1949 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 21">*21
The taxpayer corporation was formed and acquired assets of an insolvent predecessor pursuant to a reorganization plan carried out under section 77-B of the Bankruptcy Act. It issued shares and first mortgage bonds which were sold for cash and second mortgage bonds which were exchanged for the predecessor's first mortgage bonds of equal face value. The predecessor's stockholders received nothing.
(1) The predecessor's transfer of assets to the taxpayer,
(2) The taxpayer's basis for the assets acquired from the predecessor,
13 T.C. 889">*890 Respondent determined deficiencies in excess profits tax for the fiscal years ended September 30, 1944, and September 30, 1945, in the respective amounts of $ 13,158.08 and $ 1,004.96 and in income tax for the fiscal year ended September 30, 1945, in the amount of $ 15,537.89.
In petitioner's income and excess profits tax returns for the fiscal year ended September 30, 1944, petitioner used its asserted cost of its assets in computing its basis for depreciation and equity invested capital1949 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 21">*23 purposes, without regard to the basis of such assets in the hands of its predecessor, Chicago Stadium Corporation, an Illinois corporation organized June 5, 1928, hereinafter referred to as the "Illinois corporation."
In petitioner's income and excess profits tax returns for the fiscal year ended September 30, 1945, in computing its basis for purposes of depreciation and equity invested capital, petitioner used the asserted basis of the assets in the hands of the Illinois corporation. Petitioner concedes it erred in computing its equity invested capital by using in the returns as the cost of the land to the Illinois corporation an amount of $ 1,063,506.31 in excess of the correct cost to the Illinois corporation.
In the notice of deficiency for the taxable years here at issue respondent determined that petitioner's basis for depreciation and equity invested capital purposes of the property involved herein was not the basis of the property in the hands of the Illinois corporation, and held that petitioner's basis was the cost of such assets to petitioner.
Petitioner concedes the correctness of the following adjustments determined by respondent in the notice of deficiency: Fiscal year1949 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 21">*24 ended September 30, 1944 -- adjustment (a), "taxes" disallowed in the amount of $ 3,766.10; fiscal year ended September 30, 1945 -- adjustment (b), "taxes" disallowed in the amount of $ 1,308.32; and adjustment (c) "maintenance" disallowed in the amount of $ 1,465.30.
The sole issue remaining for decision is, Is the basis of petitioner's assets for depreciation and equity invested capital purposes the cost of the assets to petitioner, as determined by respondent, or is petitioner entitled to use the basis of a prior corporation under
The facts were stipulated.
FINDINGS OF FACT.
Petitioner is a corporation, organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with its principal office in Chicago, Illinois. 13 T.C. 889">*891 Its returns for the years involved were filed with the collector of internal revenue for the first district of Illinois.
The Chicago Stadium is a large fireproof indoor arena in Chicago, Illinois, constructed for the Chicago Stadium Corporation, an Illinois corporation, organized June 5, 1928, referred to in our opening statement and hereinafter as the "Illinois corporation." The1949 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 21">*25 Illinois corporation defaulted in its interest payment of January 1, 1932, on its first mortgage bonds, and on January 20, 1933, temporary receivers were appointed by the District Court of the United States for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division. A mortgage foreclosure proceeding, instituted the same day, was consolidated with the receivership proceeding. The receivers were made permanent on February 8, 1933. They continued operations by leasing the building.
On June 25, 1934, a petition was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, to reorganize the Illinois corporation, under section 77-B of the Bankruptcy Act, being Case No. 56337 in bankruptcy. On August 6, 1934, an order was entered by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, appointing the foregoing receiver as trustee in the bankruptcy proceeding, and immediately the property and assets of the Illinois corporation were transferred from the receiver to the trustee in bankruptcy.
On October 18, 1934, a petition to intervene in the reorganization proceedings was filed by a first mortgage bondholders' protective1949 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 21">*26 committee, which presented to the court a "Plan and Agreement for Reorganization," dated August 22, 1934. The plan contemplated the formation of a new corporation to acquire the property, and estimated that $ 250,000 in cash would be required for the payment of taxes and reorganization expenses and to provide working capital. As part of the plan the underwriter, James Norris, agreed to and did supply the amount of $ 250,000 in cash to provide for taxes, working capital, and reorganization expenses, in consideration of the issuance to him of $ 250,000 of first mortgage bonds of the new corporation. It was also agreed that the underwriter would purchase all of the common stock of the new corporation for the further payment of $ 1,000 in cash.
Claims were filed in the reorganization proceeding in September and October, 1934, on behalf of holders of $ 1,679,000 face amount of the first mortgage bonds, $ 210,000 face amount of the second mortgage bonds, 18,437 shares of preferred stock, and 378,532 shares of common stock. Other claims, aggregating $ 103,279.09, were also filed.
The court appointed a special master, who after a number of hearings filed a report including an appraisal1949 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 21">*27 of the chattels and personal property of the Illinois corporation at $ 10,384.04 as of November 20, 13 T.C. 889">*892 1934, and an appraisal of the land, buildings, and fixtures at a "fair value" of $ 1,700,000 as of December 6, 1934. The land, buildings, and fixtures aforesaid constituted the property subject to the lien of the first mortgage made by the Illinois corporation. On February 25, 1935, the court entered a decree confirming and approving the plan of reorganization, with amendments not here material.
