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10. Income Taxes
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes
10.    INCOME TAXES
 
Our effective income tax rate was 49% and (36)% for the three months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively. Our effective income tax rate was 42% and 30% for the first nine months of 2014 and 2013, respectively. The effective tax rate for the third quarter of 2014 was higher primarily due to losses incurred in foreign jurisdictions for which no income tax benefit is expected and due to nondeductible penalties. The effective tax rate for the third quarter of 2013 was higher than expected due to discrete items related primarily to tax liabilities for unrecognized tax benefits and audit settlements in our foreign jurisdictions. The effective tax rate for the third quarter of 2013 was negative because of the pretax loss incurred in the third quarter of 2013.

The effective income tax rate for the first nine months of 2014 does not include a benefit of the U.S. federal research credit as it has not been extended beyond 2013. In addition, the effective tax rate for the first nine months of 2014 includes adjustments principally related to state taxes. The effective tax rate for the first nine months of 2013 reflected a significant tax benefit related to the 2012 U.S. federal research credit, which was retroactively reinstated on January 2, 2013.

Our foreign taxes for all periods resulted primarily from income earned in France and Switzerland. Many jurisdictions in which we operate including Switzerland, Russia, the U.K. and Singapore have statutory tax rates that are significantly lower than the U.S. statutory tax rate of 35%.
    
We file federal and state income tax returns in the United States and foreign income tax returns in many jurisdictions abroad. Our income tax returns are audited by federal, state and foreign tax authorities. We are currently under examination by many of these tax authorities. There are differing interpretations of tax laws and regulations, and as a result, significant disputes may arise with these tax authorities involving issues of the timing and amount of deductions and allocations of income among various tax jurisdictions. We evaluate our exposures associated with our tax filing positions on a quarterly basis.

We record liabilities for unrecognized tax benefits related to uncertain tax positions. We do not believe any currently pending uncertain tax positions will have a material adverse effect on our condensed consolidated financial statements, although an adverse resolution of one or more of these uncertain tax positions in any period may have a material impact on the results of operations for that period.

As of September 30, 2014, based on the expected outcome of certain examinations or as a result of the expiration of statute of limitations for certain jurisdictions, we believe that within the next 12 months it is reasonably possible that our previously unrecognized tax benefits could decrease by approximately $5.9 million. Substantially all such amounts will impact our effective income tax rate.