Code of Federal Regulations · Section

§ 1.1248-2 — -2 Earnings And Profits Attributable To A Block Of Stock In Simple Cases

26 C.F.R. § 1.1248-2

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(a) General—(1) Manner of computation. For purposes of paragraph (a)(1) of § 1.1248-1, if a United States person sells or exchanges a block of stock (as defined in paragraph (b) of this section) in a foreign corporation, and if the conditions of paragraph (c) of this section are satisfied in respect of the block, then the earnings and profits attributable to the block which were accumulated in taxable years of the corporation beginning after December 31, 1962, during the period such block was held (or was considered to be held by reason of the application of section 1223, taking into account § 1.1248-8) by such person while such corporation was a controlled foreign corporation, shall be computed in accordance with the steps set forth in subparagraphs (2), (3), and (4) of this paragraph.

(2) Step 1. (i) For each taxable year of the corporation beginning after December 31, 1962, the earnings and profits accumulated for each such taxable year by the corporation shall be computed in the manner prescribed in paragraph (d) of this section, and (ii) for the period the person held (or is considered to have held by reason of the application of section 1223, taking into account § 1.1248-8) the block, the amount of earnings and profits attributable to the block shall be computed in the manner prescribed in paragraph (e) of this section.

(3) Step 2. If the conditions of paragraph (c)(5)(ii) of this section must be satisfied in respect of stock in a lower tier foreign corporation which such person owns within the meaning of section 958(a)(2), then (i) the earnings and profits accumulated for each such taxable year by such lower tier corporation shall be computed in the manner prescribed in paragraph (d) of this section, and (ii) for the period the person held (or is considered to have held by reason of the application of section 1223, taking into account § 1.1248-8) the block, the amount of earnings and profits of the lower tier corporation attributable to the block shall be computed in the manner prescribed in paragraph (e) of this section applied as if such person owned directly the percentage of such stock in such lower tier corporation which such person owns within the meaning of section 958(a)(2).

(4) Step 3. The amount of earnings and profits attributable to the block shall be the sum of the amounts computed under steps 1 and 2.

(b) Block of stock. For purposes of this section, the term block of stock means a group of shares sold or exchanged in one transaction, but only if:

(1) The amount realized, basis, and holding period are identical for each such share, and

(2) In case, during the period the person held (or is considered to have held by reason of the application of section 1223) such shares, any amount was included under section 951 in the gross income of the person (or another person) in respect of the shares, the excess under paragraph (e)(3)(ii) of this section (computed as if each share were a block) is identical for each such share.

(c) Conditions to application. This section shall apply only if the following conditions are satisfied:

(1) (i) On each day of the period during which the block of stock was held (or is considered as held by reason of the application of section 1223) by the person during taxable years of the corporation beginning after December 31, 1962, the corporation is a controlled foreign corporation, and

(ii) On no such day is the corporation a foreign personal holding company (as defined in section 552) or a foreign investment company (as defined in section 1246(b)).

(2) The corporation had only one class of stock, and the same number of shares of such stock were outstanding, on each day of each taxable year of the corporation beginning after December 31, 1962, any day of which falls within the period referred to in subparagraph (1) of this paragraph.

(3) For each taxable year referred to in subparagraph (2) of this paragraph, the corporation is not a less developed country corporation (as defined in section 902(d)).

(4) For each taxable year referred to in subparagraph (2) of this paragraph, the corporation does not make any distributions out of its earnings and profits other than distributions which, under section 316 (as modified by section 959), are considered to be out of earnings and profits accumulated in taxable years beginning after December 31, 1962, during the period such person held (or is considered to have held by reason of the application of section 1223, taking into account § 1.1248-8) the block while such corporation was a controlled foreign corporation.

(5) (i) If (a) on the date of the sale or exchange such person, by reason of his ownership of such block, owns within the meaning of section 958(a)(2) stock in another foreign corporation (referred to as a lower tier corporation), and (b) the conditions of paragraph (a)(2) of § 1.1248-1 would be satisfied by such person in respect of such stock in the lower tier corporation if such person were deemed to have sold or exchanged such stock in the lower tier corporation on the date he actually sold or exchanged such block in the first tier corporation, then the conditions of subdivision (ii) of this subparagraph must be satisfied.

(ii) In respect of stock in such lower tier corporation, (a) the conditions set forth in subparagraphs (1) through (4) of this paragraph (applied as if such person owned directly such stock in such lower tier corporation) must be met and (b) such person must own within the meaning of section 958(a)(2) the same percentage of the shares of such stock on each day which falls within the period referred to in subparagraph (1) of this paragraph.

(d) Earnings and profits accumulated for a taxable year—(1) General. For purposes of this section, the earnings and profits accumulated for a taxable year of a foreign corporation shall be the earnings and profits for such year computed in accordance with the rules prescribed in § 1.964-1 (relating to determination of earnings and profits for a taxable year of a controlled foreign corporation) and reduced by any distributions therefrom. If the stock in the corporation is sold or exchanged before any action is taken by or on behalf of the corporation under paragraph (c) of § 1.964-1, the computation of earnings and profits under § 1.964-1 for purposes of this section shall be made as if no elections had been made and no accounting method had been adopted.

