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Income Taxes
 12 Months Ended
Jul. 31, 2023
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes Income Taxes
Loss before benefit from income taxes consists of the following:
 Fiscal Years Ended July 31,
 202320222021
U.S.$(21,327,000)(31,772,000)(73,153,000)
Foreign(9,520,000)(5,303,000)(1,827,000)
 $(30,847,000)(37,075,000)(74,980,000)

The (benefit from) provision for income taxes included in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations consists of the following:
 Fiscal Years Ended July 31,
 202320222021
Federal – current$(258,000)287,000 608,000 
Federal – deferred(4,623,000)(4,888,000)(877,000)
State and local – current1,412,000 348,000 466,000 
State and local – deferred(815,000)(442,000)(598,000)
Foreign – current958,000 1,197,000 688,000 
Foreign – deferred(622,000)(525,000)(1,787,000)
Benefit from income taxes$(3,948,000)(4,023,000)(1,500,000)

The benefit from income taxes differed from the amounts computed by applying the U.S. Federal income tax rate as a result of the following:
 Fiscal Years Ended July 31,
 202320222021
 AmountRateAmountRateAmountRate
Computed "expected" tax benefit$(6,478,000)21.0 %(7,786,000)21.0 %(15,746,000)21.0 %
Increase (reduction) in income taxes resulting from:      
State and local income taxes, net of federal benefit440,000 (1.4)227,000 (0.6)(1,371,000)1.8 
Stock-based compensation692,000 (2.2)1,049,000 (2.8)(20,000)— 
Research and experimentation credits(2,576,000)8.4 (1,484,000)4.0 (1,018,000)1.4 
Foreign-derived intangible income deduction(517,000)1.7 — — 164,000 (0.2)
Revaluation of convertible preferred stock option liability— — (211,000)0.6 — — 
Nondeductible transaction costs— — — — 402,000 (0.5)
Nondeductible executive compensation1,484,000 (4.8)2,801,000 (7.6)628,000 (0.8)
Fines and penalties— — (1,000)— — — 
Audit settlements— — 18,000 — 6,000 — 
Change in the beginning of the year valuation allowance for deferred tax assets— — — — (805,000)1.1 
Change in valuation allowance2,834,000 (9.2)2,009,000 (5.4)15,582,000 (20.8)
Remeasurement of deferred taxes— — (396,000)1.1 (224,000)0.3 
Foreign income taxes(269,000)0.9 (478,000)1.3 676,000 (0.9)
Other, net442,000 (1.6)229,000 (0.7)226,000 (0.4)
Benefit from income taxes$(3,948,000)12.8 %(4,023,000)10.9 %(1,500,000)2.0 %
The tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of the deferred tax assets and liabilities at July 31, 2023 and 2022 are presented below:
 20232022
Deferred tax assets:  
Inventory and warranty reserves$6,147,000 5,970,000 
Compensation and commissions3,221,000 4,376,000 
Federal, state and foreign research and experimentation credits19,308,000 19,476,000 
Capitalized U.S. research and experimental expenditures8,784,000 — 
Stock-based compensation4,774,000 3,950,000 
Foreign scientific research and experimental development expenditures2,118,000 1,890,000 
Federal, state and foreign net operating losses13,011,000 14,481,000 
Federal and state capital losses15,582,000 15,582,000 
Lease liabilities11,986,000 12,595,000 
Deferred revenue, non-current4,463,000 2,194,000 
Other2,417,000 3,725,000 
Less: valuation allowance(34,478,000)(31,227,000)
Total deferred tax assets57,333,000 53,012,000 
 Deferred tax liabilities:  
Plant and equipment(4,883,000)(3,489,000)
Lease right-of-use assets(10,510,000)(11,801,000)
Intangibles(50,843,000)(52,681,000)
Total deferred tax liabilities(66,236,000)(67,971,000)
Net deferred tax liabilities$(8,903,000)(14,959,000)

At July 31, 2023, our net deferred tax liability of $8,903,000 includes $591,000 of foreign net deferred tax assets that were recorded as other assets, net in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. At July 31, 2022, our net deferred tax liability of $14,959,000 includes $396,000 of foreign net deferred tax assets that were recorded as other assets, net in our Consolidated Balance Sheets.