The petitioner, the Chicago Stadium Corporation, was incorporated in the State of Delaware on February 28, 1935, as Chicago Indoor Stadium Corporation (name changed to Chicago Stadium Corporation on August 27, 1935), and is the new corporation contemplated in the plan of reorganization. The petitioner was organized to acquire the assets of the Illinois corporation pursuant to the decree of February 25, 1935. Pursuant to the decree of February 25, 1935, the trustee transferred on March 12, 1935, and March 13, 1935, to petitioner most of the property except for certain personal property, which was later transferred. Other property, not subject to mortgage, was later sold under order1949 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 21">*28 of the court, the proceeds going to general creditors.
The authorized and outstanding capitalization of the Illinois corporation was as follows:
6 per cent first mortgage bonds | $ 1,679,000 | |
7 per cent second mortgage bonds | 185,100 | |
Preferred stock ($ 100 par value) | 2,495,000 | |
Common stock (no par value) | shares | 500,000 |
The authorized and outstanding capitalization of petitioner was as follows:
5 per cent first mortgage bonds | $ 250,000 | |
5 per cent second mortgage bonds | 1,679,000 | |
Common stock (no par value) | shares | 1,000 |
Pursuant to the plan of reorganization and the decree of February 25, 1935, the foregoing stock and bonds of petitioner were issued as follows:
(a) 1,000 shares of its common stock were sold to an underwriter, James Norris, for $ 1,000 in cash.
(b) 5 per cent first mortgage bonds in the face amount of $ 250,000 were sold to James Norris for $ 250,000 in cash.
(c) 5 per cent second mortgage bonds in the face amount of $ 1,679,000 were issued to holders of $ 1,679,000 face amount of the 6 per cent first mortgage bonds of the Illinois corporation.
The holders of the preferred and common stock of the Illinois corporation received none of the1949 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 21">*29 stock or bonds issued by petitioner, and received none of the proceeds from the sale of those assets of the Illinois corporation which were sold. The interests of such stockholders in the Illinois corporation were completely eliminated under the plan of reorganization and pursuant to the plan of reorganization 13 T.C. 889">*893 such stockholders received no interests in petitioner.
The basis to the Illinois corporation for the properties involved herein, as of March 13, 1935, was land, $ 820,090.26; building and all other property, $ 2,870,939.20.
The basis of petitioner's assets for depreciation and equity invested capital purposes is as determined by respondent in the notice of deficiency, predicated upon the cost thereof to petitioner.
OPINION.
Petitioner's position is that the transaction by which it acquired its assets from Chicago Stadium Corporation (Illinois) constitute a "reorganization" under
1949 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 21">*32 Dealing with respondent's second contention first, we think that, contrary to that contention, the transaction here in question is not barred from the coverage of
(d) Same -- Gain of Corporation. -- If an exchange would be within the provisions of subsection (b) (4) or (10) of this section if it were not for the fact that the property received in exchange consists not only of stock or securities permitted by such paragraph to be received without the recognition of gain, but also of other property or money, then --
(1) 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) If the corporation receiving such other property or money does not distribute it in pursuance of the plan of reorganization, the gain, if any, to the corporation shall be recognized, but in an amount not in excess of the sum of such money and the fair market value of such other property so received, which is not so distributed.
1949 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 21">*33 Here, land, buildings, and fixtures which had been subject to the lien of the first mortgage made by the old Illinois corporation were transferred to petitioner, the new corporation. The first mortgage bondholders, who, as in
However, as already stated, respondent's primary argument is that the transaction here in question does not qualify as a reorganization under
Petitioner, however, bases its appeal from respondent's determination almost entirely upon an assault upon Regulations 111, section 29.112 (b) (10)-1, contending that the regulation, in so far as it purports to require a continuity of interest as between predecessor and successor corporations, is not a proper interpretation of
* * * It is intended that only an actual reorganization of a corporation will be covered as distinguished from a liquidation1949 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 21">*36 in a bankruptcy proceeding and sale of property to either new or old interests supplying new capital and discharging the obligations of the old corporation. In other words, the type of transaction which was held not to be a reorganization under
In
In
It is plain that both the
1.
* * * *
(b) Exchanges Solely in Kind. --
* * * *
(10) Gain or loss not recognized on reorganization of corporations in certain receivership and bankruptcy proceedings. -- No gain or loss shall be recognized if property of a corporation (other than a railroad corporation, as defined in section 77m of the National Bankruptcy Act, as amended) is transferred, in a taxable year of such corporation beginning after December 31, 1933, in pursuance of an order of the court having jurisdiction of such corporation -- (A) in a receivership, foreclosure, or similar proceeding, or (B) in a proceeding under section 77B or Chapter X of the National Bankruptcy Act, as amended,↩
2.
(a) Basis (Unadjusted) of Property. -- The basis of property shall be the cost of such property; except that --
* * * *
(22) Property acquired on reorganization of certain corporations. -- If the property was acquired by a corporation upon a transfer to which
3. SEC. 29.112 (b) (10)-1. * * *
* * * *
As used in