Surmodics (SRDX) 10-Q 5 May 15 2015 Q2 Quarterly report Financial data

Document_and_Entity_Informatio

Document and Entity Information	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Apr. 30, 2015
Document And Entity Information [Abstract]
Document Type	10-Q
Amendment Flag	FALSE
Document Period End Date	31-Mar-15
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2015
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q2
Trading Symbol	SRDX
Entity Registrant Name	SURMODICS INC
Entity Central Index Key	924717
Current Fiscal Year End Date	-21
Entity Filer Category	Accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		13,011,406

Condensed_Consolidated_Balance

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$30,015	$43,511
Available-for-sale securities	19,119	3,040
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $36 and $42 as of March 31, 2015 and September 30, 2014, respectively	4,927	4,751
Inventories	3,195	2,817
Deferred tax assets	359	394
Income tax receivable	1,223	59
Prepaids and other	926	692
Current assets of discontinued operations		16
Total Current Assets	59,764	55,280
Property and equipment, net	12,419	13,133
Available-for-sale securities		16,823
Deferred tax assets	5,946	6,718
Intangible assets, net	2,574	2,946
Goodwill	8,010	8,010
Other assets, net	1,979	1,979
Total Assets	90,692	104,889
Current Liabilities:
Accounts payable	1,141	1,028
Accrued liabilities:
Compensation	1,417	2,061
Accrued other	947	881
Deferred revenue	49	52
Current liabilities of discontinued operations		45
Total Current Liabilities	3,554	4,067
Deferred revenue, less current portion	217	226
Other long-term liabilities	1,741	1,845
Total Liabilities	5,512	6,138
Commitments and Contingencies (Note 16)
Stockholders' Equity:
Series A Preferred stock- $.05 par value, 450,000 shares authorized; no shares issued and outstanding
Common stock- $.05 par value, 45,000,000 shares authorized; 13,007,830 and 13,606,545 shares issued and outstanding, respectively	650	680
Additional paid-in capital	1,620	2,662
Accumulated other comprehensive income	30	1,528
Retained earnings	82,880	93,881
Total Stockholders' Equity	85,180	98,751
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	$90,692	$104,889

Condensed_Consolidated_Balance1

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (Parenthetical) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified
Statement of Financial Position [Abstract]
Accounts receivable, allowance for doubtful accounts	$36	$42
Series A Preferred stock, par value	$0.05	$0.05
Series A Preferred stock, shares authorized	450,000	450,000
Series A Preferred stock, shares issued	0	0
Series A Preferred stock, shares outstanding	0	0
Common stock, par value	$0.05	$0.05
Common stock, shares authorized	45,000,000	45,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	13,007,830	13,606,545
Common stock, shares outstanding	13,007,830	13,606,545

Condensed_Consolidated_Stateme

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Revenue:
Royalties and license fees	$7,383	$7,329	$14,658	$14,794
Product sales	5,651	5,165	11,498	10,565
Research and development	1,381	1,110	2,464	2,128
Total revenue	14,415	13,604	28,620	27,487
Operating costs and expenses:
Product costs	1,955	1,696	3,857	3,700
Research and development	4,403	4,134	7,979	7,833
Selling, general and administrative	4,125	4,294	7,818	8,145
Total operating costs and expenses	10,483	10,124	19,654	19,678
Operating income	3,932	3,480	8,966	7,809
Other income:
Investment income, net	56	66	113	152
Gain on sale of strategic investment				681
Other income, net	543	125	536	125
Other income, net	599	191	649	958
Income before income taxes	4,531	3,671	9,615	8,767
Income tax provision	-1,480	-1,212	-2,950	-2,678
Net income	$3,051	$2,459	$6,665	$6,089
Basic net income per share	$0.24	$0.18	$0.51	$0.45
Diluted net income per share	$0.23	$0.18	$0.50	$0.44
Weighted average number of shares outstanding:
Basic	12,944	13,538	13,092	13,658
Diluted	13,207	13,824	13,365	13,925

Condensed_Consolidated_Stateme1

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Unaudited) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net income	$3,051	$2,459	$6,665	$6,089
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax:
Unrealized holding (losses) gains on available-for-sale securities arising during the period	-70	49	-1,156	16
Reclassification adjustment for realized gains included in net income	-346	-84	-342	-84
Other comprehensive loss	-416	-35	-1,498	-68
Comprehensive income	$2,635	$2,424	$5,167	$6,021

Condensed_Consolidated_Stateme2

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) (USD $)	6 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Operating Activities:
Net income	$6,665	$6,089
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities from continuing operations:
Depreciation and amortization	1,389	1,380
Stock-based compensation	1,211	2,462
Deferred taxes	795	-164
Gain on sales of available-for-sale securities and strategic investments	-515	-806
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation plans	-442	-658
Other	-40
Change in operating assets and liabilities, excluding the impact from discontinued operations:
Accounts receivable	-176	-278
Inventories	-378	570
Prepaids and other	-245	-330
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	-609	-1,770
Income taxes	-825	-559
Net cash provided by operating activities from continuing operations	6,830	5,936
Investing Activities:
Purchases of property and equipment	-163	-798
Cash proceeds from sales of property and equipment	42
Purchases of available-for-sale securities	-3,385	-92,700
Sales and maturities of available-for-sale securities	3,176	92,514
Cash received from sales of strategic investments		681
Cash transferred to discontinued operations	-45	-13
Net cash used in investing activities from continuing operations	-375	-316
Financing Activities:
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation plans	442	658
Issuance of common stock	348	329
Repurchase of common stock	-20,000	-12,544
Purchase of common stock to pay employee taxes	-741	-1,114
Net cash used in financing activities from continuing operations	-19,951	-12,671
Net cash used in continuing operations	-13,496	-7,051
Discontinued Operations:
Net cash used in operating activities	-45	-13
Net cash provided by financing activities	45	13
Net cash provided by discontinued operations	0	0
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	-13,496	-7,051
Cash and Cash Equivalents:
Beginning of period	43,511	15,495
End of period	30,015	8,444
Supplemental Information:
Cash paid for income taxes	2,981	3,401
Noncash transactions - acquisition of property and equipment on account	155	82
Noncash transactions - issuance of performance shares, restricted and deferred stock units	$2,250	$3,007

Basis_of_Presentation

Basis of Presentation	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	1	Basis of Presentation
	The accompanying unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S.”) (“GAAP”) and, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring adjustments, needed to fairly present the financial results of SurModics, Inc. and subsidiaries (“SurModics” or the “Company”) for the periods presented. These financial statements include some amounts that are based on management’s best estimates and judgments. These estimates may be adjusted as more information becomes available, and any adjustment could be significant. The impact of any change in estimates is included in the determination of net income in the period in which the change in estimate is identified. The results of operations for the three and six months ended March 31, 2015 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the entire 2015 fiscal year.
	In accordance with the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), the Company has omitted footnote disclosures that would substantially duplicate the disclosures contained in the audited financial statements of the Company. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read together with the audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014, and footnotes thereto included in the Company’s Form 10-K as filed with the SEC on December 5, 2014.

Key_Accounting_Policies

Key Accounting Policies	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Key Accounting Policies	2	Key Accounting Policies
	Revenue recognition
	The Company recognizes revenue when all of the following criteria are met: (1) persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists; (2) shipment has occurred or delivery has occurred if the terms specify destination; (3) the sales price is fixed or determinable; and (4) collectability is reasonably assured. When there are additional performance requirements, revenue is recognized when all such requirements have been satisfied. Under revenue arrangements with multiple deliverables, the Company recognizes each separable deliverable as it is earned.
	The Company derives its revenue from three primary sources: (1) royalties and license fees from licensing its proprietary drug delivery and surface modification technologies and in vitro diagnostic formats to customers; (2) the sale of reagent chemicals to licensees and the sale of stabilization products, antigens, substrates and surface coatings to the diagnostic and biomedical research markets; and (3) research and commercial development fees generated on customer projects.
	Royalties and license fees. The Company licenses technology to third parties and collects royalties. Royalty revenue is generated when a customer sells products incorporating the Company’s licensed technologies. Royalty revenue is recognized as licensees report it to the Company, and payment is typically submitted concurrently with the report. For stand-alone license agreements, up-front license fees are recognized over the term of the related licensing agreement. Minimum royalty fees are recognized in the period earned.
	Revenue related to a performance milestone is recognized upon the achievement of the milestone, as defined in the respective agreements and provided the following conditions have been met:
		•	The milestone payment is non-refundable;
		•	The milestone involved a significant degree of risk, and was not reasonably assured at the inception of the arrangement;
		•	Accomplishment of the milestone involved substantial effort;
		•	The amount of the milestone payment is commensurate with the related effort and risk; and
		•	A reasonable amount of time passed between the initial license payment and the first and subsequent milestone payments.
	If these conditions have not been met, the milestone payment is deferred and recognized over the term of the agreement.
	Product sales. Product sales to third parties consist of direct and distributor sales and are recognized at the time of shipment. The Company’s sales terms provide no right of return outside of the standard warranty policy. Payment terms are generally set at 30-45 days.
	Research and development. The Company performs third-party research and development activities, which are typically provided on a time and materials basis. Generally, revenue for research and development is recorded as performance progresses under the applicable contract.
	Arrangements with multiple deliverables. Revenue arrangements with multiple deliverables require the Company to:
	(i) disclose whether multiple deliverables exist, how the deliverables in an arrangement should be separated, and how the consideration should be allocated;
	(ii) allocate revenue in an arrangement using estimated selling prices (“ESP”) of deliverables if a vendor does not have vendor-specific objective evidence of selling price (“VSOE”) or third-party evidence of selling price (“TPE”); and
	(iii) allocate revenue using the relative selling price method.
	The Company accounts for revenue using a multiple attribution model in which consideration allocated to research and development activities is recognized as performed, and milestone payments are recognized when the milestone events are achieved, when such activities and milestones are deemed substantive. Accordingly, in situations where a unit of accounting includes both a license and research and development activities, and when a license does not have stand-alone value, the Company applies a multiple attribution model in which consideration allocated to the license is recognized ratably, consideration allocated to research and development activities is recognized as performed and milestone payments are recognized when the milestone events are achieved, when such activities and milestones are deemed substantive.
	The Company enters into license and development arrangements that may consist of multiple deliverables which could include a license(s) to SurModics’ technology, research and development activities, manufacturing services, and product sales based on the needs of its customers. For example, a customer may enter into an arrangement to obtain a license to SurModics’ intellectual property which may also include research and development activities, and supply of products manufactured by SurModics. For these services provided by SurModics, SurModics could receive upfront license fees upon signing of an agreement and granting the license, fees for research and development activities as such activities are performed, milestone payments contingent upon advancement of the product through development and clinical stages to successful commercialization, fees for manufacturing services and supply of product, and royalty payments based on customer sales of product incorporating SurModics’ technology. The Company’s license and development arrangements generally do not have refund provisions if the customer cancels or terminates the agreement. Typically all payments made are non-refundable.
	The Company is required to evaluate each deliverable in a multiple element arrangement for separability. The Company is then required to allocate revenue to each separate deliverable using a hierarchy of VSOE, TPE, or ESP. In many instances, the Company is not able to establish VSOE for all deliverables in an arrangement with multiple elements. This may be a result of the Company infrequently selling each element separately or having a limited history with multiple element arrangements. When VSOE cannot be established, the Company attempts to establish a selling price of each element based on TPE. TPE is determined based on competitor prices for similar deliverables when sold separately.
	When the Company is unable to establish a selling price using VSOE or TPE, the Company uses ESP in its allocation of arrangement consideration. The objective of ESP is to determine the price at which the Company would transact a sale if the product or service were sold on a stand-alone basis. ESP is generally used for highly customized offerings.
	The Company determines ESP for undelivered elements by considering multiple factors including, but not limited to, market conditions, competitive landscape and past pricing arrangements with similar features. The determination of ESP is made through consultation with the Company’s management, taking into consideration the marketing strategies for each business unit.
	New Accounting Pronouncements
	Accounting Standards to be Adopted
	In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued new revenue recognition guidance for recognizing revenue from contracts with customers that provides a five-step analysis of transactions to determine when and how revenue is recognized. The guidance states that a Company should recognize revenue which depicts the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled to receive in exchange for those goods or services. The new standard will also result in enhanced disclosures about revenue related to the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. The standard also requires quantitative and qualitative disclosures about customer contracts, significant judgments and changes in judgments, and assets recognized from the costs to obtain or fulfill a contract. Additionally, the FASB has provided guidance for transactions that were not previously addressed comprehensively, and improved guidance for multiple-element arrangements. This pronouncement is effective for the Company beginning in fiscal 2018 (October 1, 2017), early adoption is not permitted, and can be adopted by the Company either retrospectively (October 1, 2015) or as a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the date of adoption. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that the adoption of this new accounting guidance will have on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows and financial position.
	On April 1, 2015 the FASB decided to propose a one-year deferral of the effective date for the revenue recognition standard. Under this proposal the guidance would be effective for the Company beginning in fiscal 2019 (October 1, 2018). As of May 5, 2015 this proposal is not yet approved and final.
	No other new accounting pronouncement issued or effective has had, or is expected to have, a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Discontinued_Operations

