(9)                     Income Taxes

Interim income taxes are based on an estimated annualized effective tax rate applied to the respective quarterly periods, adjusted for discrete tax items in the period in which they occur. For the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, the Company’s provision (benefit) for income taxes, as a percentage of income before income taxes was (59.6) percent and 33.1 percent, respectively, compared with a U.S. federal statutory rate of 35.0 percent.

The difference between the effective tax rate and the U.S. federal statutory tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2014 was primarily attributed to foreign tax credits arising from intercompany dividends of $21,500 paid by foreign subsidiaries to the U.S. corporation. This discrete first quarter item resulted in an income tax benefit of $6,720 for the three months ended March 31, 2014.

The difference between the effective tax rate and the U.S. federal statutory tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2013 was primarily attributed to net favorable foreign items related to foreign tax rate differences, the impact of unremitted earnings, and adjustments to foreign valuation allowances (-9.7 percent), offset, in part, by an increase in tax liabilities associated with uncertain tax positions (7.7 percent).

Changes to the effective rate due to dividends received from foreign subsidiaries, impact of foreign tax credits and the unremitted earnings calculation are expected to be recurring, although it is unlikely that these items will again have an impact as large as what occurred in the three months ended March 31, 2014. Depending on various factors, changes from the foregoing items may be favorable or unfavorable in a particular period.

The Company’s U.S. federal income tax returns for 2009 through 2012 are open to examination for federal tax purposes. The Company has several foreign tax jurisdictions that have open tax years from 2007 through 2013. The Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) is currently conducting an audit of the Company’s U.S. federal income tax returns for the 2009 through 2011 tax years.

As of March 31, 2014, the Company had accrued $12,349 of liabilities related to unrecognized tax benefits compared with $12,402, as of December 31, 2013. This net decrease was primarily attributed to the Venezuela currency devaluation, partially offset by an increase in transfer pricing contingencies, including increases in penalties and interest.

Although the Company believes its estimates are reasonable, the Company can make no assurance that the final tax outcome of these matters will not be different from that which it has reflected in its historical income tax provisions and accruals.  Such differences could have a material impact on the Company’s income tax provision and operating results in the period in which the Company makes such determination.