over the next 12 months as a result of projected resolutions of global tax examinations and controversies and potential expirations of the applicable statutes of limitations.