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INCOME TAXES
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
INCOME TAXES
11. INCOME TAXES
The following table sets forth the components of income before income taxes by jurisdiction:
 Year Ended December 31,
 202220212020
  (In thousands) 
United States$859,351 $396,769 $26,031 
Foreign277,300 185,143 96,811 
  Income before income taxes$1,136,651 $581,912 $122,842 

The following table sets forth the components of the provision for income taxes:
 Year Ended December 31,
 202220212020
  (In thousands) 
Current income taxes:   
  Federal$166,126 $107,919 $25,605 
State42,982 30,206 11,322 
Foreign66,657 55,670 19,414 
Total current income taxes275,765 193,795 56,341 
Deferred income taxes:   
Federal(7,535)(62,302)(17,913)
State711 (12,327)(7,264)
Foreign5,588 (3,656)(8,361)
Total deferred income taxes(1,236)(78,285)(33,538)
 Provision for income taxes$274,529 $115,510 $22,803 
The following table sets forth the reconciliation between the federal statutory income tax rate and the effective tax rate:
Year Ended December 31,
202220212020
Federal statutory rate21.0 %21.0 %21.0 %
State income taxes, net of federal income tax benefit3.1 2.0 1.4 
Tax effect of intercompany financing(1.2)(3.2)(13.4)
Unrecognized tax benefits0.3 2.5 2.1 
Nondeductible expenses0.3 0.6 5.7 
Change in valuation allowance(0.9)(2.8)1.8 
Other1.6 (0.2)— 
Effective tax rate24.2 %19.9 %18.6 %
On August 16, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 was enacted into U.S. law, which includes implementation of a new corporate alternative minimum tax (“CAMT”), among other provisions. The CAMT imposes a minimum tax of 15% on the adjusted financial statement income ("AFSI") of certain corporations with average annual AFSI over a three-year period in excess of $1 billion. The CAMT is effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2022. The Company does not expect to be subject to the CAMT in 2023.
The undistributed earnings of the Company's foreign subsidiaries amounted to approximately $1,865.4 million as of December 31, 2022. Most of these earnings have been taxed in the U.S. under either the one-time transition tax or the GILTI tax regime imposed by the TCJA. Future distributions of previously taxed earnings by the Company's foreign subsidiaries should, therefore, result in minimal U.S. taxation. Wesco has elected to pay the transition tax in installments over an eight year period ending in 2026. As of December 31, 2022, the Company's remaining liability for the transition tax was $58.8 million, which is recorded as components of other current and noncurrent liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. The Company continues to assert that the remaining undistributed earnings of its foreign subsidiaries are indefinitely reinvested. The distribution of earnings by Wesco's foreign subsidiaries in the form of dividends, or otherwise, may be subject to additional taxation. The Company estimates that additional taxes of approximately $91.4 million would be payable upon the remittance of all previously undistributed foreign earnings as of December 31, 2022, based upon the laws in effect on that date. The Company believes that it is able to maintain sufficient liquidity for its domestic operations and commitments without repatriating cash from Wesco's foreign subsidiaries.
The following table sets forth deferred tax assets and liabilities:
 As of December 31,
 20222021
  (In thousands) 
 AssetsLiabilitiesAssetsLiabilities
Accounts receivable$20,958 $— $18,612 $— 
Inventories23,934 — 13,302 — 
Depreciation of property, buildings and equipment— 46,882 — 45,397 
Operating leases169,347 165,200 142,964 141,686 
Amortization of intangible assets— 575,421 — 549,536 
Employee benefits36,548 — 36,410 — 
Stock-based compensation14,090 — 12,281 — 
Prepaid royalty payments14,009 — 34,866 — 
Disallowed business interest expense4,763 — 11,163 — 
Tax loss carryforwards31,956 — 39,876 — 
Foreign tax credit carryforwards52,195 — 51,632 — 
Other37,271 10,488 26,666 8,137 
Deferred income taxes before valuation allowance405,071 797,991 387,772 744,756 
Valuation allowance(33,671)— (46,269)— 
Total deferred income taxes$371,400 $797,991 $341,503 $744,756 
Wesco had deferred tax assets of $27.6 million and $35.5 million as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively, related to foreign net operating loss carryforwards. These net operating loss carryforwards expire beginning in 2023 through 2042, while some may be carried forward indefinitely. The Company has determined that certain foreign net operating loss carryforwards will not be realized before they expire. Accordingly, the Company has recorded a valuation allowance of $16.7 million and $22.1 million against deferred tax assets related to certain foreign net operating loss carryforwards at December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Additionally, these foreign jurisdictions had deferred tax assets of $10.9 million and $6.9 million as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively, related to other future deductible temporary differences. The Company has recorded a full valuation allowance against these amounts as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, Wesco had deferred tax assets of $4.4 million related to state net operating loss carryforwards. These carryforwards expire beginning in 2024 through 2041, while some may be carried forward indefinitely. The deferred tax asset related to disallowed business interest expense as of December 31, 2022 includes $4.8 million for state income tax purposes, and as of December 31, 2021, includes $4.7 million and $6.4 million for Federal and state income tax purposes, respectively. The carryforward period for disallowed business interest expense is indefinite.
