XML 42 R15.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.2.0.727
INCOME TAX
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2015
INCOME TAX  
INCOME TAX

 

8. INCOME TAX

        The Company is subject to U.S. (domestic), Russian and Kazakh income taxes, based on U.S. legislation, Russian tax legislation, Kazakh legislation and the Double Tax Treaty of 1992 between the United States and Russia ("Treaty"). U.S. taxable income or losses recorded are reported on CTC Media, Inc.'s U.S. income tax return. CTC Media, Inc.'s taxable revenues consist predominantly of dividends paid by its owned-and-operated affiliate stations and networks and interest on deposits. In 2015, dividends distributed to CTC Media, Inc. are subject to a Russian withholding tax of 5% under the Treaty. Dividends distributed within Russia are subject to a withholding tax of 0% for Russian companies holding (1) more than 50% in a Russian distributing subsidiary or (2) less than 50% in a Russian distributing subsidiary for more than 365 days; otherwise withholding tax amounts to 13%. The statutory income tax rate in Russia and Kazakhstan in 2014 and for the six months ended June 30, 2015 was 20%.

        The Company's effective income tax rate was approximately 31% for the three and six months ended June 30, 2014, respectively, and 29% and 7% for the three and six months ended June 30, 2015, respectively. The decrease in effective income tax rate was due to one-off income tax refund confirmed and reclaimed from Russian tax authorities in the first quarter of 2015 based on the Company's interpretation of certain positions taken in the historical income tax filings. Excluding this effect, our effective tax rate would have been 31% and 28% for the six months ended June 30, 2014 and 2015, respectively.

        The tax years ended December 31, 2012, 2013 and 2014 remain subject to examination by the Russian and U.S. tax authorities. The tax years ended December 31, 2011 through 2014 remain subject to examination by the Kazakh tax authorities.