Income Taxes

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2018

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

The effective tax rate was 15.2% in the nine months ended September 30, 2018 compared to 29.8% for the same period in 2017. Generally, effective tax rates for these periods differ from statutory federal income tax rates, due to provisions for state and local income taxes, permanent tax differences, and the foreign-derived intangible income tax deduction during the nine months ended September 30, 2018. The decrease in the effective tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 compared to the same period of 2017 was due to the reduction of the federal income tax rate from 35% to 21% as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ("Act"), as well as R&D tax credits, discrete tax benefits related to equity compensation, and the foreign-derived intangible income tax deduction.

Pursuant to the guidance within SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 (“SAB 118”), the Company has continued to analyze certain aspects of the Act and refine its application to the Company. Although the Company has not completed its accounting for the income tax effects of certain elements of the Act, during the third quarter of 2018, the Company recorded a total provisional expense of $3.3 million related to the remeasurement of certain deferred tax assets and liabilities. The Company has continued to recognize provisional effects of the Act for which measurement could be reasonably estimated. The ultimate impact of the Act may differ from these estimates due to its continued analysis or further regulatory guidance that may be issued pursuant to the Act. The Company evaluates the impact of the Act as additional clarification and implementation guidance related to the Act is released. Under SAB 118, adjustments to the provisional amounts recorded by the Company as of September 30, 2018 that are identified within a subsequent measurement period of up to one year from the enactment date will be included as an adjustment to tax expense from continuing operations in the period such provisional amounts are actually determined. The Company anticipates the remaining estimates will be finalized in the fourth quarter 2018.