Income Taxes	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	10. Income Taxes We file income tax returns for federal purposes and in many states, as well as in multiple foreign jurisdictions. Our tax filings remain subject to examination by applicable tax authorities for a certain length of time, generally three to four years, following the tax year to which these filings relate. In July 2020, we received notification from the Internal Revenue Service that the audit of our U.S. federal income tax return for fiscal year 2016 was completed. During the second quarter we began an audit with the State of California for our fiscal year 2016 and 2017 state tax returns, which is currently ongoing. Additionally, we have been notified that an audit will commence for Axon Public Safety Southeast Asia LLC, our entity in Vietnam. The tax period has not yet been defined. On March 27, 2020, the U.S. federal government enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”). The CARES Act is an emergency economic stimulus package in response to the coronavirus outbreak which, among other things, contains numerous income tax provisions. Some of these tax provisions are expected to be effective retroactively for years ending before the date of enactment. We are continuing to evaluate the implications of the CARES Act, but its impact on our financial statements and related disclosures is not expected to be material. In April 2020, recent interpretations of a German law relating to withholding taxes on intellectual property rights emerged. We have evaluated this law and do not expect a material impact to our financial position or results of operations. The issuance of new equity in October 2020 by Flock Group Inc. to us and other investors represents an observable price change for our existing investment and related warrants which will be reflected in the consolidated financial statements for the period ending December 31, 2020. The taxability of any unrealized gain recognized will be deferred, creating a deferred tax liability in the period in which it is recognized. Deferred Tax Assets Net deferred income tax assets at September 30, 2020, primarily include R&D tax credits, stock-based compensation expense, deferred revenue, accruals and reserves, and net operating losses, partially offset by accelerated depreciation expense and valuation allowance reserve. Our total net deferred tax assets at September 30, 2020 were $39.2 million. In preparing our condensed consolidated financial statements, management assesses the likelihood that its deferred tax assets will be realized from future taxable income. In evaluating our ability to recover our deferred income tax assets, management considers all available positive and negative evidence, including our operating results, ongoing tax planning and forecasts of future taxable income on a jurisdiction by jurisdiction basis. A valuation allowance is established if it is determined that it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the net deferred tax assets will not be realized. Management exercises significant judgment in determining our provisions for income taxes, our deferred tax assets and liabilities, and our future taxable income for purposes of assessing our ability to utilize any future tax benefit from our deferred tax assets. As of September 30, 2020, we continue to demonstrate three-year cumulative pre-tax income in the U.S. federal and state tax jurisdictions; however, we have Arizona R&D Tax Credits expiring unutilized each year. Therefore, management has concluded that it is more likely than not that our Arizona R&D deferred tax asset will not be realized. We have certain foreign net operating loss carryovers, which have previously been fully offset with a valuation allowance. As of September 30, 2020, we now have cumulative pre-tax income in the U.K. and Canada, as measured over a three year rolling period, along with positive evidence from projections of future taxable income growth for both jurisdictions. Therefore, we have released the full valuation allowances against net operating loss carryovers in the U.K. and Canada of $1.3 million and $0.3 million, respectively, in the third quarter of 2020. In Australia, we have determined that sufficient deferred tax liabilities will reverse in order to realize all assets except one long-lived intangible where there is not an expectation that the asset may be realized. Therefore, we have recorded a partial valuation allowance for Australia. We complete R&D tax credit studies for each year that an R&D tax credit is claimed for federal, Arizona, and California income tax purposes. Management has made the determination that it is more likely than not that the full benefit of the R&D tax credit will not be sustained on examination and recorded a liability for unrecognized tax benefits of $7.0 million as of September 30, 2020. Should the unrecognized benefit of $7.0 million be recognized, our effective tax rate would be favorably impacted. Approximately $2.8 million of the unrecognized tax benefit associated with R&D credits has been netted against the R&D deferred tax asset. Effective Tax Rate Our overall effective tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2020, after discrete period adjustments, was (79.8%). Before discrete adjustments, the tax rate was (137.0%), which differs from the federal statutory rate, primarily due to the impact of the executive compensation limitation under Internal Revenue Code ("IRC") Section 162(m) on a projected pre-tax loss for the year. The effective tax rate was favorably impacted by a $6.6 million discrete tax benefit primarily associated with windfalls related to stock-based compensation for restricted stock units (“RSUs”) that vested or stock options that were exercised during the nine months ended September 30, 2020.

