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INCOME TAXES
12 Months Ended
Mar. 29, 2012
INCOME TAXES  
INCOME TAXES

NOTE 11—INCOME TAXES

        Income tax provision reflected in the Consolidated Statements of Operations for the periods in the three years ended March 29, 2012 consists of the following components:

(In thousands)
  March 29,
2012
  March 31,
2011
  April 1,
2010
 

Current:

                   

Federal

  $   $   $ (2,800 )

Foreign

             

State

    2,015     1,950     500  
               

Total current

    2,015     1,950     (2,300 )
               

Deferred:

                   

Federal

            (66,500 )

Foreign

             

State

             
               

Total deferred

            (66,500 )
               

Total provision (benefit)

    2,015     1,950     (68,800 )

Tax provision from discontinued operations

             
               

Total provision (benefit) from continuing operations

  $ 2,015   $ 1,950   $ (68,800 )
               

        AMCE has recorded no alternative minimum taxes as the consolidated tax group for which AMCE is a member expects no alternative minimum tax liability and pursuant to the tax sharing arrangement in place, AMCE has no liability.

        Pre-tax income (losses) consisted of the following:

(In thousands)
  March 29,
2012
  March 31,
2011
  April 1,
2010
 

Domestic

  $ (78,677 ) $ (121,243 ) $ 8,740  

Foreign

    (1,296 )   340     (7,750 )
               

Total

  $ (79,973 ) $ (120,903 ) $ 990  
               

        The difference between the effective tax rate on earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and the U.S. federal income tax statutory rate is as follows:

(In thousands)
  March 29, 2012   March 31, 2011   April 1, 2010  

Income tax expense (benefit) at the federal statutory rate

  $ (27,985 ) $ (42,515 ) $ 2,983  

Effect of:

                   

State income taxes

    2,015     1,950     500  

Change in ASC 740 (formerly FIN 48) reserve

    (5,400 )   (300 )   200  

Permanent items

    825         (540 )

Valuation allowance

    32,560     42,815     (71,765 )

Other, net

            (178 )
               

Income tax expense (benefit)

  $ 2,015   $ 1,950   $ (68,800 )
               

Effective income tax rate

    (2.5 )%   (1.6 )%   (807.1 )%
               

        The significant components of deferred income tax assets and liabilities as of March 29, 2012 and March 31, 2011 are as follows:

 
  March 29, 2012   March 31, 2011  
 
  Deferred Income Tax   Deferred Income Tax  
(In thousands)
  Assets   Liabilities   Assets   Liabilities  

Property

  $ 76,855   $   $ 7,385   $  

Investments in joint ventures

        (135,745 )       (77,522 )

Intangible assets

        (26,884 )       (26,266 )

Pension postretirement and deferred compensation

    24,364         18,481      

Accrued reserves and liabilities

    45,980         48,954      

Deferred revenue

    144,444         158,354      

Deferred rents

    114,644         116,513      

Alternative minimum tax and other credit carryovers

    15,056         13,901      

Charitable contributions

    1,757         1,642      

Net operating loss carryforward

    225,195         172,279      
                   

Total

  $ 648,295   $ (162,629 ) $ 537,509   $ (103,788 )

Less: Valuation allowance

    (413,666 )       (329,221 )    
                   

Total deferred income taxes(1)

  $ 234,629   $ (162,629 ) $ 208,288   $ (103,788 )
                   

(1)
See Note 8—Supplemental Balance Sheet Information for additional disclosures about net current deferred tax assets and net non-current deferred tax liabilities.

        A rollforward of the Company's valuation allowance for deferred tax assets is as follows:

(In thousands)
  Balance at
Beginning of
Period
  Additions
Charged
(Credited) to
Revenues,
Costs and
Expenses
  Charged
(Credited)
to Other
Accounts(1)
  Balance at
End of
Period
 

Fiscal Year 2012

                         

Valuation Allowance—deferred income tax assets

  $ 329,221     32,560     51,885   $ 413,666  

Fiscal Year 2011

                         

Valuation Allowance—deferred income tax assets

  $ 263,032     42,815     23,374   $ 329,221  

Fiscal Year 2010

                         

Valuation Allowance—deferred income tax assets

  $ 281,442     (71,765 )   53,355   $ 263,032  

(1)
Primarily relates to amounts resulting from our tax sharing arrangement, changes in deferred tax assets and associated valuation allowance that are not related to income statement activity as well as amounts charged to other comprehensive income.

        The Company's federal income tax loss carryforward of $521,828,000 will begin to expire in 2020 and will completely expire in 2031 and will be limited annually due to certain change in ownership provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. The Company also has state income tax loss carryforwards of $754,205,000 which may be used over various periods ranging from 1 to 20 years.

        During fiscal 2010, management believed it was more likely than not that the Company had the ability to execute a feasible and prudent tax strategy that would provide for the realization of net operating losses by converting certain limited partnership units into common stock. Management has reduced its overall valuation allowance by $65,000,000 in fiscal 2010 for the estimated amount of net operating losses that would be realized as a result of this potential action. At March 29, 2012, this tax strategy was estimated to preserve net operating losses that expire through 2021.

        The Company has recorded a valuation allowance against its remaining net deferred tax asset in U.S. and foreign jurisdictions of $413,666,000 as of March 29, 2012.

        A reconciliation of the change in the amount of unrecognized tax benefits during the year ended March 29, 2012 was as follows:

(In millions)
  March 29, 2012   March 31, 2011   April 1, 2010  

Balance at Beginning of Period

  $ 28.2   $ 28.5   $ 28.3  

Gross Increases—Current Period Tax Positions

    0.7     0.7     0.7  

Gross Decreases—Tax Position in Prior Periods

            (0.5 )

Favorable Resolutions with Authorities

    (1.0 )        

Expired Attributes

    (5.2 )   (1.0 )    

Lapse of Statute of Limitations

             

Cash Settlements

             
               

Balance at End of Period

  $ 22.7   $ 28.2   $ 28.5  
               

        The Company's effective tax rate is not expected to be significantly impacted by the ultimate resolution of the uncertain tax positions because of the retention of a valuation allowance against most of its net operating loss carryforwards.

        The Company recognizes income tax-related interest expense and penalties as income tax expense and general and administrative expense, respectively. The liabilities for interest and penalties increased by $115,000 and $187,000, as of March 29, 2012 and March 31, 2011, respectively.

        There are currently unrecognized tax benefits which the Company anticipates will be resolved in the next 12 months; however, the Company is unable at this time to estimate what the impact on its unrecognized tax benefits will be.

        The Company or one of its subsidiaries files income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction, and various state and foreign jurisdictions. An IRS examination of the tax years February 28, 2002 through December 31, 2003 of the former Loews Cineplex Entertainment Corporation and subsidiaries was concluded during fiscal 2007. An IRS examination for the tax years ended March 31, 2005 and March 30, 2006 was completed during 2009. Generally, tax years beginning after March 28, 2002 are still open to examination by various taxing authorities. Additionally, the Company has net operating loss ("NOL") carryforwards for tax years ended October 31, 2000 through March 28, 2002 in the U.S. and various state jurisdictions which have carryforwards of varying lengths of time. These NOLs are subject to adjustment based on the statute of limitations of the return in which they are utilized, not the year in which they are generated. Various state, local and foreign income tax returns are also under examination by taxing authorities. The Company does not believe that the outcome of any examination will have a material impact on its financial statements.