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Taxation
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Taxation
4.
Taxation

In accordance with ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes, (“ASC 740”) income taxes are recognized for the amount of taxes payable for the current year and for the impact of deferred tax liabilities and assets, which represent future tax consequences of events that have been

recognized differently in the financial statements than for tax purposes. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are established using the enacted statutory tax rates and are adjusted for any changes in such rates in the period of change.

Income tax benefit

The components of loss before taxes for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020 consisted of the following:

 

 

 

For the Year Ended December 31,

 

 

 

2022

 

 

2021

 

 

2020

 

United Kingdom

 

$

(620,591

)

 

$

(447,808

)

 

$

(83,049

)

United States

 

 

(993,786

)

 

 

(73,789

)

 

 

(177,582

)

Foreign Other

 

 

(300,409

)

 

 

326,159

 

 

 

74,718

 

Loss from operations before taxes

 

$

(1,914,786

)

 

$

(195,438

)

 

$

(185,913

)

 

Income tax benefit comprises current and deferred tax. Current tax and deferred tax are recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss except to the extent that they relate to a business combination or items recognized directly in equity or in other comprehensive income. The income tax benefit consists of the following:

 

 

 

For the Year Ended December 31,

 

 

 

2022

 

 

2021

 

 

2020

 

Current:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

United Kingdom

 

$

4,638

 

 

$

(4,364

)

 

$

(1,041

)

United States

 

 

3,004

 

 

 

(25,926

)

 

 

(16,698

)

Foreign Other

 

 

22,732

 

 

 

42,173

 

 

 

19,682

 

Total

 

 

30,374

 

 

 

11,883

 

 

 

1,943

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deferred:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

United Kingdom

 

 

(25,416

)

 

 

(90,345

)

 

 

(3,664

)

United States

 

 

(52,225

)

 

 

4,468

 

 

 

(42,911

)

Foreign Other

 

 

(5,235

)

 

 

(11,116

)

 

 

(14,567

)

Total

 

 

(82,876

)

 

 

(96,993

)

 

 

(61,142

)

Income tax benefit

 

$

(52,502

)

 

$

(85,110

)

 

$

(59,199

)

 

The effective tax rate for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020 was 2.7%, 43.5% and 31.8%, respectively. The reconciliation of the statutory income tax rate to the Company’s effective income tax rate is as follows:

 

 

 

For the Year Ended December 31,

 

 

 

2022

 

 

2021

 

 

2020

 

United Kingdom corporate tax rate

 

 

19.0

%

 

 

19.0

%

 

 

19.0

%

Changes in respect of prior periods

 

 

0.4

%

 

 

8.2

%

 

 

11.1

%

Rate change

 

 

0.3

%

 

 

1.8

%

 

 

(5.7

)%

Expenses not deductible for tax purposes

 

 

(0.4

)%

 

 

(9.4

)%

 

 

 

Impairment losses not deductible for tax purposes

 

 

(15.8

)%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gains and losses not subject to income tax

 

 

0.2

%

 

 

0.6

%

 

 

 

Foreign tax on capital gains

 

 

(0.4

)%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Movement in deferred tax not recognized

 

 

(1.8

)%

 

 

1.4

%

 

 

(2.5

)%

Tax losses not recognized

 

 

0.1

%

 

 

 

 

 

0.5

%

Foreign income taxed at different rates

 

 

1.1

%

 

 

21.3

%

 

 

6.8

%

Other

 

 

 

 

 

0.6

%

 

 

2.6

%

Effective tax rate

 

 

2.7

%

 

 

43.5

%

 

 

31.8

%

 

Uncertain tax positions

Accounting for taxes involves some estimation because the tax law is uncertain, and the application requires a degree of judgment, which authorities may dispute. Management periodically evaluates positions taken in tax returns with respect to situations in which applicable tax regulation is subject to interpretation. The Company establishes reserves for uncertain tax positions where appropriate, based on amounts expected to be paid to the tax authorities.

A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of gross unrecognized tax benefits for uncertain tax positions is as follows:

 

 

 

For the Year Ended December 31,

 

 

 

2022

 

 

2021

 

 

2020

 

Beginning unrecognized tax benefits

 

$

16,744

 

 

$

18,784

 

 

$

24,593

 

Increases related to prior year tax positions

 

 

-

 

 

 

4,451

 

 

 

1,956

 

Decreases related to prior year tax positions

 

 

(66

)

 

 

(3,912

)

 

 

(8,034

)

Increases related to current year tax provisions

 

 

562

 

 

 

589

 

 

 

286

 

Decreases related to current year tax positions

 

 

-

 

 

 

(1,013

)

 

 

(17

)

Decreases related to settlement with tax authorities

 

 

(471

)

 

 

(2,155

)

 

 

 

Closing unrecognized tax benefits

 

$

16,769

 

 

$

16,744

 

 

$

18,784

 

 

The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020 is $16,769, $16,744 and $18,784, respectively, which is recorded within “Accounts payable and other liabilities” within the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position (See Note 11). This is the amount held in respect of uncertain tax positions across all jurisdictions for all periods where the statutes of limitation have not closed. The Company classifies interest and penalties on income taxes as a component of the provision for income taxes. The total amount of interest and penalties accrued as of December 31, 2022 was $1,620 and $164, respectively, and as of December 31, 2021 were $1,276 and $166, respectively, and as of December 31, 2020 were $2,677 and $390, respectively.

