NOTE 7. Income Taxes

The Company recorded an income tax benefit of $5 million in the third quarter of 2011 and an income tax provision of $1 million in the third quarter of 2010. The Company did not record any income tax provision for the nine months ended October 1, 2011 and recorded an income tax benefit of $4 million for the nine months ended September 25, 2010.

In the third quarter of 2011, the income tax benefit of $5 million was due to the reversal of $6 million of unrecognized tax benefits primarily due to a favorable audit resolution in a foreign jurisdiction, $1 million of U.S. tax benefits from the monetization U.S. tax credits and $1 million of Canadian tax benefits from co-op tax credits offset by $3 million of foreign taxes in profitable locations. In the third quarter of 2010, the income tax provision of $1 million was due to foreign taxes in profitable locations of $3 million offset by a discrete tax benefit of $2 million for an alternative minimum tax (AMT) net operating loss carryback in the U.S. The Company did not record any income tax provision in the first nine months of 2011 due to foreign taxes in profitable locations of $10 million offset by the reversal of $6 million of unrecognized tax benefits, $3 million of U.S. tax benefits from the monetization of U.S. tax credits and $1 million of Canadian tax benefits from co-op tax credits. The income tax benefit of $4 million recorded in the first nine months of 2010 was due to research and development tax credit monetization benefits, a tax benefit for an AMT net operating loss carryback in the U.S. and the reversal of unrecognized tax benefits, partially offset by foreign taxes in profitable locations.

As of October 1, 2011, substantially all of the Company's U.S. deferred tax assets, net of deferred tax liabilities, continued to be subject to a valuation allowance. The realization of these assets is dependent on substantial future taxable income which at October 1, 2011, in management's estimate, is not more likely than not to be achieved.

The Company's gross unrecognized tax benefits decreased by $10 million during the third quarter of 2011 primarily due to a favorable audit resolution in a foreign jurisdiction and fluctuations in foreign exchange rates. The total gross unrecognized tax benefits as of October 1, 2011 were approximately $68 million. The Company has now recognized $5 million of liabilities for unrecognized tax benefits as of October 1, 2011. The net impact on the effective tax rate for the decrease in gross unrecognized tax benefits in the third quarter of 2011 was a decrease of $6 million. There were no material changes to penalties in the third quarter of 2011. Accrued interest decreased by $2 million in the third quarter of 2011 associated with a favorable audit resolution in a foreign jurisdiction.

During the 12 months beginning October 2, 2011, the Company does not believe it is reasonably possible that its unrecognized tax benefits will materially change.