Provision for Income Taxes
3 Months Ended
Mar. 29, 2015
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Provision for Income Taxes
Provision for Income Taxes

The provision for income taxes and related effective tax rates for the three months ended March 29, 2015 and March 30, 2014, respectively, were as follows:
 
Three months ended
Provision for Income Taxes
March 29,
2015
 
March 30,
2014
Current
$
6,959

 
$
650

Deferred
18,499

 
24,352

Total
$
25,458

 
$
25,002

 
 
 
 
Effective tax rate
38.0
%
 
38.0
%


Income taxes are accounted for in accordance with the authoritative guidance for accounting for income taxes under which deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the difference between their financial statement basis and tax basis, using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse.

During the three months ended March 29, 2015, there were no significant items impacting the provision for income taxes. During the three months ended March 30, 2014, state legislation was enacted which resulted in a benefit of $0.6 million to the provision for income taxes.

The Company regularly evaluates its deferred tax assets for future realization.  A valuation allowance is established when the Company believes that it is more likely than not that some portion of its deferred tax assets will not be realized.  Changes in valuation allowances from period to period are included in the Company's tax provision in the period of change.

As of March 29, 2015 and March 30, 2014, the Company maintained a valuation allowance for certain state net operating loss (“NOL”) carryovers, state tax credit carryovers and foreign loss carryovers. There was no change in the valuation allowance for either of the three month periods ended March 29, 2015 and March 30, 2014.

The Company is a loss corporation as defined by Internal Revenue Code (“the Code”) Section 382. Section 382 places an annual limitation on our ability to use our Net Operating Loss carryovers (NOLs) and other attributes to reduce future taxable income. The September 12, 2014 secondary offering resulted in an ownership change that placed an annual limitation of approximately $94.0 million on approximately $230.8 million of our federal NOL carryovers which previously were not subject to an annual limitation. The annual limitation which applies to our federal NOLs before the ownership change is approximately $17.0 million to $23.0 million. The Company does not anticipate that the new limitation will impact the realization of the NOL carryovers. Each of the NOL limitations is subject to adjustment for certain built in gain recognition items (as defined in Section 382 of the Code), subject to other rules and restrictions.