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Income Taxes and Other Taxes
9 Months Ended
Feb. 28, 2019
Income Tax And Non Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes and Other Taxes
INCOME TAXES AND OTHER TAXES

Income Taxes
 
In calculating the provision for income taxes on an interim basis, the Company uses an estimate of the annual effective tax rate based upon currently known facts and circumstances and applies that rate to its year-to-date earnings or losses. The Company’s effective tax rate is based on expected income and statutory tax rates and takes into consideration permanent differences between financial statement and tax return income applicable to the Company in the various jurisdictions in which the Company operates. The effect of discrete items, such as changes in estimates, changes in enacted tax laws or rates or tax status, and unusual or infrequently occurring events, is recognized in the interim period in which the discrete item occurs. The accounting estimates used to compute the provision for income taxes may change as new events occur, additional information is obtained or as the result of new judicial interpretations or regulatory or tax law changes.

On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the "Act") was signed into law resulting in a significant change in the framework for U.S. corporate taxes. The Act reduced the U.S. federal corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%, required companies to calculate a one-time transition tax on earnings of certain foreign subsidiaries that were previously tax deferred and created new taxes on certain foreign sourced earnings.

The Act also imposes a new minimum tax on Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income ("GILTI") earned by foreign subsidiaries. The FASB Staff Q&A, Topic 740 No. 5, Accounting for Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income, states that an entity may make an accounting policy election to either recognize deferred taxes for temporary differences expected to reverse as GILTI in future years or provide for the tax expense related to GILTI in the year the tax is incurred.

In accordance with Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118, Income Tax Accounting Implications of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which was also included in ASU No. 2018-05, Income Taxes (Topic 740), Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 (“SAB 118”), which was adopted by the Company upon issuance, any adjustments of the Company's provisional tax expense are recorded as a change in estimate. Despite the completion of the Company’s accounting for the Tax Act under SAB 118, many aspects of the law remain unclear and the Company expects ongoing guidance to be issued at both the federal and state levels and it will continue to monitor and assess the impact of any new developments.

In the period ended February 28, 2019, the Company finalized its calculations resulting in no transition tax and recorded a $0.5 adjustment to the Company’s previously recorded provisional tax expense. In addition, in the prior fiscal year quarter, the Company elected to recognize any potential tax on GILTI as a period expense in the period the tax is incurred.

The Company’s annual effective tax rate, exclusive of discrete items, is expected to be approximately 30.0%. The interim effective tax rate, inclusive of discrete items, was 39.4% for the three month period ended February 28, 2019 and 60.3% for the nine month period ended February 28, 2019. The rate differential between the interim effective tax rate, inclusive of discrete items, for the three and nine month periods ended February 28, 2019, compared to the expected annual effective tax rate is primarily due to the calculated tax provision as applied to the seasonal pre-tax loss for the periods presented.

The Company, including its domestic subsidiaries, files a consolidated U.S. income tax return, and also files tax returns in various states and other local jurisdictions. Also, certain subsidiaries of the Company file income tax returns in foreign jurisdictions. The Company is routinely audited by various tax authorities.

Non-income Taxes
 
The Company is subject to tax examinations for sales-based taxes. A number of these examinations are ongoing and, in certain cases, have resulted in assessments from taxing authorities. The Company assesses sales tax contingencies for each jurisdiction in which it operates, considering all relevant factors including statutes, regulations, case law and experience. Where a sales tax liability in respect to a jurisdiction is probable and can be reasonably estimated for such jurisdiction, the Company has made accruals for these matters which are reflected in the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. These amounts are included in Selling, general and administrative expenses. Future developments relating to the foregoing could result in adjustments being made to these accruals.

The State of Wisconsin has assessed Scholastic Book Fairs, Inc. (“SBF”), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, $5.4, exclusive of penalties and interest, for sales tax in fiscal years 2003 through 2014. Based upon the facts and circumstances and the relevant laws in the State of Wisconsin, the Company does not believe these assessments are merited and believes it could prevail in litigating this matter. However, the Company has engaged in discussions with the state to resolve this matter and has recorded a charge in the second fiscal quarter of the current fiscal related to the proposed settlement of this assessment.