Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Income Taxes

v3.6.0.2
Income Taxes
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes
Income Taxes
Income (loss) before income taxes is summarized below:
 
Year Ended December 31,
Dollars in thousands
2016
 
2015
 
2014
United States
$
(131,106
)
 
$
(77,368
)
 
$
37,547

Foreign
(25,538
)
 
5,397

 
10,990

 
$
(156,644
)
 
$
(71,971
)
 
$
48,537


Income tax expense (benefit) is summarized as follows:
 
Year Ended December 31,
Dollars in thousands
2016
 
2015
 
2014
Current:
 
 
 
 
 
United States:
 
 
 
 
 
Federal
$
(1,921
)
 
$
2,485

 
$
(3,079
)
State
(9
)
 
365

 
5,335

Foreign
7,038

 
16,754

 
20,311

 
 
 
 
 
 
Deferred:
 
 
 
 
 
United States:
 
 
 
 
 
Federal
64,066

 
(141
)
 
4,703

State
(47
)
 
(4,769
)
 
(379
)
Foreign
5,043

 
7,619

 
(2,815
)
 
$
74,170

 
$
22,313

 
$
24,076


Total income tax expense differs from the amount computed by multiplying income before income taxes by the U.S. federal income tax statutory rate. The reasons for this difference are as follows:
 
Year Ended December 31,
 
2016
 
2015
 
2014
Dollars in thousands
Amount
 
% of Pre-Tax
Income
 
Amount
 
% of Pre-Tax
Income
 
Amount
 
% of Pre-Tax
Income
Computed Expected Tax Expense (Benefit)
$
(54,825
)
 
35.0
 %
 
$
(25,190
)
 
35.0
 %
 
$
16,988

 
35.0
 %
Foreign Taxes
12,688

 
(8.1
)%
 
16,043

 
(22.3
)%
 
11,221

 
23.1
 %
Tax Effect Different From Statutory Rates
(3,629
)
 
2.3
 %
 
(2,729
)
 
3.8
 %
 
(3,389
)
 
(7.0
)%
State Taxes, net of federal benefit
(849
)
 
0.5
 %
 
(4,544
)
 
6.3
 %
 
3,117

 
6.4
 %
Foreign Tax Credits
20

 
 %
 
(5,566
)
 
7.7
 %
 
(3,043
)
 
(6.3
)%
Change in Valuation Allowance
117,707

 
(75.1
)%
 
40,676

 
(56.5
)%
 
2,800

 
5.8
 %
Uncertain Tax Positions
(726
)
 
0.5
 %
 
(81
)
 
0.1
 %
 
(1,125
)
 
(2.3
)%
Permanent Differences
1,442

 
(0.9
)%
 
1,696

 
(2.4
)%
 
676

 
1.4
 %
Prior Year Return to Provision Adjustments
2,078

 
(1.3
)%
 
1,555

 
(2.1
)%
 
(2,618
)
 
(5.4
)%
Other
264

 
(0.2
)%
 
453

 
(0.6
)%
 
(551
)
 
(1.1
)%
Actual Tax Expense
$
74,170

 
(47.3
)%
 
$
22,313

 
(31.0
)%
 
$
24,076

 
49.6
 %
The components of the Company’s deferred tax assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 are shown below:
 
December 31,
Dollars in thousands
2016
 
2015
Deferred tax assets
 
 
 
Deferred tax assets:
 
 
 
Federal net operating loss carryforwards
120,986

 
63,607

State net operating loss carryforwards
7,168

 
5,839

Other state deferred tax asset, net
2,646

 
3,170

Foreign Tax Credits
46,859

 
45,751

FIN 48
883

 
1,789

Foreign tax
29,791

 
27,861

Asset Impairment
27,165

 
33,723

Accruals not currently deductible for tax purposes
1,657

 
4,315

Deferred compensation
3,424

 
3,487

Other
863

 
845

Gross long-term deferred tax assets
241,442

 
190,387

Valuation Allowance
(171,133
)
 
(51,105
)
Net deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowance
70,309

 
139,282

Deferred tax liabilities:
 
