[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 26, Volume 4]
[Revised as of April 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 26CFR1.382-2]

[Page 451-454]
 
                       TITLE 26--INTERNAL REVENUE
 
    CHAPTER I--INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 
                               (CONTINUED)
 
PART 1_INCOME TAXES--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 1.382-2  General rules for ownership change.

    (a) Certain definitions for purposes of sections 382 and 383 and the 
regulations thereunder. The following definitions apply for purposes of 
sections 382 and 383 and the regulations thereunder.
    (1) Loss corporation--(i) In general. The term loss corporation 
means a corporation which--
    (A) Is entitled to use a net operating loss carryforward, a capital 
loss carryover, a carryover of excess foreign taxes under section 
904(c), a carryforward of a general business credit under section 39, or 
a carryover of a minimum tax credit under section 53,
    (B) For the taxable year that includes a testing date, as defined in 
paragraph (a)(4) of this section or Sec. 1.382-2T(a)(2)(i), whichever 
is applicable (determined for purposes of this paragraph (a)(1) without 
regard to whether the corporation is a loss corporation), has a net 
operating loss, a net capital loss, excess foreign taxes under section 
904(c), unused general business credits under section 38, or an unused 
minimum tax credit under section 53, or
    (C) Has a net unrealized built-in loss (determined for purposes of 
this paragraph (a)(1) by treating the date on which such determination 
is made as the change date). See section 382(h)(3) for the definition of 
net unrealized built-in loss.

[[Page 452]]


See section 383 and Sec. 1.383-1 for rules relating to a loss 
corporation that has an ownership change and has capital losses, excess 
foreign taxes, general business credits or minimum tax credits. Any 
predecessor or successor to a loss corporation described in this 
paragraph (a)(1) is also a loss corporation.
    (ii) Distributor or transferor loss corporation in a transaction 
under section 381. Notwithstanding that a loss corporation ceases to 
exist under state law, if its net operating loss carryforwards, excess 
foreign taxes, or other items described in section 381(c) are succeeded 
to and taken into account by an acquiring corporation in a transaction 
described in section 381(a), such loss corporation shall be treated as 
continuing in existence until--
    (A) Any pre-change losses (excluding pre-change credits described in 
Sec. 1.383-1(c)(3)), determined as if the date of such transaction were 
the change date, are fully utilized or expire under either section 172 
or section 1212,
    (B) Any net unrealized built-in losses, determined as if the date of 
such transaction were the change date, may no longer be treated as pre-
change losses, and
    (C) Any pre-change credits (described in Sec. 1.383-1(c)(3)), 
determined as if the date of such transaction were the change date, are 
fully utilized or expire under sections 39, 53, or 904(c).

Following a transaction described in the preceding sentence, the stock 
of the acquiring corporation shall be treated as the stock of the loss 
corporation for purposes of determining whether an ownership change 
occurs with respect to the pre-change losses and net unrealized built-in 
losses that may be treated as pre-change losses of the distributor or 
transferor corporation.
    (iii) Separate accounting required for losses and credits of an 
acquiring corporation and a distributor or transferor loss corporation. 
Except as provided in paragraph (a)(1)(iv) of this section, pre-change 
losses (determined as if the testing date were the change date and 
treating the amount of any net unrealized built-in loss as a pre-change 
loss), that are succeeded to and taken into account by an acquiring 
corporation in a transaction to which section 381(a) applies must be 
accounted for separately from losses and credits of the acquiring 
corporation for purposes of applying this section. See Example (2) of 
Sec. 1.382-2T(e)(2)(iv) of this section.
    (iv) End of separate accounting for losses and credits of 
distributor or transferor loss corporation. The separate tracking of 
owner shifts of the stock of an acquiring corporation required by 
paragraph (a)(1)(iii) of this section with respect to the net operating 
loss carryovers and other attributes described in paragraph (a)(1)(ii) 
of this section ends when a fold-in event occurs. A fold-in event is 
either an ownership change of the distributor or transferor corporation 
in connection with, or after, the transaction to which section 381(a) 
applies, or a period of 5 consecutive years following the section 381(a) 
transaction during which the distributor or transferor corporation has 
not had an ownership change. Starting on the day after the earlier of 
the change date (but not earlier than the day of the section 381(a) 
transaction) or the last day of the 5 consecutive year period, the 
losses and other attributes of the distributor or transferor corporation 
are treated as losses and attributes of the acquiring corporation for 
purposes of determining whether an ownership change occurs with respect 
to such losses. Also, for purposes of determining the beginning of the 
acquiring corporation's testing period, such losses are considered to 
arise either in a taxable year that begins not earlier than the later of 
the day following the change date or the day of the section 381(a) 
transaction, or in a taxable year that begins 3 years before the end of 
the 5 consecutive year period. Pre-change losses of a distributor or 
transferor corporation that are subject to a limitation under section 
382 continue to be subject to the limitation notwithstanding the 
occurrence of a fold-in event. Any ownership change that occurs in 
connection with, or subsequent to, the section 381 transaction may 
result in an additional, lesser limitation with respect to such pre-
change losses. This paragraph (a)(1)(iv) applies to any testing date 
occurring on or after January 29, 1991.

