16.	INCOME TAXES

The determination of the Company’s overall effective tax rate requires the use of estimates. The effective tax rate reflects the income earned and taxed in various United States federal and state jurisdictions based on enacted tax law, permanent differences between book and tax items, tax credits and the Company’s change in relative income in each jurisdiction.

The Company estimated its annual effective tax rate for the full fiscal year and applied the annual effective tax rate to the results of the 39-weeks ended September 30, 2017 and October 1, 2016 for purposes of determining its year-to-date tax provision (benefit).

The Company released the valuation allowance against its federal net deferred tax assets and certain of its state net deferred tax assets in the 13-weeks ended October 1, 2016, as the Company determined it was more likely than not that the deferred tax assets would be realized. The Company maintained a valuation allowance on certain state net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards expected to expire unutilized as a result of insufficient forecasted taxable income in the carryforward period, or the utilization of which are subject to limitation. The decision to release the valuation allowance during the 13-weeks ended October 1, 2016 was made after management considered all available evidence, both positive and negative, including but not limited to, historical operating results, cumulative income in recent years, forecasted earnings, and a reduction of uncertainty regarding forecasted earnings as a result of developments in certain customer and strategic initiatives.

The effective tax rate for the 13-weeks ended September 30, 2017 of 35% is equivalent to the federal statutory rate, primarily as a result of state income taxes being offset by the recognition of various discrete tax items. The discrete tax items included a tax benefit of $7 million, primarily related to excess tax benefits associated with share-based compensation. The effective tax rate for the 13-weeks ended October 1, 2016 of (143)% varied from the 35% federal statutory rate, primarily as a result of a change in the valuation allowance and the recognition of various discrete tax items. During the 13-weeks ended October 1, 2016, the valuation allowance decreased $101 million, primarily as a result of the year-to-date pre-tax income and the corresponding release of the valuation allowance. The discrete tax items for the 13-weeks ended October 1, 2016 included a tax benefit of $80 million, primarily related to the release of the valuation allowance.

The effective tax rate for the 39-weeks ended September 30, 2017 of 29% varied from the 35% federal statutory rate, primarily as a result of state income taxes and the recognition of various discrete tax items. The discrete tax items included a tax benefit of $27 million, primarily related to excess tax benefits associated with share-based compensation. The effective tax rate of (143)% for the 39-weeks ended October 1, 2016 varied from the 35% federal statutory rate primarily as a result of a change in the valuation allowance and the recognition of various discrete tax items. During the 39-weeks ended October 1, 2016, the valuation allowance decreased $101 million, primarily as a result of the year-to-date pre-tax income and the corresponding release of the valuation allowance. The discrete tax items for the 39-weeks ended October 1, 2016 included a tax benefit of $80 million, primarily related to the release of the valuation allowance.