Income Taxes	6 Months Ended
Oct. 27, 2018
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	Income Taxes The effective income tax rate for the three months ended October 27, 2018 was 24.0% compared to 34.5% for the three months ended October 28, 2017, and for the six months ended October 27, 2018 was 25.1% compared to 34.5% for the six months ended October 28, 2017. The change in tax rate for the three months ended October 27, 2018 compared to the three months ended October 28, 2017 was primarily due to the impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ("Tax Act"), enacted on December 22, 2017 by the U.S. government . The change in tax rate for the six months ended October 27, 2018 compared to the six months ended October 28, 2017 was primarily due to the impact of the Tax Act and lower excess tax benefits on employee share-based compensation. The Tax Act significantly revises the future ongoing U.S. federal corporate income tax by, among other things, lowering U.S. federal corporate tax rates and implementing a territorial tax system. Effective January 1, 2018, the Tax Act reduced the U.S. federal corporate tax rate from 35.0% to 21.0%. For the fiscal year ended April 28, 2018, we utilized a blended rate of approximately 30.5%. For the three and six months ended October 27, 2018, we utilized a 21.0% U.S. federal statutory rate. The legislative changes included in the Tax Act are broad and complex. For the fiscal year ended April 28, 2018, we recognized provisional net tax benefit of $76,648, which included provisional amounts of $81,871 of tax benefit on U.S. deferred tax assets and liabilities, $4,006 of tax expense for a one-time transition tax on unremitted foreign earnings and $1,217 in withholding taxes paid on current year distributions. During the six months ended October 27, 2018, there were no changes made to the provisional amounts recognized in fiscal year 2018. We continue to analyze the effects of the Tax Act and will record additional impacts as they are identified. Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 provides for a measurement period of up to one year from the enactment date. The final impact of the Tax Act may differ from the provisional amounts that have been recognized. For the fiscal year ended April 28, 2018, and directly connected to the transition tax legislation, Patterson approved a one-time repatriation of cash included in the transition tax computation. There was an approximate $1,217 one-time cost recorded during fiscal 2018 to reflect the added withholding tax cost associated with this repatriation. With the exception of this one-time repatriation, Patterson continues to apply ASC 740 based on the provisions of the tax law that were in effect immediately prior to the enactment of the new law. With regard to unremitted earnings of foreign subsidiaries generated after December 31, 2017, we do not currently provide for U.S. taxes since we intend to invest such undistributed earnings indefinitely outside of the U.S. We continue to review the impact of the global intangible low taxed income (“GILTI”) provisions under the Tax Act which are complex and subject to continued regulatory interpretation by the IRS. While we have included an estimate of GILTI in the effective tax rate for the three and six months ended October 27, 2018, we have not yet completed our analysis. The final transition impacts of the Tax Act may differ from the above estimates, possibly materially, due to, among other things, changes in interpretations of the Tax Act, any federal and/or state legislative action to address questions that arise because of the Tax Act, any changes in accounting standards for income taxes or related interpretations in response to the Tax Act, or any updates or changes to estimates we have utilized to calculate the transition impacts. The Securities and Exchange Commission has issued rules, under SAB 118, that will allow for a measurement period of up to one year after the enactment date of the Tax Act to finalize the recording of the related tax impacts.

Income Taxes

The effective income tax rate for the three months ended October 27, 2018 was 24.0% compared to 34.5% for the three months ended October 28, 2017, and for the six months ended October 27, 2018 was 25.1% compared to 34.5% for the six months ended October 28, 2017.

The change in tax rate for the three months ended October 27, 2018 compared to the three months ended October 28, 2017 was primarily due to the impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ("Tax Act"), enacted on December 22, 2017 by the U.S. government . The change in tax rate for the six months ended October 27, 2018 compared to the six months ended October 28, 2017 was primarily due to the impact of the Tax Act and lower excess tax benefits on employee share-based compensation. The Tax Act significantly revises the future ongoing U.S. federal corporate income tax by, among other things, lowering U.S. federal corporate tax rates and implementing a territorial tax system. Effective January 1, 2018, the Tax Act reduced the U.S. federal corporate tax rate from 35.0% to 21.0%. For the fiscal year ended April 28, 2018, we utilized a blended rate of approximately 30.5%. For the three and six months ended October 27, 2018, we utilized a 21.0% U.S. federal statutory rate.

The legislative changes included in the Tax Act are broad and complex. For the fiscal year ended April 28, 2018, we recognized provisional net tax benefit of $76,648, which included provisional amounts of $81,871 of tax benefit on U.S. deferred tax assets and liabilities, $4,006 of tax expense for a one-time transition tax on unremitted foreign earnings and $1,217 in withholding taxes paid on current year distributions. During the six months ended October 27, 2018, there were no changes made to the provisional amounts recognized in fiscal year 2018. We continue to analyze the effects of the Tax Act and will record additional impacts as they are identified. Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 provides for a measurement period of up to one year from the enactment date. The final impact of the Tax Act may differ from the provisional amounts that have been recognized.

For the fiscal year ended April 28, 2018, and directly connected to the transition tax legislation, Patterson approved a one-time repatriation of cash included in the transition tax computation. There was an approximate $1,217 one-time cost recorded during fiscal 2018 to reflect the added withholding tax cost associated with this repatriation. With the exception of this one-time repatriation, Patterson continues to apply ASC 740 based on the provisions of the tax law that were in effect immediately prior to the enactment of the new law. With regard to unremitted earnings of foreign subsidiaries generated after December 31, 2017, we do not currently provide for U.S. taxes since we intend to invest such undistributed earnings indefinitely outside of the U.S.

We continue to review the impact of the global intangible low taxed income (“GILTI”) provisions under the Tax Act which are complex and subject to continued regulatory interpretation by the IRS. While we have included an estimate of GILTI in the effective tax rate for the three and six months ended October 27, 2018, we have not yet completed our analysis.

The final transition impacts of the Tax Act may differ from the above estimates, possibly materially, due to, among other things, changes in interpretations of the Tax Act, any federal and/or state legislative action to address questions that arise because of the Tax Act, any changes in accounting standards for income taxes or related interpretations in response to the Tax Act, or any updates or changes to estimates we have utilized to calculate the transition impacts. The Securities and Exchange Commission has issued rules, under SAB 118, that will allow for a measurement period of up to one year after the enactment date of the Tax Act to finalize the recording of the related tax impacts.