Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Income Taxes

v3.19.1
Income Taxes
9 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
INCOME TAXES
NOTE 12 – INCOME TAXES
The following table provides details of income taxes:

Three months ended
March 31,
 
Nine months ended
March 31,
(Dollar amounts in thousands)
2019
 
2018
 
2019
 
2018
Income before income taxes
$
221,390

 
$
365,983

 
$
1,064,921

 
$
1,049,442

Provision for income taxes
$
28,745

 
$
59,102

 
$
107,232

 
$
595,944

Effective tax rate
13.0
%
 
16.1
%
 
10.1
%
 
56.8
%

Our effective tax rate is lower than the U.S. federal statutory rate primarily due to the proportion of earnings generated in jurisdictions with tax rates lower than the U.S. statutory rate.
During the three months ended March 31, 2019, we completed the acquisition of Orbotech Ltd. As a result of the Orbotech acquisition, we recorded $819.8 million of net deferred tax liabilities primarily on the excess of book basis over the tax basis of acquired intangible assets and undistributed earnings in certain foreign subsidiaries. Adjustments to deferred taxes may be required when the purchase price allocation is finalized within the measurement period.
The following table summarizes the changes to our gross unrecognized tax benefits for the three months ended March 31, 2019:
(Dollar amounts in thousands)
Unrecognized Tax Benefits
Balance on December 31, 2018
$
69,779

Addition related to acquisitions
61,483

Addition for tax positions related to current year
10,935

Addition for tax positions related to prior years
1,273

Reduction for tax positions related to prior years
(10,144
)
Balance on March 31, 2019
133,326


In the normal course of business, we are subject to examination by tax authorities throughout the world. We are under United States federal income tax examination for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2016. We are subject to state income tax examinations for all years beginning from the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014. We are also subject to examinations in other major foreign jurisdictions.
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 against it, after offsetting all NOLs for tax purposes available through the end of 2014, of approximately NIS 218.0 million (approximately $65.0 million as of March 31, 2019), which amount includes related interest and linkage differentials to the Israeli consumer price index (as of date of the Assessment). We believe our recorded unrecognized tax benefits are sufficient to cover the resolution of the Assessment.
On August 31, 2018, Orbotech filed an objection in respect of the tax assessment (the “Objection”). Orbotech is now in the process of the second stage, in which the claims raised by it in the Objection are examined by different personnel at the ITA. In addition, the ITA can examine additional items and may assess additional amounts in the second stage. The second stage must be completed within one year of when the Objection was filed.
In connection with the above, there is an ongoing criminal investigation in Israel against Orbotech, which became our wholly owned subsidiary as of the acquisition date, 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. To date, neither we nor Orbotech has received such an additional letter or any other correspondence or contact from the District Attorney’s Office. We will continue to monitor the progress of the District Attorney’s Office investigation, however, 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.
It is possible that certain examinations may be concluded in the next twelve months. We believe that we may recognize up to $41.5 million of our existing unrecognized tax benefits within the next twelve months as a result of the lapse of statutes of limitations and the resolution of examinations with various tax authorities.