Income Taxes

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2019

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

The following table provides information regarding the Company’s income tax expense and effective tax rate for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, including percent change (dollar amounts in thousands):

	Three Months ended June 30,					Six Months ended June 30,
	2019			2018		2019			2018
	(unaudited)					(unaudited)
Income tax expense	$	10,019		$	3,119	$	15,918		$	7,949
Effective tax rate	23.40		%	9.20%		23.80		%	12.20%

The increase in income tax expense and the increase in the effective tax rate for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2019, as compared to the same periods in the prior year, was primarily attributable to the larger tax benefits realized in 2018 related to exercises of employee stock options.