v2.4.0.8
Income Taxes
12 Months Ended
Dec. 28, 2013
Income Taxes
6. Income Taxes
 
The Company’s income tax provision (benefit) consists of the following:
 
 
 
Fiscal Year Ended
 
 
 
December 28,
 
December 29,
 
December 31,
 
 
 
2013
 
2012
 
2011
 
Federal:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Current
 
$
(11,907)
 
$
83,185
 
$
79,305
 
Deferred
 
 
1,913
 
 
(22,988)
 
 
(25,763)
 
 
 
 
(9,994)
 
 
60,197
 
 
53,542
 
State:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Current
 
 
2,584
 
 
8,532
 
 
9,087
 
Deferred
 
 
(408)
 
 
(5,327)
 
 
(4,490)
 
 
 
 
2,176
 
 
3,205
 
 
4,597
 
Foreign:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Current
 
 
37,094
 
 
22,296
 
 
22,363
 
Deferred
 
 
11,870
 
 
(3,573)
 
 
(17,237)
 
 
 
 
48,964
 
 
18,723
 
 
5,126
 
Total
 
$
41,146
 
$
82,125
 
$
63,265
 
 
The income tax provision differs from the amount computed by applying the U.S. statutory federal income tax rate to income before taxes. The sources and tax effects of the differences, including the impact of establishing tax contingency accruals, are as follows:
 
 
 
December 28,
 
December 29,
 
December 31,
 
 
 
2013
 
2012
 
2011
 
Federal income tax expense at U.S. statutory rate
 
$
229,420
 
$
218,585
 
$
204,456
 
State income tax expense, net of federal tax effect
 
 
1,414
 
 
2,083
 
 
2,988
 
Foreign tax rate differential
 
 
(121,279)
 
 
(141,456)
 
 
(148,058)
 
Taiwan tax holiday benefit
 
 
(4,944)
 
 
(6,418)
 
 
(13,127)
 
Net change in uncertain tax postions
 
 
(50,700)
 
 
19,850
 
 
8,283
 
Other foreign taxes less incentives and credits
 
 
5,041
 
 
(2,287)
 
 
9,658
 
U.S. federal domestic production activities deduction
 
 
(3,550)
 
 
(6,276)
 
 
(2,415)
 
U.S. federal research and development credit
 
 
(14,876)
 
 
-
 
 
(6,111)
 
Other, net
 
 
620
 
 
(1,956)
 
 
7,591
 
Income tax expense
 
$
41,146
 
$
82,125
 
$
63,265
 
   
The holding company statutory federal income tax rate in Switzerland, the Company's place of incorporation since the redomestication effective June 27, 2010 (see Note 12), is 7.83%.  If the Company reconciled taxes at the Swiss holding company federal statutory tax rate to the reported income tax for 2013, as presented above, the amounts related to tax at the statutory rate would be $178,000 lower, or $51,000, and the foreign tax rate differential would be adjusted by a similar amount to $64,000. For 2012, the amounts related to tax at the statutory rate would be approximately $170,000 lower, or $49,000, and the foreign tax rate differential would be adjusted by a similar amount to approximately $31,000. For 2011, the amounts related to tax at the statutory rate would be approximately $159,000 lower, or $45,000, and the foreign tax rate differential would be adjusted by a similar amount to approximately $11,000. All other amounts would remain substantially unchanged.
 
The Company’s income before income taxes attributable to non-U.S. operations was $502,423, $495,908, and $473,994, for the years ended December 28, 2013, December 29, 2012, and December 31, 2011, respectively. The Taiwan tax holiday benefits included in the table above reflect $0.03, $0.03, and $0.07 per weighted-average common share outstanding for the years ended December 28, 2013, December 29, 2012, and December 31, 2011, respectively. The Company currently expects to benefit from these Taiwan tax holidays through 2016, at which time these tax benefits will likely expire. Income taxes of $307,990, $252,452, and $229,657 at December 28, 2013, December 29, 2012, and December 31, 2011, respectively, have not been accrued by the Company for the unremitted earnings of several of its foreign subsidiaries because such earnings are intended to be reinvested in the subsidiaries indefinitely.
 
Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. Significant components of the Company’s deferred tax assets and liabilities are as follows:
 
 
 
December 28,
 
December 29,
 
 
 
2013
 
2012
 
Deferred tax assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Product warranty accruals
 
$
3,000
 
$
2,522
 
Allowance for doubtful accounts
 
 
11,394
 
 
11,026
 
Inventory reserves
 
 
5,491
 
 
6,162
 
Sales program allowances
 
 
525
 
 
5,680
 
Reserve for sales returns
 
 
-
 
 
3,442
 
Other accruals
 
 
8,927
 
 
8,774
 
Deferred costs
 
 
4,266
 
 
-
 
Stock option compensation
 
 
47,954
 
 
51,241
 
Tax credit carryforwards
 
 
55,435
 
 
46,577
 
Amortization
 
 
23,900
 
 
25,841
 
Deferred revenue
 
 
57,813
 
 
56,293
 
Net operating losses of subsidiaries
 
 
11,561
 
 
15,771
 
Unrealized investment gain
 
 
-
 
 
2,459
 
Benefit related to uncertain tax positions
 
 
9,904
 
 
13,882
 
Other
 
 
4,064
 
 
1,334
 
Valuation allowance related to loss carryforward and tax credits
 
 
(63,361)
 
 
(51,393)
 
 
 
 
180,873
 
 
199,611
 
Deferred tax liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Depreciation
 
 
16,202
 
 
16,286
 
Reserve for sales returns
 
 
733
 
 
-
 
Prepaid expenses
 
 
4,766
 
 
2,886
 
Book basis in excess of tax basis for acquired entities
 
 
2,343
 
 
4,907
 
Unrealized investment loss
 
 
1,429
 
 
-
 
Other
 
 
-
 
 
1,744
 
 
 
 
25,473
 
 
25,823
 
Net deferred tax assets
 
$
155,400
 
$
173,788
 
 
For improved comparability, the Company has updated the 2012 footnote to include a reclassification from noncurrent payable to noncurrent deferred tax asset for the tax benefit that would be recognized related to uncertain tax positions.  This reclassification if recorded in the balance sheet for the period ended December 29, 2012 would result in an increase to noncurrent income taxes payable of $13,882, the same amount reflected as an increase to the noncurrent deferred tax asset in this schedule. 
 