Discontinued Operations	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Discontinued Operations and Disposal Groups [Abstract]
Discontinued Operations	3	Discontinued Operations
	Beginning with the first quarter of fiscal 2012, the results of operations, cash flows, assets and liabilities of SurModics SMP, LLC (“SurModics Pharmaceuticals”), which were previously reported in the Pharmaceuticals segment as a separate operating segment, are classified as discontinued operations. There was no condensed consolidated statement of income impact associated with discontinued operations for the three and six months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014. Total assets and liabilities of discontinued operations were zero as of March 31, 2015 and insignificant as of September 30, 2014.

Fair_Value_Measurements

Fair Value Measurements	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Fair Value Measurements	4	Fair Value Measurements
	The accounting guidance on fair value measurements defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value under GAAP, and expands disclosures about fair value measurements. The guidance is applicable for all financial assets and financial liabilities and for all nonfinancial assets and nonfinancial liabilities recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring basis (at least annually). Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received from selling an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. When determining the fair value measurements for assets and liabilities required or permitted to be recorded at fair value, the Company considers the principal or most advantageous market in which it would transact and also considers assumptions that market participants would use when pricing the asset or liability, such as inherent risk, transfer restrictions and risk of nonperformance.
	Fair Value Hierarchy
	Accounting guidance on fair value measurements requires that assets and liabilities carried at fair value be classified and disclosed in one of the following three categories:
	Level 1 — Quoted (unadjusted) prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
	The Company’s Level 1 assets consisted of its investment in Intersect ENT, Inc. (“Intersect ENT”) and certain U.S. government and government agency obligations. The fair market value of the Intersect ENT investment was based on the quoted price of Intersect ENT shares as traded on the NASDAQ Global Market Stock Exchange. This investment was sold in the second quarter of fiscal 2015 generating a realized gain of $0.5 million. The fair market value of certain U.S. government and government agency obligations were based on observable prices in highly active treasury and agency security markets for identical securities.
	Level 2 — Observable inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the asset or liability.
	The Company’s Level 2 assets consist of money market funds, commercial paper instruments, certain U.S. Treasury securities, corporate bonds, municipal bonds, certain U.S. government agency securities, government agency and municipal securities and certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities. Fair market values for these assets are based on quoted vendor prices and broker pricing where all significant inputs are observable. The Company performs limited tests of the quoted vendor prices based on available U.S. government security pricing on government websites as a means of validating the third party pricing. To ensure the accuracy of quoted vendor prices and broker pricing, the Company performs regular reviews of investment returns to industry benchmarks and sample tests of individual securities to validate quoted vendor prices with other available market data.
	Level 3 — Unobservable inputs to the valuation methodology that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the measurement of the fair value of the assets or liabilities. Level 3 assets and liabilities include those whose fair value measurements are determined using pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies or similar valuation techniques, as well as significant management judgment or estimation.
	There were no Level 3 assets at March 31, 2015 and 2014 or September 30, 2014 and there was no Level 3 activity during the first six months of fiscal 2015 or fiscal 2014.
	In valuing assets and liabilities, the Company is required to maximize the use of quoted market prices and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. The Company changed its valuation techniques from prior periods in the first quarter of fiscal 2015 to classify certain U.S. government and government agency obligations as Level 1 based on observable prices in highly active treasury and agency security markets for identical securities.
	Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis
	In instances where the inputs used to measure fair value fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy, the fair value measurement has been determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular item to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment, including the consideration of inputs specific to the asset or liability. The following table presents information about the Company’s assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of March 31, 2015:
	(Dollars in thousands)		Quoted Prices in		Significant		Significant		Total Fair
			Active Markets		Other		Unobservable		Value as of
			for Identical		Observable		Inputs		March 31,
			Instruments		Inputs		(Level 3)		2015
			(Level 1)		(Level 2)
	Assets:
	Cash equivalents		$	—	$	26,487	$	—	$	26,487
	Available-for-sale debt securities:
	U.S. government and government agency obligations			8,651		868		—		9,519
	Mortgage-backed securities			—		5,142		—		5,142
	Municipal bonds			—		785		—		785
	Asset-backed securities			—		1,946		—		1,946
	Corporate bonds			—		1,727		—		1,727
	Total assets measured at fair value		$	8,651	$	36,955	$	—	$	45,606
	The following table presents information about the Company’s assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of September 30, 2014:
	(Dollars in thousands)		Quoted Prices in		Significant		Significant		Total Fair
			Active Markets		Other		Unobservable		Value as of
			for Identical		Observable		Inputs		September 30,
			Instruments		Inputs		(Level 3)		2014
			(Level 1)		(Level 2)
	Assets:
	Cash equivalents		$	—	$	40,100	$	—	$	40,100
	Available-for-sale equity securities			1,550		—		—		1,550
	Available-for-sale debt securities:
	U.S. government and government agency obligations			—		7,394		—		7,394
	Mortgage-backed securities			—		5,545		—		5,545
	Municipal bonds			—		1,175		—		1,175
	Asset-backed securities			—		2,369		—		2,369
	Corporate bonds			—		1,830		—		1,830
	Total assets measured at fair value		$	1,550	$	58,413	$	—	$	59,963
	Valuation Techniques
	The valuation techniques used to measure the fair value of assets are as follows:
	Cash equivalents — These assets are classified as Level 2 and are carried at historical cost which is a reasonable estimate of fair value because of the relatively short time between origination of the instrument and its expected realization.
	Available-for-sale debt securities — These securities are classified as Level 1 or Level 2 and include various types of debt securities. These securities are valued based on quoted vendor prices in highly active or active markets underlying the securities.

Investments

Investments	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Investments, Debt and Equity Securities [Abstract]
Investments	5	Investments
	Investments consist principally of U.S. government and government agency obligations, mortgage-backed securities and corporate and municipal debt securities and are classified as available-for-sale at March 31, 2015 and September 30, 2014. Available-for-sale securities are reported at fair value with unrealized gains and losses, net of tax, excluded from the condensed consolidated statements of income and reported in the condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income as well as a separate component of stockholders’ equity in the condensed consolidated balance sheets, except for other-than-temporary impairments, which are reported as a charge to current earnings. A loss would be recognized when there is an other-than-temporary impairment in the fair value of any individual security classified as available-for-sale, with the associated net unrealized loss reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income with a corresponding adjustment to other income. This adjustment results in a new cost basis for the investment. Interest earned on debt securities, including amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts, is included in other income. Realized gains and losses from the sales of debt securities, which are included in other income, are determined using the specific identification method.
	The amortized cost, unrealized holding gains and losses, and fair value of available-for-sale securities as of March 31, 2015 and September 30, 2014 were as follows:
			March 31, 2015
	(Dollars in thousands)		Amortized			Unrealized		Unrealized			Fair Value
			Cost			Gains		Losses
	U.S. government and government agency obligations		$	9,482		$	38	$	(1	)	$	9,519
	Mortgage-backed securities			5,148			72		(78	)		5,142
	Municipal bonds			784			3		(2	)		785
	Asset-backed securities			1,946			3		(3	)		1,946
	Corporate bonds			1,711			16		—			1,727
	Total		$	19,071		$	132	$	(84	)	$	19,119
			September 30, 2014
	(Dollars in thousands)		Amortized			Unrealized		Unrealized			Fair Value
			Cost			Gains		Losses
	U.S. government and government agency obligations		$	7,397		$	12	$	(15	)	$	7,394
	Mortgage-backed securities			5,576			43		(74	)		5,545
	Municipal bonds			1,173			5		(3	)		1,175
	Asset-backed securities			2,370			3		(4	)		2,369
	Corporate bonds			1,829			6		(5	)		1,830
	Equity securities			2			1,548		—			1,550
	Total		$	18,347		$	1,617	$	(101	)	$	19,863
	As of September 30, 2014, the Company concluded that the unrealized losses related to the available-for-sale securities shown above were not other-than-temporary as the Company did not have the intent to sell, nor was it more likely than not that the Company would be required to sell, before recovery of their amortized cost. As of March 31, 2015 all available-for-sale debt securities were classified as current assets as the Company plans to liquidate its investment portfolio in the third quarter of fiscal 2015 to support corporate development initiatives. Unrealized losses as of March 31, 2015 were immaterial to the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
	The amortized cost and fair value of available-for-sale debt securities, by contractual maturity, at March 31, 2015 were as follows:
	(Dollars in thousands)		Amortized Cost			Fair Value
	Debt securities due within:
	One year		$	3,213		$	3,221
	One to five years			10,305			10,354
	Five years or more			5,553			5,544
	Total		$	19,071		$	19,119
	The following table summarizes sales of available-for-sale debt securities:
			Three Months Ended					Six Months Ended
			March 31,					March 31,
	(Dollars in thousands)		2015			2014		2015			2014
	Proceeds from sales		$	1,678		$	89,647	$	2,651		$	92,514
	Gross realized gains		$	—		$	125	$	—		$	126
	Gross realized losses		$	(1	)	$	—	$	(8	)	$	(1	)

