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Income Taxes
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2013
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes
12. INCOME TAXES
The Company’s net unrecognized tax benefits totaled approximately $53.3 million and $43.9 million as of June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively. All amounts included in the balance at June 30, 2013 for tax positions would affect the annual effective tax rate. The Company has no amounts accrued for the payment of interest and penalties as of June 30, 2013.
The Company and one or more of its subsidiaries is subject to federal income taxes in the United States, as well as income taxes of multiple state and foreign jurisdictions. With few exceptions, the Company is no longer subject to U.S. federal, state and local, or non-U.S. income tax examinations by tax authorities for years prior to 2009.
In the ordinary course of global business, there are transactions for which the ultimate tax outcome is uncertain; thus, judgment is required in determining the worldwide provision for income taxes. The Company provides for income taxes on transactions based on its estimate of the probable liability. The Company adjusts its provision as appropriate for changes that impact its underlying judgments. Changes that impact provision estimates include such items as jurisdictional interpretations on tax filing positions based on the results of tax audits and general tax authority rulings. Due to the evolving nature of tax rules combined with the large number of jurisdictions in which the Company operates, it is possible that the Company’s estimates of its tax liability and the realizability of its deferred tax assets could change in the future, which may result in additional tax liabilities and adversely affect the Company’s results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
The Company is required to estimate its income taxes in each of the jurisdictions in which it operates as part of the process of preparing its condensed consolidated financial statements. At June 30, 2013, the Company had approximately $134.1 million in net deferred tax assets. The authoritative guidance requires a valuation allowance to reduce the deferred tax assets reported if, based on the weight of the evidence, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The Company reviews deferred tax assets periodically for recoverability and makes estimates and judgments regarding the expected geographic sources of taxable income and gains from investments, as well as tax planning strategies in assessing the need for a valuation allowance.
The Company maintains certain strategic management and operational activities in overseas subsidiaries and its foreign earnings are taxed at rates that are generally lower than in the United States. The Company does not expect to remit earnings from its foreign subsidiaries. The Company’s effective tax rate was approximately 16.6% and (7.6)% for the three months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively, and 8.1% and 5.8% for the six months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively. The increase in the effective tax rate when comparing the three and six months ended June 30, 2013 to the three and six months ended June 30, 2012 was primarily due to the impact of the IRS settlement for the tax years 2006 through 2008 that closed during the three months ended June 30, 2012.
The Company’s effective tax rate generally differs from the U.S. federal statutory rate of 35% due primarily to lower tax rates on earnings generated by the Company’s foreign operations that are taxed primarily in Switzerland. The Company has not provided for U.S. taxes for those earnings because it plans to reinvest all of those earnings indefinitely outside the United States.