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Income Taxes
9 Months Ended
Jul. 01, 2017
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes
Income Taxes
As of July 1, 2017, the Company recorded gross unrecognized tax benefits of $8.6 billion, of which $2.6 billion, if recognized, would affect the Company’s effective tax rate. As of September 24, 2016, the total amount of gross unrecognized tax benefits was $7.7 billion, of which $2.8 billion, if recognized, would have affected the Company’s effective tax rate. The Company’s total gross unrecognized tax benefits are classified as other non-current liabilities in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company had $1.3 billion and $1.0 billion of gross interest and penalties accrued as of July 1, 2017 and September 24, 2016, respectively, which are classified as other non-current liabilities in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.
The Company believes that an adequate provision has been made for any adjustments that may result from tax examinations. However, the outcome of tax audits cannot be predicted with certainty. If any issues addressed in the Company’s tax audits are resolved in a manner not consistent with its expectations, the Company could be required to adjust its provision for income taxes in the period such resolution occurs. Although timing of the resolution and/or closure of audits is not certain, the Company believes it is reasonably possible that its gross unrecognized tax benefits could decrease (whether by payment, release or a combination of both) in the next 12 months by as much as $700 million.
On August 30, 2016, the European Commission announced its decision that Ireland granted state aid to the Company by providing tax opinions in 1991 and 2007 concerning the tax allocation of profits of the Irish branches of two subsidiaries of the Company (the “State Aid Decision”). The State Aid Decision orders Ireland to calculate and recover additional taxes from the Company for the period June 2003 through December 2014. Irish legislative changes, effective as of January 2015, eliminated the application of the tax opinions from that date forward. The Company believes the State Aid Decision to be without merit and appealed to the General Court of the Court of Justice of the European Union. Ireland has also appealed the State Aid Decision. While the European Commission announced a recovery amount of up to €13 billion, plus interest, the actual amount of additional taxes subject to recovery is to be calculated by Ireland in accordance with the European Commission’s guidance. Once the recovery amount is computed by Ireland, the Company anticipates funding it, including interest, out of foreign cash into escrow, where it will remain pending conclusion of all appeals. The Company believes that any incremental Irish corporate income taxes potentially due related to the State Aid Decision would be creditable against U.S. taxes.