Inventories

Inventories	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]
Inventories	6	Inventories
	Inventories are principally stated at the lower of cost or market using the specific identification method and include direct labor, materials and overhead, with cost of product sales determined on a first-in, first-out basis. Inventories consisted of the following components:
	(Dollars in thousands)		March 31,		September 30,
			2015		2014
	Raw materials		$	1,146	$	1,056
	Finished products			2,049		1,761
	Total		$	3,195	$	2,817

Other_Assets

Other Assets	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Investments, All Other Investments [Abstract]
Other Assets	7	Other Assets
	Other assets consist principally of strategic investments as follows:
			March 31,		September 30,
	(Dollars in thousands)		2015		2014
	CeloNova BioSciences, Inc.		$	1,500	$	1,500
	ViaCyte, Inc.			479		479
	Other assets, net		$	1,979	$	1,979
	In February 2011, the stent technology of Nexeon MedSystems, Inc. (“Nexeon”) was acquired by CeloNova BioSciences, Inc. (“CeloNova”). Prior to the acquisition by CeloNova, Nexeon created a wholly-owned subsidiary, Nexeon Stent, to hold the company’s stent-related assets. Nexeon distributed to its stockholders the Nexeon Stent stock which was exchanged for Series B-1 preferred shares of CeloNova. CeloNova is a privately-held Texas-based medical technology company that is marketing a variety of medical products. The Company’s investment in CeloNova, which is accounted for under the cost method, represents less than a 2% ownership interest. The Company does not exert significant influence over CeloNova’s operating or financial activities.
	The Company has invested a total of $5.3 million in ViaCyte, Inc. (“ViaCyte”), a privately-held California-based biotechnology firm that is developing a unique treatment for diabetes using coated islet cells, the cells that produce insulin in the human body. In fiscal 2006, the Company determined that its investment in ViaCyte was impaired and that the impairment was other-than-temporary. Accordingly, the Company recorded an impairment loss of $4.7 million. In the second quarter of fiscal 2013, the Company recorded an additional other-than-temporary impairment loss on this investment totaling $0.1 million based on a then current financing round and market valuations. The balance of the investment of $0.5 million, which is accounted for under the cost method, represents less than a 1% ownership interest. The Company does not exert significant influence over ViaCyte’s operating or financial activities.
	The total carrying value of cost method investments is reviewed quarterly for changes in circumstances or the occurrence of events that suggest the Company’s investment may not be recoverable. The fair value of cost method investments is not adjusted if there are no identified events or changes in circumstances that may have a material adverse effect on the fair value of the investment.

Intangible_Assets

Intangible Assets	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Intangible Assets	8	Intangible Assets
	Intangible assets consist principally of acquired patents and technology, customer relationships, licenses and trademarks. For the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company recorded amortization expense of $0.2 million for each period. For the six months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company recorded amortization expense of $0.4 million for each period.
	Intangible assets consisted of the following:
			March 31, 2015
	(Dollars in thousands)		Weighted Average		Gross Carrying		Accumulated			Net
			Original Life (Years)		Amount		Amortization
	Definite-lived intangible assets:
	Customer lists			9	$	4,857	$	(4,083	)	$	774
	Core technology			8		530		(508	)		22
	Patents and other			16.8		2,256		(1,058	)		1,198
	Subtotal					7,643		(5,649	)		1,994
	Unamortized intangible assets:
	Trademarks					580		—			580
	Total				$	8,223	$	(5,649	)	$	2,574
			September 30, 2014
	(Dollars in thousands)		Weighted Average		Gross Carrying		Accumulated			Net
			Original Life (Years)		Amount		Amortization
	Definite-lived intangible assets:
	Customer lists			9	$	4,857	$	(3,813	)	$	1,044
	Core technology			8		530		(475	)		55
	Patents and other			16.8		2,256		(989	)		1,267
	Subtotal					7,643		(5,277	)		2,366
	Unamortized intangible assets:
	Trademarks					580		—			580
	Total				$	8,223	$	(5,277	)	$	2,946
	Based on the intangible assets in service as of March 31, 2015, estimated amortization expense for the remainder of fiscal 2015 and each of the next five fiscal years is as follows (Dollars in thousands):
	Remainder of 2015		$	360
	2016			594
	2017			183
	2018			137
	2019			137
	2020			137
	Future amortization amounts presented above are estimates. Actual future amortization expense may be different, as a result of future acquisitions, impairments, changes in amortization periods, or other factors.

Goodwill

Goodwill	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Goodwill	9	Goodwill
	Goodwill represents the excess of the cost of an acquired entity over the fair value assigned to the assets purchased and liabilities assumed in connection with a business acquisition. Goodwill is not amortized but is subject, at a minimum, to annual tests for impairment in accordance with accounting guidance for goodwill. The carrying amount of goodwill is evaluated annually, and between annual evaluations if events occur or circumstances change indicating that the carrying amount of goodwill may be impaired.
	The $8.0 million of goodwill at March 31, 2015 and September 30, 2014 is related to the In Vitro Diagnostics reporting unit and represents the gross value from the acquisition of BioFX Laboratories, Inc. (“BioFX”) in 2007. The goodwill was not impaired based on the outcome of the fiscal 2014 annual impairment test, and there have been no events or circumstances that have occurred in the first six months of fiscal 2015 associated with the In Vitro Diagnostics reporting unit to indicate that the goodwill has been impaired.

