Arkansas-Missouri Power Corp. v. Paschal

243 F.2d 584
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
DecidedMay 3, 1957
DocketNo. 15676
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 243 F.2d 584 (Arkansas-Missouri Power Corp. v. Paschal) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Arkansas-Missouri Power Corp. v. Paschal, 243 F.2d 584 (8th Cir. 1957).

Opinion

DONOVAN, District Judge.

This appeal is from a judgment of dismissal in four cases consolidated for trial. The appellant will be referred to as the taxpayer, and the appellees will be referred to as the Collector. The learned trial court (following joinder of issue and a pretrial conference) decided the case adversely to the taxpayer.

The taxpayer’s only challenge to the court’s findings of fact is directed at findings 13 and 29. With respect to finding 29, counsel for the Collector concedes that the plan therein referred to provided for the cancellation of the mortgage. The taxpayer’s criticism of finding 29 is directed at the inclusion of the word “entirety” therein. We have in mind that the finding must conform to the facts and evidence as reflected by the record. Commencing our review from this point, it may be said that the present appeal has to do with facts that govern our interpretation of that part of Treasury Regulations 103 applicable in the tax years here involved, which provide:

“Treasury Regulations 103, promulgated under the Internal Revenue Code of 1939:
“Sec. 19.22(a) — 18. Sale and purchase by corporation of its bonds. — (1) (a) If bonds are issued by a corporation at their face value, the corporation realizes no gain or loss, (b) If the corporation purchases any of such bonds at a price in excess of the issuing price or face value, the excess of the purchase price over the issuing price or face value is a deductible expense for the taxable year, (c) If, however, the corporation purchases any of such bonds at a price less than the issuing price or face value, the excess of the issuing price or face value over the purchase price is gain or income for the taxable year.
* * * * -»
“(3) (a) If bonds are issued by a corporation at a discount, the net amount of such discount is deductible and should be prorated or amortized over the life of the bonds, (b) If the corporation purchases any of such bonds at a price in excess of the issuing price plus any amount of discount already deducted, the excess of the purchase price over the issuing price plus any amount of discount already deducted (or over the face value minus any amount of discount not yet deducted) is a deductible expense for the taxable year. (c) If, however, the corporation purchases any of such bonds at a price less than the issuing price plus any amount of discount already deducted, the excess of the issuing price, plus any amount of discount already deducted (or of the face value minus any amount of discount not yet deducted), over the purchase price is gain or income for the taxable year. * * * ”

The facts of this case are necessarily of a technical nature. Many of them are undisputed. They will be stated as simply as possible for the sake of clarity. On or about February 23, 1935, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, approved a petition filed February 21, 1931 of the Arkansas-Missouri Power Company, an Arkansas corporation (predecessor of taxpayer), for reorganization pursuant to Section 77B, Chapter VIII, of the Federal Bankruptcy Act, 11 U.S.C.A. § 207. The properties of the Arkansas-Missouri Power Company were located in 17 counties of Southeast Missouri and Northeast Arkansas and consisted generally of electric generating plants, transmission lines, local distribution systems, ice manufacturing plants, a water system, cash, and accounts receivable.

While the affairs of the old company were in the hands of the District Court and pursuant to the authority and by direction of that court and by consent of the interested parties, Day & Zimmerman, Inc., a nationally known and reputable firm of appraisal engineers, was employed and directed to inventory the [586]*586property of the predecessor, Arkansas-Missouri Power Company, and make an appraisal report in respect to all the properties of that Company.

Thereafter, Day & Zimmerman, Inc., carried out the appraisal and set forth the results thereof in a report, dated August 26, 1935, entitled “Report No. 3092, on Arkansas-Missouri Power Company, Blytheville, Arkansas,” which was filed below as Plaintiff’s Exhibit 9. This report was the basis of the plan of reorganization of the Arkansas-Missouri Power Company and was entitled “Modified Plan of Reorganization of the Arkansas-Missouri Power Company.”

Pursuant to the Modified Plan of Reorganization the taxpayer was organized for the purpose of reorganization of the Arkansas-Missouri Power Company and took title to the latter company’s property as of May 1, 1937, under the Modified Plan of Reorganization and with the approval of the Bankruptcy Court. Consistent therewith the taxpayer caused to be issued as of May 1, 1937, $2,834,640 of first mortgage 5% bonds due January 1, 1957; $944,880 of 6% cumulative preferred stock of a par value of $50 per share; and 165,805 shares of common stock of a par value of $1 per share in exchange for the properties of the Arkansas-Missouri Power Company and the surrender of the bonds held by the prior mortgagor, whereupon these securities were distributed as shown in the Modified Plan of Reorganization.

As a result of the appraisal by the engineers the property values of the old company were reduced when brought to the books of the taxpayer and, in turn, the taxpayer’s net values were reduced by the Internal Revenue Service.

There was some objection to the original plan of reorganization by the Public Utility and Service Commissions of Missouri and Arkansas, and a modified plan of reorganization was agreed to by the interested parties to conform to the wish of the state Commissions. It was a taxable reorganization.

The reorganization was carried out pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Modified Plan of Reorganization agreed to by the interested parties, the Federal District Court before whom the proceeding was pending, and approved by the Public Utilities Commissions of the states in which the company operated.

At the time of reorganization on May 1, 1937, the taxpayer entered upon its books net plant and other assets aggregating $4,493,969.94 as follows: De-preciable property, net after accrued depreciation — $3,880,258.75; Land and nondepreciable property — $132,172.89; Cash and other asset accounts, less Habil-ites assumed — $115,955.06; Common Stock of East Missouri Power Company, net — $350,000; Salvage Materials — $15,-583.24.

The fair market value of the property listed in the above paragraph as of May 1, 1937, the date of reorganization, did not exceed $4,084,587.60 or $409,382.34 less than the same property was entered on the books of the taxpayer. All of the $409,382.34 is applicable to depreciable property, reducing the figure of $3,880,-258.75 to $3,470,876.61.

For the property described above the taxpayer, as heretofore stated, issued and delivered as of May 1, 1937, for distribution as per the Modified Plan of Reorganization, bonds of the aggregate par value of $2,834,625; 18,897% shares of 6% cumulative preferred stock of the par value of $50 per share, aggregating $944,875; 165,805 shares of common stock of the par value of $165,805; and paid the cash and delivered the scrip, all as provided by the Modified Plan.

The taxpayer also entered upon its books as of the date of the reorganization capital surplus of $548,664.94.

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Related

Missouri Pacific Railroad Company v. The United States
433 F.2d 1324 (Court of Claims, 1970)
Arkansas-Missouri Power Corporation v. Paschal
243 F.2d 584 (Eighth Circuit, 1957)

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243 F.2d 584, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/arkansas-missouri-power-corp-v-paschal-ca8-1957.