Note 10—Provision for Income Taxes

On December 22, 2017, the U.S. government enacted comprehensive tax legislation known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”). The Tax Act includes broad and complex changes to the U.S. tax code, including a reduction in the U.S. federal corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% effective January 1, 2018. For the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018, the Company will record its income tax provision based on a blended U.S. statutory tax rate of 24.5%, which is based on a proration of the applicable tax rates before and after the effective date of the Tax Act, and the effect of applicable state income taxes. The federal statutory rate of 21% will apply for fiscal years beginning after September 30, 2018.

During the six months ended March 31, 2018, the Company recorded a provisional discrete tax benefit of $3.5 million related to the Tax Act, primarily due to adjusting its U.S. deferred tax liabilities by the same amount, reflecting the reduction in the U.S. federal corporate tax rate. This net reduction in deferred tax liabilities also included the estimated impact on the Company’s net state deferred tax assets.

The Company’s effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 was 29.8% and 36.0%, respectively. The effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2018 was lower than the comparable prior year period primarily due to the decrease in the federal corporate tax rate. Similarly, the Company’s effective tax rate for the six months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 was 15.2% and 37.2%, respectively, due primarily to the decrease in the federal corporate tax rate and the benefit of a tax credit recorded during the six months ended March 31, 2018 related to the enactment of the Tax Act.

The Company has not yet completed its accounting for the income tax effects of certain elements of the Tax Act. In regards to the reduction in the U.S. corporate tax rate, the Company is continuing to analyze the temporary differences that existed on the date of the enactment and the temporary differences originating in the current fiscal year. The Company expects to complete its analysis of the accounting guidance related to the Tax Act and its evaluation of the impacts of the Tax Act by September 30, 2018.