INCOME TAXES



	Third Quarter								First Nine Months
(Dollars in millions)	2018				2017				2018				2017
	$		%		$		%		$		%		$		%
Provision for income taxes and tax rate	$	46	10	%	$	79	20	%	$	190	15	%	$	206	19	%

The third quarter and first nine months 2018 effective tax rates include the impact of the U.S. corporate tax rate reduction resulting from the Tax Reform Act. In third quarter and first nine months 2018, the Company also recognized a decrease of $14 million and $4 million, respectively, to the provision for income taxes resulting from adjustments to the provisional net tax benefit recognized in fourth quarter 2017 resulting from the Tax Reform Act and tax impact of outside-U.S. entity reorganizations as part of the transition to an international treasury services center. Third quarter and first nine months 2018 adjustments resulting from the Tax Reform Act were due to a decrease to the provision for income taxes related to foreign income inclusion and associated foreign tax credits partially offset by an increase to the provision for income taxes for a remeasurement of the deferred tax assets as a result of additional guidance released in the third quarter 2018. Third quarter and first nine months 2018 effective tax rates also include a $14 million decrease to the provision for income taxes related to prior year income tax returns and a $17 million decrease to the provision for income taxes related to current year estimates of business tax credits. In addition, first nine months 2018, adjustment included a $10 million increase to the one-time transition tax on deferred foreign income resulting from the Tax Reform Act.

The first nine months 2017 effective tax rate included a $22 million tax decrease to reflect finalization of prior years' income tax returns and a $22 million tax decrease due to planned amendments to prior years' income tax returns.

As previously reported, the Company recognized a provisional net tax benefit for the year ended December 31, 2017, primarily resulting from the Tax Reform Act. The provisional 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. The provisional net tax benefit was updated in 2018, as described above. As of September 30, 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 September 30, 2018, the Company considered notices and revenue procedures issued by the Internal Revenue Service and authoritative accounting guidance.

Certain of the provisional amounts will be finalized in the fourth quarter 2018 following the filing of the Company's U.S. federal income tax return for the year ended December 31, 2017. 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 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 September 30, 2018.

Additionally, the Company continues to consider the future impact of the Tax Reform Act for the 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".