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Income Taxes
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Income Taxes

NOTE 7: INCOME TAXES

Each interim period is considered an integral part of the annual period and, accordingly, we measure our tax expense using an estimated annual effective tax rate. An enterprise is required, at the end of each interim reporting period, to make its best estimate of the annual effective tax rate for the full fiscal year and use that rate to provide for income taxes on a current year-to-date basis, as adjusted for discrete taxable events that occur during the interim period.

Our effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 was 27.7% and 26.2%, respectively. For the three months ended March 31, 2014, the effective tax rate is less than the federal statutory rate primarily due to earnings in jurisdictions outside the United States, where our effective tax rate is lower, which was partially offset by state income taxes, non-deductible stock compensation and accruals on uncertain tax positions. The increase in the effective tax rate for 2014 compared to the 2013 rate was primarily due to a change in jurisdictional earnings.

Our policy is to recognize accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits and income tax liabilities as part of our income tax expense. As of March 31, 2014, accrued interest is $1 million, net of federal benefit, and no penalties have been accrued. We do not anticipate any material releases in the next twelve months.

By virtue of previously filed consolidated income tax returns filed with Expedia, we are routinely under audit by federal, state and foreign tax authorities. We are currently under an IRS audit for the 2009 and 2010 tax years, and have various ongoing state income tax audits. As of March 31, 2014, no material assessments have resulted from these audits. These audits include questioning the timing and the amount of income and deductions and the allocation of income among various tax jurisdictions. Annual tax provisions include amounts considered sufficient to pay assessments that may result from the examination of prior year returns. We are no longer subject to tax examinations by tax authorities for years prior to 2007.