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Income Taxes
 12 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2025
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes Income Taxes
The provision for income taxes consists of the following:
 Fiscal year ended January 31,
202520242023
Federal:
Current$138 $86 $219 
Deferred(87)(97)(222)
State:
Current19 21 28 
Deferred(5)3 (19)
Foreign:
Current229 206 151 
Deferred(22)11 (34)
Income tax provision $272 $230 $123 

Foreign pretax income was $992 million in fiscal 2025, $730 million in fiscal 2024, and $755 million in fiscal 2023.
The differences between the U.S. statutory rate and the aggregate income tax provision are as follows:
 Fiscal year ended January 31,
202520242023
Income tax provision at U.S. Federal statutory rate$291 $239 $199 
State income tax benefit, net of the U.S. Federal benefit10 24 (3)
Foreign income taxed at rates different from the U.S. statutory rate(34)(12)22 
Valuation allowance adjustment(15)1 (38)
Tax effect of non-deductible stock-based compensation25 38 34 
Stock compensation (windfall) / shortfall(28)2 10 
Research and development tax credit benefit(18)(17)(12)
Closure of income tax audits and changes in uncertain tax positions52 13 11 
Tax effect of officer compensation in excess of $1 million
9 8 10 
Non-deductible expenses5 2 1 
Global intangible low-taxed income, foreign derived intangible income(30)(39)(106)
Acquisition-related integrations1 (29)(2)
Other4 — (3)
Income tax provision $272 $230 $123 

    Autodesk’s fiscal 2025 tax expense is primarily driven by the U.S. and foreign tax expense, including withholding taxes on payments made to the United States or to Singapore from foreign sources, a partial audit settlement with the IRS, and related increase in reserves, offset by a decrease in tax expense relating to stock-based compensation and the tax benefit from the valuation allowance release in Australia.
Significant components of Autodesk’s deferred tax assets and liabilities are as follows:
 January 31,
20252024
Stock-based compensation$55 $53 
Research and development tax credit carryforwards109 118 
Foreign tax credit carryforwards20 4 
Accrued compensation and benefits19 11 
Other accruals not currently deductible for tax15 15 
Capitalized research and development696 514 
Fixed assets18 21 
Lease liability61 80 
Tax loss carryforwards14 10 
Deferred revenue427 538 
Purchased technology 38 33 
Other40 31 
Total deferred tax assets1,512 1,428 
Less: valuation allowance(131)(149)
Net deferred tax assets1,381 1,279 
Indefinite lived intangibles(143)(128)
Right-of-use assets(37)(52)
Deferred taxes on foreign earnings(28)(29)
Total deferred tax liabilities(208)(209)
Net deferred tax assets$1,173 $1,070 

Autodesk regularly assesses the need for a valuation allowance against its deferred tax assets. In making that assessment, Autodesk evaluates whether it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized based on all available positive and negative evidence.

The Company continues to retain a valuation allowance against Portugal, New Zealand, California, Massachusetts and Michigan deferred tax assets and deferred tax assets relating to capital losses or assets that will convert into a capital loss upon reversal in Australia and U.S., as we do not have sufficient income of the appropriate character to benefit these deferred tax assets. In fiscal 2025, the Company established a valuation allowance through goodwill in Australia related to negative evidence at the time of the Payapps Limited acquisition; however, due to positive evidence supporting the realization of its deferred tax assets the valuation allowance was released. In fiscal 2024, the Company established a valuation allowance in Massachusetts on the basis that it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The impact of this establishment was offset by a decrease in the valuation allowance in the Netherlands due to the elimination of the deferred tax assets in that jurisdiction in fiscal 2024.

The valuation allowance decreased by $18 million in fiscal 2025, primarily due to the reduction of California deferred tax assets. The valuation allowance increased by $1 million in fiscal 2024, due to the establishment of valuation allowance in Massachusetts offset with the release of the valuation allowance in the Netherlands due to the elimination of the deferred tax assets.

The Company has elected to recognize any potential GILTI obligations as an expense in the period it is incurred.