As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, Wesco had deferred tax assets of $52.2 million and $51.6 million, respectively, related to foreign tax credit carryforwards. The foreign tax credit carryforwards expire beginning in 2027 through 2033. The Company has determined that certain foreign tax credit carryforwards will not be realized before they expire. Accordingly, the Company has recorded a valuation allowance of $6.1 million and $17.3 million against these deferred tax assets at December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Wesco’s ability to realize its deferred tax assets related to foreign tax credit carryforwards may be impacted by U.S. tax legislation, our ability to generate sufficient foreign source taxable income, and tax planning strategies that the Company may implement. The impact of these items, if any, on Wesco's assessment of the realizability of these deferred tax assets will be recorded as a discrete item in the period in which the Company's assessment changes.
The Company is under examination by tax authorities in various jurisdictions and remains subject to examination until the applicable statutes of limitation expire. The statutes of limitation for the material jurisdictions in which the Company files income tax returns remain open as follows:
United States — Federal2019 and forward
United States — Material States2017 and forward
Canada2012 and forward
UK2017 and forward
Australia2018 and forward
The following table sets forth the reconciliation of gross unrecognized tax benefits:
 As of December 31,
 202220212020
 (In thousands)
Beginning balance January 1$107,291 $68,075 $54 
Additions for current year tax positions14,403 39,841 14,009 
Additions for prior year tax positions871 8,422 — 
Additions for acquired tax positions5,544 — 68,048 
Reductions for prior year tax positions(1,792)(3,853)(43)
Settlements— (118)— 
Lapse in statute of limitations(14,491)(3,837)(15,886)
Foreign currency exchange rate changes(2,558)(1,239)1,893 
Ending balance December 31$109,268 $107,291 $68,075 
The amount of unrecognized tax benefits that would affect the effective tax rate if recognized in the consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020 were $40.6 million, $36.1 million, and $29.1 million, respectively. Within the next twelve months, the amount of unrecognized tax benefits is expected to decrease by $15.6 million due to the expiration of statutes of limitation. Such change would result in a $6.5 million reduction in income tax expense.
The Company classifies interest related to unrecognized tax benefits as a component of interest expense, net in the Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income. The Company recognized interest expense on unrecognized tax benefits of $2.3 million, $0.9 million and $0.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, Wesco had a liability of $9.6 million and $6.4 million, respectively, for interest expense related to unrecognized tax benefits. The Company classifies penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as part of income tax expense. For the year ended December 31, 2021, penalties recorded in income tax expense were $3.4 million. Penalties recorded in income tax expense for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2020 were immaterial. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, Wesco had a liability of $4.8 million and $4.9 million, respectively, for penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits.
On October 22, 2021, one of the Company's Mexican affiliates received a tax assessment from the Mexican tax authorities in the amount of approximately $26.0 million related to its 2012 income tax return. This amount, updated for adjustments required under Mexican law, was approximately $29.8 million as of December 31, 2022. The Company believes the assessment is without merit and has filed an annulment lawsuit in the Mexican Federal Court of Administrative Justice. The Company expects to prevail in this litigation and, accordingly, has not recorded a reserve for this assessment in its consolidated financial statements.
In July 2022, one of the Company's Canadian affiliates received tax assessments from the Canada Revenue Agency ("CRA") totaling approximately $11.0 million, including tax and interest, related to its 2012 through 2014 income tax returns. The Company believes these assessments are without merit and has filed objections with the Appeals Division of the CRA. The Company intends to avail itself of all available administrative and judicial remedies to overturn the assessments and expects to prevail. Therefore, the Company has not recorded a reserve for these assessments in its consolidated financial statements. The CRA continues to audit the 2015 and 2016 tax years of Wesco's Canadian affiliates and has made inquiries into their 2017 through 2019 income tax returns. The Company expects to eventually receive similar assessments for these tax years.