INCOME TAXES

The following table reflects the provision for income taxes and the effective tax rate for the three and six months ended April 1, 2017 and April 2, 2016:



	Three months ended						Six months ended
(dollar amounts in thousands)	April 1, 2017			April 2, 2016			April 1, 2017			April 2, 2016
Income before income taxes	$	33,923		$	12,134		$	52,114		$	10,778
Income tax expense	4,882			7,045			7,490			5,780
Net income	$	29,041		$	5,089		$	44,624		$	4,998

Effective tax rate	14.4		%	58.1		%	14.4		%	53.6		%

For the six months ended April 1, 2017, the effective income tax rate differed from the federal statutory tax rate primarily due to tax benefits from profits in foreign operations subject to a lower statutory tax rate than the federal rate, tax benefits from domestic research expenditures, and the impact of tax holidays, partially offset by an increase for deferred taxes on unremitted earnings, foreign withholding taxes, and an increase in valuation allowance against certain foreign deferred tax assets.

For the six months ended April 2, 2016, the effective income tax rate differed from the federal statutory tax rate primarily due to a tax liability arising from a settlement with a foreign tax authority, an increase for deferred taxes on unremitted earnings, foreign withholding taxes, and an increase in valuation allowance against certain foreign deferred tax assets, partially offset by tax benefits from profits in foreign operations subject to a lower statutory tax rate than the U.S. statutory tax rate, tax benefits from domestic research expenditures, and the impact of tax holidays.

The decrease in tax expense for the three months ended April 1, 2017 of $4.9 million from the tax expense for the three months ended April 2, 2016 of $7.0 million was primarily due to a settlement reached with a foreign tax authority giving rise to additional tax liability in fiscal 2016, partially offset by higher quarter-to-date profitability. The increase in tax expense for the six months ended April 1, 2017 of $7.5 million from the tax expense for the six months ended April 2, 2016 of $5.8 million was primarily due to higher year-to-date profitability, partially offset by a change in tax law resulting in a one-time tax benefit and a settlement reached with a foreign tax authority giving rise to additional tax liability in fiscal 2016.

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, changes in assertion 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 increase or decrease during the next 12 months due to the expected lapse of statutes of limitation and / or settlements of tax examinations. The Company is under income tax examination by tax authorities in certain foreign jurisdictions.