Income Taxes

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2021

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

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 29.1% in both the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2021, and 36.1% in both the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2020. The 2021 rate was higher than the U.S. federal statutory rate of 21% primarily due to additional estimated U.S. tax on Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income and other foreign earnings, incremental state tax and foreign taxes on earnings also subject to U.S. federal income tax, and nondeductible expenses. 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.

For the second quarter of 2021 and 2020, the tax rate including discrete items was 32.7% (provision on income) and 2.3% (benefit on loss), respectively. For the second quarter of 2021, the Company recorded a discrete tax charge of $4 related to a $2 charge for a U.K. tax rate change and a net $2 charge for other items. For the second quarter of 2020, the Company recorded a discrete tax benefit 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 six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, the tax rate including discrete items was 30.9% and 38.4% (both are provisions on income), respectively. For the six months ended June 30, 2021, the Company recorded a discrete tax charge of $3 related to a $2 charge for a U.K. tax rate change and a net charge of $1 for other items. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the Company recorded a discrete tax charge of $2 related to a $6 charge for the remeasurement of deferred tax balances in various jurisdictions as a result of the Arconic Inc. Separation Transaction, a net $3 charge for prior year items, partially offset by a $5 benefit related to stock compensation and a net $2 benefit for other small items.

The tax provision (benefit) for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020 were comprised of the following:

	Second quarter ended				Six months ended
	June 30,				June 30,
	2021		2020		2021		2020
Pre-tax income (loss) at estimated annual effective income tax rate before discrete items	$	32	$	(31)	$	65	$	40
Impact of change in estimated annual effective tax rate on previous quarter’s pre-tax income	(1)		18		—		—
Interim period treatment of operational losses in foreign jurisdictions for which no tax benefit is recognized	1		1		1		1
Other discrete items	4		10		3		2
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	$	36	$	(2)	$	69	$	43