$0.2 million, respectively. Excluding acquisition-related transaction costs and the pension settlement cost from the prior year, Corporate SG&A decreased $0.1 million, as reduced pension costs offset increases in other expenses.
Interest expense, net
Interest expense, net of $6.2 million for the six months ended December 31, 2017, decreased $1.6 million, or 21%, as compared to the six months ended December 31, 2016. Interest expense decreased $2.2 million compared to the prior year, primarily due to lower interest rates in the new Credit Facilities completed in June 2017. Interest income decreased $0.6 million due to less interest income on deposits in foreign jurisdictions.
Foreign currency (gains) losses, net
Foreign currency (gains) losses, net for the six months ended December 31, 2017, amounted to net losses of less than $0.1 million, as compared to $0.2 million in net gains for the six months ended December 31, 2016. Foreign currency losses in the six months ended December 31, 2017, were primarily due to the movement of the Brazilian, South African and Mexican currencies relative to the U.S. dollar. Foreign currency gains and losses primarily arise from intercompany balances.
Provision (benefit) for income taxes
The provision for income taxes was $17.2 million and $11.3 million for the six months ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. The effective income tax rates for these periods were 42.9% and 30.6%, respectively. The provision for income taxes for the six months ended December 31, 2017 included the following discrete items:
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a $2.5 million provision for the remeasurement of deferred tax assets and liabilities to reflect the reduced income tax rate;
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a $4.2 million provision to reflect the mandatory toll charge imposed by the Tax Act on the deemed repatriation of undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries;
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a $0.5 million provision to eliminate the income taxes remaining in AOCI after all related foreign currency derivatives had matured and were completely cleared from AOCI;
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a $1.0 million provision for the remeasurement of deferred tax assets to reflect a reduced income tax rate in certain international jurisdictions;
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a $2.4 million net benefit from the exercise of employee stock options, including a $0.5 million provision to adjust the benefit recognized in the three months ended September 30, 2017, to the reduced income tax rate.
The effective income tax rate for the six months ended December 31, 2017 would have been 28.3% without these discrete items.
Net income
Net income of $22.9 million for the six months ended December 31, 2017, decreased $2.7 million, as compared to net income of $25.6 million for the six months ended December 31, 2016. The decrease was a result of the factors described above, primarily due to a $5.9 million increase in income tax expense.
Adjusted EBITDA
Adjusted EBITDA of $62.6 million for the six months ended December 31, 2017, increased $1.6 million, or 3%, as compared to the six months ended December 31, 2016. Animal Health Adjusted EBITDA increased $1.6 million, or 2%, due to sales growth and increased gross profit, partially offset by increased SG&A. Mineral Nutrition Adjusted EBITDA increased $0.6 million, or 7%, due to favorable mix