Note 12. Income Taxes:

The Company’s effective income tax rate for the second quarter of fiscal 2020 and 2019 was 20.4% and 19.3% of consolidated earnings before income taxes, and 20.3% and 11.2% for the first six months of fiscal 2020 and 2019, respectively. The change in the company’s tax rate for the quarter and six months ended December 31, 2019 compared to the quarter and six months ended December 31, 2018 were driven by changes in the composition and amount of the Company’s taxable income in fiscal 2020 resulting from the gain on our CCXI investment and discrete tax items.

The Company recognized total net benefits related to discrete tax items of $5.4 million and $6.7 million during the quarter and six months ended December 31, 2019, respectively, compared to $1.1 million and $5.3 million during the quarter and six months ended December 31, 2018, respectively. Share-based compensation excess tax benefit contributed $3.7 million and $7.0 million in the quarter and six months ended December 31, 2019, respectively, compared to $0.3 million and $3.7 million in the quarter and six months, ended December 31, 2018, respectively. The Company recognized total other immaterial net discrete tax benefits of $1.7 million in the quarter ended December 31, 2019 and a net discrete tax expense of $0.3 million in the six months ended December 31, 2019 compared to $0.8 million and $1.6 million of other immaterial net discrete tax benefits in the quarter and six months ended December 31, 2018, respectively.

The Company continues to monitor changes in interpretations, assumptions guidance, and additional regulations regarding the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”), which was enacted on December 22, 2017. The Company recognizes potential changes to these items could have a material impact on our effective tax rate in future periods.