Corporation A owned 100 percent of the stock of corporation B, an American subsidiary, and corporation C, a foreign subsidiary. Corporation B sold its operating assets to corporation C for cash. Subsequent thereto, corporation B owned only cash and receivables, which it distributed in liquidation to its parent, corporation A. No
55 T.C. 204">*204 In these consolidated cases respondent has determined deficiencies in petitioner's income taxes as follows:
Docket No. | Taxable year | Deficiency |
ended | ||
4028-65 | 12/31/55 | $ 56,016.14 |
4027-65 | 1 8/25/58 | 11,247.13 |
In amended answers respondent claimed increased deficiencies in petitioner's income taxes as follows:
Taxable year | Additional | |
Docket No. | ended | Deficiency |
4028-65 | 12/31/55 | $ 145,372.21 |
4027-65 | 1 8/25/58 | 2,165.14 |
Concessions having been made, the issues remaining for decision in docket No. 4028-65 are whether distributions, received by a parent corporation in liquidation of its wholly owned American subsidiary after the American subsidiary had transferred for cash all its operating 55 T.C. 204">*205 assets to a foreign subsidiary wholly owned by the parent, are to be treated as:
(1) Nontaxable distributions "in complete liquidation" of the American subsidiary 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*39 under
(2) Ordinary dividends taxable under
(3) "Other property or money" received in a
If the distributions are taxable under
(1) Whether in computing the parent's gain, the foreign subsidiary may be deemed to have paid a hypothetical amount of its stock, in addition to cash, for the operating assets of the American subsidiary, which "hypothetical stock" was subsequently transferred to the parent; and
(2) Whether the term "corporation," as utilized in
In docket No. 4027-65, the issue for decision (if a
FINDINGS OF FACT
Some of the facts have been stipulated and are so found. The stipulations and exhibits attached thereto are incorporated herein by this reference.
Petitioner herein is American Manufacturing Co., Inc. (hereinafter sometimes referred to as American), a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Delaware with its principal executive office located in Brooklyn, New York. American is the successor by merger, as of January 22, 1960, to Safety Industries, Inc. (hereinafter sometimes referred to as Safety), a Delaware corporation organized in June 1939, for the purpose of manufacturing railway equipment.
The controversy herein involves the tax consequence of events that 55 T.C. 204">*206 occurred prior to the merger of American with Safety for which American as the successor to Safety is liable.
Safety kept its books and records and filed its income tax returns on an accrual method of accounting 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*41 and on the basis of a calendar year. Its income tax returns for taxable years 1955 through 1959, and its final income tax return covering the period January 1, 1960, to January 22, 1960, were filed with the district director of internal revenue, Hartford, Conn.
Prior to and including the year 1958, Safety owned all of the outstanding stock of two corporations. One subsidiary, Pintsch Compressing Corp. (hereinafter sometimes referred to as Pintsch), was a domestic corporation qualifying as a Western Hemisphere trade corporation under section 921. The other, Liquigas, Ltd., was a Canadian corporation which changed its corporate name to Interprovincial Safety Industries, Ltd. (hereinafter sometimes referred to as ISI).
Pintsch was organized under the laws of the State of Delaware on September 1, 1939, as a wholly owned subsidiary of Safety. It kept its books and records and filed its income tax returns on an accrual method of accounting and on the basis of a calendar year. Pintsch's income tax returns for the years 1951 through 1957, and its final return for the short period ended August 25, 1958, were filed with the district director of internal revenue, Hartford, Conn.
Until a few 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*42 years prior to its merger with American, Safety was engaged primarily in the manufacture of heating, lighting, and air-conditioning equipment for passenger railway cars. However, with the decline of the overall passenger traffic of railroads, Safety diversified its business and became primarily engaged directly and through subsidiaries in the manufacture and sale of industrial scales and weighers, industrial timers and controls, and processing equipment for chemical milling and general process industries. To a lesser degree, Safety or its subsidiaries engaged in the business of servicing electrical, air-conditioning, heating, and lighting equipment on railway passenger cars of certain Southeastern railroads and of providing gas for the heating and lighting of cars of certain Canadian railroads.
In part, Safety's railroad related activities were conducted by Pintsch, one of its wholly owned subsidiaries. Pintsch sold gas to railroads solely for the lighting of passenger, baggage, and postal mail cars. Though Pintsch at one time sold to customers both in the United States and Canada, by 1951 it was no longer selling to any railroads in the United States. It did, however, at that time 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*43 still have customers and several operating plants in Canada, where one of its principal customers was the Canadian National Railway Co. (hereinafter sometimes referred to as CNR).
Pintsch had entered into a long-term contract with CNR for the 55 T.C. 204">*207 supply of gas in 1942. On June 1, 1951, another agreement was entered into pursuant to which CNR acquired Pintsch's plant and property located in Montreal, Canada, for a price of $ 200,000. This contract provided that CNR was to lease to Pintsch other land near the acquired property subject to renewal for an additional 25 years upon the same terms. In consideration thereof Pintsch also agreed to construct at its own expense a new plant and buildings on the leased land, suitable for its gas operations and the supply of gas to CNR, according to the 1942 agreement. Clause 12 of this contract provided:
12. That should, in the opinion of the Gas Company, the volume of business at the new plant become insufficient to justify maintenance and operation of the new plant, the Gas Company may discontinue operation of the same, and in such event the Gas Company agrees to sell and assign the building, exclusive of machinery and equipment, which the Gas 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*44 Company may remove at its own expense without damage to the plant, and should such damage occur the Gas Company agrees to repair the same and will surrender the said lease to the Railway, and will cause the Safety Company to vacate the premises, and the Railway agrees to pay to the Gas Company the cost of the new plant, exclusive of machinery and equipment, or the sum of $ 125,000, whichever sum is the lesser, from which sum shall be deducted an amount equal to 4% per annum to commence from the date the Gas Company commences operations at the new plant. If the Gas Company fails to remove the said machinery and equipment in the plant, it shall become the property of the Railway without any compensation to the Gas Company.
