Income Taxes

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income Taxes

INCOME TAXES

Substantially all of the Company’s operations are held through its majority investment in GPIP, a subsidiary that is classified as a partnership for U.S. income tax purposes and is generally not subject to domestic income tax expense. As a result, the consolidated financial statements exclude the domestic tax effect of the earnings attributable to the minority partner’s interest in GPIP.

During the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company recognized Income Tax Benefit of $5.4 million on Loss before Income Taxes and Equity Income of Unconsolidated Entity of $25.3 million. The effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2020 is lower than the statutory rate primarily due to the tax effect of income attributable to noncontrolling interests as well as the mix and levels of earnings between foreign and domestic tax jurisdictions.

During the three months ended March 31, 2019, the Company recognized Income Tax Expense of $21.0 million on Income before Income Taxes and Equity Income of Unconsolidated Entity of $98.9 million. The effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2019 was lower than the statutory rate primarily due to the tax effect of income attributable to non-controlling interests as well as the mix and levels of earnings between foreign and domestic tax jurisdictions.

As of December 31, 2019, the Company had approximately $32 million of Net Operating Losses (“NOLs”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes which may be used to offset future taxable income. Based on these NOLs, other tax attributes, tax benefits associated with planned capital projects, and the anticipated reduction in International Paper's investment in GPIP, the Company does not expect to be a meaningful U.S. federal cash taxpayer until 2024.