Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Income Taxes

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Income Taxes
9 Months Ended
Sep. 27, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes
Note 15 – Income Taxes

The Company recognized an income tax provision from continuing operations for the three months ended September 27, 2014 of $27.9 million, which included a net benefit of $2.1 million primarily associated with the reassessment of tax reserves. The Company recognized an income tax provision from continuing operations for the nine months ended September 27, 2014 of $98.7 million, which included a net benefit of $1.6 million primarily associated with the reassessment of tax reserves. The Company recognized an income tax benefit from continuing operations for the three months ended September 28, 2013 of $2.6 million, which included a net benefit of $4.3 million mainly associated with the reassessment of tax reserves as well as unfavorable valuation allowance adjustments primarily related to stock-based compensation. The Company recognized an income tax provision from continuing operations for the nine months ended September 28, 2013 of $29.8 million, which included a net charge of $8.2 million mainly associated with unfavorable valuation allowance adjustments primarily related to stock-based compensation and the reassessment of tax reserves. The effective tax rate from continuing operations, which is calculated as the income tax benefit or provision as a percentage of pre-tax income, for the three months and nine months ended September 27, 2014, was 31.4 percent and 33.4 percent, respectively. The effective tax rate from continuing operations for the three months and nine months ended September 28, 2013, was (4.8) percent and 14.3 percent, respectively.

Beginning in the third quarter of 2008, the Company maintained a full valuation allowance against certain deferred tax assets for federal and the majority of its state and foreign jurisdictions, having determined it was more likely than not that the deferred tax assets would not be realized. The determination of recording and releasing valuation allowances against deferred tax assets is made, in part, pursuant to the Company's assessment as to whether it is more likely than not that the Company will generate sufficient future taxable income against which benefits of the deferred tax assets may or may not be realized. Significant judgment is required in making estimates regarding the Company’s ability to generate income in future periods. The Company continued to maintain valuation allowances through the third quarter of 2013 as there was insufficient positive evidence to overcome the substantial negative evidence of cumulative losses in periods preceding 2013.

In the fourth quarter of 2013, the Company reached the conclusion that it was appropriate to release valuation allowance reserves against a significant portion of its federal deferred tax assets and against certain state deferred tax assets due to the sustained positive operating performance of its U.S. operations and the expectation of future taxable income. Additionally, the Company achieved a cumulative three year income position domestically, reached four consecutive quarters of positive pre-tax operating earnings, and completed its near- and mid-term business plans, all of which were significant positive factors that overcame substantive prior negative evidence. The Company also considered forecasts of future operating results and utilization of net operating losses and tax credits prior to their expiration. Reversal of deferred tax asset valuation allowances also were recorded in the fourth quarter of 2013 for business units located in Norway and Sweden. As a result, the Company recorded a $599.5 million reversal of its deferred tax asset valuation allowance reserves in the fourth quarter of 2013 after determining it was more likely than not that certain deferred tax assets would be realized. The Company's remaining valuation allowance reserves in the U.S. primarily relate to capital loss carryforwards, non-amortizable intangibles, and various state operating loss carryforwards and state tax credits that are subject to rules which may limit future utilization, as well as for certain foreign jurisdictions, including Brazil, Portugal and Spain.

During the third quarter of 2014, the Company completed the sale of its retail bowling business. This transaction is expected to generate capital gains for tax purposes allowing the Company to utilize all of its capital loss carryforwards. Therefore, during the third quarter of 2014, the Company recorded a $9.5 million reversal of its deferred tax asset valuation allowance reserves related to capital loss carryforwards, which has been reflected as a tax benefit reported in Note 2 – Discontinued Operations.

The Company has historically provided deferred taxes for the presumed ultimate repatriation to the U.S. of earnings from most of its non-U.S. subsidiaries and unconsolidated affiliates. As of December 31, 2013, the indefinite reversal criterion had been applied to certain entities and allowed the Company to overcome that presumption to the extent the earnings were to be indefinitely reinvested outside the United States. As of January 1, 2014, the Company determined that the indefinite reinvestment assertion should be applied to certain additional non-U.S. subsidiaries' earnings recorded only for 2014 and future years which will be considered indefinitely reinvested. Accordingly, no deferred income taxes have been provided as of September 27, 2014 on the applicable undistributed earnings of the non-U.S. subsidiaries where the indefinite reinvestment assertion has been applied. If at some future date these earnings cease to be indefinitely reinvested, the Company may be subject to additional U.S. income taxes and foreign withholding and other taxes on such amounts.

As of September 27, 2014, December 31, 2013 and September 28, 2013, the Company had $5.7 million, $6.3 million and $10.6 million of gross unrecognized tax benefits, including interest, respectively.  The Company believes it is reasonably possible that the total amount of gross unrecognized tax benefits as of September 27, 2014, could decrease by approximately $1.1 million in the next 12 months due to settlements with taxing authorities or lapses in the statute of limitations.  Due to the various jurisdictions in which the Company files tax returns and the uncertainty regarding the timing of the settlement of tax audits, it is possible that there could be other significant changes in the amount of unrecognized tax benefits in 2014, but the amount cannot be estimated.

The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense.  As of September 27, 2014, December 31, 2013 and September 28, 2013, the Company had approximately $0.3 million, $0.3 million and $0.7 million accrued for the payments of interest, respectively. There were no amounts accrued for penalties at September 27, 2014, December 31, 2013 and September 28, 2013.

The Company is regularly audited by federal, state and foreign tax authorities. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has completed its field examination and has issued its Revenue Agents Report for 2010 and all open issues have been resolved. The IRS is currently examining the Company's taxable years 2011 and 2012. Primarily as a result of filing amended returns, which were generated by the closing of federal income tax audits, the Company is still open to state and local tax audits in major tax jurisdictions dating back to the 2004 taxable year. Following the completion in 2013 of the 2002 through 2007 Germany tax audit, the Company is no longer subject to income tax examinations by any major foreign tax jurisdiction for years prior to 2008.