Income Taxes

6 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income Taxes

10. Income Taxes

For interim income tax reporting, the Company estimates its annual effective tax rate and applies it to fiscal year-to-date pretax loss, excluding unusual or infrequently occurring discrete items. Tax jurisdictions with losses for which tax benefits cannot be realized are excluded. The Company reported an income tax expense of $(0.4) million and income tax benefit of $0.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. For the six months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company reported income tax expense of $(0.2) million and income tax benefit of $1.6 million, respectively.

Each reporting period, we evaluate the realizability of our net deferred tax assets and perform an assessment of both positive and negative evidence. Based on our evaluation of all available positive and negative evidence, and by placing greater weight on the objective negative evidence associated with our three-year cumulative U.S. pre-tax loss adjusted for permanent adjustments, we determined, as of March 31, 2023 and September 30, 2022, that it is more likely than not that our net U.S. deferred tax assets will not be realized. Accordingly, a full valuation allowance is recorded against our net U.S. deferred tax assets as of March 31, 2023 and September 30, 2022. Due to significant estimates used to establish the valuation allowance and the potential for changes in facts and circumstances, it is reasonably possible that we will be required to record additional adjustments to the valuation allowance in future reporting periods that could have a material effect on our results of operations.

In addition to the impact of the valuation allowance against our U.S. deferred tax assets, recurring items cause our effective tax rate to differ from the U.S. federal statutory rate of 21%, including U.S. federal and Irish R&D credits, Irish and U.S. state tax rates, and excess tax benefits associated with stock-based compensation.

Beginning in our fiscal 2023, certain research and development costs are required to be capitalized and amortized over a five-year period under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act enacted in December 2017. This change will impact the expected U.S. federal and state income tax expense and cash taxes to be paid for our fiscal 2023.

The Company recognized discrete tax benefits related to stock-based compensation awards vested, expired, canceled and exercised of less than $0.1 million for each of the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 and less than $0.1 million and $0.1 million for the six months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits, excluding interest and penalties that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate was $2.9 million and $2.5 million as of March 31, 2023 and September 30, 2022, respectively. Interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits are recorded in the income tax (expense) benefit.

The Company files income tax returns, including returns for its subsidiaries, in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and in various state jurisdictions, as well as several non-U.S. jurisdictions. Uncertain tax positions are related to tax years that remain subject to examination. The Internal Revenue Service commenced an examination of the Company’s fiscal 2019 U.S. federal tax return in fiscal 2022; the examination has not been completed. U.S. federal income tax returns for years prior to fiscal 2019 are no longer subject to examination by federal tax authorities. For tax returns for U.S. state and local jurisdictions, the Company is no longer subject to examination for tax years generally before fiscal 2012. For tax returns for non-U.S. jurisdictions, the Company is no longer subject to income tax examination for years prior to 2018. Additionally, the Company has been indemnified of liability for any taxes relating to Creagh Medical, Ltd.; NorMedix, Inc.; and Vetex for periods prior to the respective acquisition dates, pursuant to the terms of the related share purchase agreements. There were no undistributed earnings in foreign subsidiaries as of March 31, 2023 and September 30, 2022.