Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Select Balance Sheet Information (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2013

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Amortized Cost, Unrealized Holding Gains (Losses) and Fair Value of Available-for-Sale Securities

The amortized cost, unrealized holding gains and losses, and fair value of available-for-sale securities as of September 30 were as follows (in thousands):

	2013
	Amortized Cost		Unrealized Gains		Unrealized Losses			Fair Value
U.S. government and government agency obligations	$	22,889	$	28	$	(27	)	$	22,890
Mortgage-backed securities		8,149		118		(51	)		8,216
Municipal bonds		3,049		15		(5	)		3,059
Asset-backed securities		3,539		6		(8	)		3,537
Corporate bonds		4,896		17		(6	)		4,907
Total	$	42,522	$	184	$	(97	)	$	42,609

	2012
	Amortized Cost		Unrealized Gains		Unrealized Losses			Fair Value
U.S. government and government agency obligations	$	28,641	$	213	$	—		$	28,854
Mortgage-backed securities		2,896		129		(26	)		2,999
Municipal bonds		3,178		35		—			3,213
Asset-backed securities		613		—		(15	)		598
Corporate bonds		6,858		28		—			6,886
Total	$	42,186	$	405	$	(41	)	$	42,550

Amortized Cost and Fair Value of Investments by Contractual Maturity

The amortized cost and fair value of investments by contractual maturity at September 30, 2013 were as follows (in thousands):

	Amortized Cost		Fair Value
Debt securities due within:
One year	$	10,200	$	10,212
One to five years		22,754		22,782
Five years or more		9,568		9,615
Total	$	42,522	$	42,609

Sales of Available-for-Sale Securities

The following table summarizes sales of available-for-sale securities for the years ended September 30, 2013, 2012 and 2011 (in thousands):

	2013			2012			2011
Proceeds from sales	$	44,853		$	43,556		$	50,364
Gross realized gains	$	179		$	229		$	384
Gross realized losses	$	(43	)	$	(1	)	$	(4	)

Components of Inventories

Inventories consisted of the following components as of September 30 (in thousands):

	2013		2012
Raw materials	$	1,378	$	1,479
Finished products		1,950		2,045
Total	$	3,328	$	3,524

Schedule of Property, Plant and Equipment

Property and equipment consisted of the following components as of September 30 (in thousands):

	Useful Life		2013			2012
	(In years)
Land			$	4,359		$	4,359
Laboratory fixtures and equipment		3 to 10		13,594			13,004
Buildings and improvements		3 to 20		15,124			14,702
Office furniture and equipment		3 to 10		3,592			3,370
Construction-in-progress				529			848
Less accumulated depreciation				(24,353	)		(22,673	)
Property and equipment, net			$	12,845		$	13,610

Schedule of Other Assets Consist Principally of Strategic Investments

Other assets consisted principally of strategic investments as of September 30 as follows (in thousands):

	2013		2012
OctoPlus N.V.	$	—	$	718
Nexeon MedSystems, Inc.		—		29
CeloNova BioSciences, Inc. .		1,500		1,500
ThermopeutiX, Inc.		1,185		1,185
ViaCyte, Inc.		479		559
Other		2		84
Other assets, net	$	3,166	$	4,075

Schedule of Intangible Assets

Intangible assets consisted of the following as of September 30 (in thousands):

	2013
	Weighted Average Original Life (Years)		Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net
Definite-lived intangible assets:
Customer lists		9.0	$	4,857	$	(3,274	)	$	1,583
Core technology		8.0		530		(409	)		121
Patents and other		16.8		2,256		(852	)		1,404
Subtotal				7,643		(4,535	)		3,108
Unamortized intangible assets:
Trademarks				580		—			580
Total			$	8,223	$	(4,535	)	$	3,688

	2012
	Weighted Average Original Life (Years)		Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net
Definite-lived intangible assets:
Customer lists		9.0	$	4,857	$	(2,734	)	$	2,123
Core technology		8.0		530		(343	)		187
Patents and other		16.8		2,256		(716	)		1,540
Subtotal				7,643		(3,793	)		3,850
Unamortized intangible assets:
Trademarks				580		—			580
Total			$	8,223	$	(3,793	)	$	4,430

Estimated Amortization Expense

Based on the intangible assets in service as of September 30, 2013, estimated amortization expense for each of the next five fiscal years is as follows (in thousands):

2014	$	742
2015		731
2016		594
2017		183
2018		137

Components of Basic and Diluted Income Per Share Computation

The following table sets forth the components of the basic and diluted income per share computations (in thousands):

	2013		2012		2011
Net income from continuing operations available to common shareholders	$	14,579	$	10,129	$	10,925
Basic weighted average shares outstanding		14,464		17,318		17,419
Dilutive effect of outstanding stock options, non-vested restricted stock, restricted stock units and performance shares		267		113		43
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding		14,731		17,431		17,462