Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

INCOME TAXES

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INCOME TAXES
12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block]

NOTE 11: INCOME TAXES

Pre-tax income (loss) reflected in the Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended March 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010 follows (in thousands):

For the year ended March 31,
      2012       2011       2010
U.S $      (8,589 ) $      271 $      16,374
Foreign 667 4,283 1,534
$ (7,922 ) $ 4,554 $ 17,908
 

Income tax provision consists of the following (in thousands):

For the year ended March 31,
2012 2011 2010
Federal:                  
       Current $      $      (302 ) $      (465 )
       Deferred
  (302 ) (465 )
State:
       Current 301 446 (361 )
       Deferred
  301 446 (361 )
Foreign:
       Current 1,847 74 2,577
       Deferred (1,261 ) (205 ) (477 )
586 (131 ) 2,100
Income tax provision $ 887 $ 13 $ 1,274

The income tax provision differs from the amount computed by applying the federal statutory rate of 35% to income (loss) before income taxes as follows (in thousands):

For the year ended March 31,
2012 2011 2010
Expense (benefit) at federal statutory rate       $      (2,773 )       $      1,594       $      6,268
State taxes 301 380 340
Unbenefited losses and credits 3,471 (1,235 ) (5,591 )
Net accrual (release) of contingent tax reserves (176 ) (466 ) 315
Other 64 (260 ) (58 )
$ 887 $ 13 $ 1,274
 

Significant components of deferred tax assets and liabilities are as follows (in thousands):

As of March 31,
2012 2011
Deferred tax assets:            
       Inventory valuation method $      6,429 $      10,366
       Accrued warranty expense 3,072 2,849
       Distribution reserves 2,377 1,936
       Loss carryforwards 54,162 50,179
       Foreign tax and research and development credit carryforwards 221,459 221,354
       Restructuring charge accruals 710 1,410
       Other accruals and reserves not currently deductible for tax purposes 35,177 31,322
       Depreciation and amortization methods 4,824 9,572
328,210 328,988
       Less valuation allowance (252,402 ) (245,241 )
       Deferred tax asset $ 75,808 $ 83,747
Deferred tax liabilities:
       Acquired intangibles $ (10,186 ) $ (17,884 )
       Tax on unremitted foreign earnings (15,712 ) (16,557 )
       Other (49,179 ) (49,855 )
       Deferred tax liability $ (75,077 ) $ (84,296 )
Net deferred tax asset (liability) $ 731 $ (549 )
 

A reconciliation of the gross unrecognized tax benefits follows (in thousands):

For the year ended March 31,
      2012       2011       2010
Beginning balance $      33,012 $      33,292 $      32,210
       Settlement and effective settlements with tax authorities and related remeasurements (255 ) (357 )
       Lapse of statute of limitations (105 ) (228 ) (290 )
       Increase in balances related to tax positions taken in prior period 92 82 800
       Increases in balances related to tax positions taken during current period 223 572
Ending balance $ 32,744 $ 33,012 $ 33,292
 

During fiscal 2012, we recorded a net decrease in our unrecognized tax benefits. Including interest and penalties, the total unrecognized tax benefit at March 31, 2012 was $33.6 million, all of which, if recognized, would favorably affect the effective tax rate. At March 31, 2012 accrued interest and penalties totaled $0.9 million.

We file our tax returns as prescribed by the laws of the jurisdictions in which we operate. Our U.S. tax returns have been audited for years through 2002 by the Internal Revenue Service. In other major jurisdictions, we are generally open to examination for the most recent three to five fiscal years. Although timing of the resolution and closure on audits is highly uncertain, we do not believe it is likely that the unrecognized tax benefits would materially change in the next 12 months.

As of March 31, 2012, we had federal net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards of approximately $202.7 million and $156.9 million, respectively. Our federal net operating loss carryforwards include $33.6 million attributable to excess tax deductions from stock option exercises, and are not included in the deferred tax assets shown above. The benefit of these loss carryforwards will be credited to equity when realized. The net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards expire in varying amounts beginning in fiscal 2013 if not previously utilized, the utilization of which is limited under the tax law ownership change provision. These carryforwards include $10.8 million of acquired net operating losses and $15.6 million of credits.

Certain changes in stock ownership could result in a limitation on the amount of net operating loss and tax credit carryovers that can be utilized each year. Should the company undergo such a change in stock ownership, it could severely limit the usage of these carryover tax attributes against future income, resulting in additional tax charges.

Due to our history of net losses and the difficulty in predicting future results, we believe that we cannot rely on projections of future taxable income to realize the deferred tax assets. Accordingly, we have established a full valuation allowance against our U.S. net deferred tax assets. Significant management judgment is required in determining our deferred tax assets and liabilities and valuation allowances for purposes of assessing our ability to realize any future benefit from our net deferred tax assets. We intend to maintain this valuation allowance until sufficient positive evidence exists to support the reversal of the valuation allowance. Our income tax expense recorded in the future will be reduced to the extent that sufficient positive evidence materializes to support a reversal of, or decrease in, our valuation allowance.