(8)  Income Taxes

TripCo was included in the federal consolidated income tax return of Liberty prior to August 27, 2014. The tax provision included in these financial statements has been prepared on a stand-alone basis, as if TripCo was not part of the consolidated Liberty group. TripAdvisor, as a consolidated subsidiary for financial statement purposes, is not included in the Liberty consolidated group tax return and is not included in the TripCo consolidated group tax return subsequent to the Trip Spin-Off as TripCo owns less than 80% of TripAdvisor. Additionally, upon the completion of the Trip Spin-Off, the unused stand-alone net operating losses of BuySeasons was treated as a deemed equity distribution at that date. Furthermore, the income taxes payable allocated to TripCo by Liberty as of August 27, 2014 was treated as a deemed equity contribution of $29 million from Liberty upon completion of the Trip Spin-Off.

Income tax benefit (expense) consists of:

 

The following table presents a summary of our domestic and foreign earnings from continuing operations before income taxes:

 

Income tax benefit (expense) differs from the amounts computed by applying the U.S. federal income tax rate of 35% as a result of the following:

 

During 2015, the Company had income tax benefits from earnings in foreign jurisdictions taxed at rates lower than the 35% U.S. federal tax rate, partially offset by the recognition of deferred tax liabilities for basis differences in the stock of a consolidated subsidiary, changes in valuation allowance, and changes in unrecognized tax benefits. Included in the income tax benefits from earnings in foreign jurisdictions is a $13 million tax benefit recorded at TripAdvisor as a result of a favorable decision in a U.S tax court case issued in July 2015 related to the treatment of stock-based compensation in intercompany cost-sharing agreements.  

During 2014, the Company incurred aggregate income tax expense related to an increase in its estimate of the state effective tax rate used to measure its net deferred tax liabilities, based on a change to the Company’s estimated state apportionment factors and an increase in its unrecognized tax benefits. This income tax expense was partially offset with income tax benefits for earnings in foreign jurisdictions taxed at rates lower than the 35% U.S. federal tax rate.    

During 2013, the Company changed its estimate of the effective state tax rate used to measure its net deferred tax liabilities, based on expected changes to the Company’s state apportionment factors. The rate change required an adjustment to the recognized deferred taxes at the TripAdvisor level.

The tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of the deferred income tax assets and deferred income tax liabilities are presented below:

 

During the year ended December 31, 2015, there was a $7 million increase in the Company’s valuation allowance that affected tax expense and a  $7 million decrease in the valuation allowance due to the sale of a foreign subsidiary at TripAdvisor.  

TripAdvisor has not provided for deferred U.S. income taxes on undistributed earnings of certain foreign consolidated companies that it intends to reinvest permanently outside the United States; the total amount of such earnings as of December 31, 2015 was $759 million. Should these earnings be distributed or treated under certain U.S. tax rules as having distributed earnings of foreign consolidated companies in the form of dividends or otherwise, TripAdvisor may be subject to U.S. income taxes. Due to complexities in tax laws and various assumptions that would have to be made, it is not practicable at this time to estimate the amount of unrecognized deferred U.S. taxes on these earnings.

At December 31, 2015, the Company has a deferred tax asset of $89 million for federal, state, and foreign loss carryforwards.  Of this amount, $55 million is recorded at TripAdvisor.  If not utilized to reduce income tax liabilities at TripAdvisor in future periods, these loss carryforwards will expire at various times between 2016 and 2035.  The remaining deferred tax asset of $34 million relates to federal and state net operating loss carryforwards recorded at TripCo. If not utilized to reduce income tax liabilities at TripCo in future periods, these net operating loss carryforwards will expire at various times between 2021 and 2035.  The loss carryforwards recorded at TripAdvisor and TripCo are expected to be utilized prior to expiration, except for $6 million of state net operating losses and $17 million of foreign net operating losses (on a tax-effected basis), which based on current projections of state and foreign taxable income may expire unused.

As of December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 the Company had recorded tax reserves of $89 million, $67 million and $36 million, respectively, related to unrecognized tax benefits for uncertain tax positions, which is classified as long-term and included in other long-term liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets. Prior to the acquisition of a controlling interest in TripAdvisor in December 2012, the Company did not have any unrecognized tax benefits for uncertain tax positions. If the unrecognized tax benefits were to be recognized for financial statement purposes, approximately $53 million, $65 million and $19 million for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively, would be reflected in the Company’s tax expense and affect its effective tax rate. The Company’s estimate of its unrecognized tax benefits related to uncertain tax positions requires a high degree of judgment. The Company does not believe it is reasonably possible the gross unrecognized tax benefits may increase or be paid within the next twelve months.

A reconciliation of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows (amounts in millions):

 

 

As of December 31, 2015, Liberty’s 2001 through 2011 tax years are closed for federal income tax purposes, and the IRS has completed its examination of Liberty’s 2012 and 2013 tax years. The tax loss carryforwards from the 2010 through 2012 tax years are still subject to adjustment. Liberty’s 2014 tax year is being examined currently as part of the IRS’s Compliance Assurance Process (“CAP”) program, and TripCo’s 2014 and 2015 tax years are also being examined currently as part of the CAP program. As discussed earlier, because TripCo’s ownership of TripAdvisor is less than the required 80%, TripAdvisor does not consolidate with TripCo for federal income tax purposes.

Prior to December 2011, Trip Advisor was included in the consolidated federal income tax returns filed by Expedia. Expedia’s 2009 and 2010 tax years are currently being audited by the IRS. TripAdvisor and Expedia are parties to a tax sharing agreement whereby TripAdvisor is generally required to indemnify Expedia for any taxes resulting from the Expedia spin-off (and any related interest, penalties, legal and professional fees, and all costs and damages associated with related stockholder litigation or controversies) to the extent such amounts resulted from (i) any act or failure to act by TripAdvisor described in the covenants in the tax sharing agreement, (ii) any acquisition of TripAdvisor’s equity securities or assets or those of a member of its group, or (iii) any failure of the representations with respect to TripAdvisor or any member of its group to be true or any breach by TripAdvisor or any member of its group of any covenant, in each case, which is contained in the separation documents or in the documents relating to the IRS private letter ruling and/or the opinion of counsel.

TripAdvisor is undergoing an audit by the IRS for the 2012 and 2013 tax years. Various states are currently examining TripAdvisor’s prior year’s state income tax returns. TripAdvisor is no longer subject to tax examinations by tax authorities for years prior to 2007.  As of December 31, 2015, no material assessments have resulted.

As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company had recorded approximately $6 million and $4 million, respectively, of accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions.