13. INCOME TAXES

The Company has significant deferred tax assets, a substantial amount of which result from operating loss carryforwards. The Company routinely evaluates its ability to realize the benefits of these assets to determine whether it is more likely than not that such benefit will be realized. In periods prior to the year ended June 30, 2014, the Company’s evaluation of its ability to realize the benefit from its deferred tax assets resulted in a full valuation allowance against such assets. Based upon earnings performance that the Company had achieved along with the belief that such performance will continue into future years, the Company determined during the year ended June 30, 2014 that it was more likely than not that a substantial portion of its deferred tax assets would be realized with approximately $64 million of its operating loss carryforwards being utilized to offset corresponding future years’ taxable income resulting in a reduction in its valuation allowances recorded in prior years.

In addition to considering recent periods’ performance, the evaluation of the amount of deferred tax assets expected to be realized involves forecasting the amount of taxable income that will be generated in future years. The number of connections added in a service year is a key metric which, in the Company’s recurring revenue service model, becomes an important ingredient in driving future growth and earnings. The Company has forecasted future results using estimates that management believes to be achievable. With respect to its forecasts, the Company also has taken into account several industry analysts who have projected that demand for technology and services similar to the Company’s will continue to grow in the markets the Company serves.

If in future periods the Company demonstrates its ability to grow taxable income in excess of the forecasts it has used, it will re-evaluate the need to keep some, or all, of the remaining valuation allowances of approximately $23 million on its deferred tax assets.

The (provision) benefit for income taxes for the years ended June 30, 2017, 2016 and 2015 is comprised of the following:


($ in thousands)	2017		2016		2015
Current:
Federal	$	(2)	$	(7)	$	(58)
State		(31)		(38)		(6)
Total current		(33)		(45)		(64)
Deferred:
Federal		(14)		407		365
State		(40)		253		(590)
Total deferred		(54)		660		(225)
Total income tax (provision) benefit	$	(87)	$	615	$	(289)

The provision for income taxes for the year ended June 30, 2015 includes $396 thousand for the state and federal income tax effects of a decrease in the applicable state tax rate used to tax effect deferred tax assets resulting from a state income tax law change.

A reconciliation of the (provision) benefit for income taxes for the years ended June 30, 2017, 2016 and 2015 to the indicated (provision) benefit based on income (loss) before (provision) benefit for income taxes at the federal statutory rate of 34% is as follows:


($ in thousands)	2017		2016		2015
Indicated (provision) benefit at federal statutory rate of 34%	$	600	$	2,523	$	272
Effects of permanent differences
Warrants		(507)		(1,929)		(133)
Other		(137)		(111)		(82)
State income taxes, net of federal benefit		(59)		199		(410)
Income tax credits		60		70		40
Changes related to prior years		8		—		187
Changes in valuation allowances		(52)		(137)		(163)
	$	(87)	$	615	$	(289)

At June 30, 2017 the Company had federal and state operating loss carryforwards of approximately $162 million and $72 million, respectively, to offset future taxable income expiring through approximately 2037. The timing and extent to which the Company can utilize operating loss carryforwards in any year may be limited because of provisions of the Internal Revenue Code regarding changes in ownership of corporations (i.e. IRS Code Section 382). The changes in ownership limitations under IRS Code Section 382 have had the effect of limiting the maximum amount of federal operating loss carryforwards as of June 30, 2017 available for use to offset future years’ taxable income to approximately $124 million. Federal and state operating loss carryforwards start to expire in 2022 and 2018, respectively.

The net deferred tax assets arose primarily from net operating loss carryforwards, as well as the use of different accounting methods for financial statement and income tax reporting purposes as follows:


	June 30,
($ in thousands)	2017		2016
Deferred tax assets:
Net operating loss carryforwards	$	46,604	$	46,691
Asset reserves		2,063		1,713
Deferred research and development		1,634		1,356
Intangibles		244		539
Deferred gain on assets under sale-leaseback transaction		125		331
Stock-based compensation		607		377
Other		285		379
		51,562		51,386
Deferred tax liabilities:
Fixed assets		(706)		(528)
Deferred tax assets, net		50,856		50,858
Valuation allowance		(23,186)		(23,134)
Deferred tax assets, net of allowance	$	27,670	$	27,724