Note 13 - Income Taxes	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Notes to Financial Statements
Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block]	13. INCOME TAXES The income tax provision or benefit for interim periods is generally determined using an estimate of the Company’s annual effective tax rate and adjusted for discrete items, if any, in the relevant period. Each quarter the estimate of the annual effective tax rate is updated, and if the Company’s estimated tax rate changes, a cumulative adjustment is made. The income tax expense for the three months ended September 30, 2020 was $6.9 million, or 11.1% of pre-tax income. The income tax expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 was $3.4 million, or 2.7% of pre-tax income. The effective tax rates differed from the federal statutory rate primarily due to income from the Company’s subsidiaries in Bermuda and China being taxed at lower statutory tax rates, and excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation. The decrease in the effective tax rates relative to the federal statutory rate was partially offset by the inclusion of the global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”) tax. The income tax expense for the three months ended September 30, 2019 was $2.8 million, or 8.6% of pre-tax income. The income tax expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 was $3.3 million, or 4.1% of pre-tax income. The effective tax rates differed from the federal statutory rate primarily due to foreign income from the Company’s subsidiaries in Bermuda and China being taxed at lower statutory tax rates, and excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation. The decrease in the effective tax rates relative to the federal statutory rate was partially offset by the inclusion of the GILTI tax. The Company’s uncertain tax positions relate to the allocation of income and deductions among its global entities and to the determination of the research and development tax credit. Various events, some of which cannot be predicted, such as clarification of tax law by administrative or judicial means, may occur and would require the Company to increase or decrease its reserves and effective income tax rate over the next twelve months. However, it is not possible to determine either the magnitude or the range of increases or decreases at this time. In July 2015, the U.S. Tax Court issued an opinion in Altera Corp. v. Commissioner, invalidating the Treasury regulations that require participants in qualified intercompany cost-sharing arrangements to share stock-based compensation costs. A final decision was issued by the Tax Court in December 2015, and the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) appealed the decision in June 2016. In June 2019, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the cost-sharing regulations. In July 2019, Altera filed a petition for rehearing en banc in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. In November 2019, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals declined to rehear the case. In February 2020, Altera filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case. In June 2020, the Supreme Court denied Altera's petition for writ of certiorari, declining to review the decision of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Based on the Supreme Court’s denial to hear the Altera case, until and unless there is further litigation on this matter in the future, the Company considers the matter resolved and there was no impact on the Company’s current treatment of stock-based compensation costs.

Note 13 - Income Taxes

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

13. INCOME TAXES

The income tax provision or benefit for interim periods is generally determined using an estimate of the Company’s annual effective tax rate and adjusted for discrete items, if any, in the relevant period. Each quarter the estimate of the annual effective tax rate is updated, and if the Company’s estimated tax rate changes, a cumulative adjustment is made.

The income tax expense for the three months ended September 30, 2020 was $6.9 million, or 11.1% of pre-tax income. The income tax expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 was $3.4 million, or 2.7% of pre-tax income. The effective tax rates differed from the federal statutory rate primarily due to income from the Company’s subsidiaries in Bermuda and China being taxed at lower statutory tax rates, and excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation. The decrease in the effective tax rates relative to the federal statutory rate was partially offset by the inclusion of the global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”) tax.

The income tax expense for the three months ended September 30, 2019 was $2.8 million, or 8.6% of pre-tax income. The income tax expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 was $3.3 million, or 4.1% of pre-tax income. The effective tax rates differed from the federal statutory rate primarily due to foreign income from the Company’s subsidiaries in Bermuda and China being taxed at lower statutory tax rates, and excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation. The decrease in the effective tax rates relative to the federal statutory rate was partially offset by the inclusion of the GILTI tax.

The Company’s uncertain tax positions relate to the allocation of income and deductions among its global entities and to the determination of the research and development tax credit. Various events, some of which cannot be predicted, such as clarification of tax law by administrative or judicial means, may occur and would require the Company to increase or decrease its reserves and effective income tax rate over the next twelve months. However, it is not possible to determine either the magnitude or the range of increases or decreases at this time.

In July 2015, the U.S. Tax Court issued an opinion in Altera Corp. v. Commissioner, invalidating the Treasury regulations that require participants in qualified intercompany cost-sharing arrangements to share stock-based compensation costs. A final decision was issued by the Tax Court in December 2015, and the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) appealed the decision in June 2016. In June 2019, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the cost-sharing regulations. In July 2019, Altera filed a petition for rehearing en banc in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. In November 2019, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals declined to rehear the case. In February 2020, Altera filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case. In June 2020, the Supreme Court denied Altera's petition for writ of certiorari, declining to review the decision of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Based on the Supreme Court’s denial to hear the Altera case, until and unless there is further litigation on this matter in the future, the Company considers the matter resolved and there was no impact on the Company’s current treatment of stock-based compensation costs.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for income taxes. Disclosures may include net deferred tax liability or asset recognized in an enterprise's statement of financial position, net change during the year in the total valuation allowance, approximate tax effect of each type of temporary difference and carryforward that gives rise to a significant portion of deferred tax liabilities and deferred tax assets, utilization of a tax carryback, and tax uncertainties information.

+ References + Details