INCOME TAXES

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2019

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

INCOME TAXES

INCOME TAXES

The Company recognized $2.0 million of income tax expense during the three months ended March 31, 2019 compared with $1.7 million in the prior year quarter. The Company's income tax expense is based on income, statutory tax rates and tax planning opportunities available in the jurisdictions in which it operates. The Company’s year-to-date tax provision is calculated by applying the most recent annualized effective tax rate to year-to-date pre-tax ordinary income. The Company’s most recent annualized effective tax rate was impacted by a gain for tax purposes resulting from the newly formed manufacturing joint venture as well as the establishment of a partial valuation allowance for attributes generated in the current year that may not be realizable. The tax impact of unusual or infrequent items are recorded discretely in the interim period in which they occur. The Company discretely recorded the tax impact of the loss on forward contracts for the issuance of convertible preferred stock. This loss was not deductible for income tax purposes.

At March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the Company had $6.6 million and $6.9 million of unrecognized tax benefits, respectively, excluding interest and penalties, which if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate. The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense. The Company accrued $2.1 million at March 31, 2019 and $2.0 million at December 31, 2018, for potential interest and penalties associated with uncertain tax positions. To the extent interest and penalties are not assessed with respect to the ultimate settlement of uncertain tax positions, amounts previously accrued will be reversed as a reduction to income tax expense.

GNC Holdings, Inc. files a consolidated federal tax return and various consolidated and separate tax returns as prescribed by the tax laws of the state, local and international jurisdictions in which it and its subsidiaries operate. The statutes of limitation for the Company’s U.S. federal income tax returns are closed for years through 2013. The Company has various state and local jurisdiction tax years open to examination (the earliest open period is generally 2011).