Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Income Taxes

v3.20.4
Income Taxes
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes Income Taxes
There is no current U.S. federal income tax provision, as all federal taxable income was offset by utilizing U.S. federal net operating loss carryforwards.  The current state income tax provision is primarily related to taxable income in certain states that have suspended or limited the ability to use net operating loss carryforwards or where net operating losses have been fully utilized.  Income tax expense is the sum of current income tax plus the change in deferred tax assets and liabilities.
We file a consolidated federal income tax return for all of our wholly owned subsidiaries, including Sirius XM and Pandora. Income tax expense consisted of the following:
  For the Years Ended December 31,
  2020 2019 2018
Current taxes:      
Federal $ —  $ —  $ — 
State (61) (24) 12 
Total current taxes (61) (24) 12 
Deferred taxes:      
Federal (219) (229) (259)
State (19) (30) 2 
Total deferred taxes (238) (259) (257)
Total income tax expense $ (299) $ (283) $ (245)
The following table presents a reconciliation of the U.S. federal statutory tax rate and our effective tax rate:
  For the Years Ended December 31,
  2020 2019 2018
Federal tax expense, at statutory rate 21.0  % 21.0  % 21.0  %
State income tax expense, net of federal benefit 4.2  % 3.9  % 3.6  %
Change in valuation allowance 0.7  % 0.3  % 1.0  %
Tax credits (10.2) % (2.7) % (6.8) %
Share-based compensation (3.5) % (2.4) % (3.1) %
Impact of nondeductible compensation 2.6  % 1.6  % 0.7  %
Automatic worthless stock deduction (3.5) % —  % —  %
Goodwill impairment 53.7  % —  % —  %
Uncertain tax positions 4.4  % —  % —  %
Other, net 0.1  % 1.9  % 0.8  %
Effective tax rate 69.5  % 23.6  % 17.2  %
Our effective tax rate of 69.5% for the year ended December 31, 2020 was primarily impacted by the nondeductible Pandora goodwill impairment charge, partially offset by the recognition of excess tax benefits related to share-based compensation, a benefit related to state and federal research and development and certain other credits and a worthless stock deduction associated with the termination of the Automatic service. Our effective tax rate of 23.6% for the year ended December 31, 2019 was primarily impacted by the recognition of excess tax benefits related to share-based compensation and benefits related to state and federal research and development and certain other credits, partially offset by the impact of nondeductible compensation.  Our effective tax rate of 17.2% for the year ended December 31, 2018 was primarily impacted by the recognition of excess tax benefits related to share-based compensation and a benefit related to state and federal research and development credits. 
Deferred income taxes are recognized for the tax consequences related to temporary differences between the carrying amount of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for tax purposes at each year-end, based on enacted tax laws and statutory tax rates applicable to the periods in which the differences are expected to affect taxable
income. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences can be carried forward under tax law.  Our evaluation of the realizability of deferred tax assets considers both positive and negative evidence, including historical financial performance, scheduled reversal of deferred tax assets and liabilities, projected taxable income and tax planning strategies.  The weight given to the potential effects of positive and negative evidence is based on the extent to which it can be objectively verified.  A valuation allowance is recognized when, based on the weight of all available evidence, it is considered more likely than not that all, or some portion, of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.
The tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities, shown before jurisdictional netting, are presented below:
  For the Years Ended December 31,
  2020 2019
Deferred tax assets:    
Net operating loss carryforwards and tax credits $ 745  $ 1,010 
Deferred revenue 62  81 
Accrued bonus 29  34 
Expensed costs capitalized for tax 11  14 
Investments 21  22 
Stock based compensation 74  72 
Operating lease liability 118  126 
Total deferred tax assets 1,060  1,359 
Deferred tax liabilities:    
Depreciation of property and equipment (237) (228)
FCC license (521) (519)
Other intangible assets (292) (340)
Right of use asset (106) (116)
Other (5) (3)
Total deferred tax liabilities (1,161) (1,206)
Net deferred tax assets before valuation allowance (101) 153 
Valuation allowance (54) (70)
Total net deferred tax (liability) asset $ (155) $ 83 
Net operating loss carryforwards and tax credits decreased as a result of the utilization of net operating losses related to current year taxable income. For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, we recorded $44 and $33 for state and federal tax credits, respectively. As of December 31, 2020, our gross federal net operating loss carryforwards were approximately $1,354. We expect to utilize a majority of our federal income tax credits, which consist of research and development tax credits, refined coal credits and foreign tax credits, by December 31, 2022.
As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, we had a valuation allowance related to deferred tax assets of $54 and $70, respectively, which were not likely to be realized due to the timing of certain federal and state net operating loss limitations. During the year ended December 31, 2020, our allowance decreased primarily due to the expiration of unused federal research and development credit carryforwards.
ASC 740, Income Taxes, requires a company to first determine whether it is more likely than not that a tax position will be sustained based on its technical merits as of the reporting date, assuming that taxing authorities will examine the position and have full knowledge of all relevant information.  A tax position that meets this more likely than not threshold is then measured and recognized at the largest amount of benefit that is greater than fifty percent likely to be realized upon effective settlement with a taxing authority.  If the tax position is not more likely than not to be sustained, the gross amount of the unrecognized tax position will not be recorded in the financial statements but will be shown in tabular format within the uncertain income tax positions. Changes in recognition or measurement are reflected in the period in which the change in judgment occurs due to the
following conditions: (1) the tax position is “more likely than not” to be sustained, (2) the tax position, amount, and/or timing is ultimately settled through negotiation or litigation, or (3) the statute of limitations for the tax position has expired.  A number of years may elapse before an uncertain tax position is effectively settled or until there is a lapse in the applicable statute of limitations.  We record interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions in Income tax expense in our consolidated statements of comprehensive income.
As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, we had unrecognized tax benefits and uncertain tax positions of $433 and $406, respectively.  If recognized, $310 of unrecognized tax benefits would affect our effective tax rate.  Uncertain tax positions are recognized in Other long-term liabilities which, as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, were $30 and $12, respectively, including accrued interest.   
We have state income tax audits pending.  We do not expect the ultimate outcome of these audits to have a material adverse effect on our financial position or results of operations.  We also do not currently anticipate that our existing reserves related to uncertain tax positions as of December 31, 2020 will significantly increase or decrease during the year ending December 31, 2021. Various events could cause our current expectations to change. Should our position with respect to the majority of these uncertain tax positions be upheld, the effect would be recorded in our consolidated statements of comprehensive income as part of the income tax provision.  We recorded interest expense of $6 and $2 for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, related to unrecognized tax benefits.
Changes in our unrecognized tax benefits and uncertain tax positions from January 1 through December 31 are set forth below:
  2020 2019
Balance, beginning of year $ 406  $ 387 
Increases in tax positions for prior years 14  — 
Increases in tax positions for current year 20  31 
Decreases in tax positions for prior years (7) (12)
Balance, end of year $ 433  $ 406