There are no events anticipated within the next 12 months that would significantly increase or decrease the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits.

We conduct business globally and file income tax returns in the United Kingdom, United States and other foreign jurisdictions. In the normal course of business, we are subject to examination by taxing authorities around the world. The Company is no longer subject to income tax examinations by tax authorities in the United Kingdom, United States and other foreign jurisdictions for tax years before 2015.

Recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities

Deferred tax assets and liabilities reflect the effect of the differences between the financial reporting and income tax bases of assets and liabilities based on tax rates (and laws) enacted by the balance sheet date and which are expected to apply when the related deferred tax asset is realized, or the deferred tax liability is settled.

The realization of deferred tax assets is dependent on generating sufficient taxable income in future periods in which the tax benefits are deductible or creditable. We review the realization of deferred tax assets at each reporting date by estimating future taxable income of the relevant group entities. A valuation allowance is provided in respect of those assets where we do not expect to realize a benefit. All available evidence is considered in determining the amount of the required valuation allowance using a “more likely than not” threshold. Our assessment considers both positive and negative evidence and the extent to which that evidence can be objectively verified. Such evidence includes: (i) net earnings or losses in recent years; (ii) the likelihood of future, sustainable net earnings; (iii) the carry forward periods of tax losses and the impact of relevant reversing temporary differences; and (iv) any available tax planning strategies.

There are certain foreign subsidiaries for which deferred taxes have not been recognized on outside basis difference on the basis that they are indefinitely reinvested or distributable earnings may be repatriated tax-free. As of December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, the amount of such taxable temporary differences totaled $680,616. $811,957 and $651,851, respectively, and the amount of any unrecognized deferred income tax liability on this temporary difference is $2,720, $2,441 and $4,042, respectively.

Deferred taxes have been recognized for certain foreign subsidiaries where the permanently reinvested assertion has not been applied. As of December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, the amount of such taxable temporary difference totaled $27,792, $0 and $0, respectively, and the amount of deferred tax liability recognized on this temporary difference is $1,390, $0 and $0, respectively.

For our domestic subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, the Company has no intention of remitting earnings and/or no withholding tax would be imposed and therefore no deferred tax has been provided.

The principal components of deferred tax were as follows:

 

 

 

For the Year Ended December 31,

 

 

 

2022

 

 

2021

 

Deferred tax assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Property and equipment

 

$

3,607

 

 

$

9,043

 

Intangible assets

 

 

127,556

 

 

 

50,634

 

Carry forward tax losses

 

 

146,358

 

 

 

129,994

 

Excess interest carry forward

 

 

101,547

 

 

 

77,049

 

Accrued and unpaid expenses

 

 

14,010

 

 

 

13,094

 

Financial instruments

 

 

10,465

 

 

 

14,943

 

Other

 

 

14,605

 

 

 

9,298

 

Total deferred tax assets

 

 

418,148

 

 

 

304,055

 

Valuation allowance

 

 

(92,019

)

 

 

(51,976

)

Net deferred tax assets

 

 

326,129

 

 

 

252,079

 

Deferred tax liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Property and equipment

 

 

(5,445

)

 

 

(1,857

)

Intangible assets

 

 

(319,167

)

 

 

(287,278

)

Other

 

 

(15,770

)

 

 

(5,904

)

Total deferred tax liabilities

 

 

(340,382

)

 

 

(295,039

)

Net deferred tax liabilities

 

$

(14,253

)

 

$

(42,960

)

 

Accounting for income taxes under U.S. GAAP requires that individual tax-paying entities offset all deferred tax assets and liabilities within each particular tax jurisdiction and present them net as non-current in the Statement of Consolidated Financial Position. As of December 31, 2022, $221,591 of the $326,129 deferred tax assets arose in the same taxable entities or consolidated tax groups as deferred tax liabilities where there is a legally enforceable right to offset current tax assets against current tax liabilities. As of December 31, 2021, $230,153 of the $252,079 deferred tax assets arose in the same taxable entities or consolidated tax groups as deferred tax liabilities where there is a legally enforceable right to offset current tax assets against current tax liabilities. Therefore, the net differences of $104,538 and $21,926 are reflected as “Deferred tax assets” within the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

As of December 31, 2022, the gross deferred tax liability of $340,382 is presented on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position on a net basis with $221,591 of deferred tax assets, reflected as a deferred tax liability of $118,791. As of December 31, 2021, the gross deferred tax liability of $295,039 is presented on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position on a net basis with $230,153 of deferred tax assets, reflected as a deferred tax liability of $64,886.

As of December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, the Company has net operating loss carry forwards of $554,695, $508,434 and $508,729, respectively. As of December 31, 2022, $197,775 of those carry forwards will expire between December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2050 if not utilized. The remaining balance of $356,920 are indefinite loss carry forwards with no expiry date.

A valuation allowance is provided against deferred tax assets when it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. For the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the valuation allowance for the Company was $92,019 and $51,976, respectively. The current movement primarily relates to the increase of the valuation allowance on excess interest expenses carried forward in the US. The increase in the valuation allowance during the year ended December 31, 2022 was $40,043 and the decrease in the valuation allowance during the year ended December 31, 2021 was $5,067.