(2) Special rules. (i) The earnings and profits of the corporation accumulated:

(a) For any taxable year beginning before January 1, 1967 (computed without any reduction for distributions), shall not include the excess of any item includible in gross income of the foreign corporation under section 882(b) as gross income derived from sources within the United States, and

(b) For any taxable year beginning after December 31, 1966 (computed without any reduction for distributions), shall not include the excess of any item includible in gross income of the foreign corporation under section 882(b)(2) as income effectively connected for that year with the conduct by such corporation of a trade or business in the United States, whether derived from sources within or from sources without the United States,

Over any deductions allocable to such item under section 882(c). However, if the sale or exchange of stock in the foreign corporation by the United States person occurs before January 1, 1967, the provisions of (a) of this subdivision apply with respect to such sale or exchange even though the taxable year begins after December 31, 1966. See section 1248(d)(4). Any item which is required to be excluded from gross income, or which is taxed at a reduced rate, under an applicable treaty obligation of the United States shall not be excluded under this subdivision from earnings and profits accumulated for a taxable year (computed without any reduction for distributions).

(ii) If a foreign corporation adopts a plan of complete liquidation in a taxable year of the corporation beginning after December 31, 1962, and if because of the application of section 337(a) gain or loss would not be recognized by the corporation from the sale or exchange of property if the corporation were a domestic corporation, then the earnings and profits of the corporation accumulated for the taxable year (computed without any reduction for distributions) shall be determined without regard to the amount of such gain or loss. See section 1248(d)(2). For the nonapplication of section 337(a) to a liquidation by a collapsible corporation (as defined in section 341) and to certain other liquidations, see section 337(c).

(e) Earnings and profits attributable to block—(1) General. Except as provided in subparagraph (3) of this paragraph, the earnings and profits attributable to a block of stock of a controlled foreign corporation for the period a United States person held (or is considered to have held by reason of the application of section 1223, taking into account § 1.1248-8) the block are an amount equal to:

(i) The sum of the earnings and profits accumulated for each taxable year of the corporation beginning after December 31, 1962 (computed under paragraph (d) of this section) during such period, multiplied by

(ii) The percentage that (a) the number of shares in the block, bears to (b) the total number of shares of the corporation outstanding during such period.

(2) Special rule. For purposes of computing the sum referred to in subparagraph (1)(i) of this paragraph, in case the block was held (or is considered as held by reason of the application of section 1223, taking into account § 1.1248-8) during a taxable year beginning after December 31, 1962, but not on each day of such taxable year, there shall be included in such sum only that portion which bears the same ratio to (i) the total earnings and profits for such taxable year (computed under paragraph (d) of this section), as (ii) the number of days during such taxable year the block was held (or is considered as so held), bears to (iii) the total number of days in such taxable year.

(3) Amounts included in gross income under section 951. (i) If, during the period the person held (or is considered to have held by reason of the application of section 1223, taking into account § 1.1248-8) the block, any amount was included under section 951 in the gross income of such person (or of another person whose holding of the stock sold or exchanged is, by reason of the application of section 1223, attributed to such person) in respect of the block, then the earnings and profits attributable to the block for such period shall be an amount equal to (a) the earnings and profits attributable to the block which would have been computed under subparagraph (1) of this paragraph if this subparagraph did not apply, reduced by (b) the excess computed under subdivision (ii) of this subparagraph. See section 1248(d)(1).

(ii) The excess computed under this subdivision is the excess (if any) of (a) amounts included under section 951 in the gross income of such person (or such other person) in respect of the block during such period, over (b) the portion of such amounts which, in any taxable year of such person (or such other person), resulted in an exclusion from the gross income of such person (or such other person) under section 959(a)(1) (relating to exclusion from gross income of distributions of previously taxed earnings and profits).

(iii) This subparagraph shall apply notwithstanding an election under section 962 by such person to be subject to tax at corporate rates.

(4) Examples. The application of this paragraph may be illustrated by the following examples:

On May 26, 1965, Green, a United States person, purchases at its fair market value a block of 25 of the 100 outstanding shares of the only class of stock of controlled foreign corporation F. He sells the block on January 1, 1968. In respect of the block, Green did not include any amount in his gross income under section 951. F uses the calendar year as its taxable year and does not own stock in any lower tier corporation referred to in paragraph (c)(5)(i) of this section. All of the conditions of paragraph (c) of this section are satisfied in respect of the block. The earnings and profits accumulated by F (computed under paragraph (d) of this section) are $10,000 for 1965, $13,000 for 1966, and $11,000 for 1967. The earnings and profits of F attributable to the block are $7,500, determined as follows:

Assume the same facts as in example (1) except that in respect of the block Green includes in his gross income under section 951 the total amount of $2,800 for 1965 and 1966, and because of such inclusion the amount of $2,800 which was distributed to Green by F on January 15, 1967, is excluded from his gross income under section 959(a)(1). Accordingly, the earnings and profits of F attributable to the block are $7,000, determined as follows:

Assume the same facts as in example (1) except that on each day beginning on January 1, 1966 (the date controlled foreign corporation G was organized) through January 1, 1968, F owns 80 of the 100 outstanding shares of the only class of G stock. Since, by reason of his ownership of 25 shares of F stock, Green owns within the meaning of section 958(a)(2) the equivalent of 20 shares of G stock (

25/100 of 80 shares), G is a lower tier corporation referred to in paragraph (c)(5)(i)(a) of this section. If Green had sold the 20 shares of G stock on January 1, 1968, the date he actually sold the block of F stock, the conditions of paragraph (a)(2) of § 1.1248-1 would be satisfied in respect of the G stock, and, accordingly, the conditions of paragraph (c)(5)(ii) of this section must be satisfied. Assume further that such conditions are satisfied, that G uses the calendar year as its taxable year, and that the earnings and profits accumulated by G (computed under paragraph (d) of this section) are $19,000 for 1966 and $21,000 for 1967. The earnings and profits of F and of G attributable to the block are $15,500, determined as follows:

26 C.F.R. § 1.1248-1 26 C.F.R. § 1.1248-3

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