Pintsch could not assign the agreement or sublet the premises in whole or in part without first having obtained consent of CNR in writing. The plant was completed in 1952 for a cost in excess of $ 200,000.
By 1956 the trend of Pintsch's business was on the down grade. Railroads were no longer adding gas-lighted cars and no new business could be found for their gas product. As a consequence, the Pintsch management decided to depreciate the corporate assets on its books 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*45 over a 5-year period so that at the eventual time when Pintsch would terminate its business the book losses would not be so large.
Pintsch's sales, gross income, and net income as reported for the years 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, and for its final return for 1958 as well as the ratio of net profit to sales, were as follows (The primary cause of the increase in net profit ratio was a sharp decrease in selling and administrative expense.):
Ratio net | ||||
Year | Sales | Gross income | Net income | profit to |
sales | ||||
Percent | ||||
1951 | 1 $ 609,766.97 | 19.3 | ||
1952 | 638,505.05 | 307,028.10 | 128,999.12 | 20.2 |
1953 | 564,947.74 | 275,246.58 | 153,449.96 | 27.1 |
1954 | 499,795.04 | 246,934.94 | 135,893.17 | 27.2 |
1955 | 432,097.31 | 220,187.34 | 109,349.45 | 25.2 |
1956 | 418,519.30 | 216,705.46 | 110,464.03 | 26.2 |
1957 | 391,487.87 | 187,222.37 | 106,030.49 | 27.1 |
8/25/58 | 212,957.20 | 67,444.22 | 12,376.09 |
55 T.C. 204">*208 At least 95 percent of Pintsch's gross income was earned in Canada in these years.
Some of Safety's other Canadian business was conducted by its wholly owned subsidiary ISI, the stock of which had been purchased 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*46 by Safety in 1954. Prior to 1958, ISI operated a gas products distribution business in Canada. This business consisted of the sale of bottled liquid propane gas for home and individual use. Its gas product could not be used for lighting railway cars.
ISI's business was rather small in comparison to other Safety enterprises but there was a sizable market in Canada for bottled gas, and considerable room for expansion. However, the management of Safety decided around 1957 or 1958 against any further expansion of the ISI business because the need of capital for such expansion was too great. Between acquisition date in 1954 and January 1, 1956, ISI accumulated an earned surplus in its propane business of $ 92,864.29 (Canadian dollars) and added a surplus of $ 41,903.33 (Canadian dollars) in calendar year 1956. As of December 31, 1957, earned surplus had increased to $ 232,960.44 (Canadian dollars), an increment of $ 98,192.82 (Canadian dollars) in calendar year 1957.
On July 30, 1957, Safety and its tax counsel made an application for a ruling from the Commissioner of Internal Revenue Service that a contemplated sale of ISI operating assets and a subsequent liquidation of ISI's cash 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*47 and receivables into its parent, Safety, would be exempt from U.S. income tax under the provisions of
On December 31, 1957, ISI did, however, agree to sell all its assets and rights in the Province of Ontario, to Superior Propane, Ltd. (hereinafter sometimes referred to as Superior), the closing date for this transaction was to be March 31, 1958. From December 31, 1957, to March 31, 1958, ISI was to operate the Ontario business for the account of Superior, ISI to absorb the operating loss, if any, and retain the operating profits, if any, as a management fee. On March 10, 1958, ISI also agreed to sell all its assets and rights in the Province of Quebec to Superior. Closing date for the agreement was also to occur on March 31, 1958. Purchases of certain ISI properties in Quebec were delayed until January 1, 1959, and January 1, 1960. Pending these purchases, the properties were leased by ISI to Superior for a term ending March 31, 1960. The assets comprising the above sale 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*48 were substantially all ISI's liquid gas facilities.
On July 9, 1958, Safety applied to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue Service for a supplemental ruling to that of February 7, 55 T.C. 204">*209 1958, which involved the additional fact that Pintsch would sell its operating assets to ISI. The ruling request stated:
As originally planned, the major portion of the properties of Liquigas were to be sold to wholly unrelated parties and the company was then to be liquidated into the parent. It is now planned to have Liquigas acquire the operating assets of a wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary, Pintsch Compressing Corporation, operating in Canada as a western hemisphere corporation, at their tax cost value as presently reflected on the books of Pintsch. The assets so acquired would then be included as a portion of the properties which would be distributed in liquidation by Liquigas to the parent. The Pintsch Company will also be liquidated simultaneously. The business assets of Pintsch, which will be received by Safety upon liquidation of Liquigas, under the procedure described above, will be recorded on the books of Safety at the same tax cost basis at which they would have been recorded on its books had 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*49 they been received directly from Pintsch through liquidation. The purpose of the acquisition of the Pintsch assets by Liquigas is to minimize the recovery of "capital cost allowances" under the Canadian income tax statute thereby in turn minimizing the Canadian income tax liability of Liquigas.
On August 12, 1958, the Commissioner of Internal Revenue Service issued a ruling letter based upon the modified facts set forth in the application and concluded that the liquidation of ISI, as outlined above, would not adversely affect the ruling of February 7, 1958.
