Taxes

Income Taxes. Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. Significant components of the consolidated deferred tax assets and liabilities were (in thousands):



Fiscal Year	2015			2014
Deferred income tax assets (liabilities):
Bad debt allowance	$	5,390		$	4,387
Returns allowance	8,187			8,724
Inventory	14,575			11,882
Warranty reserve	2,922			2,590
Compensation	16,213			12,586
Accrued liabilities	7,079			4,514
Deferred rent	10,161			10,553
Unrealized exchange gains (losses)	(2,486		)	635
State income tax and interest on tax contingencies	2,976			2,880
Fixed assets	(52,782		)	(51,721		)
Trade names and customer lists	(26,502		)	(6,782		)
Undistributed earnings of certain foreign subsidiaries	(53,761		)	(52,122		)
Foreign accruals	4,832			2,896
Loss carryforwards	13,501			3,319
Valuation allowance	(10,857		)	(6,821		)
Other	3,989			6,766
Net deferred income tax assets (liabilities)	$	(56,563	)	$	(45,714	)
Total deferred income tax assets	$	18,602		$	16,568
Total deferred income tax liabilities	(75,165		)	(62,282		)
Net deferred income tax assets (liabilities)	$	(56,563	)	$	(45,714	)

Operating Loss Carryforwards. The deferred income tax asset for loss carryforwards includes $7.1 million of net operating losses of foreign subsidiaries and $6.4 million from an acquired U.S. subsidiary. Valuation allowances have been recorded to reflect the estimated amount of deferred tax assets that may not be realized on these losses. The amounts and the fiscal year of expiration of the loss carryforwards are (in thousands):



Expires 2016 through 2020	$	18,942
Expires 2021 through 2025	4,817
Expires 2026 through 2030	2,278
Expires 2031 through 2035	30,627
Indefinite	6,737
Total loss carryforwards	$	63,401

The following table identifies income before income taxes for the Company's U.S. and non-U.S. based operations for the fiscal years indicated (in thousands):



Fiscal Year	2015		2014		2013
U.S	$	24,864	$	169,079	$	194,956
Non-U.S	286,795		388,999		366,511
Total	$	311,659	$	558,078	$	561,467

The Company's provision for income taxes consisted of the following for the fiscal years indicated (in thousands):



Fiscal Year	2015			2014			2013
Current provision:
U.S. federal	$	10,666		$	84,669		$	97,860
Non-U.S	72,336			74,190			69,901
State and local	1,180			10,582			8,297
Total current	84,182			169,441			176,058
Deferred provision (benefit)
U.S. federal	1,798			5,124			(2,346		)
Non-U.S	(4,511		)	(3,622		)	(166		)
State and local	288			524			(127		)
Total deferred	(2,425		)	2,026			(2,639		)
Provision for income taxes	$	81,757		$	171,467		$	173,419

The expected cash payments for current U.S. income tax expense for fiscal years 2015, 2014 and 2013 were reduced by approximately $2.4 million, $4.7 million and $12.0 million, respectively, as a result of tax deductions related to the exercise of non-qualified stock options and stock appreciation rights and the vesting of restricted stock and restricted stock units. The expected cash payments for current foreign tax expense for fiscal years 2015, 2014 and 2013 were reduced by $0.3 million, $0.4 million and $0.8 million, respectively, as a result of tax deductions related to the exercise of stock options and the vesting of restricted stock granted to foreign employees. The income tax benefits resulting from these stock-based compensation plans have been recorded to additional paid-in capital in the Company's consolidated balance sheets. Total deferred income tax expense (benefit) of $(2.4) million, $2.0 million and $(2.6) million for fiscal years 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively, are included in deferred income taxes on the Company's consolidated statements of cash flows.

A reconciliation of the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate of 35.0% to the Company's effective tax rate is as follows:



Fiscal Year	2015		2014		2013
Tax at statutory rate	35.0	%	35.0	%	35.0	%
State, net of federal tax benefit	0.5		0.9		0.9
Foreign rate differential	(15.6	)	(12.3	)	(12.5	)
U.S. tax on foreign income	4.3		6.3		5.9
Income tax contingencies	0.9		0.7		—
Valuation allowances	1.4		(0.3	)	0.9
Other	(0.3	)	0.4		0.7
Provision for income taxes	26.2	%	30.7	%	30.9	%

Deferred U.S. federal income taxes and foreign withholding taxes are not recorded on undistributed earnings of certain foreign subsidiaries where management plans to continue reinvesting these earnings outside the U.S. The amount of undistributed earnings that would be subject to tax if distributed was approximately $895.8 million at January 2, 2016. Determining tax amounts that would be payable if these earnings were distributed to the U.S. parent company is not practicable.

The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits, excluding interest and penalties that would favorably impact the effective tax rate in future periods if recognized, was $20.0 million, $12.8 million and $9.6 million for fiscal years 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. In fiscal year 2015, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service closed its examination of the Company's 2010-2012 federal income tax returns, and the Company received a refund of $2.2 million. The Company is subject to examinations in various state and foreign jurisdictions for its 2009-2014 tax years, none of which the Company believes are significant, individually or in the aggregate. Tax audit outcomes and timing of tax audit settlements are subject to significant uncertainty.

The Company has classified uncertain tax positions as long-term income taxes payable unless such amounts are expected to be paid within twelve months from January 2, 2016. As of January 2, 2016, the Company had recorded $0.9 million of unrecognized tax benefits, excluding interest and penalties, for positions that could be settled within the next twelve months. Consistent with its past practice, the Company recognizes interest and/or penalties related to income tax overpayments and income tax underpayments in income tax expense and income taxes receivable/payable, respectively. The total amount of accrued income tax-related interest in the Company's consolidated balance sheets was $2.2 million and $1.8 million at January 2, 2016 and January 3, 2015, respectively. The total amount of accrued income tax-related penalties in the Company's consolidated balance sheets was $1.8 million and $0.4 million at January 2, 2016 and January 3, 2015, respectively. The Company accrued income tax-related interest expense (benefit) of $0.3 million, $0.7 million and $(1.0) million in fiscal years 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

The following is a tabular reconciliation of the total amounts of unrecognized tax benefits for the fiscal years indicated (in thousands):



Fiscal Year	2015			2014			2013
Balance at beginning of year	$	20,086		$	14,314		$	15,549
Gross increases tax positions in prior years	1,800			4,234			3,310
Gross decreases tax positions in prior years	(9,282		)	(1,018		)	(4,384		)
Gross increases—current year tax positions	11,909			3,508			3,575
Settlements	(583		)	(194		)	(3,456		)
Lapse in statute of limitations	(758		)	(617		)	(297		)
Change due to currency revaluation	(150		)	(141		)	17
Balance at end of year	$	23,022		$	20,086		$	14,314