Income Tax Expense

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

8.	Income Tax Expense

Total income tax expense (benefit) for 2016, 2015 and 2014 was allocated to income tax expense as follows:

(Dollars in thousands)	2016		2015		2014
Income tax expense from Continuing Operations	$	22,538		19,785		19,594
Income tax expense (benefit) from Discontinued Operations		–		390		(6,034)
Total income tax expense	$	22,538		20,175		13,560

The components of income from continuing operations before income taxes for 2016, 2015 and 2014 consisted of the following:

(Dollars in thousands)	2016		2015		2014
United States	$	62,353		56,661		56,196
Foreign		6,067		4,860		6,011
Total income before income taxes	$	68,420		61,521		62,207

The principal components of income tax expense (benefit) from continuing operations for 2016, 2015 and 2014 consist of:

(Dollars in thousands)	2016		2015		2014
Federal:
Current	$	19,236		11,906		18,756
Deferred		(909)		5,406		(2,442)
State and local:
Current		1,674		867		1,397
Deferred		(222)		16		(245)
Foreign:
Current		1,899		1,525		2,044
Deferred		860		65		84
Total	$	22,538		19,785		19,594

The actual income tax expense (benefit) from continuing operations for 2016, 2015 and 2014 differs from the expected tax expense for those years (computed by applying the U.S. Federal corporate statutory rate) as follows:

	2016			2015			2014
Federal corporate statutory rate		35.0	%		35.0	%		35.0	%
State and local, net of Federal benefits		2.0			1.2			2.0
Foreign		(1.0)			(1.5)			(1.7)
Research credit		(2.5)			(1.8)			(1.0)
Domestic production deduction		(2.8)			(2.6)			(2.9)
Change in uncertain tax positions		–			(0.2)			(2.9)
Executive compensation		0.9			0.9			1.3
Valuation allowance		1.8			1.0			1.3
Other, net		(0.5)			0.2			0.4
Effective income tax rate		32.9	%		32.2	%		31.5	%

The tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of the deferred tax assets and liabilities at September 30, 2016 and 2015 are presented below:

(Dollars in thousands)	2016		2015
Deferred tax assets:
Inventories	$	7,553		6,336
Pension and other postretirement benefits		13,978		11,663
Net operating loss carryforward — domestic		372		520
Net operating loss carryforward — foreign		4,991		4,135
Other compensation-related costs and other cost accruals		13,678		11,785
State credit carryforward		1,944		1,704
Total deferred tax assets		42,516		36,143

Deferred tax liabilities:
Goodwill		(15,528)		(14,829)
Acquisition assets		(69,934)		(57,415)
Depreciation, software amortization		(20,285)		(18,681)
Net deferred tax liabilities before valuation allowance		(63,231)		(54,782)
Less valuation allowance		(5,711)		(4,129)
Net deferred tax liabilities	$	(68,942)		(58,911)

The Company has a foreign net operating loss (NOL) carryforward of $18.7 million at September 30, 2016, which reflects tax loss carryforwards in Brazil, Germany, India, Finland, China, South Africa and the United Kingdom. $17.7 million of the tax loss carryforwards have no expiration date while the remaining $1.0 million will expire between 2019 and 2025. The Company has state NOL carryforwards of $0.3 million at September 30, 2016 which expire between 2025 and 2036. The Company also has net state research and other credit carryforwards of $1.9 million of which $1.5 million expires between 2025 and 2036. The remaining $0.4 million does not have an expiration date.

The valuation allowance for deferred tax assets as of September 30, 2016 and 2015 was $5.7 million and $4.1 million, respectively. The net change in the total valuation allowance for each of the years ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 was an increase of $1.6 million and a decrease of $0.2 million, respectively. The Company has established a valuation allowance against state credit carryforwards of $0.6 million and $0.5 million at September 30, 2016 and 2015. In addition, the Company has established a valuation allowance against state NOL carryforwards that are not expected to be realized in future periods of $0.3 million at both September 30, 2016 and 2015. Lastly, the Company has established a valuation allowance against certain NOL carryforwards in foreign jurisdictions which may not be realized in future periods. The valuation allowance established against the foreign NOL carryforwards was $4.8 million and $3.3 million at September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

The Company’s foreign subsidiaries have accumulated unremitted earnings of $46.3 million and cash of $45.2 million at September 30, 2016. No deferred taxes have been provided on these accumulated unremitted earnings because these funds are not needed to meet the liquidity requirements of the Company’s U.S. operations and it is the Company’s intention to indefinitely reinvest these earnings in continuing international operations. In the event these foreign entities’ earnings were distributed, it is estimated that U.S. taxes, net of available foreign tax credits, of approximately $7.4 million would be due, which would correspondingly reduce the Company’s net earnings. No significant portion of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries’ earnings was taxed at a very low tax rate.

The Company had $0.1 million of unrecognized benefits as of both September 30, 2016 and 2015, which, net of Federal benefit, if recognized, would affect the Company’s effective tax rate.

The Company does not anticipate a material change in the amount of unrecognized tax benefits in the next 12 months. The Company’s policy is to include interest related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense and penalties in operating expense. As of September 30, 2016, 2015 and 2014, the Company had zero accrued interest related to uncertain tax positions, net of Federal income tax benefit, on its Consolidated Balance Sheets. No significant penalties have been accrued.

The principal jurisdictions for which the Company files income tax returns are U.S. Federal and the various city, state, and international locations where the Company has operations. The U.S. Federal tax years for the periods ended September 30, 2012 and forward remain subject to income tax examination. Various state tax years for the periods ended September 30, 2012 and forward remain subject to income tax examinations. The Company is subject to income tax in many jurisdictions outside the United States, none of which is individually significant.