The liquidation of ISI was not consummated as contemplated by these requests for rulings. The acquisition of the Pintsch operating assets, however, did take place by written agreement dated August 15, 1958. Pursuant to the written agreement Pintsch transferred its operating assets to ISI for cash and the assumption of certain of its liabilities. Included in the transferred assets was the contract between Pintsch and CNR dated June 1, 1951, at no cost. ISI was to pay to Pintsch $ 314,776.09 (Canadian dollars) for the following items that were transferred:
Machinery & tools | $ 120,909.74 |
Buildings | 667.08 |
Land | 6,880.67 |
Leasehold improvements | 112,000.00 |
Accounts receivable | 60,275.55 |
Other receivables & accruals | 4,891.66 |
Inventories | 5,681.53 |
Prepayments & deferments | 3,469.86 |
314,776.09 |
Payment 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*50 was made by ISI to Pintsch in the following manner:
Cash (Canadian) | $ 287,945.15 |
Assumption of accounts payable | 5,580.94 |
Assumption of accrued taxes | 4,250.00 |
Assumption of long-term indebtedness | 17,000.00 |
314,776.09 |
55 T.C. 204">*210 Other than the contract with CNR which the parties (Pintsch and ISI) assigned no value, no selling price and no cost or other basis, the transfer price, accumulated depreciation, cost or other basis, and gain or loss realized for the various groups of property transferred to ISI (other than the aforesaid contract) were as follows:
Transfer | Depreciation | |
price | allowable | |
Accounts receivable less payables | $ 45,335.07 | 0 |
Inventories | 5,900.78 | 0 |
Land | 6,880.67 | 0 |
Buildings | 668.91 | $ 7,626.59 |
Machinery and equipment | 104,180.84 | 304,446.63 |
Transportation equipment | 16,183.12 | 70,753.16 |
Leasehold improvements | 106,911.15 | 133,403.22 |
286,060.94 | 516,229.60 |
Cost or | |||
other basis | Gain | Loss | |
Accounts receivable less payables | $ 45,335.07 | 0 | 0 |
Inventories | 5,900.78 | 0 | 0 |
Land | 6,880.67 | 0 | 0 |
Buildings | 8,246.41 | $ 49.09 | |
Machinery and equipment | 391,964.55 | 16,662.92 | |
Transportation equipment | 83,965.29 | 2,970.99 | |
Leasehold improvements | 297,020.26 | $ 56,705.49 | |
839,313.03 | 19,683.00 | 56,705.49 |
On or about August 25, 1958, ISI transferred $ 286,060.94 3 in cash to Pintsch. Immediately 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*51 after the transfer of its operating assets and contract to ISI, and after its receipt of the $ 286,060.94 from ISI, Pintsch owned only cash and receivables amounting to $ 1,492,008.25 and had liabilities of $ 1,285.99. Prior to the transaction, Pintsch's earned surplus was $ 1,235,144.75. Pintsch's assets and liabilities were transferred to and assumed by Safety on August 25, 1958, pursuant to a resolution of Pintsch's board of directors to liquidate, and the capital investment of Safety in Pintsch in the amount of $ 292,600, Safety's basis in Pintsch's stock, was removed as an asset from the books and records of Safety.
In its income tax return for the taxable period January 1, 1958, to August 25, 1958, Pintsch claimed a net loss from the sale of property, other than capital assets, in the amount of $ 33,297.17. Of this amount a total loss of $ 37,022.49 was attributed by Pintsch to its transaction with ISI, in which it netted 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*52 losses against gains as follows:
Losses | $ 56,705.49 |
Gains | 19,683.00 |
Net loss | 37,022.49 |
After August 25, 1958, ISI conducted the business formerly conducted by Pintsch without change. An executive of Safety, James T. Cullen (hereinafter sometimes referred to as James), moved to Montreal, Canada, on October 12, 1958, to conduct the ISI business. He had previously been commuting to Montreal and had had high hopes during that period for expansion of ISI in the gas field for home use, which never materialized.
55 T.C. 204">*211 By December 31, 1958, the earned surplus of ISI had increased to $ 323,814.17 (Canadian dollars), an increment of $ 90,853.73 (Canadian dollars) in 1958. Included in the increment in 1958 is a net gain of $ 125,458.41 (Canadian dollars) on disposal of ISI's property, plant, and equipment in March. Between December 31, 1958, and December 31, 1962, ISI's net sales, gross profit from sales, net profit, and the increase in earned surplus per year (all in Canadian dollars) were as follows:
Annual | ||||
Net profits | increase in | |||
(before | earned | |||
Year | Sales | Gross profit | taxes) | surplus |
1959 | $ 317,430.53 | $ 67,966.51 | $ 30,800.77 | $ 9,441.22 |
1960 | 11970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*53 505,203.55 | 76,346.94 | 2 (115,725.53) | (78,559.69) |
1961 | 283,152.14 | 105,688.40 | 22,214.85 | 22,214.85 |
1962 | 100,625.17 | 46,894.85 | 119,451.24 | 120,927.34 |
The breakdown of net sales and gross profit by ISI of gas to railways and of other products in 1960, 1961, and 1962 (in Canadian dollars) is as follows:
Gas | Other products | |||
Year | ||||
Sales | Gross | Sales | Gross | |
profit | profit | |||
1960 | $ 230,319.82 | $ 64,652.06 | $ 274,892.73 | $ 11,703.88 |
1961 | 212,470.95 | 83,288.34 | 70,681.19 | 22,400.06 |
1962 | 75,273.29 | 37,503.01 | 25,351.88 | 9,391.84 |
In November 1961, Canadian Pacific Railways (one of the two remaining gas customers of ISI) gave notice terminating its gas supply contract. Shortly thereafter, and under a 6 months' termination clause, ISI gave notice to CNR that it would terminate its contract to supply gas to them. On July 1, 1962, ISI sold its plant in Montreal to CNR under paragraph 12 of the 1951 agreement between Pintsch and CNR.
On July 24, 1962, American, which by virtue of its merger with Safety on January 22, 1960, had acquired ISI as a subsidiary, 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*54 requested a ruling from the Commissioner of Internal Revenue concerning the taxable status under
Proposed Transaction
It is proposed that Interprovincial sell its assets to either a Canadian corporation, Canadian individuals or a Canadian branch of a United States corporation, none of which would be related to American or Interprovincial.