[[Page 453]]

    (v) Application to other successor corporations. This paragraph 
(a)(1) also applies, as the context may require, to successor 
corporations other than successors in section 381(a) transactions. For 
example, if a corporation receives assets from the loss corporation that 
have basis in excess of value, the recipient corporation's basis for the 
assets is determined, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, by 
reference to the loss corporation's basis, and the amount by which basis 
exceeds value is material, the recipient corporation is a successor 
corporation subject to this paragraph (a)(1). This paragraph (a)(1)(v) 
applies to any testing date occurring on or after January 1, 1997.
    (2) Pre-change loss. The term pre-change loss means--
    (i) Any net operating loss carryforward of the old loss corporation 
to the taxable year ending on the change date or in which the change 
date occurs,
    (ii) Any net operating loss of the old loss corporation for the 
taxable year in which the ownership change occurs to the extent such 
loss is allocable to the period in such year on or before the change 
date.
    (iii) Any recognized built-in loss for any recognition period 
taxable year (within the meaning of 382(h)),
    (iv) Any pre-change capital losses described in Sec. 1.383-
1T(c)(2)(i) and (ii), and
    (v) Any pre-change credits described in 1.383-1T(c)(3).
    (3) Stock--(i) In general. Except as provided in this paragraph 
(a)(3)(i) and Sec. 1.382-2T(f)(18)(ii) and (iii), the term stock means 
stock other than stock described in section 1504(a)(4). Notwithstanding 
the preceding sentence, stock that is not described in section 
1504(a)(4) solely because it is entitled to vote as a result of dividend 
arrearages shall be treated as so described and thus shall not be 
considered stock. Stock described in section 1504(a)(4), however, is not 
excluded for purposes of determining the value of the loss corporation 
under section 382(e). The determination of the percentage of stock of 
any corporation owned by any person shall be made on the basis of the 
relative fair market value of the stock owned by such person to the 
total fair market value of the outstanding stock of the corporation. 
Solely for purposes of determining the percentage of stock owned by a 
person, each share of all the outstanding shares of stock that have the 
same material terms is treated as having the same value. Thus, for 
example, a control premium or blockage discount is disregarded in 
determining the percentage of stock owned by any person. The previous 
two sentences of this paragraph (a)(3)(i) apply to any testing date 
occurring on or after January 29, 1991.
    (ii) Convertible stock. The term stock includes any convertible 
stock. For rules regarding the treatment of certain convertible stock as 
an option, see Sec. 1.382-4(d)(9)(ii).
    (4) Testing date--(i) In general. Except as provided in paragraph 
(a)(4)(ii) of this section, a loss corporation is required to determine 
whether an ownership change has occurred immediately after any owner 
shift, or issuance or transfer (including an issuance or transfer 
described in Sec. 1.382-4(d)(8)(i) or (ii)) of an option with respect 
to stock of the loss corporation that is treated as exercised under 
Sec. 1.382-4(d)(2). Each date on which a loss corporation is required 
to make a determination of whether an ownership change has occurred is 
referred to as a testing date. All computations of increases in 
percentage ownership are to be made as of the close of the testing date 
and any transactions described in this paragraph (a)(4) that occur on 
that date are treated as occurring simultaneously at the close of the 
testing date. See Sec. 1.382-2T(e)(1) for the definition of owner 
shift. The term option, as used in this paragraph (a)(4), includes 
interests that are treated as options under Sec. 1.382-4(d)(9). For 
rules regarding the determination of whether dates prior to November 5, 
1992, are testing dates, see Sec. 1.382-2T(a)(2)(i).
    (ii) Exceptions. A loss corporation is not required to determine 
whether an ownership change has occurred immediately after--
    (A) Any transfer of stock, or an option with respect to stock, of 
the loss corporation in any of the circumstances described in section 
382(l)(3)(B) (death, gift, divorce, etc.); or

