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Income Taxes
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes
Income Taxes
 
The Company's effective tax rate was 40.7% for the three months ended March 31, 2017 as compared to 37.9% for the three months ended March 31, 2016. The effective tax rate in 2017 was higher primarily due to the Company’s adoption of accounting guidance which requires excess tax benefits and deficiencies on share-based payments to be recorded as income tax benefits or expense in the income statement rather than being recorded in additional paid-in capital on the balance sheet as was the practice prior to adoption of the new accounting guidance. Adoption of the new guidance, effective January 2, 2017, increased the Company's effective tax rate by 3.2%.

 The total gross unrecognized tax benefit as of March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016 was $4.0 million and $3.9 million, respectively, excluding interest, penalties and related tax benefits. The Company estimates the unrecognized tax benefit may decrease over the upcoming 12 months by an amount up to $1.7 million related to settlements with taxing authorities and the lapse of statutes of limitations. For the remaining liability, due to the uncertainties related to these tax matters, the Company is unable to make a reasonably reliable estimate as to when cash settlement with a taxing authority will occur.

As of March 31, 2017, accrued interest was $1.1 million and accrued penalties were less than $0.1 million, excluding any related income tax benefits. As of December 31, 2016, accrued interest was $1.0 million and accrued penalties were less than $0.1 million, excluding any related income tax benefits. The Company recognizes interest accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits and penalties as a component of its income tax provision recognized in its Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income.

The Company files federal income tax returns and the Company or one of its subsidiaries files income tax returns in various state and foreign jurisdictions. With few exceptions, the Company is no longer subject to federal, state or non-United States tax examinations by tax authorities for years before 2011. The Internal Revenue Service commenced examination of the Company’s U.S. federal income tax return for the tax years 2011 to 2013 during the year. The examination is anticipated to continue throughout the entire fiscal year 2017. The Company continues to believe that adequate reserves have been provided relating to all matters contained in the tax periods open to examination.