55 T.C. 204">*212 After the sale of assets and payment of liabilities, the only remaining assets would be cash and demand notes payable in U.S. dollars due from a related domestic company, also a subsidiary of American. The cash and demand notes would be transferred to the parent company and Interprovincial would then be liquidated. The balance sheet of Interprovincial as of December 31, 1961, expressed in Canadian dollars, is attached hereto as Exhibit B; and a projected balance sheet and income statement as of June 30, 1962, expressed in Canadian dollars, is attached hereto as Exhibits D and E, respectively.
Business Purpose
Sales of gas for heating and lighting cars for certain Canadian Railways have been continuously declining and the 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*55 Company was notified by the Canadian Pacific Railway that effective June 1962 it wished to discontinue the service provided by the Company. With this cancellation there would not be sufficient remaining business to continue the operation of Interprovincial.
Request for a Ruling
The Commissioner of Internal Revenue is requested to rule that Interprovincial is a corporation as defined by
Opinion of the Taxpayer Regarding Proposed Transaction
It is the opinion of American that a liquidation of this subsidiary is necessary in view of the fact that with the loss of a substantial portion of its income it is not economically feasible to continue the existence of the Company.
After several exchanges of letters and additional information supplied by American, the Commissioner gave a favorable ruling on April 8, 1963, that under
(1) Provided that American includes in ordinary income 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*56 an amount sufficient to produce an additional Federal income tax of $ 30,000, the proposed complete liquidation of Interprovincial is not in pursuance of a plan having as one of its principal purposes the avoiding of Federal income taxes within the meaning of
By the end of 1963, ISI, pursuant to a resolution passed by its shareholders on October 23, 1963, had distributed its assets ratably among its shareholders. In 1963, ISI was engaged in no commercial activities. There was a small amount of income from interest on funds on deposit in banks and from the collection of accounts receivable which were not collected before it ceased operations in 1962.
For the year 1955, Safety reported taxable income, as adjusted, of $ 479,886.96. In its return for 1958, it claimed a net operating loss of $ 511,764.22. On June 11, 1959, Safety filed an application for a tentative 55 T.C. 204">*213 carryback adjustment to recover taxes paid for 1955 by carrying back its 1958 loss to that year. The application was allowed in the amount claimed, i.e., $ 244,738.69, plus interest. Respondent's deficiency notice, in docket No. 4028-65, dated April 8, 1965, determined that $ 185,271.71 of the claimed 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*57 carryback loss was excessive and assessed a deficiency in the amount of $ 56,016.14 for the taxable year 1955. This was based upon the theory that in 1958 Safety received a distribution in the amount of $ 1,490,722.26 from its subsidiary, Pintsch, pursuant to a reorganization described in
By amendment to his answer, respondent alleged and asserted in the alternative that of the $ 1,490,722.26 distributed to Safety in 1958, $ 1,204,661.32 was a
The respondent further alleged, in the alternative, and "in further support of an increased deficiency" that should the distributions not be taxable under
In docket No. 4027-65, liability has been determined by respondent against petitioner for an asserted deficiency against Pintsch for its final taxable period, January 1, 1958, through August 25, 1958. This deficiency arises from Pintsch's "sale" of its assets to ISI without
By amendment to answer, the respondent determined an increased liability 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*59 in the amount of $ 2,165.14. In support thereof, respondent determined that the loss on the sale of assets to ISI, in the amount of $ 56,705.49, was incurred pursuant to a plan of reorganization under 55 T.C. 204">*214
OPINION
Respondent argues on the other hand that since Pintsch's business was continued by ISI after the liquidation, 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*61 no "complete liquidation" occurred and
1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*63 In the alternative, respondent contends that the distributions were received as part of a transaction qualifying as a reorganization under
According to respondent, ISI stock increased its value in the amount of $ 286,060.94 due to the fact that ISI had acquired Pintsch's operating assets, valued at the same amount, after the transaction was complete and this alleged increase in the stock's value was tantamount to 55 T.C. 204">*216 the issuance of $ 286,060.94 in ISI stock which was "received" by Safety. Further, he argues that $ 286,060.94 of the amount actually received by Safety should be treated as a distribution from ISI and $ 1,204,661.32 as a distribution from Pintsch under
Finally, if we should compute the gain received by Safety without adding any "hypothetical stock" and ascertain the taxable dividend under
As is evident from the above summation of the various contentions involved in the instant case, the issues are of a highly complex and technical nature. In the past we have dealt with factual situations and issues closely resembling those which are here under consideration,
Petitioner argues that the step-transaction approach, described above, is inapposite as applied to a subsidiary-into-parent liquidation under
Since it is clear in the instant case that corporate form was dissolved 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*69 and petitioner's contentions, if valid, would be dispositive of the issues herein, we treat them at the outset.
