Floyd v. Commissioner

2 T.C. 744, 1943 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 56
United States Tax Court·Decided September 27, 1943·No. Docket Nos. 101354, 112427·Published·Cited by 2 cases

Opinion

OPINION.

Disney, Judge-.

These proceedings, consolidated for purpose of opinion, involve income tax as follows:

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The question involved in each case is whether a transaction in corporate stock causes the computation of tax upon the entire amount of gain, or only a percentage thereof, under section 115 (c) of the Revenue Act of 1934,1 and of the 1936 Act to the same effect, or whether there sail be taxed only a percentage of gain under section 117 (a) of the same revenue acts.2 Secondarily, and in the same connection, question arises whether section 147 of the Revenue Act of 1942,3 amending section 115 (c) of the Internal Revenue Code, is retroactively effective in the taxable years. If so, section 117 (a) applies to the transactions herein considered.

In cause No. 101354, most of the facts, and in cause No. 112427, all the facts, were stipulated. By reference we find as facts those set forth in the stipulations. So far as material to examination of the question, the stipulated facts, and, in the Floyd case, those stipulated, with other facts found from evidence introduced, may be stated, separately for each case, as follows:

In the Floyd case, the petitioner’s income tax return for 1985 was filed with the collector for the district of Georgia.

The petitioner in 1923 acquired 100 shares of stock in Coca-Cola International Corporation (hereinafter sometimes called International), at a cost leaving in 1935 a basis of $2,906.08. In 1935 he was indebted in the amount of $100,000 due on April 2, 1935, to a bank which held as collateral to the loan the certificate representing the stock. The bank requested reduction of the loan and the petitioner agreed to sell the stock. He made through a broker two sales of 100 shares each of Coca-Cola common stock. No Coca-Cola common stock was issued in the name of petitioner. The broker reported to petitioner the sale of 200 shares of Coca-Cola. The broker notified petitioner on April 5, 1935, that he could get the money, and petitioner went to the bank, issued a trust receipt for the stock certificate, delivered it to the broker, and received a check for $39,474.37. The sale of the Coca-Cola preceded the delivery of the Coca-Cola international. Petitioner deposited the check in the bank and gave the bank a check for $40,000 upon his indebtedness.

Under date of April 5, 1935, the records of the broker, on the account of the petitioner, show two sales of 100 shares each of “Coca-Cola” for a total of $39,493.70, expense of 33 cents for “mailing exp.,” and issuance of a check for $39,474.37, leaving a balance of $19. The broker’s records on April 5, 1935, also show 100 shares “Coca-Cola” received. Under date of April 9, 1935, a charge of $19 appears for “Exc. chg. on 100 Coca-Cola Inti.” Petitioner’s income tax returns were made up by a firm of certified public accountants from his records. He received monthly statements from the broker covering his transactions with them. Petitioner told the bank that he was selling 100 shares to apply on the debt, and it was not his idea to sell Coca-Cola stock, but to sell Coca-Cola International common. The broker did not acquire the International for its own account, but it was handled for the petitioner. On April 5, 1935, the broker transferred the certificate which was in the name of the petitioner to its New York correspondent, with instructions to exchange the certificate with the authorized representatives of Coca-Cola International Corporation. This the correspondent did on April 9, 1935, and on April 12, 1935, received in exchange 200 shares of Coca-Cola common stock registered in the name of the correspondent. The exchange fee of $19 and the mailing cost of 33 cents were charged on the books of the broker to the petitioner.

The Coca-Cola International Corporation in 1929 had adopted a resolution whereby its stockholders might at any time exchange shares, plus 19 cents per share,.for twice-the number of shares of Coca-Cola common stock. The resolution further provided that all such shares received in exchange should be canceled and retired, and the provisions of the resolution continued in effect throughout 1935 and still continue.

On January 5, 1935. International filed a certificate of amendment of its certificate of incorporation, providing, among other things, that the corporation might acquire shares of its stock and that upon such acquisition such shares should not be reissued, but should be permanently retired. No sales of International were made on the New York Stock Exchange from November 1934 throughout the year 1935, although Coca-Cola International common stock was listed on that Exchange during that time.

In his income tax return for 1935 the petitioner reported capital gain on the sale of 200 shares of “Coca-Cola” acquired in 1923, which when testifying in this case he explained as Coca-Cola common stock. The return also lists as expenses deducted “Mailing expense, re stocks . . . $19.81.” Listing the stock on his return as being held more than ten years, the petitioner reported a profit of $10,140.82, and now contends that such is the correct figure on the theory that under section 117 (a) of the Revenue Act of 1934, only 30 percent of capital gain was taxable. The Commissioner added $26,465.60 to petitioner’s gross income on the theory that the total profit was $36,606.42, after deducting a cost of $2,906.08.

The deficiency notice recites as reasons for the determination that the exchange of 100 shares of Coca-Cola International for 200 shares of Coca-Cola common is held to be a partial liquidation of Coca-Cola International Corporation and that 100 percent of the profit realized is taken into account in computing net income, in accordance with section 115 (c) of the Revenue Act of 1934.

In the Smaw case, joint income tax returns were filed by the petitioners for t lie taxable years with the collector of internal revenue for the district of Georgia.

As a part of the stipulation of facts, the parties in effect adopt the pertinent facts found in the case of Gus T. Dodd, 46 B. T. A. 7; affd., 131 Fed. (2d) 382, in which it was held that a transaction with reference to the stock of Coca-Cola International Corporation was a distributioñ in partial liquidation. The parties further stipulate and we find that on December 16, 1935, and January 14, 1936, the petitioners were the owners of common stock of Coca-Cola International Corporation acquired in 1921, and that such stock was-exchanged on said dates for common stock of the Coca-Cola Co. No argument occurs as to remaining bases of the stock so exchanged or the value of the stock received.

In other words, in the Smaw case there is no question as to whether there was exchange in partial liquidation and our only problem is, as above stated, whether because of retroactivity of section 147 of the Revenue Act of 1942, the provisions of section 117 (a) of the Revenue Acts of 1934 and 1936 may be applied to the transaction herein involved, notwithstanding the provisions of section 115 (c) of the same revenue acts, excluding the effect of section 117 (a) in case of capital gain from distributions in partial liquidation. Since consideration of the Floyd case covers and requires examination of the same question presented in the Smaw case, we consider it first.

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Floyd v. Commissioner, 2 T.C. 744, 1943 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 56 (tax 1943).

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