Income Taxes |
9 Months Ended |
|---|---|
Sep. 30, 2026 | |
| Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract] | |
| Income Taxes | Income Taxes For the three months ended September 30, 2026, we reported an effective tax rate of 23.2%, which was higher than the 21.0% U.S. federal corporate statutory rate, due primarily to the impact of foreign rate differential and nondeductible expenses primarily in connection with executive compensation limitations, partially offset by adjustments to prior-year income tax provisions based on amounts reflected in filed income tax returns and the expiration of statutes of limitations on certain prior year uncertain tax positions. For the three months ended September 30, 2025, we reported an effective tax rate of 33.3%, which was higher than the 21.0% U.S. federal corporate statutory rate, primarily due to the foreign rate differential, the impact of nondeductible expenses mainly in connection with executive compensation limitations and the cumulative impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (“OBBBA”) partially offset by excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation. For the nine months ended September 30, 2026, we reported an effective tax rate of 15.6%, which was lower than the 21.0% U.S. federal corporate statutory rate, due primarily to the non-taxable gain on our acquisition of a majority equity interest in Trans Union de Mexico and a benefit from the elimination of a deferred tax liability on our Cost Method Investment upon obtaining control as further discussed in Note 2, “Business Acquisitions," and benefits from the remeasurement of deferred taxes due to changes in state apportionment rates as a result of legal entity mergers. For the nine months ended September 30, 2025, we reported an effective tax rate of 27.0%, which was higher than the 21.0% U.S. federal corporate statutory rate, primarily due to the impact of nondeductible expenses mainly in connection with executive compensation limitations, the foreign rate differential and the cumulative impact of the OBBBA, partially offset by the impact of the benefit to legal and regulatory expenses from the reduction of an accrued liability to zero for the dismissal of a lawsuit previously treated as nondeductible. The gross amount of unrecognized tax benefits, which excludes indirect tax effects, was $43.1 million as of September 30, 2026, and $44.3 million as of December 31, 2025. The amounts that would affect the effective tax rate if recognized were $31.7 million as of September 30, 2026 and $33.8 million as of December 31, 2025. We classify interest and penalties as income tax expense in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and their associated liabilities as other liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Interest and penalties on unrecognized tax benefits were $23.7 million as of September 30, 2026 and $21.6 million as of December 31, 2025. We are regularly audited by federal, state and foreign taxing authorities. Given the uncertainties inherent in the audit process, it is reasonably possible that certain audits could result in a significant increase or decrease in the total amounts of unrecognized tax benefits. An estimate of the range of the increase or decrease in unrecognized tax benefits due to audit results cannot be made at this time. Tax years 2007 and forward remain open for examination in some foreign jurisdictions, 2012 and forward for U.S. federal income tax purposes and 2017 and forward in some U.S. state jurisdictions.
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