Petitioner's argument is based in part on the proposition that
Petitioner finds support for the above argument in the fact that
We are at a loss to see in what way the above cases could possibly substantiate petitioner's contentions. Quite to the contrary, they indicate that
While the above-mentioned cases shed little light on the purposes for enactment of
The legislative history lends credence to a view that
The legislative history does not indicate that a liquidation of a subsidiary into its parent cannot be a step in a reorganization falling under the other definitions of
55 T.C. 204">*221 Literally the transactions in the instant case fall within the definition of a
Petitioner's first contention deserves more attention. He argues that
Thus, it will be seen that as a result of the transactions Excavating either acquired title to, or the use of, all the assets essential to the conduct of the business enterprise. It seems clear that the assets which it did not acquire, namely, cash and accounts receivable, were not necessary to the conduct of the enterprise. If such unneeded assets had been distributed to the petitioners prior to the transfer of the essential assets to Excavating there clearly would be no 55 T.C. 204">*222 question that substantially all of
In the instant case it is clear that all
Despite the fact that the transactions herein fall within the definition of
Petitioner's main reliance is on
In deciding whether the transfer of the assets in that case to the newly formed corporation in exchange for stock constituted a reorganization, the Board of Tax Appeals reviewed
Nor do we think it was a reorganization within
Also, in
to warrant an application of
"* * * made 'in pursuance of a plan of reorganization' * * * of corporate business; and not a transfer 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*87 of assets by one corporation to another in pursuance of a plan having no relation to the business of either * * *. [
* * * the liquidation of a part of the transferor's assets by the transferee is not such a purpose. It is true that petitioner sold assets and distributed the proceeds to its shareholders, while in the
Respondent correctly argues that a statutory reorganization may comprise the liquidation of a corporate party to it, citing
"* * * The plan of reorganization must comprehend, and the new corporation created, must when consummated carry on in whole or in part the corporate business of the old corporation. * * * In the
Conversely, the fact that the business of Pintsch was continued by ISI is of crucial significance in the instant case and serves to distinguish both of the above cases. Accepting that the operation of Pintsch would eventually come to an end and that the transfer of its operating assets had as a purpose the facilitating of certain Canadian income tax determinations of ISI (which we think is adequately supported by the record), the purpose remained, nevertheless, to continue Pintsch's business in ISI until such time as that termination came about; otherwise Safety would have carried out its plans to liquidate ISI as was mentioned in their second request for a ruling from the Commissioner.
After most of the ISI properties were sold or leased to Superior, ISI continued to conduct the Pintsch business. We can only surmise that this operation of the Pintsch business under ISI secured advantages other than reduction of the Canadian taxes, since all of Pintsch's business was then in Canada. Mr. Cullen, himself, stated:
Well, 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*89 we had a dominion -- Interprovincial Safety Industries, Limited was a Dominion corporation, and Pintsch was operating as a branch of a United States company in Canada and it was a better vehicle for us to put the assets of Pintsch into Interprovincial Safety Industries, Limited.
Only when the contracts with Pintsch customers terminated did the termination of ISI business occur and then almost immediately. Then, as stated in American's request for a ruling from the Commissioner as to the tax consequences of an ISI liquidation in 1962, "it [was] no longer economically feasible to continue the existence of the business."
There definitely was no plan here to utilize ISI as a vehicle for the sale of Pintsch's assets. The plan was to eliminate Pintsch as an American corporation and continue its operations, albeit not indefinitely, as a Canadian subsidiary, while hopefully delaying any recapture of income under the Canadian income tax laws. It has been aptly stated elsewhere,
"the essence of [a statutory reorganization] is a continuance of the proprietary interests in the continuing enterprise under 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*90 modified corporate form, the transaction being deemed insufficiently closed economically to justify a tax at the time, except in so far as the stockholder gets something in addition to stock or securities in the reorganized company."
These transactions fall within that intent and, accordingly, we hold that a
The remaining issues for our consideration in this docket involve the treatment to be accorded the distributions received by Safety. Under our decisions in
The Fifth Circuit characterized these transactions as follows (
First, $ 700,000 in earnings and profits possessed by Water were passed through Warehouse to petitioners. Second, $ 200,000 in earnings and profits from Warehouse were distributed to petitioners. Third, the operating assets of Warehouse were combined with Water and were from that point on owned and controlled through Water. Only one business nontax-avoidance purpose can be found to support any of these events: petitioners wished to eliminate one of the corporate shells and thereafter control all of the properties under one roof. This motive legitimately explains why petitioners transferred the operating assets of Warehouse to Water. But it does not explain either of the first two steps. Under the reorganization provisions of the Code petitioners could have transferred all of Warehouse's assets, including its earnings and profits, to Water without paying any tax. Thus the payment of $ 200,000 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*93 from Warehouse to petitioners cannot be explained as necessary in order to place both businesses 55 T.C. 204">*226 under the same roof. Likewise, there was no need for petitioners to cast the transfer of Warehouse's operating assets in the form of a sale. The businesses could be combined under one roof without the $ 700,000 from Water ever coming over to Warehouse. It is apparent that no functional relationship exists between either the $ 200,000 coming to petitioners from Warehouse or the $ 700,000 coming to petitioners from Water and the transfer of Warehouse's assets to Water.
After disregarding the sale of stock to the intermediary as a mere step in a plan, the court held that
In holding further that
Water, if it 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*94 chose, could have declared the $ 700,000 as a dividend before the reorganization with Warehouse ever took place. Or Water could have waited and a week, a month or a year later distributed this dividend. Had it chosen any of these courses, the reorganization involving Warehouse would not have been affected in the slightest. We, therefore, hold that the $ 700,000 received by petitioners from Water is a distribution governed by
The court also held in the alternative that
Respondent would have us adopt the above rationale in the present case and treat the distributions received by Safety as a
The essence of the Fifth Circuit's rationale in treating the distributions alternatively under
There is no provision of the existing law which corresponds to paragraph (2) of subdivision (d). This subdivision provides that any amount distributed by a corporation in connection with a reorganization which has the effect of a taxable dividend shall be taxed as a dividend and not as a taxable gain.
The necessity for this provision may best be shown by an example: Corporation A has capital stock of $ 100,000, and earnings and profits accumulated since March 1, 1913, of $ 50,000. If it distributes the $ 50,000 as a dividend to its stockholders, the amount distributed will be taxed at the full surtax rates.
On the other hand, corporation A may organize corporation B, to which it transfers all its assets, the consideration for the transfer being the issuance by B of all its stock and $ 50,000 in cash to the stockholders of corporation A in exchange for their stock in corporation A. Under the existing law, the $ 50,000 distributed with the stock of corporation B would be taxed, not as a dividend, 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*97 but as a capital gain, subject only to the 12 1/2 percent rate. The effect of such a distribution is obviously the same as if the corporation had declared out as a dividend its $ 50,000 earnings and profits. If dividends are to be subject to the full surtax rates, then such an amount so distributed should also be subject to the surtax rates and not to the 12 1/2 percent rate on capital gain. Here again this provision prevents evasions.
