Note 8 — Income Taxes

The components of (loss) income before income taxes by jurisdiction are as follows:

	Fiscal Years Ended
	March 31, 2018			March 31, 2017			March 31, 2016
	(In thousands)
United States	$	(92,767	)	$	29,649		$	20,280
Foreign		(12,703	)		(4,265	)		(2,683	)
	$	(105,470	)	$	25,384		$	17,597

The benefit from (provision for) income taxes includes the following:

	Fiscal Years Ended
	March 31, 2018			March 31, 2017			March 31, 2016
	(In thousands)
Current tax benefit (provision)
Federal	$	(284	)	$	(2,041	)	$	(132	)
State		(401	)		(1,167	)		(543	)
Foreign		(953	)		(600	)		(148	)
		(1,638	)		(3,808	)		(823	)
Deferred tax benefit (provision)
Federal		24,833			(4,410	)		(2,266	)
State		10,450			4,509			7,090
Foreign		1,572			92			172
		36,855			191			4,996
Total benefit from (provision for) income taxes	$	35,217		$	(3,617	)	$	4,173

Significant components of the Company’s net deferred tax assets are as follows:

	As of
	March 31, 2018			March 31, 2017
	(In thousands)
Deferred tax assets:
Net operating loss carryforwards	$	184,177		$	202,752
Tax credit carryforwards		189,970			145,369
Other		46,376			74,962
Valuation allowance		(29,049	)		(17,728	)
Total deferred tax assets		391,474			405,355
Deferred tax liabilities:
Intangible assets		(73,403	)		(98,099	)
Property, equipment and satellites		(96,661	)		(174,428	)
Total deferred tax liabilities		(170,064	)		(272,527	)
Net deferred tax assets	$	221,410		$	132,828

A reconciliation of the benefit from (provision for) income taxes to the amount computed by applying the statutory federal income tax rate to (loss) income before income taxes is as follows:

	Fiscal Years Ended
	March 31, 2018			March 31, 2017			March 31, 2016
	(In thousands)
Tax benefit (provision) at federal statutory rate	$	22,149		$	(8,885	)	$	(6,167	)
State tax benefit (provision), net of federal benefit		2,605			(1,681	)		(1,197	)
Tax credits, net of valuation allowance		21,898			15,121			16,016
Non-deductible compensation		(2,852	)		(2,659	)		(2,457	)
Non-deductible transaction costs		-			(645	)		(30	)
Non-deductible meals and entertainment		(727	)		(794	)		(751	)
Stock-based compensation		799			(886	)		(551	)
Change in federal tax rate due to Tax Reform		(5,335	)	—			—
Change in state effective tax rate		(235	)		(417	)		354
Foreign effective tax rate differential, net of valuation allowance		(2,054	)		(2,391	)		(859	)
Other		(1,031	)		(380	)		(185	)
Total benefit from (provision for) income taxes	$	35,217		$	(3,617	)	$	4,173

Effective January 1, 2018, the Tax Reform reduced the corporate federal income tax rate from 35% to 21%. As the Company has a March 31 fiscal year-end, the lower corporate federal income tax rate is phased in, resulting in a U.S. statutory federal rate of approximately 31.6% for fiscal year 2018. However, the Company has applied the 21% federal tax rate in the rate reconciliation for fiscal year 2018 as the fiscal year 2018 taxable loss will not be subject to federal tax at the 31.6% blended tax rate. Instead, the taxable loss increases the net operating loss carryforwards and will be subject to the lower 21% federal tax rate in future periods.

As of March 31, 2018, the Company had federal and state research credit carryforwards of $135.8 million and $130.0 million, respectively, which begin to expire in fiscal year 2026 and fiscal year 2019, respectively. As of March 31, 2018, the Company had federal and state net operating loss carryforwards of $697.8 million and $637.8 million, respectively, which begin to expire in fiscal year 2021 and fiscal year 2019, respectively. The Tax Reform repealed the alternative minimum tax (AMT) for tax years beginning January 1, 2018, and provides that existing AMT credit carryovers are refundable beginning in calendar year 2018. The Company has an insignificant amount of AMT credit carryovers that are expected to be fully refunded by fiscal year 2022.