Stockbased_Compensation

Stock-based Compensation	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]
Stock-based Compensation	10	Stock-based Compensation
	The Company has stock-based compensation plans under which it grants stock options, restricted stock awards, performance share awards, restricted stock units and deferred stock units. Accounting guidance requires all share-based payments to be recognized as an operating expense, based on their fair values, over the requisite service period.
	The Company’s stock-based compensation expenses were allocated to the following expense categories:
			Three Months Ended						Six Months Ended
			March 31,						March 31,
	(Dollars in thousands)		2015			2014			2015			2014
	Product costs		$	5		$	4		$	13		$	8
	Research and development			54			46			114			98
	Selling, general and administrative			627			1,599			1,084			2,356
	Total		$	686		$	1,649		$	1,211		$	2,462
	As of March 31, 2015, approximately $2.7 million of total unrecognized compensation costs related to non-vested awards is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of approximately 2.2 years. The unrecognized compensation costs above include $0.4 million, remaining to be expensed over the life of the awards, based on payout levels associated with performance share awards that are currently anticipated to be fully expensed because the performance conditions are expected to exceed minimum threshold levels.
	Stock Option Awards
	The Company uses the Black-Scholes option pricing model to determine the weighted average grant date fair value of stock options granted. The weighted average per share fair values of stock options granted during the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 were $8.72 and $7.61, respectively. The weighted average per share fair values of stock options granted during the six months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 were $7.23 and $8.72, respectively. The assumptions used as inputs in the model were as follows:
			Three Months Ended						Six Months Ended
			March 31,						March 31,
			2015			2014			2015			2014
	Risk-free interest rates			1.4	%		1.2	%		1.4	%		1.2	%
	Expected life (years)			4.5			4.1			4.5			4.6
	Expected volatility			43.2	%		37.1	%		43.3	%		44.5	%
	Dividend yield			0	%		0	%		0	%		0	%
	The risk-free interest rate assumption was based on the U.S. Treasury’s rates for U.S. Treasury zero-coupon bonds with maturities similar to those of the expected term of the award. The expected life of options granted was determined based on the Company’s experience. Expected volatility was based on the Company’s stock price movement over a period approximating the expected term. Based on management’s judgment, dividend rates were expected to be zero for the expected life of the options. The Company also estimates forfeitures of options granted, which were based on historical experience.
	Non-qualified stock options are granted at fair market value on the date of grant. Non-qualified stock options expire in seven to ten years or upon termination of employment or service as a Board member. With respect to members of our Board, non-qualified stock options generally become exercisable on a pro-rata basis within the one-year period following the date of grant. With respect to our employees, non-qualified stock options generally become exercisable with respect to 25% of the shares on each of the first four anniversaries following the grant date.
	The total pre-tax intrinsic value of options exercised during the three months and six months ended March 31, 2015 was $1.2 million and $1.4 million, respectively. The total pre-tax intrinsic value of options exercised during the three months and six months ended March 31, 2014 was $0.9 million and $1.3 million, respectively. The intrinsic value represents the difference between the exercise price and the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the last day of the respective fiscal period end.
	The Company modified stock option awards granted to Board members in February 2014, which resulted in acceleration of the stock option vesting period. The modification changed the vesting period to pro-rata over a 12-month service period and resulted in an increase to stock option related expense of $0.6 million in the three and six months ended March 31, 2014.
	Restricted Stock Awards
	The Company has entered into restricted stock agreements with certain key employees, covering the issuance of common stock (“Restricted Stock”). Under accounting guidance these shares are considered to be non-vested shares. The Restricted Stock is released to the key employees if they are employed by the Company at the end of the vesting period. Compensation expense has been recognized for the estimated fair value of the common shares and is being recognized over the vesting term. The stock-based compensation table above includes Restricted Stock expenses recognized related to these awards, which totaled less than $0.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2015, and $0.1 million for the six months ended March 31, 2015 and $0.2 million for each of the three and six months ended March 31, 2014. In February 2014, the Company granted an award of $0.2 million to the former Chairman of its Board of Directors in connection with his retirement from the Board and in recognition of his contributions to the Company during his years of service.
	Performance Share Awards
	The Company has entered into performance share agreements with certain key employees and executives, covering the issuance of common stock (“Performance Shares”). Performance Shares vest upon the achievement of all or a portion of certain performance objectives (which may include financial or project objectives), which must be achieved during the performance period. The Organization and Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Committee”) approves the performance objectives used for our executive compensation programs, which objectives were cumulative earnings per share and cumulative revenue for the three-year performance periods for fiscal 2012 (2012 – 2014), fiscal 2013 (2013 – 2015) and fiscal 2014 (2014 – 2016), and are cumulative revenue and cumulative EBITDA for fiscal 2015 (2015 – 2017). Assuming that the minimum performance level is attained, the number of shares that may actually vest will vary based on performance from 20% (minimum) to 200% (maximum) of the target number of shares. Shares will be issued to participants as soon as practicable following the end of the performance periods subject to Committee approval and verification of results. The fiscal 2012 awards were finalized in the three months ended December 31, 2014 and resulted in the issuance of 98,093 shares (maximum was 124,994 shares) based on the performance objectives and actual results. The compensation cost related to the number of shares to be granted under each performance period is fixed on the grant date. Compensation expense was recognized in each period based on management’s best estimate of the achievement level of actual and forecasted results, as appropriate, compared with the specified performance objectives for Performance Shares. For the three and six months ended March 31, 2015, the Company recognized expenses of $0.2 million and $0.3 million, respectively. For the three and six months ended March 31, 2014, the Company recognized expenses of $0.3 million and $0.5 million, respectively. The stock-based compensation table above includes the Performance Shares expenses.
	The fair values of the Performance Shares, at target, were $0.9 million in each fiscal year for grants awarded in fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013.
	The aggregate number of shares that could be awarded to our executives if the minimum, target and maximum performance goals are met, based on the fair value at the date of grant is as follows:
	Performance Period		Minimum Shares			Target Shares			Maximum Shares
	Fiscal 2013 – 2015			8,551			42,753			85,506
	Fiscal 2014 – 2016			7,861			39,303			78,606
	Fiscal 2015 – 2017			8,440			42,199			84,398
	1999 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
	Under the 1999 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“Stock Purchase Plan”), the Company is authorized to issue up to 400,000 shares of common stock. All full-time and part-time employees can choose to have up to 10% of their annual compensation withheld, with a limit of $25,000, to purchase the Company’s common stock at purchase prices defined within the provisions of the Stock Purchase Plan. As of March 31, 2015 and 2014, there was less than $0.1 million of employee contributions in each period included in accrued liabilities in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. Stock compensation expense recognized related to the Stock Purchase Plan for the three and six months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 totaled less than $0.1 million in each period. The stock-based compensation table above includes the Stock Purchase Plan expenses.
	Restricted Stock and Deferred Stock Units
	In the six months ended March 31, 2015, the Company awarded 10,678 restricted stock units (“RSU”), and has cumulatively awarded 35,512 RSUs to non-employee directors since fiscal 2013 under the 2009 Equity Incentive Plan. There were forfeitures of 3,068 shares and issuances of 7,681 shares in the three and six months ended March 31, 2015 and forfeiture of 3,417 RSU’s and issuances of 2,183 shares of common stock to departed non-employee directors in fiscal 2014. The RSU awards vest on a pro-rata basis over a one-year period. RSU awards are not considered as issued or outstanding common stock of the Company until shares are issued to a non-employee director upon retirement from the Board of Directors. The estimated fair value of the RSU awards was determined based on the closing market price of SurModics’ common stock on the date of grant. Compensation expense has been recognized for the estimated fair value of the common shares and is being expensed over the vesting term. The stock-based compensation table above includes RSU expenses recognized related to these awards, which totaled less than $0.1 million and $0.1 million in the three and six months ended March 31, 2015, respectively, and $0.2 million and $0.3 million in the three and six months ended March 31, 2014, respectively. The RSU awards were modified in the second quarter of fiscal 2014 to vest pro-rata over a 12-month service period. This modification resulted in an additional expense of $0.2 million in the three and six months ended March 31, 2014.
	Directors can also elect to receive their cash retainers for services to the Board of Directors and its committees in the form of deferred stock units (“DSU”). Certain directors elected this option beginning on January 1, 2013, with deferral elections made on an annual basis, which has resulted in 1,332 and 2,886 DSUs issued with a total value of less than $0.1 million and $0.1 million in the three and six months ended March 31, 2015, respectively. The DSUs are fully vested. The stock-based compensation table above includes DSU expenses recognized related to these awards, which totaled less than $0.1 million and $0.1 million during the three months and six months ended March 31, 2015, respectively, and less than $0.1 million and $0.1 million during the three and six months ended March 31, 2014, respectively.

Revolving_Credit_Facility

Revolving Credit Facility	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Text Block [Abstract]
Revolving Credit Facility	11	Revolving Credit Facility
	On November 4, 2013, the Company entered into a three-year $20.0 million secured revolving credit facility. The Company’s obligations under the credit facility are secured by substantially all of its and its subsidiaries’ assets, other than intellectual property and real estate. Borrowings under the credit facility, if any, will bear interest at a benchmark rate plus a margin ranging from 1.375% to 2.00% based on the Company’s leverage ratio. A facility fee is payable on unused commitments at a rate of 0.20% per annum.
	On November 5, 2014, the credit facility was amended and modified to increase the size of stock repurchases that may be effected by the Company up to $30.0 million without the consent of the lender.
	In connection with the credit facility, the Company is required to maintain financial covenants related to a maximum leverage ratio and a minimum EBITDA amount and to comply with nonfinancial covenants. As of March 31, 2015, the Company has no debt outstanding and was in compliance with all financial covenants.

Net_Income_Per_Share_Data

Net Income Per Share Data	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net Income Per Share Data	12	Net Income Per Share Data
	Basic net income per common share is calculated by dividing net income by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net income per common share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of common and common equivalent shares outstanding during the period. The Company’s potentially dilutive common shares are those that result from dilutive common stock options, non-vested stock relating to restricted stock awards, restricted stock units, deferred stock units and performance shares.
	The following table sets forth the denominator for the computation of basic and diluted net income per share (in thousands):
			Three Months Ended				Six Months Ended
			March 31,				March 31,
			2015		2014		2015		2014
	Net income available to common shareholders		$	3,051	$	2,459	$	6,665	$	6,089
	Basic weighted average shares outstanding			12,944		13,538		13,092		13,658
	Dilutive effect of outstanding stock options, non-vested restricted stock, restricted stock units, deferred stock units and performance shares			263		286		273		267
	Diluted weighted average shares outstanding			13,207		13,824		13,365		13,925
	The calculation of weighted average diluted shares outstanding excludes outstanding stock options associated with the right to purchase 0.3 million and 0.2 million shares of common stock for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, and 0.5 million and 0.4 million for the six months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, as their inclusion would have had an antidilutive effect on diluted net income per share.
	On November 5, 2014, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized it to repurchase up to $30.0 million of the Company’s outstanding common stock in open-market purchases, privately negotiated transactions, block trades, accelerated share repurchase transactions, tender offers or by any combination of such methods. The authorization has no fixed expiration date. During the six months ended March 31, 2015, as part of the accelerated share repurchase program discussed below, the Company repurchased 758,143 shares of common stock for a total of $16.0 million under the $30.0 million November 2014 Board authorization and as of March 31, 2015, $14.0 million remained available for future repurchases under the current authorization. The $14.0 million includes $4.0 million of the initial payment to Wells Fargo in the first quarter of fiscal 2015 under the accelerated share repurchase program discussed below.
	On November 11, 2014, the Company entered into an accelerated share repurchase program with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association. In connection with this agreement, the Company made an initial $20.0 million payment to the bank and immediately received an initial delivery of 758,143 shares of its common stock with a fair value of $16.0 million as of the purchase date. Effective as of the date of the initial share purchase, the transaction was accounted for as a share retirement, resulting in a reduction of common stock of less than $0.1 million, additional paid-in capital of $2.5 million and retained earnings of $13.5 million. The remaining $4.0 million of the Company’s initial payment was also reported as a reduction in retained earnings. Upon final settlement of the program, the Company may be entitled to receive additional shares of common stock, or, under certain circumstances specified in the program, the Company may be required to deliver shares or remit a settlement amount in cash, at the Company’s option. Based on the facts associated with the agreement, the forward contract is indexed to the Company’s common stock and meets the U.S. GAAP requirements to be classified as permanent equity. As long as the forward contract continues to meet the requirements to be classified as permanent equity, the Company will not record future changes in its fair value. The Company expects it will continue to meet those requirements through the settlement date.
	The accelerated share repurchase program with Wells Fargo expires in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2015; however, Wells Fargo has the right to accelerate the end of the purchase period. Upon settlement of the contract, the Company will adjust common stock and either additional paid-in capital or retained earnings, as appropriate, to reflect the final settlement amount. The specific number of shares that the Company will ultimately purchase under the accelerated share purchase agreement will be based on the volume weighted average price (“VWAP”) of the Company’s common stock during the purchase period, less an agreed upon discount. The maximum amount of shares of common stock the Company can be required to issue to settle the agreement cannot exceed 1,870,907. The Company has sufficient authorized and unissued shares available to deliver the maximum share amount. For every $1.00 increase or decrease in the Company’s VWAP, based on a closing stock price of $21.38 on November 11, 2014, the settlement amount will change by approximately 45,000 shares.
	During the first six months of fiscal 2014, the Company repurchased 485,577 shares of common stock for a total of $11.5 million under the then-existing share repurchase authorization of the Board. This entire authorized amount under the then existing authorization has been used as of March 31, 2014.

