Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Income taxes (Tables)

v3.20.2
Income taxes (Tables)
12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Components of income from continuing operations before income taxes
The components of income before income taxes and the corresponding provision for income taxes are as follows:
  Year ended September 30,
 (in thousands) 2020 2019 2018
Income before income taxes:      
United States $ 304,240  $ 280,092  $ 248,360 
Foreign (17,178) 37,228  50,849 
Income before income taxes $ 287,062  $ 317,320  $ 299,209 
Provision for income taxes
  Year ended September 30,
 (in thousands) 2020 2019 2018
Current provision/(benefit):      
Federal $ 65,735  $ 37,123  $ 42,318 
State and local 28,117  14,480  13,459 
Foreign (2,154) 12,561  15,895 
Total current provision 91,698  64,164  71,672 
Deferred tax expense/(benefit):      
Federal (12,984) 12,627  4,106 
State and local (4,246) 3,013  2,902 
Foreign (1,915) (2,979) (287)
Total deferred tax expense/(benefit) (19,145) 12,661  6,721 
Provision for income taxes $ 72,553  $ 76,825  $ 78,393 
Reconciliation of tax provision using the federal statutory income tax rate to reported provision The provision for income taxes differs from that which would have resulted from the use of this rate is as follows:
  Year ended September 30,
 (in thousands) 2020 2019 2018
Federal income tax provision at statutory rate of 21%, 21% and 24.5%, respectively
$ 60,284  $ 66,637  $ 73,396 
State income taxes, net of federal benefit 17,480  14,825  12,348 
Foreign taxation (463) 1,210  (1,531)
Permanent items 2,200  2,682  1,176 
Tax credits (4,149) (3,730) (2,438)
Toll tax —  (481) 9,425 
Deferred tax liability - tax rate change —  —  (10,514)
Vesting of equity compensation (2,038) (4,783) (2,849)
Other (761) 465  (620)
Provision for income taxes $ 72,553  $ 76,825  $ 78,393 
Significant items comprising the Company's deferred tax assets and liabilities
The significant items comprising our deferred tax assets and liabilities as of September 30, 2020 and 2019, are as follows:
  As of September 30,
 (in thousands) 2020 2019
Net deferred tax assets/(liabilities)    
Costs deductible in future periods $ 24,127  $ 19,133 
Deferred revenue 8,054  6,098 
Stock compensation 4,140  3,617 
Net operating loss carryforwards 252  798 
Amortization of goodwill and intangible assets (27,555) (26,338)
Capitalized software (10,076) (8,635)
Accounts receivable - unbilled (11,565) (35,566)
Property and equipment (2,365) 515 
Prepaid expenses (4,245) (3,645)
Other (3,589) (2,351)
$ (22,822) $ (46,374)
Our deferred tax assets and liabilities are held in various national and international jurisdictions that do not allow right of offset. Accordingly, our presentation of deferred taxes on our consolidated balance sheets is split between jurisdictions that show a net deferred tax asset and a net deferred tax liability. Our net deferred tax position is summarized below:
As of September 30,
(in thousands) 2020 2019
Balance of tax jurisdictions with net deferred tax assets $ 1,915  $ 186 
Balance of tax jurisdictions with net deferred tax liabilities (24,737) (46,560)
Net deferred tax liabilities $ (22,822) $ (46,374)
Schedule of reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of gross unrecognized tax benefits The reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of gross unrecognized tax benefits was as follows:
  Year ended September 30,
 (in thousands) 2020 2019 2018
Balance at beginning of year $ 3,001  $ 721  $ 633 
Increases for tax positions taken in current year 770  2,280  88 
Decreases for tax positions taken in current year (1,973) —  — 
Balance at end of year $ 1,798  $ 3,001  $ 721