INCOME TAXES

3 Months Ended

Aug. 25, 2024

INCOME TAXES

INCOME TAXES

12. INCOME TAXES

In the first quarter of fiscal 2025 and 2024, we recognized an income tax benefit of $138.9 million and income tax expense of $98.3 million, respectively. The effective tax rate (calculated as the ratio of income tax expense to pre-tax income, inclusive of equity method investment earnings) was (42.4)% and 23.5% for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 and 2024, respectively.

The effective tax rate in the first quarter of fiscal 2025 reflected a $210.4 million deferred tax benefit related to the release of valuation allowances booked against certain deferred tax assets. Recent interactions with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regarding certain elections that had previously been under IRS review make the realization of certain deferred tax assets likely. The realization of these deferred tax assets allows for both current and future tax deductions through 2036.

The effective tax rate in the first quarter of fiscal 2024 was in line with our expected effective tax rate of approximately 24%.

We have previously made the assessment that the current earnings of certain foreign subsidiaries were not indefinitely reinvested or that we could not remit to the U.S. parent in a tax-neutral transaction. Accordingly, we have recorded a deferred tax liability of $1.6 million on approximately $33.7 million of cumulative earnings as of August 25, 2024. The deferred tax liability relates to local withholding taxes that will be owed when this cash is distributed. In the first quarter of fiscal 2025, we paid $16.9 million of withholding taxes previously accrued in connection with the restructuring of our ownership interest in Ardent Mills.