INCOME TAXES
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
INCOME TAXES
INCOME TAXES
The Company is treated as a partnership for income tax purposes and is therefore not subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes. APO Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, is subject to U.S. federal, state and local corporate income taxes. Certain other subsidiaries of the Company are subject to New York City Unincorporated Business Tax (“NYC UBT”) attributable to the Company’s operations apportioned to New York City. In addition, certain non-U.S. subsidiaries of the Company are subject to income taxes in their local jurisdictions.
The Company’s income tax provision totaled $29.7 million and $6.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and $62.5 million and $21.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. The Company’s effective tax rate was approximately 11.2% and 6.4% for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and approximately 9.8% and 6.1% for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively.
Under U.S. GAAP, a tax benefit from an uncertain tax position may be recognized when it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained upon examination, including resolutions of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. Based upon the Company’s review of its federal, state, local and foreign income tax returns and tax filing positions, the Company determined that no unrecognized tax benefits for uncertain tax positions were required to be recorded. In addition, the Company does not believe that it has any tax positions for which it is reasonably possible that it will be required to record significant amounts of unrecognized tax benefits within the next twelve months.
The Company’s primary jurisdictions in which it operates are the United States, New York State, New York City, California and the United Kingdom. In the normal course of business, the Company is subject to examination by federal and certain state, local and foreign tax authorities. With a few exceptions, as of September 30, 2016, the Company’s U.S. federal, state, local and foreign income tax returns for the years 2013 through 2016 are open under the general statute of limitations provisions and therefore subject to examination. Currently, the Internal Revenue Service is examining the tax return of a subsidiary for the 2012 tax year. The State and City of New York is examining certain subsidiaries’ tax returns for tax years 2011 to 2013.
The Company has recorded a deferred tax asset for the future amortization of tax basis intangibles as a result of the 2007 Reorganization. The Company recorded additional deferred tax assets as a result of the step-up in tax basis of intangibles from subsequent exchanges of AOG Units for Class A shares. A related tax receivable agreement liability was recorded in due to related parties in the condensed consolidated statements of financial condition for the expected payments under the tax receivable agreement entered into by and among APO Corp., the Managing Partners, the Contributing Partners, and other parties thereto (as amended, the “tax receivable agreement”) (see note 12). The increases in the deferred tax asset less the related liability resulted in increases to additional paid-in capital which were recorded in the condensed consolidated statements of changes in shareholders’ equity for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015. The amortization period for these tax basis intangibles is 15 years and the deferred tax assets will reverse over the same period.
Pursuant to an exchange agreement between Apollo, Holdings and the other parties thereto (as amended, the “Exchange Agreement”), the holders of the AOG Units (and certain permitted transferees thereof) may, upon notice and subject to the applicable vesting and minimum retained ownership requirements, transfer restrictions and other terms of the Exchange Agreement, exchange their AOG Units for the Company’s Class A shares on a one-for-one basis a limited number of times each year, subject to customary conversion rate adjustments for splits, distributions and reclassifications. Pursuant to the Exchange Agreement, a holder of AOG Units must simultaneously exchange one partnership unit in each of the Apollo Operating Group partnerships to effectuate an exchange for one Class A share. As a holder exchanges its AOG Units, the Company’s indirect interest in the Apollo Operating Group is correspondingly increased.
The tables below present the impact to the deferred tax asset, tax receivable agreement liability and additional paid-in capital related to the exchange of AOG Units for Class A shares during the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015.
 
 
For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016
Exchange of AOG Units
for Class A shares
 
Increase in Deferred Tax Asset
 
Increase in Tax Receivable Agreement Liability
 
Increase to Additional Paid In Capital
For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016
 
$
1,807

 
$
1,519

 
$
288


 
 
For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2015
Exchange of AOG Units
for Class A shares
 
Increase in Deferred Tax Asset
 
Increase in Tax Receivable Agreement Liability
 
Increase to Additional Paid In Capital
For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2015
 
$
60,648

 
$
44,534

 
$
16,114