The Company recognized a $29,615 deferred tax asset during 2010 for the future tax benefit of the fair market value step-up in basis of intangible assets related to the redomestication to Switzerland and local statutory tax reporting requirements. The deferred tax asset was recognized as an increase to Additional Paid-In Capital in 2010 and will reverse as the intangible assets are amortized for Swiss statutory and tax reporting purposes.
 
At December 28, 2013, the Company had $55,435 of tax credit carryover which includes $52,618 of Taiwan surtax credit with no expiration. There is a full valuation allowance for the Taiwan surtax credits. The valuation allowance reflects a net increase of $11,968 during 2013 including $11,064 related to Taiwan surtax credits. The valuation allowance had a net increase in 2012 of $14,220 of which $10,314 related to surtax credits in Taiwan.
 
At December 28, 2013, the Company had a deferred tax asset of $11,561 related to the future tax benefit on net operating loss (NOL) carryforwards of $71,530.  Included in the NOL carryforwards is $9,476 that relates to Spain and expires in varying amounts between 2022 and 2027, $41,497 that relates to Switzerland and expires in 2019, $2,124 related to China that expires in 2017 and $18,432 that relates to various other jurisdictions and has no expiration date. The Company has recorded a valuation allowance for a portion of its deferred tax asset relating to various tax attributes that it does not believe are more likely than not to be realized. In the future, if the Company determines, based on existence of sufficient evidence, that it should realize more or less of its deferred tax assets, an adjustment to the valuation allowance will be made in the period such a determination is made.
 
The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits as of December 28, 2013 was $133,015. A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits for years ended December 28, 2013, December 29, 2012, and December 31, 2011 is as follows:
 
 
 
December 28,
 
December 29,
 
December 31,
 
 
 
2013
 
2012
 
2011
 
Balance at beginning of year
 
$
182,870
 
$
156,354
 
$
149,731
 
Additions based on tax positions related to prior years
 
 
2,668
 
 
3,263
 
 
834
 
Reductions based on tax positions related to prior years
 
 
(5,224)
 
 
(890)
 
 
(7,335)
 
Additions based on tax positions related to current period
 
 
30,262
 
 
33,232
 
 
30,781
 
Reductions related to settlements with tax authorities
 
 
(3,387)
 
 
(672)
 
 
-
 
Expiration of statute of limitations
 
 
(74,174)
 
 
(8,417)
 
 
(17,257)
 
Balance at end of year
 
$
133,015
 
$
182,870
 
$
156,754
 
 
The December 28, 2013 balance of $125,918 of unrecognized tax benefits, if recognized, would reduce the effective tax rate.  None of the unrecognized tax benefits are due to uncertainty in the timing of deductibility.
 
Accounting guidance requires unrecognized tax benefits to be classified as non-current liabilities, except for the portion that is expected to be paid within one year of the balance sheet date.  The entire $125,918, $173,532, and $148,977 are required to be classified as non-current at December 28, 2013, December 29, 2012, and December 31, 2011, respectively.
 
Interest and penalties, if any, accrued on the unrecognized tax benefits are reflected in income tax expense.  At December 28, 2013, December 29, 2012, and December 31, 2011, the Company had accrued approximately $5,111, $8,222, and $12,927, respectively, for interest.  The interest component of the reserve increased (decreased) income tax expense for the years ending December 28, 2013, December 29, 2012, and December 31, 2011 by ($3,111), ($4,705), and $5,568, respectively. The Company had no amounts accrued for penalties as the nature of the unrecognized tax benefits, if recognized, would not warrant the imposition of penalties.
 
The Company files income tax returns in Switzerland and U.S. federal jurisdictions, as well as various state, local and foreign jurisdictions.  The Company is no longer subject to U.S. federal, state, or local tax examinations by tax authorities for years 2009 and prior.  The Company is no longer subject to Taiwan income tax examinations by tax authorities for years 2007 and prior.  The Company is no longer subject to United Kingdom tax examinations by tax authorities for years 2010 and prior.
 
The Company recognized a reduction of income tax expense of $70,847, $8,362, and $17,215 in fiscal years ended December 28, 2013, December 29, 2012, and December 31, 2011, respectively, to reflect the expiration of statutes of limitations in various jurisdictions.
 
The Company believes that it is reasonably possible that approximately $34,569 of its reserves for certain unrecognized tax benefits will decrease within the next 12 months as the result of the expiration of statutes of limitations. This potential decrease in unrecognized tax benefits would impact the Company’s effective tax rate within the next 12 months.
 
On September 13, 2013, Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service issued final regulations regarding the deduction and capitalization of expenditures related to tangible property.  The final regulations under Internal Revenue Code Sections 162, 167 and 263(a) apply to amounts paid to acquire, produce, or improve tangible property as well as dispositions of such property and are generally effective for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2014.  We have evaluated these regulations and determined they will not have a material impact on our consolidated results of operations, cash flows, or financial position.