INCOME TAXES



	First Quarter
(Dollars in millions)	2018				2017
	$		%		$		%
Provision for income taxes and tax rate	$	60	17	%	$	62	18	%

The first quarter 2018 effective tax rate includes the impact of the U.S. corporate tax rate reduction resulting from the Tax Reform Act. The first quarter 2017 effective tax rate included adjustments to the tax provision to reflect planned amendments to and finalization of prior years' income tax returns.

As previously reported, the Company recognized an estimated net tax benefit for the year ended December 31, 2017, primarily resulting from the Tax Reform Act. The net tax benefit included a benefit from the one-time revaluation of deferred tax liabilities, partially offset by a one-time transition tax on deferred foreign income and changes in valuation of deferred tax assets. As of March 31, 2018, the Company continues to consider the accounting for the following impacts of the Tax Reform Act to be provisional and, accordingly, subject to adjustment in future periods: the transition tax on deferred foreign income (which consists of post-1986 accumulated earnings and profits of controlled foreign corporations and the determination of cash versus non-cash balances), the impact of the change in income tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities, and the evaluation of gross foreign tax credit carryforwards and related valuation allowances. In preparing the provisional estimates as of March 31, 2018, the Company has considered notices and revenue procedures issued by the Internal Revenue Service and authoritative accounting guidance.

Certain of the provisional amounts will be finalized in conjunction with the filing of the Company's U.S. federal income tax return for the year ended December 31, 2017 that will not be finalized until later in 2018. While historically differences between amounts reported in the Company's consolidated financial statements and the Company's U.S. federal income tax return have resulted in offsetting changes in estimates in current and deferred taxes for items which are timing related, the reduction of the U.S. tax rate will result in adjustments to the Company's income tax (benefit) provision when recognized. The Company also considers it likely that further technical guidance regarding certain aspects of the new provisions included in the Tax Reform Act, as well as clarity regarding state income tax conformity to current federal tax code, may be issued which could result in changes to the provisional amounts reported as of March 31, 2018 and related state income tax effects.

Additionally, the Company continues to consider the future impact of the Tax Reform Act for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2018, including the new provisions known as the base erosion anti-abuse tax ("BEAT") and global intangible low-tax income ("GILTI") tax, as well as other provisions. Under U.S. GAAP, companies can make an accounting policy election to either treat taxes resulting from GILTI as a current-period expense when incurred or factor such amounts into the measurement of deferred taxes. The Company has not completed its analysis of the effects of the GILTI provisions and will further consider the accounting policy election within the measurement period as provided under Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118, "Income Tax Accounting Implications of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act".