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Income Taxes
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes
Income Taxes

The Company’s effective tax rate for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 was 30.6% and 37.9%, respectively. The Company’s effective tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 was 30.7% and 33.4%, respectively. The Company’s income tax rate for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 differed from the U.S. federal statutory rate of 35.0% principally due to certain foreign income tax rate differentials, state and local income taxes, the production activities deduction, the non-deductibility of the settlement costs related to the antitrust investigation by the German FCO, certain other permanent differences, and changes in the Company’s uncertain tax positions.

The Company has received income tax assessments from SKAT with respect to the tax years 2001 through 2008 relating to the royalty paid by a U.S. subsidiary of Tempur Sealy International to a Danish subsidiary. The royalty is paid by the U.S. subsidiary for the right to utilize certain intangible assets owned by the Danish subsidiary in the U.S. production processes. In its assessment, SKAT asserts that the amount of royalty rate paid by the U.S. subsidiary to the Danish subsidiary is not reflective of an arms-length transaction. Accordingly, the tax assessment received from SKAT is based, in part, on a 20% royalty rate, which is substantially higher than that historically used or deemed appropriate by the Company.

The cumulative total tax assessment at September 30, 2016 for all years for which an assessment has been received (2001 - 2008) is approximately Danish Krone ("DKK") 1,524.5 million, including interest and penalties ($229.6 million, based on the DKK to USD exchange rate on September 30, 2016). The cumulative total tax assessment at December 31, 2015 for all years for which an assessment had been received up through that date (2001 - 2008) including interest and penalties was approximately DKK 1,363.1 million ($199.6 million, based on the DKK to USD exchange rate on December 31, 2015). If SKAT continues to issue assessments for each year not currently assessed, the Company expects the aggregate assessments for such years (2009 - 2015) to be in excess of the amounts described above.

The Company and SKAT continued negotiations with respect to this matter in the third quarter of 2016 and the Company expects such negotiations to continue into 2017. At September 30, 2016, the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets reflect approximately $84.7 million for the combined U.S. and Danish income tax impact related to this matter, which includes the foreign exchange impact and additional interest accrued during 2016. In July 2016, the Company put on deposit with SKAT substantially all the Company’s estimate of the liability for Danish income tax and related interest (the “Tax Deposit”) to mitigate additional interest and foreign exchange exposure related to this matter. The Tax Deposit is included within other non-current assets on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, including the uncertain income tax liability related to this matter, reflect the Company’s evaluation and analysis of the facts, circumstances and information available through September 30, 2016.
 
If the Company is not successful in defending its position before the Danish National Tax Tribunal (the "Tribunal"), or in the Danish courts or in negotiating a mutually acceptable settlement, there is significant risk that the Company could be required to pay significant amounts to SKAT in excess of any related reserve or Tax Deposit. Such an outcome could have a material adverse impact on the Company’s profitability and liquidity. In addition, prior to any ultimate resolution of this issue before the Tribunal or the Danish courts, based on a change in facts and circumstances, the Company may be required to further increase its uncertain tax liability associated with this matter, which could have a material impact on the Company's reported earnings.

From June 2012 through September 30, 2016, SKAT withheld Value Added Tax refunds otherwise owed to the Company, pending resolution of this matter. Total withheld refunds at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 are approximately $36.0 million and $26.0 million, respectively, and are included within other non-current assets on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Certain of these refunds may ultimately be applied by the Company in full or partial satisfaction of the liability for Danish tax and interest related to the royalty matter discussed herein.

Interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits are recorded in income tax expense. It is reasonably possible that there could be material changes to the amount of uncertain tax positions due to activities of the taxing authorities, settlement of audit issues, reassessment of existing uncertain tax positions, including the Danish tax matter, or the expiration of applicable statute of limitations; however, the Company is not able to estimate the impact of these items at this time. There were no significant changes to the liability for unrecognized tax benefits during the three months ended September 30, 2016.