rate programs, the Complementary System for Foreign Currency Administration (“SICAD”) rates. These SICAD rates were lower than the Official Rate that we had used historically to report the VEF based transactions and net monetary assets of our Venezuelan subsidiary. To determine which of the various VEF rates to use during fiscal 2014, we evaluated our individual facts and circumstances taking into consideration our legal ability to convert VEF at or to settle VEF based transactions using the SICAD rates, amongst other factors. We concluded that using the SICAD rates was the most appropriate for our reporting of our Venezuelan subsidiary’s VEF based transactions and net monetary assets in U.S. Dollars, which resulted in the $213 million of fiscal 2014 remeasurement losses referenced above. Future devaluations of the Venezuelan currency are not expected to have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements. As a large portion of our consolidated operations are international, we could experience additional foreign currency volatility and incur additional remeasurement losses in the future, the amounts and timing of which are unknown.

Fiscal 2013 Compared to Fiscal 2012:     On a constant currency basis, our non-operating income, net decreased in fiscal 2013 primarily due to an increase in foreign currency transaction losses, net, that included a foreign currency loss relating to our Venezuelan subsidiary’s operations. During our third quarter of fiscal 2013, the Venezuelan government devalued its currency and we recognized a $64 million foreign currency loss as a result of the remeasurement of certain assets and liabilities of our Venezuelan subsidiary. This decrease in non-operating income, net was partially offset by an increase in other income, net during fiscal 2013, which was primarily due to gains from our marketable securities that we designated as trading that were held to support our deferred compensation plan obligations.

Provision for Income Taxes:     Our effective tax rate in all periods is the result of the mix of income earned in various tax jurisdictions that apply a broad range of income tax rates. The provision for income taxes differs from the tax computed at the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate due primarily to earnings considered as indefinitely reinvested in foreign operations, state taxes, the U.S. research and development tax credit and the U.S. domestic production activity deduction. Future effective tax rates could be adversely affected if earnings are lower than anticipated in countries where we have lower statutory tax rates, by unfavorable changes in tax laws and regulations or by adverse rulings in tax related litigation.

 

Fiscal 2014 Compared to Fiscal 2013:     Provision for income taxes in fiscal 2014 decreased, relative to the provision for income taxes in fiscal 2013, due to a tax favorable change in the jurisdictional mix of our earnings and the effects of acquisition related settlements with tax authorities during fiscal 2014.

Fiscal 2013 Compared to Fiscal 2012:     Provision for income taxes in fiscal 2013 decreased slightly due to acquisition related items, the retroactive