Income Taxes

The components of the provision (benefit) for income taxes are as follows:



	Year Ended September 30,
	2015			2014			2013
	(dollars in thousands)
Current:
Domestic Federal	$	(320	)	$	370		$	(150	)
Foreign	500			530			800
Foreign withholding taxes	1,240			—			—
Domestic state	—			80			(110		)
Total current	1,420			980			540

Deferred:
Domestic Federal	720			(490		)	(290		)
Foreign	(210		)	750			1,610
Domestic state	(20		)	—			—
Total deferred	490			260			1,320
Total provision	$	1,910		$	1,240		$	1,860

A reconciliation of actual income taxes to income taxes at the expected United States federal corporate income tax rate of thirty-four percent is as follows:



	Year Ended September 30,
	2015			2014			2013
	(dollars in thousands)
Tax benefit at the U.S. rate	$	(1,630	)	$	(4,440	)	$	(6,750	)
Effect of permanent book-tax differences	(1,570		)	30			970
State tax provision	(40		)	80			(110		)
Valuation allowance for net deferred tax assets	2,490			3,900			5,850
Uncertain tax items	330			370			450
Foreign tax rate differential	1,890			1,000			1,440
Other items	440			300			10
	$	1,910		$	1,240		$	1,860

Deferred income taxes reflect the tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying value of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. The tax effects of temporary book-tax differences that give rise to significant portions of the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liability are as follows:



	Year Ended September 30,
	2015			2014			2013
	(dollars in thousands)
Deferred tax assets - current:
Capitalized inventory costs	$	340		$	230		$	130
Inventory write-downs	4,840			950			620
Accrued warranty	280			180			200
Deferred profits	1,180			1,460			800
Accruals and reserves not currently deductible	1,920			520			490
Deferred tax assets - current	$	8,560		$	3,340		$	2,240
Valuation allowance	(6,510		)	(2,280		)	(910		)
Deferred tax assets - current, net of valuation allowance	$	2,050		$	1,060		$	1,330

Deferred tax assets (liabilities)- non-current:
Stock option expense	$	680		$	670		$	700
Book vs. tax basis of acquired assets	(1,350		)	(1,210		)	(1,130		)
Federal net operating loss caryforwards	5,570			900			—
Foreign and state net operating losses	10,550			8,070			9,000
Book vs. tax depreciation and amortization	(2,030		)	(10		)	60
Foreign tax credits	3,950			—			520
Other deferred tax assets	360			2,950			(350		)
Total deferred tax assets - non-current	17,730			11,370			8,800
Valuation allowance	(17,300		)	(10,070		)	(7,540		)
Deferred tax assets (liabilities) - non-current, net of valuation allowance	$	430		$	1,300		$	1,260

Changes in the deferred tax valuation allowance are as follows:



	Year Ended September 30,
	2015		2014		2013
	(dollars in thousands)
Balance at the beginning of the year	$	12,350	$	8,450	$	2,600
Additions to valuation allowance	11,460		3,900		5,850
Balance at the end of the year	$	23,810	$	12,350	$	8,450

The deferred tax valuation allowance increased by $11.5 million and by $3.9 million for the years ended September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively. A significant portion of this increase is related to the acquisition of BTU. In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, the Company considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. The Company considers the scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities, projected future income, and tax planning strategies in making this assessment. We have recorded a full valuation allowance against the net deferred tax assets of the China, Dutch and French subsidiaries and of certain states since we believe that, after considering all of the available objective evidence, both positive and negative, historical and prospective, with greater weight given to historical evidence, it is not more likely than not that these assets will be realized.

The Company has federal net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $16.9 million that expire at various times between 2024 and 2035. The company also has foreign net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $37.8 million which expire at various times through 2024. The Company also has state net operating loss carryforwards of $11.4 million. In addition, the Company has approximately $3.6 million of foreign tax credits that expire at various times through 2025.

The Company’s historical and continuing policy is that its undistributed foreign earnings are indefinitely reinvested and, accordingly, no related provision for U.S. federal and state income taxes has been provided on the $0.9 million of undistributed foreign earnings at September 30, 2015. The amount of taxes attributable to these undistributed earnings is immaterial.

The Company applies the provisions of FASB Interpretation No. 48 (“FIN 48”), “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes”, (now codified as FASB ASC 740, “Income Tax”). In this regard, an uncertain tax position represents the Company's expected treatment of a tax position taken in a filed tax return, or planned to be taken in a future tax return, that has not been reflected in measuring income tax expense for financial reporting purposes. Approximately $1.8 million of this total represents the amount that, if recognized, would favorably affect our effective income tax rate in future periods.

A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of our unrecognized tax benefits is summarized as follows:



	Year Ended September 30,
	2015		2014		2013
	(dollars in thousands)
Balance at beginning of the year	$	3,180	$	2,810	$	2,360
Additions related to tax positions taken in prior years	330		370		530
Reductions due to lapse of statute of limitations	—		—		(80		)
Balance at the end of the year	$	3,510	$	3,180	$	2,810

We have classified all of our liabilities for uncertain tax positions as income taxes payable long-term. Income taxes long-term also includes other items, primarily withholding taxes that are not due until the related intercompany service fees are paid.

We report accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense. We recognized a net expense for interest and penalties of $0.3 million, $0.4 million, and $0.5 million for fiscal years 2015, 2014 and 2013 respectively. Income taxes payable long-term on the consolidated balance sheets includes a cumulative accrual for potential interest and penalties of $1.8 million and $1.6 million as of September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

The Company does not expect that the amount of our tax reserves for uncertain tax positions will materially change in the next 12 months other than the continued accrual of interest and penalties.

The Company and one or more of its subsidiaries file income tax returns in The Netherlands, Germany, France, China and other foreign jurisdictions, as well as the U.S. and various states in the U.S. We have not signed any agreements with the Internal Revenue Service, any state or foreign jurisdiction to extend the statute of limitations for any fiscal year. As such, the number of open years is the number of years dictated by statute in each of the respective taxing jurisdictions, but generally is from 3 to 5 years.

These open years contain certain matters that could be subject to differing interpretations of applicable tax laws and regulations as they relate to the amount, timing, or inclusion of revenues and expenses, or the sustainability of income tax positions of the Company and its subsidiaries.