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Income tax expense
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income tax expense
Income tax expense
The Company's tax provision for interim periods is determined using an estimate of its annual effective tax rate, adjusted for discrete items arising in that quarter. In each quarter, the Company updates its estimate of the annual effective tax rate, and if the estimated annual tax rate changes, the Company makes a cumulative adjustment in that quarter.
 
Three months ended
(dollars in thousands)
March 31,
2015
 
March 31,
2014
Income tax expense
$
3,272

 
$
3,882

Effective tax rate
16.3
%
 
26.0
%

The Company’s income tax expense was $3.3 million and $3.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The Company’s provision for income taxes in each period has differed from the tax computed at the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate due to state taxes, the effect of non-U.S. operations, deductible and non-deductible stock-based compensation expense, non-deductible acquisition-related costs and adjustments to unrecognized tax benefits. The lower income tax expense for the three months ended March 31, 2015, compared to the same period in 2014, was primarily due to the effects of higher deductible stock-based compensation.
The Company is currently under examination by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service for tax years 2012 and 2013. The U.S. federal and U.S. state taxing authorities may choose to audit tax returns for tax years beyond the statute of limitation period due to significant tax attribute carryforwards from prior years, making adjustments only to carryforward attributes. The Company is also currently under examination by the California Franchise Tax Board for tax years 2011 and 2012. At this time, the Company is not able to estimate the potential impact that these examinations may have on income tax expense. If the examinations are resolved unfavorably, they may have a material negative impact on the Company's results of operations.
At March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, the Company’s total amount of gross unrecognized tax benefits was $16.9 million and $16.6 million, respectively. If recognized, $16.9 million of the unrecognized tax benefits (net of federal benefit) at March 31, 2015 would be recorded as a reduction of the income tax provision in future periods. Management believes events that could occur in the next 12 months and cause a material change in unrecognized tax benefits include, but are not limited to, the completion of examinations by the U.S. or foreign taxing authorities, and the expiration of statute of limitations on the Company's tax returns. The calculation of unrecognized tax benefits involves dealing with uncertainties in the application of complex global tax regulations. Management regularly assesses the Company's tax positions in light of legislative, bilateral tax treaty, regulatory and judicial developments in the countries in which it does business. It is reasonably possible that the total amounts of unrecognized tax benefits will significantly increase within the next 12 months. However, the range of the reasonably possible change cannot be reliably estimated.