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Income Taxes
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes Income Taxes
During the three month period ended March 31, 2020, the Company recorded a provision for income tax on continuing operations of $5 million, which reflects income tax expense in countries where the Company is profitable; accrued withholding taxes; ongoing assessments related to the recognition and measurement of uncertain tax benefits; the inability to record a tax benefit for pretax losses and/or recognize expense for pretax income in certain jurisdictions (including the U.S.) due to valuation allowances; and other non-recurring tax items, including changes in judgment about valuation allowances. Pretax losses from continuing operations in jurisdictions where valuation allowances are maintained and no income tax benefits are recognized totaled $52 million and $13 million for the three month periods ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, resulting in an increase in the Company's effective tax rate in those years.
The Company's provision for income taxes in interim periods is computed by applying an estimated annual effective tax rate against income before income taxes, excluding equity in net income of non-consolidated affiliates for the period. Effective tax rates vary from period to period as separate calculations are performed for those countries where the Company's operations are profitable and whose results continue to be tax-effected and for those countries where full deferred tax valuation allowances exist and are maintained. In determining the estimated annual effective tax rate, the Company analyzes various factors, including but not limited to, forecasts of projected annual earnings, taxing jurisdictions in which the pretax income and/or pretax losses will be generated, available tax planning strategies and estimated impacts attributable to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the "Act"). The changing and volatile macro-economic conditions connected with the COVID-19 pandemic may cause fluctuations in forecasted earnings before income taxes. As such, the Company's effective tax rate could be subject to volatility as forecasted earnings before income taxes are impacted by events which cannot be predicted. The Company’s estimated annual effective tax rate is updated each quarter and may be significantly impacted by changes to the mix of forecasted earnings by tax jurisdiction. The tax impact of adjustments to the estimated annual effective tax rate are recorded in the period such estimates are revised. The Company is also required to record the tax impact of certain other non-recurring tax items, including changes in judgment about valuation allowances and uncertain tax positions, and changes in tax laws or rates, in the interim period in which they occur, rather than include them in the estimated annual effective tax rate.
The need to maintain valuation allowances against deferred tax assets in the U.S. and other affected countries will cause variability in the Company’s quarterly and annual effective tax rates. Full valuation allowances against deferred tax assets in the U.S. and applicable foreign countries will be maintained until sufficient positive evidence exists to reduce or eliminate them. The factors considered by management in its determination of the probability of the realization of the deferred tax assets include, but are not limited to, recent historical financial results, historical taxable income, projected future taxable income, the expected timing of the reversals of existing temporary differences, tax planning strategies and projected future impacts attributable to the Act. If, based upon the weight of available evidence, it is more likely than not the deferred tax assets will not be realized, a valuation
allowance is recorded. The weight given to the positive and negative evidence is commensurate with the extent to which the evidence may be objectively verified. As such, it is generally difficult for positive evidence regarding projected future taxable income exclusive of reversing taxable temporary differences to outweigh objective negative evidence of recent financial reporting losses, in particular, when there is a cumulative loss incurred over a three-year period. However, the three-year loss position is not solely determinative and, accordingly, management considers all other available positive and negative evidence in its analysis. In regards to the full valuation allowance recorded against the U.S. net deferred tax assets, despite recent improvement in the U.S. financial results, management concluded that the weight of negative evidence continues to outweigh the positive evidence, as the impact of COVID-19 reinforces the prevailing uncertainty surrounding global production volumes in 2020 that had already showed signs of softening which contributed to the reduction in the U.S. profitability during 2019. These factors further contribute to the relative uncertainty surrounding the ability that the U.S. operations will demonstrate sustained profitability in the future. Additionally, the Company has made a policy election to apply the incremental cash tax savings approach when analyzing the impact the Act's provisions for global intangible low-taxed income ("GILTI") could have on its U.S. valuation allowance assessment. As a result of future expected GILTI inclusions, and because of the Act’s ordering rules, U.S. companies may now expect to utilize tax attribute carryforwards (e.g. net operating losses and foreign tax credits) for which a valuation allowance has historically been recorded (this is referred to as the “tax law ordering approach”). However, due to the mechanics of the GILTI rules, companies that have a GILTI inclusion may realize a reduced (or no) cash tax savings from utilizing such tax attribute carryforwards (this view is referred to as the “incremental cash tax savings approach”). These positions, along with management’s analysis of all other available evidence, resulted in the conclusion that the Company maintain the valuation allowance against deferred tax assets in the U.S. Based on the Company’s current assessment, it is possible that within the next 12 to 24 months, the existing valuation allowance against the U.S. net deferred tax assets could be partially released. Any such release is dependent upon the sustained improvement in U.S. operating results, and, if such a release of the valuation allowance were to occur, it could have a significant impact on net income in the quarter in which it is deemed appropriate to partially release the reserve.
In March 2019, the closure of tax audits in Germany allowed the Company to initiate a tax planning strategy previously determined not to be prudent. This strategy provided the necessary positive evidence to support the future utilization of a portion of the Company's deferred tax assets in Germany resulting in a $12 million valuation allowance release during the three months ended March 31, 2019.
Unrecognized Tax Benefits
Gross unrecognized tax benefits as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, including amounts attributable to discontinued operations, were $13 million in both years. Of these amounts, approximately $6 million in both years represent the amount of unrecognized benefits that, if recognized, would impact the effective tax rate. The gross unrecognized tax benefit differs from that which would impact the effective tax rate due to uncertain tax positions embedded in other deferred tax attributes carrying a full valuation allowance. If the uncertainty is resolved while a full valuation allowance is maintained, these uncertain tax positions should not impact the effective tax rate in current or future periods. The Company records interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions as a component of income tax expense and related amounts accrued at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 was $2 million in both years.
With few exceptions, the Company is no longer subject to U.S. federal tax examinations for years before 2014, or state, local or non-U.S. income tax examinations for years before 2003, although U.S. net operating losses carried forward into open tax years technically remain open to adjustment. Although it is not possible to predict the timing of the resolution of all ongoing tax audits with accuracy, it is reasonably possible that certain tax proceedings in the U.S., Europe, Asia and Mexico could conclude within the next twelve months and result in a significant increase or decrease in the balance of gross unrecognized tax benefits. Given the number of years, jurisdictions and positions subject to examination, the Company is unable to estimate the full range of possible adjustments to the balance of unrecognized tax benefits. The long-term portion of uncertain income tax positions (including interest) in the amount of $5 million is included in "Other non-current liabilities" on the consolidated balance sheet, while $3 million is reflected as a reduction of a deferred tax asset related to a net operating loss included in Other-non current assets on the consolidated balance sheet.
During 2012, Brazil tax authorities issued tax assessment notices to Visteon Sistemas Automotivos (“Sistemas”) related to the sale of its chassis business to a third party, which required a deposit in the amount of $15 million during 2013 necessary to open a judicial proceeding against the government in order to suspend the debt and allow Sistemas to operate regularly before the tax authorities after attempts to reopen an appeal of the administrative decision failed. Adjusted for currency impacts and accrued interest, the deposit amount is $11 million as of March 31, 2020. The Company believes that the risk of a negative outcome is remote once the matter is fully litigated at the highest judicial level. These appeal payments, as well as income tax refund claims associated with other jurisdictions, total $14 million as of March 31, 2020, and are included in "Other non-current assets" on the consolidated balance sheets.