Note 16. Income Taxes

The components of loss before income taxes for the years ended October 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015 were as follows (in thousands):

	2017			2016			2015
U.S.	$	(49,723	)	$	(46,708	)	$	(26,459	)
Foreign		(4,136	)		(3,981	)		(2,951	)
Loss before income taxes	$	(53,859	)	$	(50,689	)	$	(29,410	)

There was current income tax expense of $0.04 million, $0.5 million and $0.3 million related to foreign withholding taxes and income taxes in South Korea and no deferred federal income tax expense (benefit) for the years ended October 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015. Franchise tax expense, which is included in administrative and selling expenses, was $0.5 million, $0.4 million and $0.2 million for the years ended October 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

The reconciliation of the federal statutory income tax rate to our effective income tax rate for the years ended October 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 was as follows:

	2017			2016			2015
Statutory federal income tax rate		(34.0	)%		(34.0	)%		(34.0	)%
Increase (decrease) in income taxes resulting from:
State taxes, net of Federal benefits		(1.3	)%		(0.2	)%		(0.1	)%
Foreign withholding tax		0.1	%		1.1	%		0.9	%
Net operating loss adjustment and true-ups		(4.6	)%		3.3	%		4.7	%
Nondeductible expenditures		1.9	%		0.9	%		0.1	%
Change in state tax rate		(0.8	)%		(0.3	)%		1.6	%
Other, net		0.6	%		0.2	%		0.4	%
Valuation allowance		38.2	%		30.1	%		27.3	%
Effective income tax rate		0.1	%		1.1	%		0.9	%

Our deferred tax assets and liabilities consisted of the following at October 31, 2017 and 2016 (in thousands):

	2017			2016
Deferred tax assets:
Compensation and benefit accruals	$	11,158		$	9,625
Bad debt and other allowances		605			1,276
Capital loss and tax credit carry-forwards		13,398			12,772
Net operating losses (domestic and foreign)		282,022			265,799
Deferred license revenue		7,850			8,616
Inventory valuation allowances		111			278
Accumulated depreciation		5,095			4,653
Grant revenue		1,522			1,327
Gross deferred tax assets:		321,761			304,346
Valuation allowance		(321,761	)		(304,346	)
Deferred tax assets after valuation allowance		—			—
Deferred tax liability:
In process research and development		(3,377	)		(3,377	)
Net deferred tax liability	$	(3,377	)	$	(3,377	)

We continually evaluate our deferred tax assets as to whether it is “more likely than not” that the deferred tax assets will be realized. In assessing the realizability of our deferred tax assets, management considers the scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable income and tax planning strategies. Based on the projections for future taxable income over the periods in which the deferred tax assets are realizable, management believes that significant uncertainty exists surrounding the recoverability of the deferred tax assets. As a result, we recorded a full valuation allowance against our deferred tax assets. None of the valuation allowance will reduce additional paid in capital upon subsequent recognition of any related tax benefits. In connection with our fiscal year 2013 acquisition of Versa we recorded a deferred tax liability for IPR&D, which has an indefinite life. Accordingly, we do not consider it to be a source of taxable income in evaluating the recoverability of our deferred tax assets.

As of October 31, 2017, we had federal and state NOL carryforwards of $752.7 million and $414.7 million, respectively, a portion of which ($7.4 million and $6.3 million of federal and state NOL carryforwards, respectively) have not been recognized as they relate to windfall benefits arising from share-based compensation. The federal NOL carryforwards expire in varying amounts from 2019 through 2037 while state NOL carryforwards expire in varying amounts from fiscal year 2018 through 2037. Additionally, we had $11.6 million of state tax credits available, of which $0.6 million expires in fiscal year 2018. The remaining credits do not expire.

Certain transactions involving the Company’s beneficial ownership occurred in fiscal year 2014 and prior years, which could have resulted in a stock ownership change for purposes of Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. We completed a detailed Section 382 study in fiscal year 2017 to determine if any of our NOL and credit carryovers will be subject to limitation. Based on that study we have determined that there was no ownership change as of the end of our fiscal year 2017 under Section 382. The acquisition of Versa in fiscal year 2013 triggered a Section 382 ownership change which will limit the future usage of some of the federal and state NOLs. The federal and state NOLs that are non 382-limited are included in the NOL deferred tax assets as disclosed.

As discussed in Note 1, the Company’s financial statements reflect expected future tax consequences of uncertain tax positions that the Company has taken or expects to take on a tax return (including a decision whether to file or not file a return in a particular jurisdiction) presuming the taxing authorities’ full knowledge of the position and all relevant facts.

The liability for unrecognized tax benefits as of October 31, 2017 and 2016 was $15.7 million. This amount is directly associated with a tax position taken in a year in which federal and state NOL carryforwards were generated. Accordingly, the amount of unrecognized tax benefit has been presented as a reduction in the reported amounts of our federal and state NOL carryforwards. It is our policy to record interest and penalties on unrecognized tax benefits as income taxes; however, because of our significant NOLs, no provision for interest or penalties has been recorded.

We file income tax returns in the U.S. and certain states, primarily Connecticut and California, as well as income tax returns required internationally for South Korea and Germany. We are open to examination by the Internal Revenue Service and various states in which we file for fiscal year 2000 to the present. Our 2016 U.S. federal tax return is currently under examination by the Internal Revenue Service.