Income_Taxes

Income Taxes	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	13	Income Taxes
	The Company recorded income tax provisions associated with income from continuing operations of $1.5 million and $1.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, representing effective tax rates of 32.7% and 33.0%, respectively. The Company recorded income tax provisions associated with income from continuing operations of $3.0 million and $2.7 million for the six months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, representing effective tax rates of 30.7% and 30.5%, respectively. The difference between the U.S. federal statutory tax rate of 35.0% and the Company’s effective tax rate for the three and six months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 reflects the impact of state income taxes, permanent tax items such as valuation allowance releases associated with gains from our strategic investments and our available-for-sale securities portfolio and discrete tax benefits. Discrete tax benefits aggregated less than $0.1 million and $0.2 million for the three and six months ended March 31, 2015, respectively, and less than $0.1 million and $0.2 million for the three and six months ended March 31, 2014, respectively.
	The discrete tax items in the fiscal 2015 six-month period includes a $0.2 million income tax benefit associated with the December 2014 signing of the Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014 which retroactively reinstated the federal research and development income tax credit, which had expired in December 2013.
	The three and six-month periods ended March 31, 2015 income tax provisions included the impact of a $0.5 million gain from the sale of Intersect ENT with an offsetting reversal of a capital loss carryforward valuation allowance. The six months ended March 31, 2014 income tax provision includes the impact of gains related to two Vessix Vascular, Inc. contingent consideration payments totaling $0.7 million and gains related to certain debt securities in our available-for-sale securities portfolio of $0.1 million. Each of these gains has had a tax expense recognized which has been fully offset by the reversal of capital loss carryforward valuation allowances.
	The Company did not have any discontinued operations activity in the three and six months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014.
	The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits, including interest and penalties that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate as of March 31, 2015 and September 30, 2014, was $0.9 million in each period. Currently, the Company does not expect the liability for unrecognized tax benefits to change significantly in the next 12 months with the above balances classified on the condensed consolidated balance sheets in other long-term liabilities. Interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits are recorded in income tax expense.
	The Company files income tax returns, including returns for its subsidiaries, in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and in various state jurisdictions. Uncertain tax positions are related to tax years that remain subject to examination. U.S. income tax returns for years prior to fiscal 2011 are no longer subject to examination by federal tax authorities. For tax returns for state and local jurisdictions, the Company is no longer subject to examination for tax years generally before fiscal 2004.

Amounts_Reclassified_Out_of_Ac

Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Equity [Abstract]
Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	14	Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
	Amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”) was $0.5 million on a pre-tax basis for the three and six months ended March 31, 2015. The amounts reclassified out of AOCI totaled $0.1 million and $0.3 million, respectively, on a pre-tax basis for the three and six months ended March 31, 2014. The amounts reclassified out of AOCI are associated with unrealized gains or losses on available-for-sale securities that were realized on the sale of the securities and are presented in other income, net in the condensed consolidated statements of income.

Operating_Segment_Information

Operating Segment Information	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Operating Segment Information	15	Operating Segment Information
	The accounting standards for reporting information about operating segments define operating segments as components of an enterprise about which separate financial information is available that is evaluated regularly by the chief operating decision maker, who is the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing performance. For financial accounting and reporting purposes, the Company reports its results for the two reportable segments as follows: (1) the Medical Device unit, which is comprised of surface modification coating technologies to improve access, deliverability, and predictable deployment of medical devices, as well as drug delivery coating technologies to provide site-specific drug delivery from the surface of a medical device, with end markets that include coronary, peripheral, neuro-vascular and urology, among others, and (2) the In Vitro Diagnostics unit, which consists of component products and technologies for diagnostic test kits and biomedical research applications, with products that include protein stabilization reagents, substrates, antigens and surface coatings.
	The tables below present segment revenue, operating income and depreciation and amortization, as follows:
			Three Months Ended						Six Months Ended
			March 31,						March 31,
	(Dollars in thousands)		2015			2014			2015			2014
	Revenue:
	Medical Device		$	10,562		$	10,482		$	21,198		$	21,031
	In Vitro Diagnostics			3,853			3,122			7,422			6,456
	Total revenue		$	14,415		$	13,604		$	28,620		$	27,487
	Operating income:
	Medical Device		$	4,696		$	5,282		$	10,212		$	10,610
	In Vitro Diagnostics			931			633			2,028			1,303
	Total segment operating income			5,627			5,915			12,240			11,913
	Corporate			(1,695	)		(2,435	)		(3,274	)		(4,104	)
	Total operating income		$	3,932		$	3,480		$	8,966		$	7,809
	Depreciation and amortization:
	Medical Device		$	295		$	287		$	565		$	581
	In Vitro Diagnostics			216			213			430			427
	Corporate			195			184			394			372
	Total depreciation and amortization		$	706		$	684		$	1,389		$	1,380
	The Corporate category includes expenses for administrative corporate functions, such as executive, corporate accounting, legal, human resources and Board of Directors related, that have not been fully allocated to the Medical Device and In Vitro Diagnostics segments. Corporate may also include expenses, such as litigation, which are not specific to a segment and thus not allocated to the operating segments.
	Asset information by operating segment is not presented because the Company does not provide its chief operating decision maker assets by operating segment, as the data is not readily available.

Commitments_and_Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	16	Commitments and Contingencies
	Litigation. From time to time, the Company has been, and may become, involved in various legal actions involving its operations, products and technologies, including contract, intellectual property and employment disputes. The outcomes of these legal actions are not within the Company’s complete control and may not be known for prolonged periods of time. In some actions, the claimants seek damages, as well as other relief, including injunctions barring the sale of products that are the subject of the lawsuit, which, if granted, could require significant expenditures or result in lost revenue. The Company records a liability in the condensed consolidated financial statements for these actions when a loss is known or considered probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated. If the reasonable estimate of a known or probable loss is a range, and no amount within the range is a better estimate, the minimum amount of the range is accrued. If a loss is possible but not known or probable, and can be reasonably estimated, the estimated loss or range of loss is disclosed. In most cases, significant judgment is required to estimate the amount and timing of a loss to be recorded.
	During the second quarter of fiscal 2015, a customer notified the Company that it believes it overpaid approximately $5.7 million in hydrophilic coating royalties to the Company from January 2009 through September 2014. The customer also seeks interest on its alleged overpayments. In accordance with the underlying agreement between the Company and the customer, the Company has requested certain factual documentation from the customer related to the claim. The Company has recently received a portion of the requested documentation and is currently evaluating its sufficiency. In addition the remainder of the requested documentation has not yet been received. As of March 31, 2015, the Company has not recorded an accrual for this claim. Any potential loss is not estimable based on information available to the Company as of March 31, 2015 or subsequent to quarter end.
	InnoRx, Inc. In January 2005, the Company entered into a merger agreement whereby SurModics acquired all of the assets of InnoRx, Inc. (“InnoRx”), an early stage company developing drug delivery devices and therapies for the ophthalmology market. SurModics will be required to issue up to approximately 480,059 additional shares of its common stock to the stockholders of InnoRx upon the successful completion of the remaining development and commercial milestones involving InnoRx technology acquired in the transaction. The Company has not recorded any accrual for this contingency as of March 31, 2015 as the milestones have not been achieved and the probability of achievement is low.
	InnoCore Technologies BV. In March 2006, the Company entered into a license agreement whereby SurModics obtained an exclusive license to a drug delivery coating for licensed products within the vascular field which included peripheral, coronary and neurovascular biodurable stent products. The license requires an annual minimum payment of 200,000 euros (equivalent to $217,000 using a euro to US $ exchange rate of 1.08501 as of March 31, 2015) until the last patent expires which is currently estimated to be September 2027. The total minimum future payments associated with this license are approximately $2.7 million. The license is currently utilized with one of SurModics’ drug delivery customers.

Key_Accounting_Policies_Polici

Key Accounting Policies (Policies)	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Revenue recognition	Revenue recognition
	The Company recognizes revenue when all of the following criteria are met: (1) persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists; (2) shipment has occurred or delivery has occurred if the terms specify destination; (3) the sales price is fixed or determinable; and (4) collectability is reasonably assured. When there are additional performance requirements, revenue is recognized when all such requirements have been satisfied. Under revenue arrangements with multiple deliverables, the Company recognizes each separable deliverable as it is earned.
	The Company derives its revenue from three primary sources: (1) royalties and license fees from licensing its proprietary drug delivery and surface modification technologies and in vitro diagnostic formats to customers; (2) the sale of reagent chemicals to licensees and the sale of stabilization products, antigens, substrates and surface coatings to the diagnostic and biomedical research markets; and (3) research and commercial development fees generated on customer projects.
Royalties and license fees	Royalties and license fees. The Company licenses technology to third parties and collects royalties. Royalty revenue is generated when a customer sells products incorporating the Company’s licensed technologies. Royalty revenue is recognized as licensees report it to the Company, and payment is typically submitted concurrently with the report. For stand-alone license agreements, up-front license fees are recognized over the term of the related licensing agreement. Minimum royalty fees are recognized in the period earned.
	Revenue related to a performance milestone is recognized upon the achievement of the milestone, as defined in the respective agreements and provided the following conditions have been met:
		•	The milestone payment is non-refundable;
		•	The milestone involved a significant degree of risk, and was not reasonably assured at the inception of the arrangement;
		•	Accomplishment of the milestone involved substantial effort;
		•	The amount of the milestone payment is commensurate with the related effort and risk; and
		•	A reasonable amount of time passed between the initial license payment and the first and subsequent milestone payments.
	If these conditions have not been met, the milestone payment is deferred and recognized over the term of the agreement.
Product sales	Product sales. Product sales to third parties consist of direct and distributor sales and are recognized at the time of shipment. The Company’s sales terms provide no right of return outside of the standard warranty policy. Payment terms are generally set at 30-45 days.
Research and development	Research and development. The Company performs third-party research and development activities, which are typically provided on a time and materials basis. Generally, revenue for research and development is recorded as performance progresses under the applicable contract.
Arrangements with multiple deliverables	Arrangements with multiple deliverables. Revenue arrangements with multiple deliverables require the Company to:
	(i) disclose whether multiple deliverables exist, how the deliverables in an arrangement should be separated, and how the consideration should be allocated;
	(ii) allocate revenue in an arrangement using estimated selling prices (“ESP”) of deliverables if a vendor does not have vendor-specific objective evidence of selling price (“VSOE”) or third-party evidence of selling price (“TPE”); and
	(iii) allocate revenue using the relative selling price method.
	The Company accounts for revenue using a multiple attribution model in which consideration allocated to research and development activities is recognized as performed, and milestone payments are recognized when the milestone events are achieved, when such activities and milestones are deemed substantive. Accordingly, in situations where a unit of accounting includes both a license and research and development activities, and when a license does not have stand-alone value, the Company applies a multiple attribution model in which consideration allocated to the license is recognized ratably, consideration allocated to research and development activities is recognized as performed and milestone payments are recognized when the milestone events are achieved, when such activities and milestones are deemed substantive.
	The Company enters into license and development arrangements that may consist of multiple deliverables which could include a license(s) to SurModics’ technology, research and development activities, manufacturing services, and product sales based on the needs of its customers. For example, a customer may enter into an arrangement to obtain a license to SurModics’ intellectual property which may also include research and development activities, and supply of products manufactured by SurModics. For these services provided by SurModics, SurModics could receive upfront license fees upon signing of an agreement and granting the license, fees for research and development activities as such activities are performed, milestone payments contingent upon advancement of the product through development and clinical stages to successful commercialization, fees for manufacturing services and supply of product, and royalty payments based on customer sales of product incorporating SurModics’ technology. The Company’s license and development arrangements generally do not have refund provisions if the customer cancels or terminates the agreement. Typically all payments made are non-refundable.
	The Company is required to evaluate each deliverable in a multiple element arrangement for separability. The Company is then required to allocate revenue to each separate deliverable using a hierarchy of VSOE, TPE, or ESP. In many instances, the Company is not able to establish VSOE for all deliverables in an arrangement with multiple elements. This may be a result of the Company infrequently selling each element separately or having a limited history with multiple element arrangements. When VSOE cannot be established, the Company attempts to establish a selling price of each element based on TPE. TPE is determined based on competitor prices for similar deliverables when sold separately.
	When the Company is unable to establish a selling price using VSOE or TPE, the Company uses ESP in its allocation of arrangement consideration. The objective of ESP is to determine the price at which the Company would transact a sale if the product or service were sold on a stand-alone basis. ESP is generally used for highly customized offerings.
	The Company determines ESP for undelivered elements by considering multiple factors including, but not limited to, market conditions, competitive landscape and past pricing arrangements with similar features. The determination of ESP is made through consultation with the Company’s management, taking into consideration the marketing strategies for each business unit.
New Accounting Pronouncements	New Accounting Pronouncements
	Accounting Standards to be Adopted
	In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued new revenue recognition guidance for recognizing revenue from contracts with customers that provides a five-step analysis of transactions to determine when and how revenue is recognized. The guidance states that a Company should recognize revenue which depicts the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled to receive in exchange for those goods or services. The new standard will also result in enhanced disclosures about revenue related to the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. The standard also requires quantitative and qualitative disclosures about customer contracts, significant judgments and changes in judgments, and assets recognized from the costs to obtain or fulfill a contract. Additionally, the FASB has provided guidance for transactions that were not previously addressed comprehensively, and improved guidance for multiple-element arrangements. This pronouncement is effective for the Company beginning in fiscal 2018 (October 1, 2017), early adoption is not permitted, and can be adopted by the Company either retrospectively (October 1, 2015) or as a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the date of adoption. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that the adoption of this new accounting guidance will have on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows and financial position.
	On April 1, 2015 the FASB decided to propose a one-year deferral of the effective date for the revenue recognition standard. Under this proposal the guidance would be effective for the Company beginning in fiscal 2019 (October 1, 2018). As of May 5, 2015 this proposal is not yet approved and final.
	No other new accounting pronouncement issued or effective has had, or is expected to have, a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Fair_Value_Measurements_Tables