In accordance with ASU 2016-09, which the Company adopted during the first quarter of fiscal year 2018, the Company recorded a cumulative effect adjustment as of the beginning of the first quarter of fiscal year 2018 to increase retained earnings by $58.7 million with a corresponding increase to deferred tax assets to recognize net operating loss carryforwards attributable to excess tax benefits on share-based compensation that had not been previously recognized. On a prospective basis, the Company recognizes excess tax benefits or deficiencies on vesting or settlement of awards as discrete items within income tax benefit or provision within net income (loss) and the related cash flows classified within operating activities.

In accordance with the authoritative guidance for income taxes (ASC 740), net deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance if, based on all the available evidence, it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Future realization of existing deferred tax assets ultimately depends on future profitability and the existence of sufficient taxable income of appropriate character (for example, ordinary income versus capital gains) within the carryforward period available under tax law. In the event that the Company’s estimate of taxable income is less than that required to utilize the full amount of any deferred tax asset, a valuation allowance is established which would cause a decrease to income in the period such determination is made. A valuation allowance of $29.0 million at March 31, 2018 and $17.7 million at March 31, 2017 has been established relating to state and foreign net operating loss carryforwards, state research credit carryforwards, and foreign tax credits that, based on management’s estimate of future taxable income attributable to such jurisdictions and generation of additional research credits, are considered more likely than not to expire unused.

The following table summarizes the activity related to the Company’s unrecognized tax benefits:

	As of
	March 31, 2018			March 31, 2017			March 31, 2016
	(In thousands)
Balance, beginning of fiscal year	$	49,066		$	45,080		$	41,769
Decrease related to prior year tax positions		(155	)		(421	)		(586	)
Increases related to current year tax positions		6,563			4,407			3,897
Balance, end of fiscal year	$	55,474		$	49,066		$	45,080

Of the total unrecognized tax benefits at March 31, 2018, $49.5 million would reduce the Company’s annual effective tax rate if recognized, subject to valuation allowance consideration.

In the next 12 months it is reasonably possible that the amount of unrecognized tax benefits will not change significantly.

The Company is subject to periodic audits by domestic and foreign tax authorities. By statute, the Company’s U.S. federal income tax returns are subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) for fiscal years 2015 through 2017. Additionally, tax credit carryovers that were generated in prior years and utilized in these years may also be subject to examination by the IRS. With few exceptions, fiscal years 2014 to 2017 remain open to examination by state and foreign taxing jurisdictions. The Company believes that it has appropriate support for the income tax positions taken on its tax returns and its accruals for tax liabilities are adequate for all open years based on an assessment of many factors, including past experience and interpretations. The Company’s policy is to recognize interest expense and penalties related to income tax matters as a component of income tax expense. There were no accrued interest or penalties associated with uncertain tax positions as of March 31, 2018 and 2017.

U.S. Tax Reform

On December 22, 2017, the Tax Reform was enacted into law. Among other matters, the Tax Reform lowered the corporate federal income tax rate from 35% to 21%, effective January 1, 2018, and transitions U.S. international taxation from a worldwide tax system to a territorial tax system, including a one-time transition tax on accumulated foreign earnings, and creates new taxes on certain foreign earnings.

For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018, the Company has not finalized the accounting for the tax effects of the enactment of the Tax Reform. However, consistent with applicable SEC guidance, the Company has made a reasonable estimate of the effects on the Company’s existing deferred tax balances and has recognized a provisional income tax expense of $5.3 million for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018 related to the re-measurement of deferred tax assets and liabilities. Based on the Company's provisional assessment, the one-time transition tax had no impact to its income tax provision.

The final impact of the Tax Reform may differ from the above estimate due to, among other things, changes in interpretation, the issuance of additional guidance and any updates to estimates the Company utilized to calculate the transition impacts. The Securities and Exchange Commission has issued rules under SAB 118 that allow for a measurement period of up to one year after the enactment date of the Tax Reform to finalize the recording of the related tax impacts. The Company currently anticipates finalizing and recording any resulting adjustments by the end of the quarter ending December 31, 2018.