Northwest Bancorporation v. Commissioner

33 B.T.A. 160, 1935 BTA LEXIS 792
United States Board of Tax Appeals·Decided October 10, 1935·No. Docket No. 69789.·Published·Cited by 1 cases

Opinion

OPINION.

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The Commissioner determined a deficiency of $38,-497.90 in income tax of the petitioner for the calendar year 1929, based upon a consolidated return which included income and deductions of the Iowa-Des Moines National Bank & Trust Co. for the period September 28 to December 31, 1929. The petitioner assigns as error the action of the Commissioner in (1) disallowing $524,412.48 as a deduction for the Iowa-Des Moines National Bank & Trust Co. representing a loss from the sale of real estate, bonds, stock, and notes which were sold at their total book value, which value was $524,412.48 less than their cost to prior owners; (2) in disallowing “the net loss or prior year loss of the Iowa National Bank of Des [162]*162Moines, whose name was changed to the Iowa-Des Moines National Bank and Trust Company, in the sum of $216,645.90 and (3) “ in finding that petitioner was affiliated with the Iowa-Des Moines National Bank & Trust Company on September 29th, 1929.” The parties have stipulated practically all of the facts in the record which are material to decision of the issues raised.

The petitioner is the parent corporation of a large group of corporations, most of which are banks. The Iowa National Bank and Des Moines National Bank were national banks located in Des Moines. The Des Moines Savings Bank & Trust Co. was a state bank located in the same city. The petitioner began negotiations in July 1929 to have the three Des Moines banks combine into one bank and to acquire most of the stock of the one bank after the combination had been effected. A plan was adopted to accomplish the desired result and that plan was carried out. The three banks combined under the name of “Iowa-Des Moines National Bank and Trust Company.” The petitioner became the owner of all but directors’ qualifying shares of that bank. The parties have stipulated, inter alia,, “ That said banks were duly combined pursuant to an agreement of consolidation * * * dated August 20th, 1929, under the Charter of the Iowa National Bank of Des Moines, Iowa, under the title of the ‘Iowa-Des Moines National Bank and Trust Company ’, pursuant to and in accordance Avith the provisions of an Act of the Congress of the United States, entitled ‘ An Act to provide for the Consolidation of National Banking Associations ’, approved on the Ith day of November, 1918, and amended on the 25th day of February, 1921, and said merger was effected after the close of business on September 20th, 1929.” The agreement provided that the three banks “ are hereby consolidated under the charter of the said first named bank [Iowa National Bank] as hereby modified and the articles of association of said first named bank are hereby amended so as to conform with this agreement.” The capital stock was increased from $1,200,000 (12,000 shares of $100 par) to $2,000,000 (20,000 shares of $100 par). “ On the date of consolidation its surplus shall be $1,000,000 and its undivided profits not less than $500,000.” Twelve thousand shares of the new stock were “ allotted ” share for share to the stockholders of the Iowa National Bank, 3,333% shares were “ allotted ” to the stockholders of the Des Moines National Bank in the ratio of one-third share of new for one share of old, and 4,000 shares were “ allotted ” share for share to the stockholders of the Des Moines Savings Bank & Trust Co. Five hundred shares were to be purchased at $200 per share by the stockholders of the Iowa National Bank and 166% shares were to be purchased at $200 per share by the stockholders of the Des Moines Savings Bank & Trust Co. The Iowa National Bank was to furnish [163]*163acceptable net assets of $2,065,000 aboye all liabilities, the Des Moines National Bank, $641,666.67, and the trust company, $660,000. Assets of any bank deemed undesirable or unnecessary were to be transferred in trust for the benefit of the respective shareholders prior to the effective date of the “ consolidation.” Any shortage in the amount to be furnished by any bank was to be paid in cash by the stockholders of that bank. The “ consolidation ” was to “ become effective ” when ratified by certain percentages of the stockholders of the three combining banks and when it “ shall have been approved by the Comptroller of the Currency of the United States.” The Comptroller of the Currency, under date of September 20, 1929, certified that the three banks “have been consolidated under the charter of The Iowa National Bank of Des Moines and under the corporate title of £ Iowa-Des Moines National Bank and Trust Company ’ with capital stock of Two Million DollaRs ($2,000,000) and that the consolidation is hereby approved.” The requisite number of stockholders of the three banks indicated their ratification and consent by vote on August 24, 1929. The board of directors of the Iowa-Des Moines National Bank & Trust Co. met on September 20, 1929, and elected officers.

The petitioner entered into a contract dated August 21, 1929, with “ such of the Shareholders ” of the three banks, “ which Consolidating Banks are proposed to be merged into one new bank, as shall become parties hereto by executing this Agreement, or any counterpart thereof, and, or by depositing their stock for sale or exchange hereunder.” Paragraph 2 of the agreement is as follows:

2. At the present time, it is contemplated that the Consolidating Banks will he merged into a bank to be known as the “ Iowa-Des Moines National Bank & Trust Company ” under a reorganization plan which will enable each Stockholder of the Consolidating Banks to receive stock in the New Bank, upon a basis set out in said merger plan. The Shareholders agree that they will deliver the shares of stock which they now own in said three banks, endorsed in blank, to the Iowa National Bank to be held by said Bank in escrow, for the purpose of depositing the same under said merger or consolidation plan; that they will vote said stock on behalf of the Shareholders in favor of said merger and that when and as said merger has been consummated and the shares of stock in the New Bank has been issued, said shares of stock in the New Bank shall be issued to the Company [the petitioner] and shall be delivered to the Company for sale or exchange as hereinafter provided.

The following is a part of paragraph 3:

3. Each Shareholder hereby agrees to sell to the Company or exchange the shares of stock in the New Bank which he receives on one or other of the following bases, i. e.:
(a) Four and one-half (4%) shares of stock of the Company or
(b) Three Hundred Fifteen Dollars ($316.00) cash.
Said sale or exchange shall be made as of the close of business on August 31st, 1929.

[164]*164Paragraph 4 is as follows:

4.

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Northwest Bancorporation v. Commissioner, 33 B.T.A. 160, 1935 BTA LEXIS 792 (bta 1935).

33 B.T.A. 160 (Northwest Bancorporation v. Commissioner) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Northwest Bancorporation v. Commissioner
33 B.T.A. 160 (Board of Tax Appeals, 1935)