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Income Taxes
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
INCOME TAXES
INCOME TAXES
In the third quarter of 2017, we recorded tax expense of $30 million on income before income taxes of $162 million. For the first nine months of 2017, we recorded tax expense of $136 million on income before income taxes of $591 million. Income tax expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 was favorably impacted by $12 million and $23 million of various discrete tax adjustments, respectively. In the third quarter of 2016, we recorded a net tax benefit of $10 million on income before income taxes of $310 million. For the first nine months of 2016, we recorded tax expense of $161 million on income before income taxes of $878 million. Income tax benefit and expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 was favorably impacted by $118 million and $127 million of various discrete tax adjustments, respectively, primarily comprised of a tax benefit resulting from changing our election for our 2009, 2010 and 2012 U.S. tax years from deducting foreign taxes to crediting foreign taxes.
We record taxes based on overall estimated annual effective tax rates. The difference between our effective tax rate and the U.S. statutory rate was primarily attributable to the discrete items noted above and an overall lower effective tax rate in the foreign jurisdictions in which we operate.
Our losses in various foreign taxing jurisdictions in recent periods represented sufficient negative evidence to require us to maintain a full valuation allowance against certain of our net foreign deferred tax assets. Each reporting period we assess available positive and negative evidence and estimate if sufficient future taxable income will be generated to utilize these existing deferred tax assets. We do not believe that sufficient positive evidence required to release all or a significant portion of these valuation allowances will exist within the next twelve months.
At January 1, 2017, we had unrecognized tax benefits of $63 million that if recognized, would have a favorable impact on our tax expense of $47 million. We had accrued interest of $4 million as of January 1, 2017. If not favorably settled, $12 million of the unrecognized tax benefits and all of the accrued interest would require the use of our cash. We do not expect any changes to our unrecognized tax benefits during 2017 to have a significant impact on our financial position or results of operations.
We are open to examination in the United States for 2016 and in Germany from 2013 onward. Generally, for our remaining tax jurisdictions, years from 2012 onward are still open to examination.