See also S. Rept. No. 398, to accompany H.R. 6715, 68th Cong., 1st Sess., pp. 15-16 (1924).
The above committee report indicates that when distributions other than stock were received
Your committee has also structurally revised the first three parts of the subchapter. Under your committee's bill, part I of the subchapter contains rules primarily devoted to the treatment of current distributions by a corporation, and does not contain rules with respect to distributions pursuant to a recapitalization or other type of reorganization. Part II, as under the House bill, contains rules relating primarily to liquidations. Part III relates only to reorganizations and includes their effects on the shareholders.
* * * *
Part I of subchapter C provides rules relating to the tax treatment to shareholders of corporate distributions of property. While your committee continues the treatment provided in the House bill under which part I has no application 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*99 at the corporate level to distributions of property in complete or partial liquidation, your committee's bill, unlike the House bill, does not include in part I rules for distributions made in connection with corporate reorganizations. Under your committee's bill, distributions and exchanges made in connection with reorganization transactions are treated, in general, in part III.
The language of section 203(d)(2) has remained substantially the same since its enactment. No change in substance was intended by its latest reenactment as
While the distributions in the instant case could have been made beforehand as a dividend, this reason which was utilized by the Fifth Circuit in allowing
We hold that the distributions herein must be treated under
Respondent, on brief, forwarded two other contentions concerning
The rationale for respondent's first contention is found in
Before the transaction the operating assets' value of Warehouse was reflected in the value of its stock. Similarly, the operating assets' value of Water 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*102 was reflected in the value of its stock. The stockholders had both stocks and their combined certificates reflected the value of their combined operating assets. After the transaction petitioners only had the stock of Water, but it then reflected the value of the combined operating assets of Water and Warehouse. Therefore, the appreciation of the value of Water's stock certificates caused by the transfer of Warehouse's operating assets to Water was the equivalent of issuing $ 700,000 worth of new or additional stock to Water's stockholders. n26 [Footnote omitted.]
We are unable to follow this reasoning in the instant case. Here, as in
Respondent asserts that to thus hold is to deny that any stock ever passed from ISI, contrary to our holding that the exchange requirements 55 T.C. 204">*230 of
Respondent's second contention with regard to
The statute in speaking of "the corporation" means the corporation controlled by the stockholders receiving the distribution. Where there is complete identity, as here, the stockholders control both corporations and it is virtually impossible to tell which corporation is in reality "the corporation" distributing the cash. We have two corporations each one of which is distributing cash; therefore, we must look at the earnings and profits of both corporations to see if the distribution is essentially equivalent to a dividend or has the effect of a dividend.
We cannot adopt this interpretation.
The legislative history of the section leads to the conclusion that Congress was concerned with a bailout of the earnings and profits of the transferor corporation, and Congress did not seem to consider that there could be, under certain circumstances, a bailout of those of the 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*105 transferee as well. The committee report of the House, H. Rept. No. 179,
While we recognize that in particular circumstances a loophole may exist, yet, in light of the statutory language and the lack of warrant in the congressional history of the statute, we think to adopt respondent's multicorporation interpretation would strain the statutory language too far. We think it is up to Congress to correct this defect which has remained in the Code since its enactment and which in reality only exists in certain limited situations. Accordingly, we hold that 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*106 the earnings and profits of Pintsch are only to be considered in determining the amount of taxable dividend.
The amount of gain to Safety on the transaction was $ 1,198,122.26 ($ 1,490,722.26 minus $ 292,600, Safety's basis in Pintsch's stock). Since Pintsch's earnings and profits amounted to $ 1,235,144.75, the entire amount is a dividend taxable under
55 T.C. 204">*232 Petitioner at trial and on brief did not argue that respondent's alternative contention was incorrect, if a reorganization did take place. He relied solely on his contention that no reorganization took place to which
Pursuant to
The ordinary meaning of "gain" or "loss" in
The only possible argument
55 T.C. 204">*233 Sterrett,
Normally in such transactions the assets are exchanged 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*111 for stock to meet the statutory requirement that "the transferor, or one or more of its shareholders" be in control of the transferee. Here, the majority, quite properly I believe, looks at the realities of the situation wherein Pintsch's sole shareholder is also the sole shareholder of ISI and finds that a transfer of stock would be superfluous under such circumstances.
In my judgment, however, a realistic appraisal of the transaction requires a conclusion different from that reached by the majority insofar as the treatment of the $ 286,060.94 ostensibly paid by ISI to Pintsch's for its operating assets is concerned.
There is ample evidence with respect to the business purpose behind the transfer by Pintsch of its operating assets to ISI and subsequent liquidation. However, there is no evidence to support a comparable conclusion concerning the business purpose of the exchange being made for cash. It is difficult to conceive of the business necessity for using cash as the consideration for the transfer. Absent an explanation as to why the exchange was not made in the usual manner, a realistic conclusion to be reached is that Safety, as the sole shareholder of both Pintsch and ISI, 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*112 availed itself of the opportunity to siphon off the excess cash from ISI by running it through Pintsch and lumping it with the latter's liquidating distribution.
