Spin-offs have become increasingly popular with innovative companies as a method of unlocking shareholder value, but the transaction is not always tax-free, particularly for international employees holding equity awards or...more
As central banks continue their campaign to cool inflation, interest rates remain at elevated levels not seen in well over a decade. For companies, this makes funding growth initiatives and refinancing existing debt much more...more
Artificial intelligence is not just about chatbots. Increasingly, it is used by government for enforcement, and boards need to prepare for that, just as they need to get ready for upcoming climate disclosure requirements....more
On May 1, 2024, the Treasury Department (Treasury) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Revenue Procedure 2024-24 (Revenue Procedure), which sets out substantially revised guidelines for private letter ruling (PLR)...more
In an article last year, we discussed the increased pressure companies face to separate businesses that are not deemed “core,” and why tax-free spin-offs and similar transactions may be the most appealing way to achieve this....more
The Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") recently issued important guidance identifying new positions the IRS is considering on critical aspects of tax-free spin-offs, and significantly expanding the information that taxpayers...more
Over the last three months, public statements by U.S. Treasury and Internal Revenue Service officials have suggested that they are in the process of significantly revising the rules governing tax-free spin-offs, split-offs...more
On January 2, 2024, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released two revenue procedures updating the IRS guidelines for private letter ruling (PLR) requests, Revenue Procedure 2024-1 and Revenue Procedure 2024-3 (the 2024...more
With the rise in inflation and downturn in economies, spin-offs have become an increasingly popular method of unlocking shareholder value in a down market. Often, the ability to obtain tax-free treatment in the U.S. for the...more
In recent years, in the boardrooms of public companies with multi-line businesses, there have been few louder drum beats than those from investors calling for divestitures, spin-offs or other separation transactions aimed at...more
On November 18, 2022, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published private letter ruling 202246008 (the PLR), which concluded that a transaction qualifies as a tax-free spin-off under Section 3552 despite the fact that the...more
Sibling Rivalry- You have probably encountered family-owned corporations in which the founder’s offspring are involved in the business to varying degrees. They may even own some equity, typically having received such equity...more
Corporate reorganizations and spin-off transactions are transactions where there is often a great deal of incentive to qualify for tax-free treatment. In many cases, the amount of tax at issue justifies obtaining a private...more
Takeaways - Tax law changes in the Build Back Better Act (BBBA) would limit the amount of value a company could extract in a spin-off by using a debt-for-debt exchange. Companies may be able to achieve most of the...more
If enacted in its present form, the Build Back Better Act (BBBA) would amend the U.S. tax code’s rules for tax-free spin-off and split-off transactions (spin-offs), imposing significant restrictions on a parent company’s...more
Brief commentary on the past week’s cases, rulings, notices, and related federal tax guidance. Corporations Permitted to Rely on Public Shareholder Data to Confirm Qualification for Tax-Free Spin-off and Subsequent Merger...more
The Cadwalader Tax team has prepared a case study summarizing General Electric’s recently announced plans to split into three publicly traded companies through sequenced tax-free spin-off transactions. ...more
On May 21, 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted extensive changes to the financial disclosure requirements for business acquisitions and dispositions. The amendments are intended to reduce the complexity...more
On February 28, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released private letter ruling 202009002 (the PLR), which concluded that an absence of income does not, under the facts of the PLR, prevent a line of business from...more
On February 28, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) released PLR 202009002, the first private letter ruling that will potentially permit a tax-free spin-off of a research and development (“R&D”) intensive business...more
A couple of months back, a local business reporter asked whether I could identify one kind of corporate transaction that was occupying more of my time than any other. When I asked whether they were referring to any specific...more
Dechert and Mergermarket assess market trajectories - Growing concerns over geopolitics and fear of a looming recession are the top challenges facing the private equity industry, according to the latest Private Equity...more
The Break-Up- After a tense period of disagreement and stalemate, the threaten of litigation, the ensuing economic and emotional stress, Client and their former fellow-shareholder (“Departing”) – and onetime friend, before...more
In a spin-off, a public company separates one or more of its businesses into new, publicly traded companies. For the public company that initiates it, a spin-off can achieve a number of critical business and financial...more
In our recent article on spin-offs (click here), we discussed an announcement made by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) signaling a change in the application of the active trade or business (ATB) requirement under Section...more