v3.25.2
Income Taxes
6 Months Ended
Jul. 27, 2025
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes Income Taxes
Income tax expense was $4.8 billion and $2.6 billion for the second quarter, and $7.9 billion and $5.0 billion for the first half, of fiscal years 2026 and 2025, respectively. Income tax as a percentage of income before income tax was an expense of 15.3% and 13.6% for the second quarter, and 14.9% and 13.7% for the first half, of fiscal years 2026 and 2025, respectively.
The effective tax rate increased primarily due to a lower tax benefit from stock-based compensation, partially offset by an increase in tax benefit from foreign-derived deduction eligible income.
Our effective tax rates for the first half of fiscal years 2026 and 2025 were lower than the U.S. federal statutory rate of 21% primarily due to tax benefits from foreign-derived deduction eligible income, stock-based compensation, income earned in jurisdictions that are subject to taxes at rates lower than the U.S. federal statutory tax rate, and the U.S. federal research tax credit.
In July 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) was enacted into law and contains several changes to key U.S. federal income tax laws. As of July 27, 2025, we have recognized the tax effects of certain OBBBA provisions, which did not have a material impact on our second quarter.
Given our current and possible future earnings, we believe that we may release the valuation allowance associated with certain state deferred tax assets in the near term, which would decrease our income tax expense for the period the release is recorded. The timing and amount of the valuation allowance release could vary based on our assessment of all available information.
While we believe that we have adequately provided for all uncertain tax positions, or tax positions where we believe it is not more-likely-than-not that the position will be sustained upon review, amounts asserted by tax authorities could be greater or less than our accrued position. Accordingly, our provisions on federal, state and foreign tax related matters to be recorded in the future may change as revised estimates are made or the underlying matters are settled or otherwise resolved with the respective tax authorities.