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Income Taxes
 9 Months Ended
Oct. 03, 2015
Income Taxes [Abstract]  
Income Taxes

7  Income Taxes

 

The Company's effective tax rate was 10.3% and 13.6% for the three months ended October 3, 2015 and September 27, 2014, respectively. The Company's effective tax rate was 13.3% and 14.1% for the nine months ended October 3, 2015 and September 27, 2014, respectively. The differences between the effective tax rates for 2015 as compared to 2014 were primarily attributable to differences in the proportionate amounts of pre-tax income recognized in jurisdictions with different effective tax rates, and the recognition of a $2 million discrete benefit for additional U.K. tax credits in the three months ended October 3, 2015. In the third quarter of 2015, the Company entered into a new agreement with Singapore tax authorities that extended a 0% contractual tax rate through March 2021. The contractual tax rate is dependent upon achievement of certain contractual milestones, which the Company expects to meet. The current statutory tax rate in Singapore is 17%.

The Company accounts for its uncertain tax return reporting positions in accordance with the accounting standards for income taxes, which require financial statement reporting of the expected future tax consequences of uncertain tax reporting positions on the presumption that all concerned tax authorities possess full knowledge of those reporting positions, as well as all of the pertinent facts and circumstances, but prohibit any discounting of unrecognized tax benefits associated with those reporting positions for the time value of money.

The following is a summary of the activity of the Company's unrecognized tax benefits for the nine months ended October 3, 2015 and September 27, 2014 (in thousands):

   October 3, 2015 September 27, 2014
Balance at the beginning of the period $ 19,596 $ 24,716
 Net changes in uncertain tax benefits   (861)   (3,268)
Balance at the end of the period $ 18,735 $ 21,448

With limited exceptions, the Company is no longer subject to tax audit examinations in significant jurisdictions for the years ended on or before December 31, 2011. However, carryforward attributes that were generated in years beginning on or before January 1, 2012 may still be adjusted upon examination by tax authorities if the attributes are utilized. The Company continuously monitors the lapsing of statutes of limitations on potential tax assessments for related changes in the measurement of unrecognized tax benefits, related net interest and penalties, and deferred tax assets and liabilities. As of October 3, 2015, the Company expects to record additional reductions in the measurement of its unrecognized tax benefits and related net interest and penalties of approximately $5 million within the next twelve months due to the lapsing of statutes of limitations on potential tax assessments. The Company does not expect to record any other material reductions in the measurement of its unrecognized tax benefits within the next twelve months.