Income Taxes	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2021
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	Note 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. During the second quarter of 2021, an audit with the State of Illinois for our fiscal year 2018 state return commenced. Additionally, we have been notified that an audit may commence for Axon Public Safety Southeast Asia LLC, our entity in Vietnam. The tax period has not yet been defined. On March 11, 2021, the U.S. federal government enacted the American Rescue Plan Act. This act is an emergency economic stimulus package in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which, among other things, contains numerous income tax provisions. We are continuing to evaluate the implications of the American Rescue Plan Act, but its impact on the financial statements and related disclosures is not expected to be material. Deferred Tax Assets Net deferred income tax assets at September 30, 2021, 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, 2021 were $104.0 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 provision 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, 2021, we have a three-year cumulative pre-tax loss in the U.S. for federal and state tax jurisdictions. Although this fact provides some negative evidence, management continues to believe the positive evidence from projected future earnings outweighs the negative evidence and a valuation allowance is not needed. 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 and a valuation allowance has been recorded against this net asset. 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 continue to recognize 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 $11.4 million as of September 30, 2021. Should the unrecognized benefit of $11.4 million be recognized, our effective tax rate would be favorably impacted. Approximately $7.1 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, 2021, after discrete period adjustments, was 55.3%. Before discrete adjustments, the tax rate was (11.8%), 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), partially offset by R&D tax credits, on a projected pre-tax loss for the year. The effective tax rate was favorably impacted by a $70.0 million discrete tax benefit primarily associated with windfalls related to stock-based compensation for restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and performance stock units (“PSUs”) that vested during the nine months ended September 30, 2021.

Income Taxes

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

Note 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. During the second quarter of 2021, an audit with the State of Illinois for our fiscal year 2018 state return commenced. Additionally, we have been notified that an audit may commence for Axon Public Safety Southeast Asia LLC, our entity in Vietnam. The tax period has not yet been defined.

On March 11, 2021, the U.S. federal government enacted the American Rescue Plan Act. This act is an emergency economic stimulus package in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which, among other things, contains numerous income tax provisions. We are continuing to evaluate the implications of the American Rescue Plan Act, but its impact on the financial statements and related disclosures is not expected to be material.

Deferred Tax Assets

Net deferred income tax assets at September 30, 2021, 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, 2021 were $104.0 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 provision 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, 2021, we have a three-year cumulative pre-tax loss in the U.S. for federal and state tax jurisdictions. Although this fact provides some negative evidence, management continues to believe the positive evidence from projected future earnings outweighs the negative evidence and a valuation allowance is not needed. 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 and a valuation allowance has been recorded against this net asset.

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 continue to recognize 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 $11.4 million as of September 30, 2021. Should the unrecognized benefit of $11.4 million be recognized, our effective tax rate would be favorably impacted. Approximately $7.1 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, 2021, after discrete period adjustments, was 55.3%. Before discrete adjustments, the tax rate was (11.8%), 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), partially offset by R&D tax credits, on a projected pre-tax loss for the year. The effective tax rate was favorably impacted by a $70.0 million discrete tax benefit primarily associated with windfalls related to stock-based compensation for restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and performance stock units (“PSUs”) that vested during the nine months ended September 30, 2021.

- 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.

+ References + Details