It would seem difficult to conclude from the facts in this case that the cash transfer was in any sense an integral, or even appropriate, part of the reorganization. Having accepted the fact of a reorganization we are under no compulsion to permit the parties to sweep all other exchanges under the same protective umbrella merely because they were made to occur at the same time. To do so would be to allow the statutory scheme to be subverted. See
The majority would tax the $ 286,060.94 as "boot" under
I would tax the entire $ 286,060.94 as a dividend to Safety under
Quealy,
The basic facts are that the parent corporation brought about a sale of certain operating assets from a domestic subsidiary to a foreign subsidiary and then proceeded to liquidate the domestic subsidiary under
The argument of the respondent, as summarized by the majority opinion, was "that since Pintsch's business was continued by ISI after the liquidation, no 'complete liquidation' occurred and
In applying the principle enunciated in the cases cited above, the majority makes no distinction between a liquidation of a corporation by its individual shareholders under
55 T.C. 204">*235 These same principles have provided the foundation for decisions by this Court to disregard the sale of assets by a liquidating corporation to a related corporation solely for cash or other property and find that the stock exchange requirements of
The reason for applying the reorganization provisions to a liquidation under
This thinking is not applicable to
In enacting section 141 of the Revenue Act of 1934, 1Congress had severely limited the privilege of allowing affiliated corporations to file consolidated returns and thus greatly increased the potential tax liability of multiple corporations. As aptly pointed out by the majority (see p. 219),
In referring to the Revenue Act of 1936 (reenacting the predecessor of
Finally, there is no requirement in
Furthermore, the principle which is the foundation of objections to granting
Under these circumstances, there can be no bailout of the earnings and profits of the subsidiary at capital gain rates as in the case of a
In substance, the respondent's only justification for disregarding the liquidation of Pintsch under
A different rule should not apply solely because the sale was made to another corporation, 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 37">*123 the stock of which was owned or controlled by a common parent, unless it can be shown that the purpose of the sale was to obtain some artificial tax advantage. In the case before us, it is not contended that the sales price varied substantially either from the basis or from the fair market value of the property sold. To give 55 T.C. 204">*238 recognition to the sale does not result in either the deferment or loss of revenue. To fail to give recognition would be tantamount to holding that a domestic parent or affiliate cannot sell property to a related foreign corporation, irrespective of price.
While I don't agree with the majority, if
1. Deficiency is for the short taxable year Jan. 1, 1958-Aug. 25, 1958.↩
1. Deficiency is for the short taxable year Jan. 1, 1958 -- Aug. 25, 1958.↩
2. All statutory references are to the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 unless otherwise stated.↩
1. The sale of Pintsch's plant to CNR, showing a selling price of $ 170,000 is reflected on the return for this year but no gain on the sale is reflected in income.↩
3. The difference between the $ 287,945.18 figure as cash, to be received on the transfer of assets by virtue of the written agreement dated Aug. 15, 1958, and the "Transfer Price" total of $ 286,060.94 is unexplained, but possibly involves conversion rates.↩
1. So stipulated. The discrepancy between this figure and the totals of net sales of gas and of other products in the table immediately below is unexplained.
2. This loss was attributable to the extent of approximately $ 80,000 from the distribution and servicing of scales, a department which was started and discontinued by ISI during the year.↩
4.
(a) General Rule. -- No gain or loss shall be recognized on the receipt by a corporation of property distributed in complete liquidation of another corporation.
(b) Liquidations to Which Section Applies. -- For purposes of subsection (a), a distribution shall be considered to be in complete liquidation only if -- (1) the corporation receiving such property was, on the date of the adoption of the plan of liquidation, and has continued to be at all times until the receipt of the property, the owner of stock (in such other corporation) possessing at least 80 percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote and the owner of at least 80 percent of the total number of shares of all other classes of stock (except nonvoting stock which is limited and preferred as to dividends); and either (2) the distribution is by such other corporation in complete cancellation or redemption of all its stock, and the transfer of all the property occurs within the taxable year; in such case the adoption by the shareholders of the resolution under which is authorized the distribution of all the assets of such corporation in complete cancellation or redemption of all its stock shall be considered an adoption of a plan of liquidation, even though no time for the completion of the transfer of the property is specified in such resolution; or↩
5.
(a) In General. -- Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a distribution of property (as defined in section 317(a)) made by a corporation to a shareholder with respect to its stock shall be treated in the manner provided in subsection (c).
* * * *
(c) Amount Taxable. -- In the case of a distribution to which subsection (a) applies -- (1) Amount constituting dividend. -- That portion of the distribution which is a dividend (as defined in
6.
(a) General Rule. -- For purposes of this subtitle, the term "dividend" means any distribution of property made by a corporation to its shareholders -- (1) out of its earnings and profits accumulated after February 28, 1913 * * *↩
7.
(a) Reorganization. -- (1) In general. -- For purposes of parts I and II and this part, the term "reorganization" means -- * * * * (D) a transfer by a corporation of all or a part of its assets to another corporation if immediately after the transfer the transferor, or one or more of its shareholders (including persons who were shareholders immediately before the transfer), or any combination thereof, is in control of the corporation to which the assets are transferred; but only if, in pursuance of the plan, stock or securities of the corporation to which the assets are transferred are distributed in a transaction which qualifies under
8.
(a) General Rule. -- In the case of a corporation, there shall be allowed as a deduction an amount equal to the following percentages of the amount received as dividends from a domestic corporation which is subject to taxation under this chapter: (1) 85 percent, in the case of dividends other than dividends described in paragraph (2) or (3).↩
9.
(a) General Rule. -- (1) In general. -- No gain or loss shall be recognized if stock or securities in a corporation a party to a reorganization are, in pursuance of the plan of reorganization, exchanged solely for stock or securities in such corporation or in another corporation a party to the reorganization. * * * *
(b) Exception. -- (1) In general. -- Subsection (a) shall not apply to an exchange in pursuance of a plan of reorganization within the meaning of (A) the corporation to which the assets are transferred acquires substantially all of the assets of the transferor of such assets; and (B) the stock, securities, and other properties received by such transferor, as well as the other properties of such transferor, are distributed in pursuance of the plan of reorganization.↩
10.
(a) Gain on Exchanges. --
(1) Recognition of gain. -- If -- (A) (B) the property received in the exchange consists not only of property permitted by
(2) Treatment as dividend. -- If an exchange is described in paragraph (1) but has the effect of the distribution of a dividend, then there shall be treated as a dividend to each distributee such an amount of the gain recognized under paragraph (1) as is not in excess of his ratable share of the undistributed earnings and profits of the corporation accumulated after February 28, 1913. The remainder, if any, of the gain recognized under paragraph (1) shall be treated as gain from the exchange of property.
