Pepsi Cola Co. v. Commissioner

5 T.C. 190, 1945 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 150
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedJune 6, 1945
DocketDocket No. 3458
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 5 T.C. 190 (Pepsi Cola Co. 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
Pepsi Cola Co. v. Commissioner, 5 T.C. 190, 1945 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 150 (tax 1945).

Opinion

OPINION.

ARundell, Judge:

This proceeding involves a deficiency in excess profits tax for a taxable period from January 1 to June 30, 1941, in the total amount of $1,939,447.95. In his notice of deficiency the Commissioner determined a deficiency of $1,449,899.93 and by an amended answer he has demanded an additional deficiency of $489,548.02.

Three questions are raised by the pleadings, as follows:

1. Whether the taxable period from January 1 to June 30, 1941, constitutes a taxable year of less than 12 months, so that the income should be placed on an annual basis as provided in section 711 (a) (3) (A) and (B) of the Internal Revenue Code.

2. If so, has the respondent affirmatively proven that the petitioner is not entitled to the benefits of the computation under the provisions of section 711 (a) (3) (B) as determined in the notice of deficiency so that the income must be annualized under the provisions of section 711 (a) (3) (A)?

3. Has the respondent proven that the amount of $324,231.06 representing bad debt deductions was not restorable to income for 1939 under the provisions of section 711 (b) (1) (J) and (K) of the Internal Revenue Code?

A fourth question raised was whether the sum of $10,500 representing a portion of petitioner’s capital stock tax for the year ended June 30, 1941, should be allowed as a deduction in 1940 or in 1941. On brief the respondent, who affirmatively raised the question in his amended answer, appears to have abandoned the issue by conceding that in a computation under section 711 (a) (3) (A) the above sum represents an allowable deduction and by agreeing that under a (B) computation the question is immaterial.

Issue I.

The petitioner herein is the Pepsi Cola Co., a corporation organized under the laws of Delaware. On June 30,1941, by a statutory merger, the assets of Pepsi Cola Co., the predecessor, also a Delaware corporation, were acquired by Loft, Inc., and thereafter the corporate name of Loft, Inc., was changed to Pepsi Cola Co. Petitioner has continued the operations which had been conducted by Pepsi Cola, the predecessor, whose taxes are here in controversy.

Pepsi Cola Co., the predecessor, kept its books on an accrual method of accounting and prior to 1941 filed its tax returns on a calendar year basis. Its excess profits tax return for the period here in question, January 1 to June 30, 1941, was filed with the collector for the first New York district.

In its excess profits tax return the petitioner used the applicable credits against the excess profits income for the 6-month period here in question. The excess profits net income as so adjusted resulted in a tax in the sum of $13,485.59, which was the amount shown on petitioner’s return. The parties have stipulated that the excess profits net income earned during the period January 1 to June 30,1941, was $6,046,017.26.

The respondent in his notice of deficiency held that the period from January 1 to June 30, 1941, constituted a short taxable year within the meaning of section 711 (a) (3) (A) and (B)1 of the Internal Revenue Code, added by section 213 of the Revenue Act of 1942.2 Petitioner assigns error on the part of respondent, claiming that, since the return in question is the final return of Pepsi Cola, the predecessor, it covers a period of 12 months.

The same issue, involving an almost identical situation, was before this court in General Aniline & Film Corporation, 3 T. C. 1070. That case also involved a Delaware corporation which had reported its income on a calendar year basis and was dissolved by merger on September 30, 1940. We held that the corporation’s taxable year was a period of less than 12 months and that the Commissioner did not err in placing its excess profits net income for such period on an annual basis, under the provisions of section 711 (a) (3) (A), supra. The petitioner asserts that the decision in the General Aniline case, supra¡ was erroneous in that the Court failed to interpret the applicable statutory provisions in the light of Congressional intention and disregarded the background of the amendment. We find no new matter in petitioner’s argument which necessitates that we reconsider the problem. The income of a corporation which has completely dissolved or liquidated during a taxable year must be placed on an annual basis. General Aniline & Film Corporation, supra; Kamin Chevrolet Co., 3 T. C. 1076.

Issue II.

On June 14, 1943, petitioner filed with the collector an application which, among other things, set forth a “computation of the adjusted excess profits net income and the tax thereon for the twelve month period under Section 711 (a) (3) (B), Internal Revenue Code, which is to be used only in the event it is ultimately determined that the excess profits net income for the year 1941 is to be placed on an annual basis.” The computation submitted by the petitioner was as follows:

Excess profits net income for the taxable year begun January 1, 1941, to the date of merger, June 30, 1941, as set forth in Revenue Agent’s Report dated September 5, 1942-$6, 046,017. 26
Excess profits net income for the period from July 1, 1940, to December 31, 1940, (determined to be equal to one-half of the excess profits net income, without deduction for income taxes, determined by the Revenue Agent for the year 1940)- 3,940,128. 91
Excess profits net income for the twelve months from July 1,1940, to June 30, 1941_$9,986,146.17
Excess profits credit for 1941, based upon Supplement A average
base period net income-$6,217,200.59
Specific exemption- 5,000. 00
Total_$6,222,200.59
$3,763, 945. 58 Adjusted excess profits net income.
Excess profits tax on above-$2, 212, 367.35
Ratio of excess profits net income from January 1, 1941, to June 30, 1941, to excess profits net income for the twelve months ended June 30, 1941- 30. 544%
Excess profits tax computed pursuant to the provisions of Section 711 (a) (3) (B) (60.544% of $2,212,367.35)-$1,339,455.69
Excess profits tax liability reflected in Revenue Agent’s Report dated September 5, 1942, which has not yet been assessed- 1, 892,250. 76
Amount of claim for credit against deficiency- $552,705.07

The respondent treated the petitioner’s application as an appropriate one for a computation of excess profits tax liability under section 711 (a) (3) (B). In his notice of deficiency the respondent determined a deficiency in the amount of $1,449,899.93. The petitioner does not question the amount of the deficiency as determined by the respondent if issue 1 herein is decided adversely to him. In his notice of deficiency the respondent determined petitioner’s excess profits net income for the taxable year ended June 30,1941, as follows:

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Pepsi Cola Co. v. Commissioner
5 T.C. 190 (U.S. Tax Court, 1945)

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Bluebook (online)
5 T.C. 190, 1945 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 150, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pepsi-cola-co-v-commissioner-tax-1945.