Taylor v. Commissioner

43 B.T.A. 563, 1941 BTA LEXIS 1483
CourtUnited States Board of Tax Appeals
DecidedFebruary 12, 1941
DocketDocket No. 99262.
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 43 B.T.A. 563 (Taylor v. Commissioner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Board of Tax Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Taylor v. Commissioner, 43 B.T.A. 563, 1941 BTA LEXIS 1483 (bta 1941).

Opinion

OPINION.

Murdock :

The Commissioner determined a deficiency of $3,785.47 in the income tax of these petitioners for the calendar year 1936. The Board adopts the stipulation of the parties as a part of its findings of fact.

The first issue is whether the exchange by Taylor in 1936 of 600 shares of Pressed Steel Car Co. 7 percent preferred stock for shares of stock and rights in the Pressed Steel Car Co., resulted in a recognized gain.

The Pressed Steel Car Co., hereinafter called the old company, was placed in the hands of receivers in 1933 after default on its 5 percent debenture bonds due in that year. A plan of reorganization was filed with the court on October 14, 1935, and was amended on December 23,1935. The court approved the plan on July 27,1936.

The stock of the old company consisted of 136,015 shares of 7 percent preferred stock and 411,204 shares of common stock. Its indebtedness included, inter alia, $3,000,000 face amount of 10-year 5 percent convertible debenture bonds due January 1, 1933, and accrued interest of $525,000, and $387,500 face amount of 15-year 5 percent convertible debenture bonds due January 1, 1943, and accrued interest of $58,125.

The plan contemplated that a new company, the “Pressed Steel Car Company, Inc.,” hereinafter called the new company, would be organized and the stock and debentures of the old company mentioned in the preceding paragraph would be exchanged by the holders thereof for stock and debentures of the new company. The new company was organized and the properties of the old company were transferred to it by the trustees of the old company on July 29, 1936. The new company at the same time transferred to the trustees $4,274,256.83 principal amount of its 15-year 5 percent debentures, 81,602.04 shares of its convertible 5 percent second preferred stock, and 268,706.9 shares of its common stock. The new company also agreed to assume some remaining obligations and liabilities of the old company.

The plan of reorganization contemplated that at least $1,750,000, but not more than $2,150,000, of new money would be raised by the [565]*565sale of the first preferred stock of the new company at $5 per share.. A new interest, the General American Transportation Corporation, had agreed to purchase 350,000 shares of that stock at $5 per share and was to receive 30,000 shares of common stock of the new company as a bonus.

The old stockholders were given the right to subscribe for the new first preferred stock. Their rights to subscribe had to be exercised prior to February 24,1936, under options which were stated as follows:

(c) Any stockholder may subscribe under Option I or Option II or both. Under Option I, 430,000 shares of First Preferred Stock will be available for subscription, but unless at least 350,000 shares are subscribed for no subscriptions under Option I will be accepted, and deposits in respect of such subscriptions will be refunded, but without interest. Under Option II, not less than 350,000 shares of First Preferred Stock are to be purchased by General American and its associates and 80,000 shares will be available for subscription by stockholders. Subscriptions under Option II will not be accepted if subscriptions under Option I are accepted nor will subscriptions under Option I be accepted if subscriptions under Option II are accepted.

The court, in approving the plan on July 27,1936, stated that only 113,365.8 shares had been subscribed for under option I and, therefore, it was not effective, so that General American was required to purchase the 350,000 shares of the new preferred stock. It further found that the subscriptions for the new preferred stock by the old stockholders would be effective under option II for 80,000 shares.

The securities received by the trustees of the old company (except-. 30,000 shares of common stock) were delivered by them on October 14,, 1936, for distribution to the security holders of the old company pursuant to the plan. The 30,000 shares of common stock of the new company were at the same time delivered to General American. All: of the second preferred stock was issued to the holders of the old 7' percent preferred stock. The 238,706.9 shares of common stock were, issued to the holders of the old 7 percent preferred stock and to the-holders of the old common stock, and the $4,274,256.83 principal amount of bonds of the new company were distributed to the holders. of the bonds of the old company and to some general creditors of the-old company. The old securities were taken in exchange for the new.

Certificates for 350,000 shares of the new first preferred were issued on October 14,1936, to General American, which in turn made available somewhat in excess of 80,000 of those shares to stockholders of the. old company who had subscribed for those shares.

The petitioner owned 600 shares of the old 7 percent preferred stock.. He exchanged those shares pursuant to the plan on October 19, 1936, for 360 shares of the new 5 percent second preferred, 600 shares of' the new common, and 600 rights to purchase the new first preferred at $5 per share. He thereby realized a gain in an amount which is not. [566]*566in dispute. The Commissioner has held that his gain must be recognized for income tax purposes.

All of the three classes of stock of the new company were voting stock.

The decision depends upon whether or not there was a reorganization within the definitions given in section 112 (g) (1) of the Revenue Act of 1934, as amended by section 213 (g) of the Revenue Act of 1939. The petitioner exchanged his stock in the old company solely for stock and securities in the new company pursuant to the plan and thus, if there was a reorganization, section 112 (b) (3) applies and the petitioner’s gain is not recognized.

The change from the old company to the new company was for a business purpose and not to avoid taxes. Gregory v. Helvering, 293 U. S. 465. There was complete continuity of interests. All of the old stockholders and even all of the old creditors had an interest in the new corporation. Pinellas Ice & Cold Storage Co. v. Commissioner, 287 U. S. 462; Cortland Specialty Co. v. Commissioner, 60 Fed. (2d) 937. The change was made necessary because the old bonds were past due and in default. The change was largely one of form. Thus, the transition was within the spirit and general purpose of the nonrecognition provisions. Of course, the transaction must come also within the letter of the definitions before any one of the nonrecognition provisions applies.

The petitioner contends that the transition from the old company to the new company was within two of the definitions given, one in the first part of (B) and the other in (O). They are as follows:

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Taylor v. Commissioner
43 B.T.A. 563 (Board of Tax Appeals, 1941)

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Bluebook (online)
43 B.T.A. 563, 1941 BTA LEXIS 1483, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/taylor-v-commissioner-bta-1941.