INCOME TAXES |
9 Months Ended |
|---|---|
Sep. 30, 2017 | |
| Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract] | |
| INCOME TAXES |
INCOME TAXES
We are subject to U.S. federal, state and international income taxes. We are generally no longer subject to federal, state, or international income tax examinations by tax authorities for years before 2014 with few exceptions. Due to the potential for resolution of state and foreign examinations, and the expiration of various statutes of limitations, it is reasonably possible that our gross unrecognized tax benefit balance may change within the next twelve months by a range of $0 to $3.6 million.
Effective Tax Rate. Our effective income tax rate was 26.1% and 29.1% for the three months ended September 30, 2017 and September 30, 2016, respectively. Our effective income tax rate was 26.2% and 32.1% for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and September 30, 2016, respectively. The decrease in our effective income tax rate is primarily attributable to the adoption of the new stock-based compensation guidance prospectively adopted in the first quarter of 2017 that requires the recognition of the income tax effects of awards in the income statement when the awards vest or are settled. These amounts were previously recognized in additional paid-in-capital. Additionally, for the first nine months of 2017, the rate is lower due to adjustments for uncertain tax positions related to the first quarter 2017 settlement of an income tax audit.
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