Fair Value Measurements (Tables)	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on Recurring Basis	The following table presents information about the Company’s assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of March 31, 2015:
	(Dollars in thousands)	Quoted Prices in		Significant		Significant		Total Fair
		Active Markets		Other		Unobservable		Value as of
		for Identical		Observable		Inputs		March 31,
		Instruments		Inputs		(Level 3)		2015
		(Level 1)		(Level 2)
	Assets:
	Cash equivalents	$	—	$	26,487	$	—	$	26,487
	Available-for-sale debt securities:
	U.S. government and government agency obligations		8,651		868		—		9,519
	Mortgage-backed securities		—		5,142		—		5,142
	Municipal bonds		—		785		—		785
	Asset-backed securities		—		1,946		—		1,946
	Corporate bonds		—		1,727		—		1,727
	Total assets measured at fair value	$	8,651	$	36,955	$	—	$	45,606
	The following table presents information about the Company’s assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of September 30, 2014:
	(Dollars in thousands)	Quoted Prices in		Significant		Significant		Total Fair
		Active Markets		Other		Unobservable		Value as of
		for Identical		Observable		Inputs		September 30,
		Instruments		Inputs		(Level 3)		2014
		(Level 1)		(Level 2)
	Assets:
	Cash equivalents	$	—	$	40,100	$	—	$	40,100
	Available-for-sale equity securities		1,550		—		—		1,550
	Available-for-sale debt securities:
	U.S. government and government agency obligations		—		7,394		—		7,394
	Mortgage-backed securities		—		5,545		—		5,545
	Municipal bonds		—		1,175		—		1,175
	Asset-backed securities		—		2,369		—		2,369
	Corporate bonds		—		1,830		—		1,830
	Total assets measured at fair value	$	1,550	$	58,413	$	—	$	59,963

Investments_Tables

Investments (Tables)	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Investments, Debt and Equity Securities [Abstract]
Amortized Cost, Unrealized Holding Gains (Losses) and Fair Value of Available-for-Sale Securities	The amortized cost, unrealized holding gains and losses, and fair value of available-for-sale securities as of March 31, 2015 and September 30, 2014 were as follows:
		March 31, 2015
	(Dollars in thousands)	Amortized			Unrealized		Unrealized			Fair Value
		Cost			Gains		Losses
	U.S. government and government agency obligations	$	9,482		$	38	$	(1	)	$	9,519
	Mortgage-backed securities		5,148			72		(78	)		5,142
	Municipal bonds		784			3		(2	)		785
	Asset-backed securities		1,946			3		(3	)		1,946
	Corporate bonds		1,711			16		—			1,727
	Total	$	19,071		$	132	$	(84	)	$	19,119
		September 30, 2014
	(Dollars in thousands)	Amortized			Unrealized		Unrealized			Fair Value
		Cost			Gains		Losses
	U.S. government and government agency obligations	$	7,397		$	12	$	(15	)	$	7,394
	Mortgage-backed securities		5,576			43		(74	)		5,545
	Municipal bonds		1,173			5		(3	)		1,175
	Asset-backed securities		2,370			3		(4	)		2,369
	Corporate bonds		1,829			6		(5	)		1,830
	Equity securities		2			1,548		—			1,550
	Total	$	18,347		$	1,617	$	(101	)	$	19,863
Amortized Cost and Fair Value of Investments by Contractual Maturity	The amortized cost and fair value of available-for-sale debt securities, by contractual maturity, at March 31, 2015 were as follows:
	(Dollars in thousands)	Amortized Cost			Fair Value
	Debt securities due within:
	One year	$	3,213		$	3,221
	One to five years		10,305			10,354
	Five years or more		5,553			5,544
	Total	$	19,071		$	19,119
Sales of Available-for-Sale Debt Securities	The following table summarizes sales of available-for-sale debt securities:
		Three Months Ended					Six Months Ended
		March 31,					March 31,
	(Dollars in thousands)	2015			2014		2015			2014
	Proceeds from sales	$	1,678		$	89,647	$	2,651		$	92,514
	Gross realized gains	$	—		$	125	$	—		$	126
	Gross realized losses	$	(1	)	$	—	$	(8	)	$	(1	)

Inventories_Tables

Inventories (Tables)	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]
Components of Inventories	Inventories consisted of the following components:
	(Dollars in thousands)	March 31,		September 30,
		2015		2014
	Raw materials	$	1,146	$	1,056
	Finished products		2,049		1,761
	Total	$	3,195	$	2,817

Other_Assets_Tables

Other Assets (Tables)	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Investments, All Other Investments [Abstract]
Schedule of Other Assets Consist Principally of Strategic Investments	Other assets consist principally of strategic investments as follows:
	(Dollars in thousands)	March 31,		September 30,
		2015		2014
	CeloNova BioSciences, Inc.	$	1,500	$	1,500
	ViaCyte, Inc.		479		479
	Other assets, net	$	1,979	$	1,979

Intangible_Assets_Tables

Intangible Assets (Tables)	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Intangible Assets	Intangible assets consisted of the following:
		March 31, 2015
	(Dollars in thousands)	Weighted Average		Gross Carrying		Accumulated			Net
		Original Life (Years)		Amount		Amortization
	Definite-lived intangible assets:
	Customer lists		9	$	4,857	$	(4,083	)	$	774
	Core technology		8		530		(508	)		22
	Patents and other		16.8		2,256		(1,058	)		1,198
	Subtotal				7,643		(5,649	)		1,994
	Unamortized intangible assets:
	Trademarks				580		—			580
	Total			$	8,223	$	(5,649	)	$	2,574
		September 30, 2014
	(Dollars in thousands)	Weighted Average		Gross Carrying		Accumulated			Net
		Original Life (Years)		Amount		Amortization
	Definite-lived intangible assets:
	Customer lists		9	$	4,857	$	(3,813	)	$	1,044
	Core technology		8		530		(475	)		55
	Patents and other		16.8		2,256		(989	)		1,267
	Subtotal				7,643		(5,277	)		2,366
	Unamortized intangible assets:
	Trademarks				580		—			580
	Total			$	8,223	$	(5,277	)	$	2,946
Estimated Amortization Expense	Based on the intangible assets in service as of March 31, 2015, estimated amortization expense for the remainder of fiscal 2015 and each of the next five fiscal years is as follows (Dollars in thousands):
	Remainder of 2015	$	360
	2016		594
	2017		183
	2018		137
	2019		137
	2020		137

Stockbased_Compensation_Tables

Stock-based Compensation (Tables)	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]
Stock-Based Compensation Expenses	The Company’s stock-based compensation expenses were allocated to the following expense categories:
		Three Months Ended						Six Months Ended
		March 31,						March 31,
	(Dollars in thousands)	2015			2014			2015			2014
	Product costs	$	5		$	4		$	13		$	8
	Research and development		54			46			114			98
	Selling, general and administrative		627			1,599			1,084			2,356
	Total	$	686		$	1,649		$	1,211		$	2,462
Assumptions Used in Stock Option Plans	The assumptions used as inputs in the model were as follows:
		Three Months Ended						Six Months Ended
		March 31,						March 31,
		2015			2014			2015			2014
	Risk-free interest rates		1.4	%		1.2	%		1.4	%		1.2	%
	Expected life (years)		4.5			4.1			4.5			4.6
	Expected volatility		43.2	%		37.1	%		43.3	%		44.5	%
	Dividend yield		0	%		0	%		0	%		0	%
Schedule of Fair Value at the Date of Grant	The aggregate number of shares that could be awarded to our executives if the minimum, target and maximum performance goals are met, based on the fair value at the date of grant is as follows:
	Performance Period	Minimum Shares			Target Shares			Maximum Shares
	Fiscal 2013 – 2015		8,551			42,753			85,506
	Fiscal 2014 – 2016		7,861			39,303			78,606
	Fiscal 2015 – 2017		8,440			42,199			84,398

