Income Taxes |
9 Months Ended |
---|---|
Dec. 31, 2019 | |
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract] | |
Income Taxes |
Note 10 — Income Taxes Ordinarily, the Company calculates its provision for income taxes at the end of each interim reporting period on the basis of an estimated annual effective tax rate adjusted for tax items that are discrete to each period. However, when a reliable estimate cannot be made, the Company computes its provision for income taxes using the actual effective tax rate (discrete method) for the year-to-date period. The Company’s effective tax rate is highly influenced by the amount of its R&D tax credits. A small change in estimated annual pretax income (loss) can produce a significant variance in the annual effective tax rate given the Company’s expected amount of R&D tax credits. This variability provides an unreliable estimate of the annual effective tax rate. As a result, and in accordance with the authoritative guidance for accounting for income taxes in interim periods, the Company has computed its provision for income taxes for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2019 by applying the actual effective tax rate to the quarter-to-date and year-to-date income (loss) for the three-month and nine-month periods. For the three and nine months ended December 31, 2019, the Company recorded an income tax benefit of $3.9 million and $8.7 million, respectively, resulting in effective tax benefit rates of negative 80% and positive 211%, respectively. The effective tax rates for the periods differed from the U.S. statutory rate due primarily to the benefit of federal and state R&D tax credits. For the three and nine months ended December 31, 2018, the Company recorded an income tax provision of $3.2 million and an income tax benefit of $35.7 million, respectively, resulting in a negative effective tax rate of 36% and an effective tax benefit rate of 32%, respectively. The effective tax rates for the periods differed from the U.S. statutory rate due primarily to the benefit of federal and state R&D tax credits, offset by an increase in valuation allowances on state net operating losses and state R&D tax credits. 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. For the three and nine months ended December 31, 2019, the Company’s gross unrecognized tax benefits increased by $3.6 million and $10.0 million, respectively. In the next 12 months it is reasonably possible that the amount of unrecognized tax benefits will not change significantly. |