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Income Taxes
 12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2025
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes INCOME TAXES
The components of our income before provision for income taxes for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023 are as follows (in millions):
 Year Ended March 31,
 202520242023
Domestic$447 $437 $315 
Foreign1,158 1,152 1,011 
Income before provision for income taxes$1,605 $1,589 $1,326 
Provision for income taxes for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023 consisted of (in millions):
 CurrentDeferredTotal
Year Ended March 31, 2025
Federal$369 $(136)$233 
State53 (28)25 
Foreign102 124 226 
$524 $(40)$484 
Year Ended March 31, 2024
Federal$138 $85 $223 
State20 9 29 
Foreign76 (12)64 
$234 $82 $316 
Year Ended March 31, 2023
Federal$570 $(339)$231 
State92 (76)16 
Foreign75 202 277 
$737 $(213)$524 
The differences between the statutory tax rate and our effective tax rate, expressed as a percentage of income before provision for income taxes, for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023 were as follows:
 Year Ended March 31,
 202520242023
Statutory federal tax expense rate21.0 %21.0 %21.0 %
State taxes, net of federal benefit0.9 %1.1 %1.1 %
Differences between statutory rate and foreign effective tax rate3.8 %2.9 %7.6 %
Research and development credits(2.3)%(2.4)%(3.0)%
Swiss valuation allowance3.2 %(0.3)%8.9 %
Effect of change in enacted tax rate— %(5.8)%— %
Non-deductible stock-based compensation3.2 %2.8 %3.2 %
Other0.4 %0.6 %0.7 %
Effective tax rate30.2 %19.9 %39.5 %
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025, we recognized a $51 million tax charge to increase the valuation allowance on Swiss deferred tax assets as a result of various factors including our business operations, geographical income mix, and an increase in the Swiss interest rates. Excluding the effect of the change in valuation allowance, the effective tax rate for fiscal year 2025 would have been 27.0 percent.

During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, we recognized a $92 million tax benefit to remeasure our Swiss deferred tax assets as a result of an increase in the Swiss statutory tax rate. In addition, we recognized a lower period cost for U.S. tax on our
non-U.S. earnings, including a cumulative one-time benefit, due to R&D capitalization guidance issued by the U.S. Treasury during the fiscal year. Excluding the effects of these items, the effective tax rate for fiscal year 2024 would have been 26.7 percent.

During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023, we recognized a $118 million tax charge to increase the valuation allowance on Swiss deferred tax assets, primarily as a result of an increase in Swiss interest rates.

Our foreign subsidiaries are generally subject to U.S. tax, and to the extent earnings from these subsidiaries can be repatriated without a material tax cost, such earnings will not be indefinitely reinvested. As of March 31, 2025, approximately $1.1 billion of our cash and cash equivalents were domiciled in foreign tax jurisdictions. All of our foreign cash is available for repatriation without a material tax cost.
The components of net deferred tax assets, as of March 31, 2025 and 2024 consisted of (in millions):
 As of March 31,
 20252024
Deferred tax assets:
Accruals, reserves and other expenses$227 $200 
Tax credit carryforwards235 222 
Research and development capitalization523 375 
Stock-based compensation43 41 
Net operating loss and capital loss carryforwards450 403 
Swiss intra-entity tax asset1,485 1,618 
Total2,963 2,859 
Valuation allowance(534)(464)
Deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowance2,429 2,395 
Deferred tax liabilities:
Amortization and depreciation(7)(10)
Other(3)(6)
Total(10)(16)
Deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowance and deferred tax liabilities$2,419 $2,379 
As of March 31, 2025, we have net operating loss carry forwards of approximately $3.0 billion of which approximately $40 million is attributable to various acquired companies. The net operating loss carry forwards include $2.9 billion related to Switzerland and $31 million related to California. Substantially all of these carryforwards, if not fully realized, will begin to expire in fiscal year 2027. Switzerland has a seven-year carryforward period and does not permit the carry back of losses. We also have U.S. federal credit carryforwards of $6 million and California credit carryforwards of $219 million. The California tax credit carryforwards can be carried forward indefinitely.
As of March 31, 2025, we maintained a total valuation allowance of $534 million related to certain U.S. state deferred tax assets, Swiss deferred tax assets, and foreign capital loss carryovers, due to uncertainty about the future realization of these assets.
The total unrecognized tax benefits as of March 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023 were $688 million, $804 million and $867 million, respectively. A reconciliation of the beginning and ending balance of unrecognized tax benefits is summarized as follows (in millions):
Balance as of March 31, 2022$636 
Increases in unrecognized tax benefits related to current year tax positions245 
Decreases in unrecognized tax benefits related to settlements with taxing authorities(2)
Reductions in unrecognized tax benefits due to lapse of applicable statute of limitations(6)
Changes in unrecognized tax benefits due to foreign currency translation(6)
Balance as of March 31, 2023867 
Increases in unrecognized tax benefits related to prior year tax positions14 
Decreases in unrecognized tax benefits related to prior year tax positions(173)
Increases in unrecognized tax benefits related to current year tax positions97 
Reductions in unrecognized tax benefits due to lapse of applicable statute of limitations(2)
Changes in unrecognized tax benefits due to foreign currency translation1 
Balance as of March 31, 2024804 
Increases in unrecognized tax benefits related to prior year tax positions18 
Decreases in unrecognized tax benefits related to prior year tax positions(214)
Increases in unrecognized tax benefits related to current year tax positions94 
Decreases in unrecognized tax benefits related to settlements with taxing authorities(12)
Reductions in unrecognized tax benefits due to lapse of applicable statute of limitations(2)
Balance as of March 31, 2025$688 
As of March 31, 2025, approximately $482 million of the unrecognized tax benefits would affect our effective tax rate, a portion of which would be impacted by a valuation allowance.
Interest and penalties related to estimated obligations for tax positions taken in our tax returns are recognized in income tax expense in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. The combined amount of accrued interest and penalties related to tax positions taken on our tax returns and included in non-current other liabilities was approximately $127 million as of March 31, 2025 and $91 million as of March 31, 2024.
We file income tax returns in the United States, including various state and local jurisdictions. As of March 31, 2025, our subsidiaries file tax returns in various foreign jurisdictions, including Canada, Germany, South Korea, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. As of the period ended March 31, 2025, we remain subject to income tax examination in these jurisdictions, including the United States for fiscal years after 2017, Canada for fiscal years after 2014, Germany for fiscal years after 2016, South Korea for fiscal years after 2018, Switzerland for fiscal years after 2014, and the United Kingdom for fiscal years after 2021.
We are currently under income tax examination in various jurisdictions, including the United States for fiscal years 2018 through 2021.
The timing and potential resolution of income tax examinations is highly uncertain. While we continue to measure our uncertain tax positions, the amounts ultimately paid, if any, upon resolution of the issues raised by the taxing authorities may differ materially from the amounts accrued.
It is also reasonably possible that material reduction of unrecognized tax benefits may occur within the next 12 months, a portion of which would impact our effective tax rate. The actual amount could vary significantly depending on the ultimate timing and nature of any settlements and tax interpretations.