Interlake Corporation v. Commissioner

112 T.C. No. 10
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedMarch 18, 1999
Docket8258-96
StatusUnknown

This text of 112 T.C. No. 10 (Interlake Corporation v. Commissioner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Tax Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Interlake Corporation v. Commissioner, 112 T.C. No. 10 (tax 1999).

Opinion

112 T.C. No. 10

UNITED STATES TAX COURT

INTERLAKE CORPORATION, SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO INTERLAKE, INC., AND CONSOLIDATED SUBSIDIARIES, Petitioner v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent

Docket No. 8258-96. Filed March 18, 1999.

P, as the result of a restructuring transaction, became the successor common parent of a consolidated group of corporations (the group). A, the former common parent of the group, became a wholly owned subsidiary of P. P then distributed, pro rata, to its shareholders, all of the issued and outstanding common shares of A, which became, as a result of the spinoff, a separate publicly traded corporation. Subsequent to the restructuring transaction, P and the group incurred a consolidated net operating loss (CNOL). P filed an application under sec. 6411, I.R.C., for a tentative refund of income tax attributable to the carryback of the postrestructuring transaction CNOL to 1984, a prespinoff year during which A controlled the group. A and its new group also incurred a postrestructuring transaction CNOL for which A filed an application under sec. 6411, I.R.C., for a tentative refund of income tax attributable to the carryback of its postrestructuring transaction CNOL to - 2 -

1981 and 1984, prespinoff years during which A controlled the group. After review by the Internal Revenue Service, the requested tentative refunds were issued to P and A, respectively. The tentative refunds issued to A were treated as rebate refunds with respect to P and the group for purposes of computing the group's deficiencies for 1981 and 1984. P contends that the tentative refunds in issue were paid to the wrong taxpayer, and therefore the tentative refunds do not constitute rebate refunds. R concedes that a refund issued to the wrong taxpayer, or to an unauthorized representative of the taxpayer is a nonrebate refund that may not be taken into account in determining the taxpayer's deficiency. However, R contends that payment to A was proper because A was an authorized representative of the group for purposes of the issuance of the tentative refunds. Held: The tentative refunds constitute nonrebate refunds with respect to P and the group because A's authority to act for the group, at least with respect to the issuance and receipt of the tentative refunds, terminated when A's affiliation with the group terminated. Accordingly, A was not an authorized recipient of the tentative refunds, and respondent cannot seek recovery of the tentative refunds from P through the deficiency procedures. Union Oil Co. v. Commissioner, 101 T.C. 130 (1993), distinguished.

John M. Newman, Jr., and Kenneth E. Updegraft, Jr., for

petitioner.

Lawrence C. Letkewicz, for respondent.

OPINION

WELLS, Judge: This matter is before the Court on the

parties' cross-motions for summary judgment pursuant to Rule

121(a). Unless otherwise indicated, all section references are

to the Internal Revenue Code in effect for the taxable years in - 3 -

issue, and all Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of

Practice and Procedure. Respondent determined deficiencies in

the Federal income tax of the Interlake Corp. and its

consolidated subsidiaries as follows:

Year Deficiency

1974 $78 1975 21 1976 19,750 1977 66 1978 19 1980 952,588 1981 1,751,739 1983 4,413,390 1984 9,796,362

After concessions by petitioner, only the deficiencies with

respect to 1981 and 1984 remain in issue. We must decide whether

certain tentative refund allowances that were paid to Acme Steel

Co. (formerly Interlake, Inc.), with respect to taxable years

1981 and 1984 constitute rebates to petitioner, Interlake Corp.

(successor in interest to Interlake, Inc.), and its consolidated

subsidiaries, for purposes of computing petitioner's deficiency,

if any, for taxable years 1981 and 1984.

Summary judgment may be granted if the pleadings and other

materials demonstrate that no genuine issue exists as to any of

the material facts and that a decision may be entered as a matter

of law. See Rule 121(b); Sundstrand Corp. v. Commissioner, 98

T.C. 518, 520 (1992), affd. 17 F.3d 965 (7th Cir. 1994). The

parties agree, and the record shows, that there is no genuine - 4 -

issue as to any material fact. Accordingly, we may render

judgment on the issue in this case as a matter of law. See Rule

121(b).

Background

Some of the facts and certain exhibits have been stipulated

by the parties for purposes of the instant motion. The

stipulation of facts is incorporated in this Opinion by

reference. When petitioner filed its petition in the instant

case, its principal place of business was located in Lisle,

Illinois.

As a result of a May 29, 1986, restructuring transaction

(restructuring transaction), petitioner became the successor

common parent of a consolidated group of corporations that had

previously been headed by Interlake, Inc. References to the

group are to the group of consolidated corporations controlled by

Interlake, Inc., before the restructuring transaction and then by

petitioner after the restructuring transaction.

The Restructuring

Prior to the restructuring transaction, Interlake, Inc., was

the common parent of the group. The group consisted of various

subsidiaries, including the Alabama Metalurgical Corp. (AMC).

Interlake, Inc., was a publicly owned corporation, and its shares

of common stock were listed and traded on the New York Stock

Exchange (NYSE).

Petitioner was organized on February 26, 1986, in

anticipation of the planned restructuring transaction. From its - 5 -

incorporation until the restructuring transaction on May 29,

1986, petitioner was a wholly owned subsidiary of Interlake,

Inc., and a member of the group.

As a result of the restructuring transaction, Interlake,

Inc., became a wholly owned subsidiary of petitioner, and AMC

became a wholly owned subsidiary of Interlake, Inc.1 Immediately

following the restructuring transaction, Interlake, Inc., changed

its name to Acme Steel Co. (Acme), which continued to use

Interlake, Inc.'s Federal identification number after the

restructuring transaction.

As a result of the restructuring transaction, petitioner

became the successor common parent of the continuing group.

Petitioner is a publicly owned corporation, and its shares of

common stock are listed and traded on the NYSE.

The Spinoff

On June 23, 1986, petitioner distributed, pro rata to its

shareholders, all of the issued and outstanding common shares of

Acme (spinoff). As a result of the spinoff, Acme became a

separate publicly traded corporation, the shares of which are

listed and traded on the National Association of Securities

Dealers Automated Quotation system.

The June 23, 1986, spinoff severed Acme's tie to the group.

Petitioner and Acme ceased to be members of the same consolidated

group, and, since the spinoff, they are not under common control.

1 All of the outstanding common shares of Interlake, Inc., were converted into common shares of petitioner. - 6 -

Additionally, neither petitioner nor Acme owns any shares of

stock in the other or any of the other's affiliates.

The parties do not stipulate as to the tax character of the

restructuring transaction or the spinoff.

The Tentative Refund Allowances

Petitioner

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