Income taxes | Income taxes The income tax benefit consisted of the following: Year ended January 31, (in thousands) 2023 2022 2021 Current: Federal $ 3,260 $ 628 $ 181 State 1,968 239 258 Total current tax provision $ 5,228 $ 867 $ 439 Deferred: Federal $ (14,382) $ (21,197) $ (1,630) State (2,799) (2,122) (3,503) Total deferred tax benefit $ (17,181) $ (23,319) $ (5,133) Total income tax benefit $ (11,953) $ (22,452) $ (4,694) Total income tax benefit differed from the amounts computed by applying the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate to income before income taxes as a result of the following: Year ended January 31, (in thousands) 2023 2022 2021 Federal income tax provision (benefit) at the statutory rate $ (8,000) $ (14,016) $ 869 State income tax benefit, net of federal tax provision (benefit) (1,021) (3,733) (99) Other non-deductible or non-taxable items, net 225 (165) 469 Excessive employee remuneration 3,246 1,214 1,186 Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation expense, net (2,479) (5,098) (2,983) Federal research and development credits (1,341) (4,218) (2,195) Change in uncertain tax position reserves, net of indirect benefits (2,970) 836 511 Reclassification of operating lease right-of-use assets — — 185 Change in net operating losses due to measurement period adjustments — — 377 Deferred tax rate adjustment due to merger integration — 725 (1,814) Return-to-provision adjustments (38) (810) (1,010) Change in valuation allowance 733 3,457 (145) Other items, net (308) (644) (45) Total income tax benefit $ (11,953) $ (22,452) $ (4,694) The Company’s effective income tax benefit rate for the fiscal years ended January 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021 was 31.4%, 33.6%, and 113.4%, respectively. The difference between the effective income tax rate and the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate each period is impacted by a number of factors, including the relative mix of earnings among state jurisdictions, credits, excess tax benefits or shortfalls on stock-based compensation expense, changes in valuation allowance, and other items. The decrease in the effective tax benefit rate for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2023 compared to the fiscal year ended January 31, 2022 was primarily due to a decrease in benefit for state income taxes, a decrease in research and development tax credits, a decrease in excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation expense, and an increase in nondeductible executive compensation relative to pre-tax book loss, partially offset by a release of uncertain tax positions and a smaller change in valuation allowance. The decrease in the effective tax rate for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2022 compared to the fiscal year ended January 31, 2021 was primarily due to the impact of tax benefit items, such as stock-based compensation expense, credits, and changes to the valuation allowance, relative to the larger pre-tax book loss and smaller pre-tax book income, respectively. Deferred tax assets and liabilities consisted of the following: (in thousands) January 31, 2023 January 31, 2022 Deferred tax assets: Net operating loss carryforward $ 2,646 $ 5,542 Stock compensation 16,217 14,778 Research and development credits 7,147 13,351 Lease liabilities 17,337 19,356 Capitalized research and development 16,419 — Accruals and reserves 4,439 7,729 Other, net 5,643 3,728 Total gross deferred tax assets $ 69,848 $ 64,484 Less valuation allowance (4,294) (3,561) Deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowance 65,554 60,923 Deferred tax liabilities: Fixed assets (1,509) (1,862) Intangible assets (99,471) (119,048) Incremental contract costs (11,118) (9,585) Right-of-use assets (14,132) (16,923) Goodwill (20,271) (11,481) Other, net (1,718) (1,870) Total gross deferred tax liabilities (148,219) (160,769) Net deferred tax liability $ (82,665) $ (99,846) The impact of Internal Revenue Code Section 174 changes requiring capitalization of software development costs pursuant to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 resulted in higher current income tax payable and significant utilization of net operating loss and research and development tax credit deferred tax assets for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2023. Management considered whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets would be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. Management considered the scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities in making this assessment and determined that based on the weight of all available evidence, it is more likely than not (i.e., a likelihood of more than 50%) that the Company will be able to realize all of its federal deferred tax assets and the majority if its state deferred tax assets. The Company recorded a valuation allowance of $4.3 million and $3.6 million as of January 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, related to certain state deferred tax assets. The $0.7 million increase in valuation allowance recorded is primarily the result of state research and development tax credits that are not expected to be utilized before expiration. As of January 31, 2023, the Company had recorded state net operating loss carryforwards of $43.1 million, which begin to expire at various intervals following the tax year ending January 31, 2031. As of January 31, 2023, the Company also had federal and state research and development credits of $2.4 million and $10.8 million, respectively, which begin to expire following the tax years ending January 31, 2032 and 2024, respectively. As of January 31, 2023 and 2022, the gross unrecognized tax benefit was $8.7 million and $11.7 million, respectively. If recognized, $5.4 million and $10.8 million of the total unrecognized tax benefits would affect the Company's effective tax rate as of January 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Total gross unrecognized tax benefits decreased by $3.0 million in the period from January 31, 2022 to January 31, 2023. A tabular reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of gross unrecognized tax benefits, including the impact of purchase accounting from the Luum Acquisition, is as follows: (in thousands) January 31, 2023 January 31, 2022 Gross unrecognized tax benefits at beginning of year $ 11,653 $ 10,206 Gross amounts of increases and decreases: Purchase accounting adjustments — 240 Increases as a result of tax positions taken during a prior period — 38 Decreases as a result of tax positions taken during a prior period (183) — Increases as a result of tax positions taken during the current period 639 1,169 Decreases resulting from the lapse of the applicable statute of limitations (3,419) — Gross unrecognized tax benefits at end of year $ 8,690 $ 11,653 Certain unrecognized tax benefits are required to be netted against their related deferred tax assets as a result of Accounting Standards Update 2013-11, Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists . The resulting unrecognized tax benefit recorded within the Company's consolidated balance sheet excludes the following amounts that have been netted against the related deferred tax assets accordingly: (in thousands) January 31, 2023 January 31, 2022 Total gross unrecognized tax benefits $ 8,690 $ 11,653 Amounts netted against related deferred tax assets (4,337) (7,097) Unrecognized tax benefits recorded on the consolidated balance sheet $ 4,353 $ 4,556 The Company’s policy is to recognize interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as a component of other income (expense), net in the statement of operations and comprehensive income (loss). During the fiscal years ended January 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, the Company recorded penalties and interest of $0.4 million, $0.7 million, and $0.2 million, respectively, related to unrecognized tax benefits. As of January 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company recorded accrued interest and penalties of $1.3 million and $1.5 million, respectively. The Company files income tax returns with U.S. federal and state taxing jurisdictions and is currently under examination by the IRS and the state of Texas. These examinations may lead to ordinary course adjustments or proposed adjustments to the Company's taxes, net operating losses, and/or tax credit carryforwards. As a result of the Company's net operating loss carryforwards and tax credit carryforwards, the Company remains subject to examination by one or more jurisdictions for tax years after 2003. |