Income Taxes

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

10. Income Taxes

We file income tax returns for federal purposes and in many states, as well as in multiple foreign jurisdictions. Our tax filings remain subject to examination by applicable tax authorities for a certain length of time, generally three to four years, following the tax year to which these filings relate. In July 2020, we received notification from the Internal Revenue Service that the audit of our U.S. federal income tax return for fiscal year 2016 was completed. During the second quarter we began an audit with the State of California for our fiscal year 2016 and 2017 state tax returns, which is currently ongoing. Additionally, we have been notified that an audit will commence for Axon Public Safety Southeast Asia LLC, our entity in Vietnam. The tax period has not yet been defined.

On March 27, 2020, the U.S. federal government enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”). The CARES Act is an emergency economic stimulus package in response to the coronavirus outbreak which, among other things, contains numerous income tax provisions. Some of these tax provisions are expected to be effective retroactively for years ending before the date of enactment. We are continuing to evaluate the implications of the CARES Act, but its impact on our financial statements and related disclosures is not expected to be material.

In April 2020, recent interpretations of a German law relating to withholding taxes on intellectual property rights emerged. We have evaluated this law and do not expect a material impact to our financial position or results of operations.

The issuance of new equity in October 2020 by Flock Group Inc. to us and other investors represents an observable price change for our existing investment and related warrants which will be reflected in the consolidated financial statements for the period ending December 31, 2020. The taxability of any unrealized gain recognized will be deferred, creating a deferred tax liability in the period in which it is recognized.

Deferred Tax Assets

Net deferred income tax assets at September 30, 2020, primarily include R&D tax credits, stock-based compensation expense, deferred revenue, accruals and reserves, and net operating losses, partially offset by accelerated depreciation expense and valuation allowance reserve. Our total net deferred tax assets at September 30, 2020 were $39.2 million.

In preparing our condensed consolidated financial statements, management assesses the likelihood that its deferred tax assets will be realized from future taxable income. In evaluating our ability to recover our deferred income tax assets, management considers all available positive and negative evidence, including our operating results, ongoing tax planning and forecasts of future taxable income on a jurisdiction by jurisdiction basis. A valuation allowance is established if it is determined that it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the net deferred tax assets will not be realized. Management exercises significant judgment in determining our provisions for income taxes, our deferred tax assets and liabilities, and our future taxable income for purposes of assessing our ability to utilize any future tax benefit from our deferred tax assets.

As of September 30, 2020, we continue to demonstrate three-year cumulative pre-tax income in the U.S. federal and state tax jurisdictions; however, we have Arizona R&D Tax Credits expiring unutilized each year. Therefore, management has concluded that it is more likely than not that our Arizona R&D deferred tax asset will not be realized.

We have certain foreign net operating loss carryovers, which have previously been fully offset with a valuation allowance. As of September 30, 2020, we now have cumulative pre-tax income in the U.K. and Canada, as measured over a three year rolling period, along with positive evidence from projections of future taxable income growth for both jurisdictions. Therefore, we have released the full valuation allowances against net operating loss carryovers in the U.K. and Canada of $1.3 million and $0.3 million, respectively, in the third quarter of 2020.

In Australia, we have determined that sufficient deferred tax liabilities will reverse in order to realize all assets except one long-lived intangible where there is not an expectation that the asset may be realized. Therefore, we have recorded a partial valuation allowance for Australia.

We complete R&D tax credit studies for each year that an R&D tax credit is claimed for federal, Arizona, and California income tax purposes. Management has made the determination that it is more likely than not that the full benefit of the R&D tax credit will not be sustained on examination and recorded a liability for unrecognized tax benefits of $7.0 million as of September 30, 2020. Should the unrecognized benefit of $7.0 million be recognized, our effective tax rate would be favorably impacted. Approximately $2.8 million of the unrecognized tax benefit associated with R&D credits has been netted against the R&D deferred tax asset.

Effective Tax Rate

Our overall effective tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2020, after discrete period adjustments, was (79.8%). Before discrete adjustments, the tax rate was (137.0%), which differs from the federal statutory rate, primarily due to the impact of the executive compensation limitation under Internal Revenue Code ("IRC") Section 162(m) on a projected pre-tax loss for the year. The effective tax rate was favorably impacted by a $6.6 million discrete tax benefit

primarily associated with windfalls related to stock-based compensation for restricted stock units (“RSUs”) that vested or stock options that were exercised during the nine months ended September 30, 2020.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for income taxes. Disclosures may include net deferred tax liability or asset recognized in an enterprise's statement of financial position, net change during the year in the total valuation allowance, approximate tax effect of each type of temporary difference and carryforward that gives rise to a significant portion of deferred tax liabilities and deferred tax assets, utilization of a tax carryback, and tax uncertainties information.

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