Income Taxes

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2020

The Company’s year-to-date tax provision is comprised of the most recent estimated annual effective tax rate applied to year-to-date pre-tax ordinary income. The tax impacts of unusual or infrequently occurring items, including changes in judgment about valuation allowances and effects of changes in tax laws or rates, are recorded discretely in the interim period in which they occur. In addition, the tax provision is adjusted for the interim period impact of non-benefited pre-tax losses.

The estimated annual effective tax rate, before discrete items, applied to ordinary income was 36.1% in both the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2020, and 51.8% in both the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2019. The 2020 rate was higher than the U.S. federal statutory rate of 21% primarily due to U.S. tax on foreign earnings, incremental state tax and foreign taxes on earnings also subject to U.S. federal income tax and higher nondeductible expenses. The 2019 rate was higher due to U.S. tax on foreign earnings including estimated U.S. tax on Global Intangible Low Taxed Income, nondeductible impairment of certain domestic and foreign long-lived assets and other nondeductible expenses.

For the second quarter of 2020 and 2019, the tax rate including discrete items was 2.3% and 49.3% (both are benefits on losses), respectively. For the second quarter of 2020, the Company recorded a discrete tax charge of $10 related to a $6 charge for the remeasurement of deferred tax balances in various jurisdictions as a result of the Arconic Inc. Separation Transaction and a net $4 charge for prior year items. For the second quarter of 2019, the Company recorded a discrete tax benefit of $37 related to a $25 benefit to deduct prior year foreign taxes rather than claim a U.S. foreign tax credit and a $12 benefit to remeasure certain deferred tax assets as a result of a foreign tax rate change.

For the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the tax rate including discrete items was 2.3% (provision on income) and 49.3% (benefit on loss), respectively. For the six months ended June 30, 2019, the Company recorded a discrete tax benefit of $37 related to a $25 benefit to deduct prior year foreign taxes rather than claim a U.S. foreign tax credit and a $12 benefit to remeasure certain deferred tax assets as a result of a foreign tax rate change.

The tax provisions for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 were comprised of the following:


	Second quarter ended						Six months ended
	June 30,						June 30,
	2020		2019		2020		2019
Pre-tax income (loss) at estimated annual effective income tax rate before discrete items	$	(31)	$	(139)	$	40	$	(78)
Impact of change in estimated annual effective tax rate on previous quarter’s pre-tax income	18		31		—		—
Interim period treatment of operational losses in foreign jurisdictions for which no tax benefit is recognized	1		13		1		14
Other discrete items	10		(37)		2		(37)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	$	(2)	$	(132)	$	43	$	(101)

During the period, a $16 tax adjustment was identified related to periods prior to 2018. The adjustment was evaluated and determined not to be material to any periods. As such, it was corrected through Retained earnings in the Statement of Changes in Consolidated Equity.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for income taxes. Disclosures may include net deferred tax liability or asset recognized in an enterprise's statement of financial position, net change during the year in the total valuation allowance, approximate tax effect of each type of temporary difference and carryforward that gives rise to a significant portion of deferred tax liabilities and deferred tax assets, utilization of a tax carryback, and tax uncertainties information.

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