Income Taxes

3 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

INCOME TAXES

INCOME TAXES

The Company’s income tax expense for the three months ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 was $90.8 million and $89.0 million, respectively. The effective tax rate was 17.4% for the three months ended December 31, 2019 compared to 23.7% in the prior year period. The effective tax rate for the three months ended December 31, 2019 includes a tax benefit of $32.9 million from the enactment of the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2019 (the Act). The Act retroactively reinstated the federal energy efficient homes tax credit that expired on December 31, 2017 to homes closed from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2020. The effective tax rates for both periods include an expense for state income taxes, reduced by tax benefits related to stock-based compensation.

The Company’s deferred tax assets, net of deferred tax liabilities, were $172.4 million at December 31, 2019 compared to $181.8 million at September 30, 2019. The Company has a valuation allowance of $18.3 million at December 31, 2019 and $18.7 million at September 30, 2019 related to state deferred tax assets for net operating loss (NOL) carryforwards that are more likely than not to expire before being realized. The Company will continue to evaluate both the positive and negative evidence in determining the need for a valuation allowance with respect to the remaining state NOL carryforwards. Any reversal of the valuation allowance in future periods will impact the Company’s effective tax rate.

The accounting for deferred taxes is based upon estimates of future results. Differences between the anticipated and actual outcomes of these future results could have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated results of operations or financial position. Also, changes in existing federal and state tax laws and tax rates could affect future tax results and the valuation of the Company’s deferred tax assets.