need for and amount of the valuation allowance. 

The Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") has completed its field audit of the Company's federal income tax returns for the years 2002 through 2003 and proposed certain adjustments. The Company intends to contest certain of these adjustments through the IRS Appeals Office. All IRS audit issues for years prior to 2002 have been resolved. In addition, the Company is subject to audits by state, local, and foreign tax authorities. Management believes that adequate provision has been made for any adjustments that may result from tax examinations. However, the outcome of tax audits cannot be predicted with certainty. Should any issues addressed in the Company's tax audits be resolved in a manner not consistent with management's expectations, the Company could be required to adjust its provision for income tax in the period such resolution occurs. 

Recent Accounting Pronouncements 

In February 2007, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued SFAS No. 159, The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities-including an amendment of FASB Statement No. 115 ("SFAS No. 159"). SFAS No. 159 allows companies to choose to elect measuring eligible financial instruments and certain other items at fair value that are not required to be measured at fair value.



No. 159 requires that unrealized gains and losses on items for which the fair value option has been elected be reported in earnings at each reporting date. SFAS No. 159 is effective for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007 and is required to be adopted by the Company beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2009. Although the Company will continue to evaluate the application of SFAS No. 159, management does not currently believe adoption will have a material impact on the Company's financial condition or operating results. 

In September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 157, Fair Value Measurements, which defines fair value, provides a framework for measuring fair value, and expands the disclosures required for fair value measurements. SFAS No. 157 applies to other accounting pronouncements that require fair value measurements; it does not require any new fair value measurements. SFAS No. 157 is effective for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007 and is required to be adopted by the Company beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2009. Although the Company will continue to evaluate the application of SFAS No. 157, management does not currently believe adoption will have a material impact on the Company's financial condition or operating results. 

In June 2006, the FASB issued FASB Interpretation No. ("FIN") 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes-an Interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109 . FIN 48 clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes by creating a framework for how companies should recognize, measure, present, and disclose in their financial statements uncertain tax positions that they have taken or expect to take in a tax return. FIN 48 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2006 and is required to be adopted by the Company beginning in the first quarter of