v2.4.1.9
Income taxes (Tables)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Components of Income Tax Expense (benefit)

Income tax expense (benefit) consisted of the following:

 

 

 

Year ended December 31,

 

 

 

2014

 

 

2013

 

 

2012

 

Current:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Federal

 

$

188,302

 

 

$

334,258

 

 

$

239,232

 

State

 

 

30,789

 

 

 

68,715

 

 

 

49,178

 

International

 

 

1,687

 

 

 

1,764

 

 

 

660

 

Total current income tax

 

$

220,778

 

 

$

404,737

 

 

$

289,070

 

Deferred:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Federal

 

 

192,267

 

 

 

(6,695

)

 

 

64,195

 

State

 

 

32,360

 

 

 

(8,941

)

 

 

6,498

 

International

 

 

938

 

 

 

746

 

 

 

 

Total deferred income tax

 

$

225,565

 

 

$

(14,890

)

 

$

70,693

 

 

 

$

446,343

 

 

$

389,847

 

 

$

359,763

 

 

Allocation of Income Tax Expense (Benefit)

The allocation of income tax expense (benefit) was as follows:

 

 

 

Year ended December 31,

 

 

 

2014

 

 

2013

 

 

2012

 

Continuing operations

 

$

446,343

 

 

$

381,013

 

 

$

359,845

 

Discontinued operations

 

 

 

 

 

(84

)

 

 

(82

)

Gain on discontinued operations

 

 

 

 

 

8,918

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

446,343

 

 

$

389,847

 

 

$

359,763

 

 

Reconciliation between our Effective Tax Rate from Continuing Operations and the U.S. Federal Income Tax Rate

The reconciliation between the Company’s effective tax rate from continuing operations and the U.S. federal income tax rate is as follows:

 

 

 

Year ended December 31,

 

 

 

2014

 

 

2013

 

 

2012

 

Federal income tax rate

 

 

35.0

%

 

 

35.0

%

 

 

35.0

%

State income taxes, net of federal benefit

 

 

3.5

 

 

 

3.8

 

 

 

4.0

 

International rate differential

 

 

(0.2

)

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

 

Changes in deferred tax valuation allowances

 

 

0.6

 

 

 

0.3

 

 

 

 

Contingent earn-out adjustments

 

 

 

 

 

(2.6

)

 

 

 

Other

 

 

(0.8

)

 

 

1.4

 

 

 

1.1

 

Impact of noncontrolling interests primarily attributable to non-tax paying entities

 

 

(4.0

)

 

 

(4.1

)

 

 

(4.2

)

Effective tax rate

 

 

34.1

%

 

 

33.9

%

 

 

35.9

%

 

Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities Arising from Temporary Differences

Deferred tax assets and liabilities arising from temporary differences associated with continuing operations were as follows:

 

 

 

December 31,

 

 

 

2014

 

 

2013

 

Receivables

 

$

42,973

 

 

$

49,667

 

Accrued liabilities

 

 

253,158

 

 

 

252,008

 

Loss contingency reserve

 

 

1,423

 

 

 

139,844

 

Net operating loss carryforwards

 

 

100,768

 

 

 

96,212

 

Other

 

 

88,435

 

 

 

67,882

 

Deferred tax assets

 

 

486,757

 

 

 

605,613

 

Valuation allowance

 

 

(26,667

)

 

 

(13,860

)

Net deferred tax assets

 

 

460,090

 

 

 

591,753

 

Intangible assets

 

 

(835,816

)

 

 

(752,838

)

Property and equipment

 

 

(187,054

)

 

 

(183,059

)

Investments in partnerships

 

 

(78,618

)

 

 

(51,921

)

Other

 

 

(8,677

)

 

 

(6,913

)

Deferred tax liabilities

 

 

(1,110,165

)

 

 

(994,731

)

Net deferred tax liabilities

 

$

(650,075

)

 

$

(402,978

)

 

Reconciliation of the Beginning and Ending Liability for Unrecognized Tax Benefits that Do Not Meet the More-Likely-than-not Threshold

A reconciliation of the beginning and ending liability for unrecognized tax benefits that do not meet the more-likely-than-not threshold were as follows:

 

 

 

Year ended December 31,

 

 

 

 

2014

 

 

 

2013

 

Balance beginning

 

$

60,538

 

 

$

67,546

 

Additions for tax positions related to current year

 

 

914

 

 

 

6,005

 

Reductions for tax positions related to prior years

 

 

(27,312

)

 

 

(3,901

)

Reductions related to lapse of applicable statute

 

 

(2,077

)

 

 

(8,480

)

Reductions related to settlements with taxing authorities

 

 

(186

)

 

 

(632

)

Balance ending

 

$

31,877

 

 

$

60,538