8 – Income taxes

Income before taxes and minority interests (million €)

 

 

2nd Quarter

1st Half

 

 

2015

2014

2015

2014

Germany

 

774

430

1,174

977

Foreign

 

1,113

1,367

2,544

2,858

Income before taxes and minority interests

 

1,887

1,797

3,718

3,835

Income taxes

 

 

 

2nd Quarter

1st Half

 

 

 

2015

2014

2015

2014

Germany

 

million €

260

168

362

357

Foreign

 

million €

246

300

687

623

Income taxes

 

million €

506

468

1,049

980

Tax rate

 

%

26.8

26.0

28.2

25.6

The tax rate in the first half of 2015 increased compared with the same period of the previous year. This was especially the result of higher deferred taxes in the Oil & Gas segment in connection with the currency-driven increase in temporary differences to the values used for the calculation of taxable income in Norway. Furthermore, the lower amount of tax-free income led to an increase in the tax rate. The first half of 2014 had included tax-free special income from the sale of shares in non-BASF-operated oil and gas fields in the British North Sea to the MOL Group.

The slightly higher tax rate in the second quarter of 2015 was particularly attributable to effects from the previous second quarter. In the second quarter of 2014, benefits from the dissolution of tax obligations reduced the foreign tax rate, a development that was partly countered by income taxes on offshore lifting in Libya.