INCOME TAXES

The following table reflects the provision for income taxes and the effective tax rate for the three months ended December 27, 2014 and December 28, 2013:



	Three months ended
(dollar amounts in thousands)	December 27, 2014			December 28, 2013
Income / (loss) from operations before income taxes	$	9,685		$	(2,048	)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	1,843			(91		)
Net income / (loss)	$	7,842		$	(1,957	)

Effective tax rate	19.0		%	4.4		%

For the three months ended December 27, 2014, the effective income tax rate differed from the federal statutory tax rate primarily due to profits from foreign operations subject to a lower statutory tax rate than the U.S. statutory tax rate, and the impact of tax holidays, offset by an increase for deferred taxes on unremitted earnings, other U.S. deferred taxes and foreign withholding taxes.

For the three months ended December 28, 2013, the effective income tax rate differed from the federal statutory tax rate primarily due to profits from foreign operations subject to a lower statutory tax rate than the U.S. statutory tax rate, and the impact of tax holidays, offset by an increase for deferred taxes on unremitted earnings, other U.S. deferred taxes and additional foreign expenses or benefits related to returns filed in the period.

The effective tax rate for the period ended December 27, 2014 of 19.0% increased from the effective rate for the fiscal period ended September 27, 2014 of 18.3% primarily due to higher volume of local sales, which has a higher statutory tax rate. The Company's future effective tax rate would be affected if earnings were lower than anticipated in countries where it has lower statutory rates and higher than anticipated in countries where it has higher statutory rates, by changes in the valuation of its deferred tax assets and liabilities, or by changes in tax laws, regulations, accounting principles, or interpretations thereof. In addition, anticipated tax benefits from research expenditures and changes in assertions for foreign earnings permanently or non-permanently reinvested as a result of changes in facts and circumstances could significantly impact the effective tax rate. The Company regularly assesses the effects resulting from these factors to determine the adequacy of its provision for income taxes.

It is reasonably possible that the amount of the unrecognized tax benefit with respect to certain unrecognized tax positions will decrease during the next 12 months due to the expected lapse of statutes of limitation. The Company does not expect the change to have a material effect on its statement of operations.