Income Taxes

In July 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-11, Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists, to provide guidance on the presentation of unrecognized tax benefits. ASU 2013-11 requires an entity to present an unrecognized tax benefit, or a portion of an unrecognized tax benefit, as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward with certain limited exceptions. ASU 2013-11 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning on or after December 15, 2013 and interim periods within those annual periods with earlier adoption permitted. The Company adopted this guidance in the quarter ended December 31, 2014 with no significant impact to the financial statements.

In the normal course of business, we are subject to audits by federal and state tax authorities regarding various tax liabilities. Our federal income tax returns for fiscal years 2011 through 2012 were agreed to with the IRS Appeals Office and approved by the Joint Committee on Taxation in the first quarter of fiscal year 2015. Certain state income tax returns for various fiscal years are under routine examination. The statute of limitations for our major tax jurisdictions remains open for examination for fiscal years 2007 and subsequent years. As of December 31, 2014, it is reasonably possible that up to $2.8 million of the total uncertain tax positions will reverse within the next twelve months, primarily due to the expiration of statutes of limitation in various jurisdictions.

As of both December 31, 2014 and September 30, 2014, we had $0.4 million of accrued interest and penalties related to our unrecognized tax benefits.

We experienced an “ownership change” as defined in Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code (Section 382) as of January 12, 2010. Section 382 contains rules that limit the ability of a company that undergoes an “ownership change” to utilize its net operating loss carryforwards (NOLs) and certain built-in losses or deductions recognized during the five-year period after the ownership change to offset future taxable income. Therefore, our ability to utilize our pre-ownership change net operating loss carryforwards and recognize certain built-in losses or deductions is limited by Section 382 to an estimated maximum amount of approximately $11.4 million ($4 million tax-effected) annually. Certain deferred tax assets are not subject to any limitation imposed. Due to the Section 382 limitation and the maximum carryforward period of our NOLs, we will be unable to fully recognize certain deferred tax assets. As future economic conditions unfold, we will be able to confirm that certain deferred tax assets will not provide any future tax benefit. At such time, we will accordingly remove any deferred tax asset and corresponding valuation allowance.

Accordingly, a portion of our $500.4 million of total gross deferred tax assets related to accrued losses on our inventory may be unavailable due to the limitation imposed by Section 382. As of December 31, 2014, we estimate that between $7.9 million and $40.9 million may be unavailable due to our Section 382 limitation. As a result, upon the resumption of sustained profitability and reversal of our valuation allowance, between $416 million and $449 million of our net deferred tax assets may be available to us for the reduction of future cash taxes. The actual realization of our deferred tax assets is difficult to predict and will be dependent on future events.

Considering the limitation imposed by Section 382, the table below depicts the classifications of our deferred tax assets:



(In thousands)	December 31, 2014
Deferred tax assets:
Subject to annual limitation	$	102,207
Generally not subject to annual limitation	357,289
Certain components likely to be subject to annual limitation	40,905
Total deferred tax assets	500,401
Deferred tax liabilities	(43,496		)
Net deferred tax assets before valuation allowance	456,905
Valuation allowance	(456,859		)
Net deferred tax assets	$	46

Based upon an evaluation of all available evidence, we established a valuation allowance for substantially all of our deferred tax assets during fiscal 2008. As of December 31, 2014, we continued our evaluation of whether the valuation allowance against our deferred tax assets was still required. We considered positive evidence including evidence of recovery in the housing markets where we operate, the prospects of continued profitability and growth, a strong backlog and sufficient balance sheet liquidity to sustain and grow operations. Although the Company’s performance and current positioning is bringing it closer to a conclusion that a valuation allowance is no longer needed, further evidence of sustained profitability is needed to reverse our valuation allowance against our deferred tax assets. Therefore, based upon all available positive and negative evidence, we concluded a valuation allowance is still needed for substantially all of our gross deferred tax assets at December 31, 2014. The Company's deferred tax asset valuation allowance was $456.9 million and $445.2 million as of December 31, 2014 and September 30, 2014, respectively. In future periods, we expect to reduce all or a portion of our valuation allowance, generating a non-cash tax benefit, if sufficient positive evidence is present indicating that more likely than not a portion or all of our deferred tax assets will be realized. Changes in existing tax laws could also affect actual tax results and the valuation of deferred tax assets over time.