Income Taxes

3 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income Taxes

NOTE 10. INCOME TAXES

At the end of each interim period, the Company estimates the annual effective tax rate and applies that rate to its ordinary quarterly earnings. The tax expense or benefit related to significant, unusual or extraordinary items that will be separately reported or reported net of their related tax effect are individually computed and recognized in the interim period in which those items occur. In addition, the effects of changes in enacted tax laws or rates or tax status are recognized in the interim period in which the change occurs. The changing and volatile macro-economic conditions connected with COVID-19 may cause fluctuations in forecasted earnings before income taxes. As such, the Company’s effective tax rate could be subject to volatility as forecasted earnings before income taxes are impacted by events which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted.

For the three months ended September 30, 2020, the Company recorded income tax expense of $25 million on pre-tax income of $72 million, resulting in an effective tax rate that was higher than the U.S. statutory tax rate. The higher tax rate was primarily driven by the Company’s jurisdictional income (loss) mix which includes the impact of foreign operations which are subject to higher taxes.

For the three months ended September 30, 2019, the Company recorded an income tax benefit of $21 million on a pre-tax loss of $232 million, resulting in an effective tax rate that was lower than the U.S. statutory tax rate. The lower tax rate was primarily due to the lower tax benefit recorded on the impairment of News America Marketing’s goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets and by valuation allowances being recorded against tax benefits in certain foreign jurisdictions with operating losses.

Management assesses available evidence to determine whether sufficient future taxable income will be generated to permit the use of existing deferred tax assets. Based on management’s assessment of available evidence, it has been determined that it is more likely than not that deferred tax assets in U.S. federal, state and foreign jurisdictions may not be realized and therefore, a valuation allowance has been established against those tax assets.

The Company’s tax returns are subject to on-going review and examination by various tax authorities. Tax authorities may not agree with the treatment of items reported in the Company’s tax returns, and therefore the outcome of tax reviews and examinations can be unpredictable. The Company is currently undergoing tax examinations in various U.S. state and foreign jurisdictions. During the three months ended September 30, 2020, the Company reached a final settlement with the Internal Revenue Service for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 as the statute of limitations expired for that year. There was no change from the results that the Company recorded as of June 30, 2020 for this expiration of statute. The Company believes it has appropriately accrued for the expected outcome of uncertain tax matters and believes such liabilities represent a reasonable provision for taxes ultimately expected to be paid. However, the Company may need to accrue additional income tax expense and its liability may need to be adjusted as new information becomes known and as these tax examinations continue to progress, or as settlements or litigations occur.

The Company paid gross income taxes of $23 million and $27 million during the three months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and received tax refunds of $8 million and $3 million, respectively.