 
 
Deferred tax liabilities:
 
 
 
Property, Plant and equipment
(64,256
)
 
(59,879
)
Foreign tax local
490

 
(3,169
)
Other state deferred tax liability, net
(5,567
)
 
(5,606
)
Gross deferred tax liabilities
(69,333
)
 
(68,654
)
Net deferred tax asset
$
976

 
$
70,628


As part of the process of preparing the consolidated financial statements, the Company is required to determine its provision for income taxes. This process involves estimating the annual effective tax rate and the nature and measurements of temporary and permanent differences resulting from differing treatment of items for tax and accounting purposes. These differences and the operating loss and tax credit carryforwards result in deferred tax assets and liabilities. In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that all or a portion of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income of appropriate character in each taxing jurisdiction during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. Management considers the weight of available evidence, both positive and negative, including the scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities (including the impact of available carryback and carryforward periods), projected future taxable income, and tax planning strategies in making this assessment. To the extent the Company believes that it does not meet the test that recovery is more likely than not, it establishes a valuation allowance. To the extent that the Company establishes a valuation allowance or changes this allowance in a period, it adjusts the tax provision or tax benefit in the consolidated statement of operations. We use our judgment in determining provisions or benefits for income taxes, and any valuation allowance recorded against previously established deferred tax assets. We have measured the value of our deferred tax assets for the year ended December 31, 2016 based on the cumulative weight of positive and negative evidence that exists as of the date of the financial statements.  Should the cumulative weight of all available positive and negative evidence change in the forecast period, the expectation of realization of deferred tax assets existing as of December 31, 2016 and prospectively may change.
The 2016 results include an increase in our valuation allowance of $117.7 million primarily related to U.S. and certain foreign net operating losses and other deferred tax assets. We established the valuation allowance based on the weight of available evidence, both positive and negative, including results of recent and current operations and our estimates of future taxable income or loss by jurisdiction in which we operate. In order to determine the amount of deferred tax assets or liabilities, as well as the valuation allowances, we must make estimates and assumptions regarding future taxable income, where rigs will be deployed and other business considerations. Changes in these estimates and assumptions, including changes in tax laws and other changes impacting our ability to recognize the underlying deferred tax assets, could require us to adjust the valuation allowances.
The 2015 results include income tax benefits of $24.7 million for depreciation and amortization relating to our two arctic-class drilling rigs in Alaska. In addition, we increased our valuation allowance by $40.6 million primarily due to U.S. foreign tax credits and certain foreign net operating losses.
A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:
Dollars in thousands
 
Balance at January 1, 2016
$
(7,837
)
Additions based on tax positions taken during a prior period
(992
)
Reductions related to settlement of tax matters
2,740

Reductions based on tax positions taken during a prior period
1,461

Balance at December 31, 2016
$
(4,628
)

In many cases, our uncertain tax positions are related to tax years that remain subject to examination by tax authorities. The following describes the open tax years, by major tax jurisdiction, as of December 31, 2016:
Kazakhstan
2007-present
Mexico
2011-present
Russia
2013-present
United States — Federal
2009-present
United Kingdom
2013-present

At December 31, 2016, we had a liability for unrecognized tax benefits of $4.6 million (all of which, if recognized, would favorably impact our effective tax rate), on which no payments were made during 2016.
The Company recognized interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions in income tax expense. As of December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015 we had approximately $1.9 million and $3.4 million of accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions, respectively. We recognized a decrease of $0.8 million of interest and $0.7 million penalties on unrecognized tax benefits for the year ended December 31, 2016.
As of December 31, 2016, the Company has permanently reinvested accumulated undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries and, therefore, has not recorded a deferred tax liability related to subject earnings. Upon distribution of additional earnings in the form of dividends or otherwise, we could be subject to U.S. income taxes and foreign withholding taxes. It is not practicable to determine precisely the amount of taxes that may be payable on the eventual remittance of these earnings due to many factors, including application of foreign tax credits, levels of accumulated earnings and profits at the time of remittance, and the sources of earnings remitted.