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Income Taxes | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2016
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract] |
Income Taxes | Income Taxes The Company’s effective tax rate for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 was 28.3% and 27.7%, respectively, compared to 31.1% and 28.7% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, respectively. The decrease in effective tax rate in the current quarter is due to changes in the forecasted geographic mix of pretax earnings, including the tax impact of portfolio actions. The Company is subject to routine examination by domestic and foreign tax authorities and frequently faces challenges regarding the amount of taxes due. These challenges include positions taken by the Company related to the timing, nature and amount of deductions and the allocation of income among various tax jurisdictions. Resolution of the related tax positions, through negotiation with relevant tax authorities or through litigation, may take years to complete. Therefore, it is difficult to predict the timing for resolution of tax positions. In its routine evaluations of the exposure associated with various tax filing positions, the Company recognizes a liability, when necessary, for estimated potential additional tax owed by the Company in accordance with the applicable accounting standard. However, the Company cannot predict or provide assurance as to the ultimate outcome of these ongoing or future examinations. The Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, ADM do Brasil Ltda. (ADM do Brasil), has received three separate tax assessments from the Brazilian Federal Revenue Service (BFRS) challenging the tax deductibility of commodity hedging losses and related expenses for the tax years 2004, 2006, and 2007. As of September 30, 2016, these assessments, updated for estimated penalties, interest, and variation in currency exchange rates, totaled approximately $455 million. The statute of limitations for 2005 and 2008 to 2010 has expired. The Company does not expect to receive any additional tax assessments. ADM do Brasil enters into commodity hedging transactions that can result in gains, which are included in ADM do Brasil’s calculations of taxable income in Brazil, and losses, which ADM do Brasil deducts from its taxable income in Brazil. The Company has evaluated its tax position regarding these hedging transactions and concluded, based upon advice from Brazilian legal counsel, that it was appropriate to recognize both gains and losses resulting from hedging transactions when determining its Brazilian income tax expense. Therefore, the Company has continued to recognize the tax benefit from hedging losses in its financial statements and has not recorded any tax liability for the amounts assessed by the BFRS. ADM do Brasil filed an administrative appeal for each of the assessments. The appeal panel found in favor of the BFRS on these assessments and ADM do Brasil filed a second level administrative appeal. The second administrative appeal panel continues to conduct customary procedural activities, including ongoing dialogue with the BFRS auditor. If ADM do Brasil continues to be unsuccessful in the administrative appellate process, the Company intends to file appeals in the Brazilian federal courts. While the Company believes its consolidated financial statements properly reflect the tax deductibility of these hedging losses, the ultimate resolution of this matter could result in the future recognition of additional payments of, and expense for, income tax and the associated interest and penalties. The Company intends to vigorously defend its position against the current assessments and any similar assessments that may be issued for years subsequent to 2010. The Company’s subsidiaries in Argentina have received tax assessments challenging transfer prices used to price grain exports totaling $113 million (inclusive of interest and adjusted for variation in currency exchange rates) for the tax years 2004 through 2008. The Argentine tax authorities have been conducting a review of income and other taxes paid by large exporters and processors of cereals and other agricultural commodities resulting in allegations of income tax evasion. While the Company believes that it has complied with all Argentine tax laws, it cannot rule out receiving additional assessments challenging transfer prices used to price grain exports for years subsequent to 2008, and estimates that these potential assessments would be approximately $159 million (as of September 30, 2016 and subject to variation in currency exchange rates). The Company believes that it has appropriately evaluated the transactions underlying these assessments, and has concluded, based on Argentine tax law, that its tax position would be sustained, and accordingly, has not recorded a tax liability for these assessments. The Company intends to vigorously defend its position against the current assessments and any similar assessments that may be issued for years subsequent to 2008. In accordance with the accounting requirements for uncertain tax positions, the Company has not recorded an uncertain tax liability for these assessments because it has concluded that it is more likely than not to prevail on the Brazil and Argentina matters based upon their technical merits and because the taxing jurisdictions’ processes do not provide a mechanism for settling at less than the full amount of the assessment. The Company’s consideration of these tax assessments requires judgments about the application of income tax regulations to specific facts and circumstances. The final outcome of these matters cannot reliably be predicted, may take many years to resolve, and could result in financial impacts of up to the entire amount of these assessments. The Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary in the Netherlands, ADM Europe B.V., has received a tax assessment totaling approximately $100 million from the Netherlands tax authority challenging the transfer pricing aspects of a 2009 business reorganization which involved two of its subsidiary companies in the Netherlands. The Company has appealed the assessment and carefully evaluated the underlying transactions and has concluded the amount of the gain recognized on the reorganization for tax purposes was appropriate. While the Company plans to vigorously defend its position against the assessment, the Company recognizes that settlement of disputed items may be prudent in some limited situations to eliminate the risk, costs, and uncertainty of the litigation. Accordingly, the Company has accrued an amount it believes is appropriate to resolve the matter. If the Company is unable to reach an acceptable settlement with the Netherlands tax authorities, the Company’s defense of its position, including appeal to the judicial level, may take an extended period of time, and could result in additional financial impacts of up to the entire amount of this assessment.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for income taxes. Disclosures may include net deferred tax liability or asset recognized in an enterprise's statement of financial position, net change during the year in the total valuation allowance, approximate tax effect of each type of temporary difference and carryforward that gives rise to a significant portion of deferred tax liabilities and deferred tax assets, utilization of a tax carryback, and tax uncertainties information. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32559-109319 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32718-109319 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32639-109319 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32537-109319 + Details
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