Net_Income_Per_Share_Data_Tabl

Net Income Per Share Data (Tables)	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Denominator for Computation of Basic and Diluted Net Income Per Share	The following table sets forth the denominator for the computation of basic and diluted net income per share (in thousands):
		Three Months Ended				Six Months Ended
		March 31,				March 31,
		2015		2014		2015		2014
	Net income available to common shareholders	$	3,051	$	2,459	$	6,665	$	6,089
	Basic weighted average shares outstanding		12,944		13,538		13,092		13,658
	Dilutive effect of outstanding stock options, non-vested restricted stock, restricted stock units, deferred stock units and performance shares		263		286		273		267
	Diluted weighted average shares outstanding		13,207		13,824		13,365		13,925

Operating_Segment_Information_

Operating Segment Information (Tables)	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Segment Revenue, Operating Income and Depreciation and Amortization	The tables below present segment revenue, operating income and depreciation and amortization, as follows:
		Three Months Ended						Six Months Ended
		March 31,						March 31,
	(Dollars in thousands)	2015			2014			2015			2014
	Revenue:
	Medical Device	$	10,562		$	10,482		$	21,198		$	21,031
	In Vitro Diagnostics		3,853			3,122			7,422			6,456
	Total revenue	$	14,415		$	13,604		$	28,620		$	27,487
	Operating income:
	Medical Device	$	4,696		$	5,282		$	10,212		$	10,610
	In Vitro Diagnostics		931			633			2,028			1,303
	Total segment operating income		5,627			5,915			12,240			11,913
	Corporate		(1,695	)		(2,435	)		(3,274	)		(4,104	)
	Total operating income	$	3,932		$	3,480		$	8,966		$	7,809
	Depreciation and amortization:
	Medical Device	$	295		$	287		$	565		$	581
	In Vitro Diagnostics		216			213			430			427
	Corporate		195			184			394			372
	Total depreciation and amortization	$	706		$	684		$	1,389		$	1,380

Key_Accounting_Policies_Additi

Key Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail)	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Minimum [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Product sales payment terms	30 days
Maximum [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Product sales payment terms	45 days

Discontinued_Operations_Additi

Discontinued Operations - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Discontinued Operations and Disposal Groups [Abstract]
Income impact associated with discontinued operations	$0	$0	$0	$0
Total assets of discontinued operations	0		0
Total liabilities of discontinued operations	$0		$0

Fair_Value_Measurements_Additi

Fair Value Measurements - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Gain on sale of investment	$500,000
Level 3 assets	0	0	0	0
Level 3 activity		$0	$0

Fair_Value_Measurements_Assets

Fair Value Measurements - Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on Recurring Basis (Detail) (Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis [Member], USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Total assets measured at fair value	$45,606	$59,963
U.S. government and government agency obligations [Member] | Available-for-sale debt securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Total assets measured at fair value	9,519	7,394
Mortgage-backed securities [Member] | Available-for-sale debt securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Total assets measured at fair value	5,142	5,545
Asset-backed securities [Member] | Available-for-sale debt securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Total assets measured at fair value	1,946	2,369
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Instruments (Level 1) [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Total assets measured at fair value	8,651	1,550
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Instruments (Level 1) [Member] | U.S. government and government agency obligations [Member] | Available-for-sale debt securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Total assets measured at fair value	8,651
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Total assets measured at fair value	36,955	58,413
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | U.S. government and government agency obligations [Member] | Available-for-sale debt securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Total assets measured at fair value	868	7,394
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Mortgage-backed securities [Member] | Available-for-sale debt securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Total assets measured at fair value	5,142	5,545
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Asset-backed securities [Member] | Available-for-sale debt securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Total assets measured at fair value	1,946	2,369
Cash equivalents [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Total assets measured at fair value	26,487	40,100
Cash equivalents [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Total assets measured at fair value	26,487	40,100
Available-for-sale equity securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Total assets measured at fair value		1,550
Available-for-sale equity securities [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Instruments (Level 1) [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Total assets measured at fair value		1,550
Municipal bonds [Member] | Available-for-sale debt securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Total assets measured at fair value	785	1,175
Municipal bonds [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Available-for-sale debt securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Total assets measured at fair value	785	1,175
Corporate bonds [Member] | Available-for-sale debt securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Total assets measured at fair value	1,727	1,830
Corporate bonds [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Available-for-sale debt securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Total assets measured at fair value	$1,727	$1,830

Investments_Amortized_Cost_Unr

Investments - Amortized Cost, Unrealized Holding Gains (Losses) and Fair Value of Available-for-Sale Securities (Detail) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost	$19,071	$18,347
Unrealized Gains	132	1,617
Unrealized Losses	-84	-101
Fair Value	19,119	19,863
Municipal bonds [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost	784	1,173
Unrealized Gains	3	5
Unrealized Losses	-2	-3
Fair Value	785	1,175
Corporate bonds [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost	1,711	1,829
Unrealized Gains	16	6
Unrealized Losses		-5
Fair Value	1,727	1,830
U.S. government and government agency obligations [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost	9,482	7,397
Unrealized Gains	38	12
Unrealized Losses	-1	-15
Fair Value	9,519	7,394
Mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost	5,148	5,576
Unrealized Gains	72	43
Unrealized Losses	-78	-74
Fair Value	5,142	5,545
Asset-backed securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost	1,946	2,370
Unrealized Gains	3	3
Unrealized Losses	-3	-4
Fair Value	1,946	2,369
Equity securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost		2
Unrealized Gains		1,548
Fair Value		$1,550

Investments_Amortized_Cost_and

Investments - Amortized Cost and Fair Value of Investments by Contractual Maturity (Detail) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Amortized cost
Debt securities due within one year	$3,213
Debt securities due within one to five years	10,305
Debt securities due within five years or more	5,553
Total	19,071
Fair value
One year	3,221
One to five years	10,354
Five years or more	5,544
Total	$19,119

Investments_Sales_of_Available

Investments - Sales of Available-for-Sale Securities (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Investments, Debt and Equity Securities [Abstract]
Proceeds from sales	$1,678	$89,647	$2,651	$92,514
Gross realized gains		125		126
Gross realized losses	($1)		($8)	($1)

Inventories_Components_of_Inve

Inventories - Components of Inventories (Detail) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]
Raw materials	$1,146	$1,056
Finished products	2,049	1,761
Total	$3,195	$2,817

Other_Assets_Schedule_of_Other

Other Assets - Schedule of Other Assets Consist Principally of Strategic Investments (Detail) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Other assets, net	$1,979	$1,979
CeloNova BioSciences, Inc. [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Other assets, net	1,500	1,500
ViaCyte, Inc. [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Other assets, net	$479	$479

Other_Assets_Additional_Inform

Other Assets - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2006
CeloNova BioSciences, Inc. [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Company's ownership percentage		2.00%
ViaCyte, Inc. [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Impairment loss on investment	$0.10	$5.30	$4.70
Cost method of investment		$0.50
ViaCyte, Inc. [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Company's ownership percentage		1.00%

Intangible_Assets_Additional_I

Intangible Assets - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Amortization expense	$0.20	$0.20	$0.40	$0.40

Intangible_Assets_Schedule_of_

Intangible Assets - Schedule of Intangible Assets (Detail) (USD $)	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Definite-lived intangible assets, Gross Carrying Amount	$8,223	$8,223
Definite-lived intangible assets, Accumulated Amortization	-5,649	-5,277
Definite-lived intangible assets, Net	2,574	2,946
Customer Lists [Member]
Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Definite-lived intangible assets, Weighted Average Original Life (Years)	9 years	9 years
Definite-lived intangible assets, Gross Carrying Amount	4,857	4,857
Definite-lived intangible assets, Accumulated Amortization	-4,083	-3,813
Definite-lived intangible assets, Net	774	1,044
Core Technology [Member]
Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Definite-lived intangible assets, Weighted Average Original Life (Years)	8 years	8 years
Definite-lived intangible assets, Gross Carrying Amount	530	530
Definite-lived intangible assets, Accumulated Amortization	-508	-475
Definite-lived intangible assets, Net	22	55
Patents and Other [Member]
Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Definite-lived intangible assets, Weighted Average Original Life (Years)	16 years 9 months 18 days	16 years 9 months 18 days
Definite-lived intangible assets, Gross Carrying Amount	2,256	2,256
Definite-lived intangible assets, Accumulated Amortization	-1,058	-989
Definite-lived intangible assets, Net	1,198	1,267
Definite-Lived Intangible Assets [Member]
Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Definite-lived intangible assets, Gross Carrying Amount	7,643	7,643
Definite-lived intangible assets, Accumulated Amortization	-5,649	-5,277
Definite-lived intangible assets, Net	1,994	2,366
Trademarks [Member]
Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Definite-lived intangible assets, Gross Carrying Amount	580	580
Definite-lived intangible assets, Net	$580	$580

Intangible_Assets_Estimated_Am

Intangible Assets - Estimated Amortization Expense (Detail) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Remainder of 2015	$360
2016	594
2017	183
2018	137
2019	137
2020	$137

Goodwill_Additional_Informatio

Goodwill - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill	$8,010	$8,010
In Vitro Diagnostics [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill	$8,000	$8,000

Stockbased_Compensation_Stockb

Stock-based Compensation - Stock-based Compensation Expenses (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expenses	$686,000	$1,649,000	$1,211,000	$2,462,000
Product costs [Member]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expenses	5,000	4,000	13,000	8,000
Research and development [Member]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expenses	54,000	46,000	114,000	98,000
Selling, general and administrative [Member]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expenses	$627,000	$1,599,000	$1,084,000	$2,356,000

