Income Taxes

The components of income (loss) before provision for income taxes are as follows:



	Year Ended September 30,
	2016			2015			2014
	(dollars in thousands)
Domestic	$	2,100		$	94		$	278
Foreign	(7,550		)	(4,901		)	(13,327		)
	$	(5,450	)	$	(4,807	)	$	(13,049	)

The components of the provision (benefit) for income taxes are as follows:



	Year Ended September 30,
	2016		2015			2014
	(dollars in thousands)
Current:
Domestic Federal	$	530	$	(320	)	$	370
Foreign	500		500			530
Foreign withholding taxes	280		1,240			—
Domestic state	110		—			80
Total current	1,420		1,420			980

Deferred:
Domestic Federal	1,680		720			(490		)
Foreign	—		(210		)	750
Domestic state	—		(20		)	—
Total deferred	1,680		490			260
Total provision	$	3,100	$	1,910		$	1,240

A reconciliation of actual income taxes to income taxes at the expected United States federal corporate income tax rate of thirty-four percent is as follows:



	Year Ended September 30,
	2016			2015			2014
	(dollars in thousands)
Tax benefit at the U.S. rate	$	(1,890	)	$	(1,630	)	$	(4,440	)
Effect of permanent book-tax differences	1,120			(1,570		)	30
State tax provision	110			(40		)	80
Valuation allowance for net deferred tax assets	2,690			2,490			3,900
Uncertain tax items	350			330			370
Foreign tax rate differential	1,050			1,890			1,000
Other items	(330		)	440			300
	$	3,100		$	1,910		$	1,240

Deferred income taxes reflect the tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying value of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. The tax effects of temporary book-tax differences that give rise to significant portions of the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liability are as follows:



	Year Ended September 30,
	2016			2015			2014
	(dollars in thousands)
Deferred tax assets - current:
Capitalized inventory costs	$	270		$	340		$	230
Inventory write-downs	2,460			4,840			950
Accrued warranty	160			280			180
Deferred profits	1,180			1,180			1,460
Accruals and reserves not currently deductible	1,720			1,920			520
Deferred tax assets - current	$	5,790		$	8,560		$	3,340
Valuation allowance	(5,790		)	(6,510		)	(2,280		)
Deferred tax assets - current, net of valuation allowance	$	—		$	2,050		$	1,060

Deferred tax assets (liabilities)- non-current:
Stock option expense	$	890		$	680		$	670
Book vs. tax basis of acquired assets	(1,340		)	(1,350		)	(1,210		)
Federal net operating loss carryforwards	3,370			5,570			900
Foreign and state net operating losses	13,200			10,550			8,070
Book vs. tax depreciation and amortization	(2,200		)	(2,030		)	(10		)
Foreign tax credits	4,230			3,950			—
Other deferred tax assets	570			360			2,950
Total deferred tax assets - non-current	18,720			17,730			11,370
Valuation allowance	(18,520		)	(17,300		)	(10,070		)
Deferred tax assets (liabilities) - non-current, net of valuation allowance	$	200		$	430		$	1,300

Changes in the deferred tax valuation allowance are as follows:



	Year Ended September 30,
	2016		2015		2014
	(dollars in thousands)
Balance at the beginning of the year	$	23,810	$	12,350	$	8,450
Additions to valuation allowance	500		11,460		3,900
Balance at the end of the year	$	24,310	$	23,810	$	12,350

The deferred tax valuation allowance increased by $0.5 million and $11.5 million for the years ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. A significant portion of the 2015 increase is related to the acquisition of BTU. In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, the Company considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. The Company considers the scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities, projected future income, and tax planning strategies in making this assessment. We have established valuation allowances on substantially all net deferred tax assets, after considering all of the available objective evidence, both positive and negative, historical and prospective, with greater weight given to historical evidence, and determined it is not more likely than not that these assets will be realized.

The Company has federal net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $14.0 million that expire at various times between 2024 and 2036. In addition, the Company has approximately $3.6 million of foreign tax credits that expire at various times through 2025. The utilization of those federal net operating losses and foreign tax carryforwards are limited to approximately $0.8 million per year. The company also has foreign net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $47.3 million which expire at various times through 2025. The Company also has approximately $7.5 million of state net operating loss carryforwards.

The Company’s historical and continuing policy is that its undistributed foreign earnings are indefinitely reinvested and, accordingly, no related provision for U.S. federal and state income taxes has been provided on the undistributed foreign earnings at September 30, 2016. The amount of taxes attributable to these undistributed earnings is immaterial.

The Company applies the provisions of FASB Interpretation No. 48 (“FIN 48”), “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes”, (now codified as FASB ASC 740, “Income Tax”). In this regard, an uncertain tax position represents the Company's expected treatment of a tax position taken in a filed tax return, or planned to be taken in a future tax return, that has not been reflected in measuring income tax expense for financial reporting purposes. Approximately $1.7 million of this total represents the amount that, if recognized, would favorably affect our effective income tax rate in future periods.

A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of our unrecognized tax benefits is summarized as follows:



	Year Ended September 30,
	2016		2015		2014
	(dollars in thousands)
Balance at beginning of the year	$	3,510	$	3,180	$	2,810
Additions related to tax positions taken in prior years	350		330		370
Reductions due to lapse of statute of limitations	—		—		—
Balance at the end of the year	$	3,860	$	3,510	$	3,180

We have classified all of our liabilities for uncertain tax positions as income taxes payable long-term. Income taxes long-term also includes other items, primarily withholding taxes that are not due until the related intercompany service fees are paid.

We report accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense. We recognized a net expense for interest and penalties of $0.4 million, $0.3 million, and $0.4 million for fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014 respectively. Income taxes payable long-term on the Consolidated Balance Sheets includes a cumulative accrual for potential interest and penalties of $2.3 million and $1.8 million as of September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

The Company does not expect that the amount of our tax reserves for uncertain tax positions will materially change in the next 12 months other than the continued accrual of interest and penalties.

The Company and one or more of its subsidiaries file income tax returns in The Netherlands, Germany, France, China and other foreign jurisdictions, as well as the U.S. and various states in the U.S. We have not signed any agreements with the Internal Revenue Service, any state or foreign jurisdiction to extend the statute of limitations for any fiscal year. As such, the number of open years is the number of years dictated by statute in each of the respective taxing jurisdictions, but generally is from 3 to 5 years.

These open years contain certain matters that could be subject to differing interpretations of applicable tax laws and regulations as they relate to the amount, timing, or inclusion of revenues and expenses, or the sustainability of income tax positions of the Company and its subsidiaries.