Income Taxes

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2018

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

INCOME TAXES

INCOME TAXES

The effective tax rate was (47)% and 66% for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The effective tax rate was (159)% and 63% for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 is impacted by a discrete tax expense related to the vesting of restricted stock in the amount of $1.7 million, a discrete tax expense of $10.0 million in Mexico on the sale of the 100% equity interest in our Mexican asphalt business, and a discrete tax expense of $2.7 million on the foreign tax deduction offset to branch deferreds on the sale of our U.K. operations. The rate is also affected by the U.S. deduction for foreign taxes. The rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2017, is impacted by a discrete tax expense related to the vesting of restricted stock in the amount of $1.4 million. Significant items that impacted the effective tax rate for each period, as compared to the U.S. federal statutory rate of 21%, include earnings in foreign jurisdictions taxed at different rates and foreign earnings taxed in foreign jurisdictions as well as in the U.S., since they are disregarded entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes. These combined factors, and the magnitude of the permanent items impacting the tax rate relative to income from continuing operations before income taxes, result in rates that are not comparable between the periods.

We have a valuation allowance on a small portion of our state net operating loss carryovers with shorter carryover periods and a foreign tax credit carryover generated in tax years prior to 2014. We have not released the valuation allowance on the foreign tax credits due to the foreign tax credit limitation and the relative subjectivity of forecasts of the relational magnitude of U.S. and foreign taxable income in future periods, as well as the shorter carryover period available for the credits. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when a determination is made that it is more likely than not that some, or all, of the deferred tax assets will not be realized based on the weight of all available evidence. Evidence which is objectively verifiable carries a higher weight in the analysis. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the existence of sufficient taxable income of the appropriate character within the carryback and carryforward period available under the tax law. Sources of taxable income include future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, future earnings and available tax planning strategies.

We have analyzed filing positions in all of the federal, state and foreign jurisdictions where we are required to file income tax returns and determined that no accruals related to uncertainty in tax positions are required. All income tax years of the Company ending after the emergence from bankruptcy remain open for examination in U.S. jurisdictions under general operation of the statute of limitations, including special provisions with regard to net operating loss carryovers. In foreign jurisdictions, all tax periods prior to the emergence from bankruptcy are closed. The statute of limitations has not been waived with respect to any foreign jurisdictions post emergence and tax periods are open for examination in accordance with the general statutes of each foreign jurisdiction. Currently, there are no examinations in progress for our federal and state jurisdictions. Canada Revenue Agency has completed an income tax audit of SemCAMS ULC for the tax years 2013 through 2015 with no material adjustments. No other foreign jurisdictions are currently under audit.