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Income Taxes
 9 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2024
Income Taxes  
Income Taxes

10.   Income Taxes

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The Company’s effective tax rate was 23.6% and 29.9% for the nine months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The most significant items contributing to the difference between the statutory U.S. federal corporate tax rate of 21.0% and the Company’s effective tax rate for the nine-month period ended June 30, 2024 were a tax benefit of $46.1 million related to income tax credits and incentives, tax expense of $39.7 million related to foreign residual income, tax expense of $18.2 million related to state income taxes, a tax benefit of $8.4 million related to the exclusion of tax on non - controlling interests, tax expense of $7.4 million related to changes in valuation allowances, a tax benefit of $6.9 million related to an audit settlement, and tax expense of $5.6 million related to nondeductible costs. All these items, except for the audit settlement, are expected to have a continuing impact on the effective tax rate for the remainder of the fiscal year.

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The most significant items contributing to the difference between the statutory U.S. federal corporate tax rate of 21.0% and the Company’s effective tax rate for the nine-month period ended June 30, 2023 were a tax benefit of $35.7 million related to income tax credits and incentives, tax expense of $32.2 million related to foreign residual income, and tax expense of $21.0 million related to valuation allowances established in the third quarter of fiscal 2023 due to the AECOM Capital impairment charge.

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During the first quarter of fiscal 2024, the Company settled its tax audit in Hong Kong for fiscal year 2011 through fiscal year 2021 and recorded a tax benefit of $6.9 million due primarily to changes in uncertain tax positions.

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The Company is utilizing the annual effective tax rate method under ASC 740 to compute its interim tax provision. The Company’s effective tax rate fluctuates from quarter to quarter due to various factors including the change in the mix of global income and expenses, outcomes of administrative audits, changes in the assessment of valuation allowances due to management’s consideration of new positive or negative evidence during the quarter, and changes in enacted tax laws. The U.S.and many international legislative and regulatory bodies have proposed legislation that could significantly impact how our business activities are taxed. These proposed changes could have a material impact on the Company’s income tax expense and deferred tax balances.

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The Company is currently under tax audit in several jurisdictions including the U.S. where its federal income tax returns for fiscal 2017 through 2020 are being examined by the IRS. Disputes can arise with tax authorities involving issues related to the timing of deductions, the calculation and use of credits, and the taxation of income in various tax jurisdictions because of differing interpretations or application of tax laws, regulations, and relevant facts. The IRS is currently auditing certain tax credits and the methodology for calculating the credits. While the Company has historically been able to sustain the credits in previous audit cycles without adjustment, the Company believes it’s reasonably possible there could be an adjustment to the liability for uncertain tax positions within the next twelve months related to this issue. However, given the early stages of the audit of these credits, the Company is not able to reasonably estimate the range of potential outcomes.

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Generally, the Company does not provide for U.S. taxes or foreign withholding taxes on gross book-tax differences in its non-U.S. subsidiaries because such basis differences of approximately $1.3 billion are able to and intended to be reinvested indefinitely. If these basis differences were distributed, foreign tax credits could become available under current law to partially or fully reduce the resulting U.S. income tax liability. There may also be additional U.S. or foreign income tax liability upon repatriation, although the calculation of such additional taxes is not practicable.