As of January 31, 2025, Autodesk had $7 million of cumulative U.S. federal tax loss carryforwards and $316 million of cumulative U.S. state tax loss carryforwards, which may be available to reduce future income tax liabilities in federal and state jurisdictions. The U.S. federal losses generated beginning in fiscal 2019 are carried forward indefinitely. The U.S. state tax loss carryforward will expire beginning fiscal 2025 through fiscal 2045. In addition to U.S. federal and state tax loss carryforwards, Portugal, Norway, New Zealand and other foreign jurisdictions incurred tax losses totaling $24 million, which may be available to reduce future income tax liabilities. Our Portugal, Norway, and New Zealand losses of $8 million, $9 million, and $3 million,
respectively, have an indefinite expiration period. Portugal and New Zealand losses have a full valuation allowance against them on our balance sheet as the Company has determined it is more likely than not that these losses will not be utilized.

As of January 31, 2025, Autodesk had $130 million of cumulative California state research tax credit carryforwards, $13 million of cumulative Massachusetts state research tax credit carryforwards, and $42 million of cumulative Canadian federal research, which may be available to reduce future income tax liabilities in the respective jurisdictions. The state research tax credit carryforwards in California and Massachusetts may reduce future California and Massachusetts income tax liabilities indefinitely in those respective states, and the Canadian research tax credit carryforwards will expire beginning fiscal 2031 through fiscal 2045. Autodesk also has $20 million of cumulative U.S. federal foreign tax credit carryforwards, which may be available to reduce future U.S. tax liabilities. These foreign tax credits will expire beginning fiscal 2032 through fiscal 2035. As discussed above, the California and Massachusetts cumulative assets have full valuation allowance against them on our balance sheet as the Company has determined it is more likely than not that these losses and credits will not be utilized.

Utilization of net operating losses and tax credits may be subject to an annual limitation due to ownership change limitations provided in the Internal Revenue Code and similar state provisions. This annual limitation may result in the expiration of net operating losses and credits before utilization. No ownership change has occurred through the balance sheet date that would result in permanent losses of the U.S. federal and state tax attributes.

As of January 31, 2025, the Company had $312 million of gross unrecognized tax benefits, of which $47 million would reduce our valuation allowance, if recognized. The remaining $265 million would impact the effective tax rate. The amount of unrecognized tax benefits will immaterially decrease in the next twelve months for statute lapses.

A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of the gross unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:
Fiscal Year Ended January 31,
202520242023
Gross unrecognized tax benefits at the beginning of the fiscal year (1)$261 $238 $217 
Increases for tax positions of prior years (1)31 23 9 
Decreases for tax positions of prior years (1)— (11)(3)
Increases for tax positions related to the current year (1)29 13 21 
Decreases relating to settlements with taxing authorities(9)— (5)
Reductions as a result of lapse of the statute of limitations— (2)(1)
Gross unrecognized tax benefits at the end of the fiscal year$312 $261 $238 
  _______________
(1)During the year ended January 31, 2024, the Company corrected its presentation to remove correlative benefits related to certain transfer pricing matters. The above comparatives for fiscal 2023 has been corrected to conform to the current period presentation. The effect of the change on the ending gross unrecognized tax benefits was $15 million in fiscal 2023.
    
It is the Company’s continuing practice to recognize interest and/or penalties related to income tax matters in income tax expense. Autodesk had $15 million, $7 million, and $5 million, net of tax benefit, accrued for interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as of January 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively. There was $9 million, $2 million, and $(2) million of net expense for interest and penalties related to tax matters recorded through the consolidated statements of operations for the years ended January 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively.

Autodesk’s U.S. and state income tax returns for fiscal 2002 through fiscal 2025 remain open to examination due to either net operating loss or credit carryforward. The Internal Revenue Service notified the Company of examination of the Company’s consolidated federal income tax returns for fiscal 2020 and 2021. This audit commenced in February 2022 and remains in progress. As of fiscal 2025, Autodesk settled on a partial disallowance of research and development credits and consequently the reserve on such credits for years not under audit has increased.
Autodesk files tax returns in multiple foreign taxing jurisdictions with open tax years ranging from fiscal 2005 to 2025.