Stockbased_Compensation_Additi

Stock-based Compensation - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	18 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Feb. 28, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2015
Stock-Based Compensation Activity [Line Items]
Unrecognized compensation costs related to non-vested awards	$2,700,000		$2,700,000					2,700,000
Weighted average period for recognition of compensation costs related to non-vested awards			2 years 2 months 12 days
Performance share awards fully expensed	400,000		400,000					400,000
Weighted average per share fair value of stock options	$8.72	$7.61	$7.23	$8.72
Dividend yield	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Total pre-tax intrinsic value of options exercised	1,200,000	900,000	1,400,000	1,300,000
Stock option related expense		600,000		600,000
Performance Shares, time period			3 years
Stock compensation expenses recognized	686,000	1,649,000	1,211,000	2,462,000
Former Chairman of the Board [Member]
Stock-Based Compensation Activity [Line Items]
Restricted stock expense					200,000
Fiscal 2015 (2015 - 2017) [Member]
Stock-Based Compensation Activity [Line Items]
Performance period start year			2015
Performance period end year			2017
Fiscal 2014 (2014 - 2016) [Member]
Stock-Based Compensation Activity [Line Items]
Performance period start year			2014
Performance period end year			2016
Fiscal 2013 (2013 - 2015) [Member]
Stock-Based Compensation Activity [Line Items]
Performance period start year			2013
Performance period end year			2015
Fiscal 2012 (2012 - 2014) [Member]
Stock-Based Compensation Activity [Line Items]
Performance period start year			2012
Performance period end year			2014
Maximum [Member]
Stock-Based Compensation Activity [Line Items]
Restricted stock expense	100,000	200,000	100,000	200,000
Expense recognized related to Performance Shares	200,000	300,000	300,000	500,000
Maximum [Member] | 2009 Equity Incentive Plan [Member]
Stock-Based Compensation Activity [Line Items]
Stock compensation expenses recognized	100,000	100,000	100,000	100,000
Nonqualified Stock Options [Member]
Stock-Based Compensation Activity [Line Items]
Vesting terms			Non-qualified stock options generally become exercisable with respect to 25% of the shares on each of the first four anniversaries following the grant date
Nonqualified Stock Options [Member] | Board of Director [Member]
Stock-Based Compensation Activity [Line Items]
Stock option exercisable on a pro-rata basis			1 year
Nonqualified Stock Options [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Board of Director [Member]
Stock-Based Compensation Activity [Line Items]
Stock option expiration term upon expiration of employment or service			7 years
Nonqualified Stock Options [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Board of Director [Member]
Stock-Based Compensation Activity [Line Items]
Stock option expiration term upon expiration of employment or service			10 years
Performance Shares [Member]
Stock-Based Compensation Activity [Line Items]
Issuance of shares						98,093
Performance Shares [Member] | Fiscal 2015 (2015 - 2017) [Member]
Stock-Based Compensation Activity [Line Items]
Fair value of performance shares for grants awarded			900,000
Performance Shares [Member] | Fiscal 2014 (2014 - 2016) [Member]
Stock-Based Compensation Activity [Line Items]
Fair value of performance shares for grants awarded			900,000
Performance Shares [Member] | Fiscal 2013 (2013 - 2015) [Member]
Stock-Based Compensation Activity [Line Items]
Fair value of performance shares for grants awarded			900,000
Performance Shares [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Stock-Based Compensation Activity [Line Items]
Issuance of shares						124,994
1999 Employee Stock Purchase Plan [Member]
Stock-Based Compensation Activity [Line Items]
Annual compensation withheld, maximum limit			25,000
1999 Employee Stock Purchase Plan [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Stock-Based Compensation Activity [Line Items]
Common stock authorized, shares			400,000
Annual compensation withheld			10.00%
Employee contributions	100,000	100,000	100,000	100,000				100,000
Stock compensation expenses recognized	100,000			100,000
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member] | 2009 Equity Incentive Plan [Member]
Stock-Based Compensation Activity [Line Items]
Stock compensation expenses recognized		200,000		300,000
Number of stock units awarded			10,678					35,512
Number of stock units forfeited	3,068		3,068				3,417
Number of stock units issued	7,681		7,681				2,183
Additional Stock-based compensation expenses		200,000		200,000
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member] | Maximum [Member] | 2009 Equity Incentive Plan [Member]
Stock-Based Compensation Activity [Line Items]
Stock compensation expenses recognized	100,000		100,000
Deferred Stock Units [Member] | Director [Member]
Stock-Based Compensation Activity [Line Items]
Number of stock units awarded	1,332
Deferred Stock Units [Member] | 2009 Equity Incentive Plan [Member] | Director [Member]
Stock-Based Compensation Activity [Line Items]
Number of stock units awarded			2,886
Number of deferred stock units issued value			100,000
Deferred Stock Units [Member] | Maximum [Member] | 2009 Equity Incentive Plan [Member] | Director [Member]
Stock-Based Compensation Activity [Line Items]
Number of deferred stock units issued value	$100,000
Vesting Anniversary [Member] | Nonqualified Stock Options [Member]
Stock-Based Compensation Activity [Line Items]
Performance share awards, estimated vesting percentage			25.00%
Performance Level [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Stock-Based Compensation Activity [Line Items]
Performance share awards, estimated vesting percentage			20.00%
Performance Level [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Stock-Based Compensation Activity [Line Items]
Performance share awards, estimated vesting percentage			200.00%

Stockbased_Compensation_Assump

Stock-based Compensation - Assumptions Used in Stock Option Plans (Detail)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]
Risk-free interest rates	1.40%	1.20%	1.40%	1.20%
Expected life (years)	4 years 6 months	4 years 1 month 6 days	4 years 6 months	4 years 7 months 6 days
Expected volatility	43.20%	37.10%	43.30%	44.50%
Dividend yield	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Stockbased_Compensation_Schedu

Stock-based Compensation - Schedule of Fair Value at the Date of Grant (Detail)	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Fiscal 2013 (2013 - 2015) [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Minimum Shares	8,551
Target Shares	42,753
Maximum Shares	85,506
Fiscal 2014 (2014 - 2016) [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Minimum Shares	7,861
Target Shares	39,303
Maximum Shares	78,606
Fiscal 2015 (2015 - 2017) [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Minimum Shares	8,440
Target Shares	42,199
Maximum Shares	84,398

Revolving_Credit_Facility_Addi

Revolving Credit Facility - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	0 Months Ended
	Nov. 04, 2013	Mar. 31, 2015	Nov. 05, 2014
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Credit facility initiation date	4-Nov-13
Revolving credit facility amount	$20,000,000
Credit facility fee percentage	0.20%
Line of Credit Facility, Expiration Period	3 years
Debt outstanding		0
Stock Repurchase Plan [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Revolving credit facility amount			$30,000,000
Minimum [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Credit facility interest rate	1.38%
Maximum [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Credit facility interest rate	2.00%

Net_Income_Per_Share_Data_Deno

Net Income Per Share Data - Denominator for Computation of Basic and Diluted Net Income Per Share (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net income available to common shareholders	$3,051	$2,459	$6,665	$6,089
Basic weighted average shares outstanding	12,944	13,538	13,092	13,658
Dilutive effect of outstanding stock options, non-vested restricted stock, restricted stock units, deferred stock units and performance shares	263	286	273	267
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding	13,207	13,824	13,365	13,925

Net_Income_Per_Share_Data_Addi

Net Income Per Share Data - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Nov. 11, 2014	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Nov. 05, 2014
Earnings Loss Per Share [Line Items]
Weighted average diluted shares outstanding excluded outstanding stock options		300,000	200,000	500,000	400,000
Common stock repurchased, Shares				758,143	485,577
Common stock repurchased				$16,000,000	$11,500,000
Amount available for repurchases of shares		14,000,000		14,000,000
Common stock closing stock price	$21.38
Volume weighted average price per share	$1
Volume weighted average price description				For every $1.00 increase or decrease in the Company's VWAP, based on a closing stock price of $21.38 on November 11, 2014, the settlement amount will change by approximately 45,000 shares.
Stock issued for settlement	45,000
Accelerated Share Repurchase Program [Member]
Earnings Loss Per Share [Line Items]
Maximum payments for repurchase of common stock						30,000,000
Fair value of common stock	16,000,000
Shares repurchased	758,143
Initial payment to bank reported as reduction in retained earnings	4,000,000
Maximum number of shares of common stock issued	1,870,907
Accelerated Share Repurchase Program [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Earnings Loss Per Share [Line Items]
Reduction in common stock	100,000
Reduction in additional paid-in capital	2,500,000
Reduction in retained earnings	13,500,000
Accelerated Share Repurchase Program [Member] | Investment Bank [Member]
Earnings Loss Per Share [Line Items]
Fair value of common stock	20,000,000
Accelerated Share Repurchase Program [Member] | Wells Fargo [Member]
Earnings Loss Per Share [Line Items]
Amount available for repurchases of shares		$4,000,000		$4,000,000

Income_Taxes_Additional_Inform

Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items]
Income tax provisions associated with income from continuing operations	$1,480,000	$1,212,000	$2,950,000	$2,678,000
Effective tax rates	32.70%	33.00%	30.70%	30.50%
U.S. federal statutory tax rate	35.00%		35.00%
Discrete tax benefit			200,000
Gain on sale of investment	500,000
Gain on contingent consideration payment				681,000
Gain on debt securities available for sale securities portfolio				100,000
Income tax expense from discontinued operations	0			0
Unrecognized tax benefits including interest and penalties	900,000		900,000		900,000
Intersect ENT [Member]
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items]
Gain on sale of investment	500,000		500,000
Maximum [Member]
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items]
Discrete tax benefit	$100,000	$100,000	$200,000	$200,000

Amounts_Reclassified_Out_of_Ac1

Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Amounts reclassified out of AOCI pre-tax basis	$0.50	$0.10	$0.50	$0.30

Operating_Segment_Information_1

Operating Segment Information - Additional Information (Detail)	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
	Segment
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Number of operating segments	2

Operating_Segment_Information_2

Operating Segment Information - Segment Revenue, Operating Income and Depreciation and Amortization (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue	$14,415	$13,604	$28,620	$27,487
Operating income	3,932	3,480	8,966	7,809
Depreciation and amortization	706	684	1,389	1,380
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income	5,627	5,915	12,240	11,913
Operating Segments [Member] | Medical Device [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue	10,562	10,482	21,198	21,031
Operating income	4,696	5,282	10,212	10,610
Depreciation and amortization	295	287	565	581
Operating Segments [Member] | In Vitro Diagnostics [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue	3,853	3,122	7,422	6,456
Operating income	931	633	2,028	1,303
Depreciation and amortization	216	213	430	427
Corporate [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income	-1,695	-2,435	-3,274	-4,104
Depreciation and amortization	$195	$184	$394	$372

Commitments_and_Contingencies_

Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail)	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015
	USD ($)	EUR (€)	January 2009 through September 2014 [Member]	Patents [Member]
			USD ($)
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Hydrophilic coating royalties overpaid			$5,700,000
Additional shares of common stock to stockholders	480,059	480,059
License agreement commencement date	2006-03	2006-03
Annual minimum payments for licenses	217,000	200,000
Exchange rate relating to license payment	1.08501	1.08501
Future minimum payments associated with license	$2,700,000
Patent expiry date				2027-09