Note J – Income Taxes

The effective income tax rate for the first nine months of 2015 was 23.5% compared with 22.4% in the first nine months of 2014. The first nine months of 2015 included a net discrete tax benefit of $29.0 million, which included $33.7 million of tax benefits related to the settlement of tax audits and $5.0 million of discrete tax expense related to the effects of tax rate changes. The $29.0 million tax benefit in 2015 reduced the effective income tax rate by 2.4%. The first nine months of 2014 included a net discrete tax benefit of $17.7 million, which included $4.1 million of prior year refund claims and $10.1 million of net tax benefits related to the realization of previously unrecognized tax benefits and interest, reducing the effective income tax rate by 1.5%. Without discrete items, the effective income tax rate for the first nine months of 2015 increased by 2.0% compared with the 2014 period primarily due to i) a lower percentage of projected foreign earnings for 2015, reflecting the impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates, ii) the expiration of a favorable tax ruling in a foreign jurisdiction at the end of fiscal year 2014, and iii) the comparative impact of tax benefits recorded in 2014 related to the utilization of foreign tax attributes.

VF files a consolidated U.S. federal income tax return, as well as separate and combined income tax returns in numerous state and foreign jurisdictions. In the U.S., the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) examinations for tax years 2007 through 2011 were effectively settled during the first half of 2015. Additionally, tax years prior to 2007 were effectively settled with the IRS in prior years. During the second quarter of 2014, the IRS completed its examination of Timberland’s 2010 tax return. The examination of Timberland’s 2011 tax return is ongoing. The IRS has proposed adjustments to Timberland’s 2011 tax return that would significantly impact the timing of cash tax payments and assessment of interest charges. The Company has formally disagreed with the proposed adjustments and, during the third quarter of 2015, VF filed a petition to the U.S. Tax Court to begin the process of resolving this matter. In addition, VF is currently subject to examination by various state and international tax authorities. Management regularly assesses the potential outcomes of both ongoing and future examinations for the current and prior years, and has concluded that VF’s provision for income taxes is adequate. The outcome of any one examination is not expected to have a material impact on VF’s consolidated financial statements. Management believes that some of these audits and negotiations will conclude during the next 12 months.

During the first nine months of 2015, the amount of net unrecognized tax benefits and associated interest decreased by $26.1 million to $81.4 million. Management believes that it is reasonably possible that the amount of unrecognized income tax benefits and interest may decrease during the next 12 months by approximately $27.3 million related to the completion of examinations and other settlements with tax authorities and the expiration of statutes of limitations, of which $21.4 million would reduce income tax expense.