Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

INCOME TAXES

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INCOME TAXES
3 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
INCOME TAXES INCOME TAXES
The following table provides details of income taxes:
Three Months Ended
September 30,
(Dollar amounts in thousands) 2020 2019
Income before income taxes $ 483,806  $ 371,516 
Provision for income taxes $ 63,664  $ 25,120 
Effective tax rate 13.2  % 6.8  %
Our effective tax rate is lower than the U.S. federal statutory rate during the three months ended September 30, 2020 primarily due to the proportion of earnings generated in jurisdictions with tax rates lower than the U.S. statutory rate and the proportion of the U.S. earnings eligible for the Foreign Derived Intangible Income deduction. The Foreign Derived Intangible Income deduction reduces the U.S. tax rate on sales to customers outside the U.S.
In the normal course of business, we are subject to examination by tax authorities throughout the world. We are subject to federal income tax examinations for all years beginning from the fiscal year ended June 30, 2017 and are under United States income tax examination for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018. We are subject to state income tax examinations for all years beginning from the fiscal year ended June 30, 2016. We are also subject to examinations in other major foreign jurisdictions, including Singapore and Israel, for all years beginning from the calendar year ended December 31, 2012. We are under audit in Germany related to Orbotech for the calendar years ended December 31, 2013 to December 31, 2015. We are also under audit in Israel related to KLA for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2017 to June 30, 2019.
It is possible that certain examinations may be concluded in the next twelve months. The timing and resolution of income tax examinations is uncertain. The amounts paid, if any, upon resolution of issues raised by the taxing authorities may differ materially from the amounts accrued for each year. Although it is possible that our balance of gross unrecognized tax benefits could materially change in the next 12 months, we are unable to estimate the full range of possible adjustments to this balance given the uncertainty in the development of ongoing income tax examinations.
In May 2017, Orbotech received an assessment from the Israel Tax Authority (“ITA”) with respect to its fiscal years 2012 through 2014 (the “Assessment”, and the “Audit Period”, respectively), for an aggregate amount of tax, after offsetting all net operating losses (“NOLs”) available through the end of 2014, of approximately NIS 229.0 million (equivalent to approximately $66.0 million which includes related interest and linkage differentials to the Israeli consumer price index as of date of the issuance of the Tax Decrees).
On August 31, 2018, Orbotech filed an objection in respect of the tax assessment (the “Objection”). The ITA completed the second stage of the audit, in which the claims Orbotech raised in the Objection were examined by different personnel at the ITA. In addition, the ITA examined additional items during this second stage of the audit. As Orbotech and the ITA did not reach an agreement during the second stage, the ITA issued Tax Decrees to Orbotech on August 28, 2019 (“Tax Decrees”) for
an aggregate amount of tax, after offsetting all NOLs available through the end of 2014, of approximately NIS 257 million (equivalent to approximately $73 million which includes related interest and linkage differentials to the Israeli consumer price index as of the date of the issuance of the Tax Decrees). These Tax Decrees replaced the Assessment. We believe that our recorded unrecognized tax benefits are sufficient to cover the resolution of these Tax Decrees.
Orbotech filed a notice of appeal with respect to the above Tax Decrees with the District Court of Tel Aviv on September 26, 2019. On February 27, 2020 the ITA filed its arguments in support of the Tax Decrees. Orbotech filed the grounds of appeal with respect to the above Tax Decrees on July 30, 2020. We are currently in the pre-trial hearing stage of the process and the next pre-trial meeting is scheduled for January 2021. The ITA and Orbotech are continuing discussions in an effort to resolve this matter in a mutually agreeable manner.
In connection with the above, there is an ongoing criminal investigation in Israel against Orbotech, certain of its employees and its tax consultant. On April 11, 2018, Orbotech received a “suspect notification letter” (dated March 28, 2018) from the Tel Aviv District Attorney’s Office (Fiscal and Financial). In the letter, it was noted that the investigation file was transferred from the Assessment Investigation Officer to the District Attorney’s Office. The letter further states that the District Attorney’s Office has not yet made a decision regarding submission of an indictment against Orbotech; and that if after studying the case, a decision is made to consider prosecuting Orbotech, Orbotech will receive an additional letter, and within 30 days, Orbotech may present its arguments to the District Attorney’s Office as to why it should not be indicted. On October 27, 2019, we received a request for additional information from the District Attorney's Office. We will continue to monitor the progress of the District Attorney’s Office investigation; however, we cannot anticipate when the review of the case will be completed and what will be the results thereof. We intend to cooperate with the District Attorney’s Office to enable them to conclude their investigation.