5.	Provision for Income Taxes

The provision for income taxes was $6,222,000 and $4,459,000 in the first six months of 2014 and 2013, respectively, and represented 32% and 28% of pre-tax income. The effective tax rate of 32% in the first six months of 2014 was lower than the Company's statutory tax rate primarily due to the release of tax reserves that resulted from the expiration of tax statutes of limitations in jurisdictions outside the U.S., the release of state tax reserves in the U.S., and the distribution of the Company's worldwide earnings. These tax benefits were offset in part by tax expense associated with a reduction in deferred tax assets and an increase in nondeductible expenses. The effective tax rate of 28% in the first six months of 2013 was lower than the Company's statutory tax rate primarily due to the reduction of the 2012 U.S. tax cost of foreign earnings and a benefit from the 2012 U.S. research and development tax credit, both of which resulted from U.S. tax legislation enacted in January 2013. In addition, the Company's effective tax rate in the first six months of 2013 benefited from the release of a valuation allowance against deferred tax assets related to net operating loss carryforwards. The release of the valuation allowance was due to increased projected profitability associated with the CBTI acquisition. Also contributing to the lower effective tax rate in the first six months of 2013 were lower statutory tax rates in the Company's overseas operations and a more favorable distribution of the Company's worldwide earnings.