Income Taxes

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

INCOME TAXES

NOTE 17. INCOME TAXES

The following table displays our Loss from continuing operations before income tax, Income tax expense and Effective tax rate for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 (dollars in thousands):

	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2019			2018			2019			2018
Loss from continuing operations before income tax	$	(24,070	)	$	(143,068	)	$	(120,363	)	$	(671,559	)
Income tax expense	$	17,361		$	3,003		$	31,732		$	24,729
Effective tax rate	(72.1		)%	(2.1		)%	(26.4		)%	(3.7		)%

The income tax expense for the three months ended September 30, 2019 primarily relates to accrued interest on uncertain tax positions as well as the geographic mix of pre-tax earnings. As of September 30, 2019, we had valuation allowances established against our deferred tax assets in most jurisdictions in which we operate, with the exception of Canada and India. The income tax expense for the comparable 2018 period primarily relates to the geographic mix of pre-tax earnings.

The income tax expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 primarily relates to a taxable gain arising from the extinguishment of debt in the March 2019 Refinancing Transactions, the geographic mix of pre-tax earnings and accrued interest on uncertain tax positions. The income tax expense for the comparable 2018 period primarily relates to the geographic mix of pre-tax earnings and discrete tax expense incurred in connection with an intercompany asset restructuring.