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

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2014

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):

	2014
	Amortized Cost		Unrealized Gains		Unrealized Losses			Fair Value
U.S. government and government agency obligations	$	7,397	$	12	$	(15	)	$	7,394
Mortgage-backed securities		5,576		43		(74	)		5,545
Municipal bonds		1,173		5		(3	)		1,175
Asset-backed securities		2,370		3		(4	)		2,369
Corporate bonds		1,829		6		(5	)		1,830
Equity securities		2		1,548		—			1,550
Total	$	18,347	$	1,617	$	(101	)	$	19,863

	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

Amortized Cost and Fair Value of Available-for-Sale Debt Securities by Contractual Maturity

The amortized cost and fair value of available-for-sale debt securities by contractual maturity at September 30, 2014 were as follows (in thousands):

	Amortized Cost		Fair Value
Debt securities due within:
One year	$	1,483	$	1,490
One to five years		10,872		10,864
Five years or more		5,990		5,959
Total	$	18,345	$	18,313

Sales of Available-for-Sale Securities

The following table summarizes sales of available-for-sale securities for the years ended September 30, 2014, 2013 and 2012 (in thousands):

	2014			2013			2012
Proceeds from sales	$	162,673		$	44,853		$	43,556
Gross realized gains	$	134		$	179		$	229
Gross realized losses	$	(1	)	$	(43	)	$	(1	)

Components of Inventories

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

	2014		2013
Raw materials	$	1,056	$	1,378
Finished products		1,761		1,950
Total	$	2,817	$	3,328

Schedule of Property, Plant and Equipment

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

	Useful Life		2014			2013
	(In years)
Land		N/A	$	4,359		$	4,359
Laboratory fixtures and equipment		3 to 10		12,858			13,594
Buildings and improvements		3 to 20		16,114			15,124
Office furniture and equipment		3 to 10		3,060			3,592
Construction-in-progress				1,158			529
Less accumulated depreciation				(24,416	)		(24,353	)
Property and equipment, net			$	13,133		$	12,845

Schedule of Other Assets Consist Principally of Strategic Investments

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

	2014		2013
CeloNova BioSciences, Inc.	$	1,500	$	1,500
ThermopeutiX, Inc.		—		1,185
ViaCyte, Inc.		479		479
Other		—		2
Other assets, net	$	1,979	$	3,166

Schedule of Intangible Assets

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

	2014
	Weighted Average Original Life (Years)		Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net
Definite-lived intangible assets:
Customer lists		9.0	$	4,857	$	(3,813	)	$	1,044
Core technology		8.0		530		(475	)		55
Patents and other		16.8		2,256		(989	)		1,267
Subtotal				7,643		(5,277	)		2,366
Unamortized intangible assets:
Trademarks				580		—			580
Total			$	8,223	$	(5,277	)	$	2,946

	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

Estimated Amortization Expense

Based on the intangible assets in service as of September 30, 2014, estimated amortization expense for each of the next five fiscal years is as follows (in thousands):

2015	$	731
2016		594
2017		183
2018		137
2019		137

Denominator for Computation of Basic and Diluted Income Per Share

The following table sets forth the denominator for the computation of basic and diluted income per share (in thousands):

	2014		2013		2012
Net income from continuing operations available to common shareholders	$	12,207	$	14,579	$	10,129
Basic weighted average shares outstanding		13,632		14,464		17,318
Dilutive effect of outstanding stock options, non-vested restricted stock, restricted stock units and performance shares		244		267		113
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding		13,876		14,731		17,431