11.
(b) Exchanges Solely in Kind. -- * * * * (6) Exchange in liquidation. -- No gain or loss shall be recognized upon the receipt by a corporation of property (other than money) distributed in complete liquidation of another corporation, if the corporation receiving such property on such exchange was on the date of the enactment of the Revenue Act of 1935 and has continued to be at all times until the exchange, in control of such other corporation. As used in this paragraph "complete liquidation" includes any one of a series of distributions by a corporation in complete cancellation or redemption of all its stock in accordance with a plan of liquidation under which the transfer of the property under the liquidation is to be completed within a time specified in the plan not exceeding five years from the close of the taxable year during which is made the first of the series of distributions under the plan. If such transfer of property is not completed within the taxable year the Commissioner may require of the taxpayer, as a condition to the non-recognition of gain under this paragraph, such bond, or waiver of the statute of limitations on assessment and collection, or both, as he may deem necessary to insure the assessment and collection of the tax if the transfer of the property is not completed in accordance with the plan. This paragraph shall not apply to any liquidation if any distribution in pursuance thereof has been made before the date of the enactment of the Revenue Act of 1935. * * * *
(h) Definition of Control. -- As used in this section the term "control" means the ownership of at least 80 per centum of the voting stock and at least 80 per centum of the total number of shares of all other classes of stock of the corporation.
12. The Second Circuit reversed on the ground that the nonrecognition applied, since a stock exchange would have been an idle gesture. The "stock was 'exchanged' within the meaning of the term in
13.
(1) the term "reorganization" means (A) a statutory merger or consolidation * * *↩
14.
(4) Same -- Gain of corporation. -- No gain or loss shall be recognized if a corporation a party to a reorganization exchanges property, in pursuance of the plan of reorganization, solely for stock or securities in another corporation a party to the reorganization.
15. SEC. 115. DISTRIBUTIONS BY CORPORATIONS.
(c) Distributions in Liquidation. -- Amounts distributed in complete liquidation of a corporation shall be treated as in full payment in exchange for the stock, and amounts distributed in partial liquidation of a corporation shall be treated as in part or full payment in exchange for the stock. The gain or loss to the distributee resulting from such exchange shall be determined under section 111, but shall be recognized only to the extent provided in
16.
(d) If a transaction constitutes a distribution in complete liquidation within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 and satisfies the requirements of
(e) The application of these rules may be illustrated by the following example:
Example. On September 1, 1954, the M Corporation had outstanding capital stock consisting of 3,000 shares of common stock, par value $ 100 a share, and 1,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $ 100 a share, which preferred stock was limited and preferred as to dividends and had no voting rights. On that date, and thereafter until the date of dissolution of the M Corporation, the O Corporation owned 2,500 shares of common stock of the M Corporation. By statutory merger consummated on October 1, 1954, pursuant to a plan of liquidation adopted on September 1, 1954, the M Corporation was merged into the O Corporation, the O Corporation under the plan issuing stock which was received by the other holders of the stock of the M Corporation. The receipt by the O Corporation of the properties of the M Corporation is a distribution received by the O Corporation in complete liquidation of the M Corporation within the meaning of
17. Though
18. (B) a transfer by a corporation of all or a part of its assets to another corporation if immediately after the transfer the transferor or its stockholders or both are in control of the corporation to which the assets are transferred * * *↩
19.
(a) General Rule. -- (1) Complete liquidations. -- Amounts distributed in complete liquidation of a corporation shall be treated as in full payment in exchange for the stock.↩
20. SEC. 203(d)(2). If a distribution made in pursuance of a plan of reorganization is within the provisions of paragraph (1) but has the effect of the distribution of a taxable dividend, then there shall be taxed as a dividend to each distributee such an amount of the gain recognized under paragraph (1) as is not in excess of his ratable share of the undistributed earnings and profits of the corporation accumulated after February 28, 1913. The remainder, if any, of the gain recognized under paragraph (1) shall be taxed as a gain from the exchange of property.↩
21.
(a) General Rule. -- No gain or loss shall be recognized if a corporation a party to a reorganization exchanges property, in pursuance of the plan of reorganization, solely for stock or securities in another corporation a party to the reorganization.
(b) Exchanges Not Solely in Kind. -- (1) Gain. -- If subsection (a) would apply to an exchange but for the fact that the property received in exchange consists not only of stock or securities permitted by subsection (a) to be received without the recognition of gain, but also of other property or money, then -- (A) if the corporation receiving such other property or money distributes it in pursuance of the plan of reorganization, no gain to the corporation shall be recognized from the exchange, but * * * * (2) Loss. -- If subsection (a) would apply to an exchange but for the fact that the property received in exchange consists not only of property permitted by subsection (a) to be received without the recognition of gain or loss, but also of other property or money, then no loss from the exchange shall be recognized.↩
22.
In determining the extent to which gain shall be recognized in the case of any of the exchanges described in
1. Sec. 141 of the Revenue Act of 1935, 49 Stat. 1014, Pub. L. No. 216, 73d Cong., 2d Sess. (May 10, 1934).↩
2. Sec. 110(a) of the Revenue Act of 1935, 49 Stat. 1014, Pub. L. No. 407, 74th Cong., 1st Sess. (August 1935).↩
3. I also see no objection to a parent corporation obtaining a sec. 334(b)(2) basis in the assets of a business conducted by a liquidated subsidiary and subsequently transferring those business assets to a new subsidiary rather than operating the business itself.↩
4. The
The
5. The resulting tax liability would, of course, be greatly reduced or eliminated by the foreign tax credit under sec. 902.↩