We provide for income taxes under the provisions of ASC 740 which requires an asset and liability based approach in accounting for income taxes. In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of them will not be realized. If management determines that it is more likely than not that some or all of its deferred tax assets will not be realized, a valuation allowance will be recorded against such deferred tax assets.

At July 31, 2023, we have federal research and experimentation credits of $9,995,000 that will begin to expire in 2031. We have a nominal amount of federal net operating loss carryforward that will begin to expire in 2038. We have state net operating loss carryforwards available of $3,864,000, which expire through 2043, utilization of which will be limited by the amounts and timing of future taxable income and by the application of the ownership change rules under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code. We believe it to be more likely than not that the benefit from certain state net operating loss carryforwards will not be realized. In recognition of this risk, we have provided a valuation allowance of $3,757,000 on the deferred tax assets relating to these state net operating loss carryforwards. We have state research and experimentation credit carryforwards of $8,936,000, which expire through 2043. We believe that it is more likely than not that the benefit from certain state research and experimentation credits will not be realized. In recognition of this risk, we have provided a valuation allowance of $8,246,000 on the deferred tax assets relating to these state credits. In addition, we have provided a valuation allowance of $1,094,000 on certain other state deferred tax assets. We have federal and state capital loss carryforwards of $15,582,000, which begin to expire in 2026, and for which a full valuation allowance has been provided as we believe it to be more likely than not that the benefit from these capital losses will not be realized.
At July 31, 2023, we had foreign deferred tax assets relating to net operating loss carryforwards of $9,186,000, which will begin to expire in 2032. We believe that it is more likely than not that certain net operating loss carryforwards may not be realized. In recognition of this risk, we have provided a valuation allowance of $5,799,000 on the deferred tax assets relating to these net operating loss carryforwards. We have foreign deferred tax assets relating to research and experimentation credits of $377,000, which will begin to expire in 2038. Our foreign earnings and profits are insignificant and, as such, we have not recorded any deferred tax liability on unremitted foreign earnings.

At July 31, 2023 and 2022, total unrecognized tax benefits were $9,166,000 and $10,008,000, respectively, including interest of $210,000 and $330,000, respectively. At July 31, 2023 and 2022, $2,208,000 and $3,007,000, respectively, of our unrecognized tax benefits were recorded as non-current income taxes payable on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. The remaining unrecognized tax benefits of $6,958,000 and $7,001,000 at July 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, were presented as an offset to the associated non-current deferred tax assets on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. Of the total unrecognized tax benefits, $8,286,000 and $9,034,000 at July 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, net of the reversal of the federal benefit recognized as a deferred tax asset relating to state reserves, would favorably impact our effective tax rate, if recognized. Unrecognized tax benefits result from income tax positions taken or expected to be taken on our income tax returns for which a tax benefit has not been recorded in our consolidated financial statements. We believe it is reasonably possible that the gross unrecognized tax benefits could decrease by as much as $622,000 in the next 12 months due to the expiration of a statute of limitations related to federal, state and foreign tax positions.

Our policy is to recognize potential interest and penalties relating to uncertain tax positions in income tax expense. The following table summarizes the activity related to our unrecognized tax benefits for fiscal years 2023, 2022 and 2021 (excluding interest):
 202320222021
Balance at beginning of period$9,675,000 9,009,000 8,270,000 
Increase related to current period681,000 598,000 528,000 
Increase related to prior periods51,000 153,000 338,000 
Expiration of statute of limitations(1,406,000)(83,000)(48,000)
Decrease related to prior periods(45,000)(2,000)(79,000)
Balance at end of period$8,956,000 9,675,000 9,009,000 

Our U.S. federal income tax returns for fiscal 2020 through 2022 are subject to potential future Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") audit. None of our state income tax returns prior to fiscal 2019 are subject to audit. Future tax assessments or settlements could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated results of operations and financial condition.