[[Page 454]]

    (B) The transfer of an option described in Sec. 1.382-4(d)(11)(i) 
or (ii) (relating to transfers between persons who are not 5-percent 
shareholders or between members of certain public groups).
    (5) Successor corporation. A successor corporation is a distributee 
or transferee corporation that succeeds to and takes into account items 
described in section 381(c) from a corporation as the result of an 
acquisition of assets described in section 381(a). A successor 
corporation also includes, as the context may require, a corporation 
which receives an asset or assets from another corporation if the 
corporation's basis for the asset(s) is determined, directly or 
indirectly, in whole or in part, by reference to the other corporation's 
basis and the amount by which basis differs from value is, in the 
aggregate, material. The previous sentence of this paragraph (a)(5) 
applies to any testing date occurring on or after January 1, 1997.
    (6) Predecessor corporation. A predecessor corporation is a 
distributor or transferor corporation that distributes or transfers its 
assets to an acquiring corporation in a transaction described in section 
381(a). A predecessor corporation also includes, as the context may 
require, a corporation which transfers an asset or assets to another 
corporation if the transferee's basis for the asset(s) is determined, 
directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, by reference to the 
corporation's basis and the amount by which basis differs from value is, 
in the aggregate, material. The previous sentence of this paragraph 
(a)(6) applies to any testing date occurring on or after January 1, 
1997.
    (b) Effective dates--(1) In general. [Reserved]
    (2) Rules provided in paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this section--(i) In 
general. Except as provided in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section, the 
rules provided in paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this section apply with 
respect to any convertible stock.
    (ii) Certain convertible preferred stock. Convertible stock that, 
when issued, would be described in section 1504(a)(4) by disregarding 
subparagraph (D) thereof and by ignoring the potential participation in 
corporate growth that the conversion feature may offer is treated as 
stock described in that section (and thus is not treated as stock for 
the purpose of determining whether an ownership change occurs, but is 
taken into account for the purpose of determining the value of the loss 
corporation immediately before an ownership change; see sections 
382(e)(1) and 382(k)(6)(A)) if--
    (A) The stock was issued on or after July 20, 1988, and prior to 
November 5, 1992; or
    (B) The stock was issued prior to July 20, 1988, and the loss 
corporation makes the election described in Notice 88-67, 1988-1 C.B. 
555, (see Sec. 601.601(d)(2)(ii)(b) of this chapter for availability of 
Cumulative Bulletins (C.B.)) on or before the earlier of the date 
prescribed in the Notice or December 7, 1992.
    (3) Rules provided in paragraph (a)(4) of this section. The rules 
provided in paragraph (a)(4) of this section apply to determine whether 
dates on or after November 5, 1992, are testing dates.

[T.D. 8352, 56 FR 29434, June 27, 1991, as amended by T.D. 8405, 57 FR 
10740, Mar. 30, 1992; 57 FR 24188, June 8, 1992; T.D. 8531, 59 FR 12836, 
Mar. 18, 1994; T.D. 8679, 61 FR 33315, June 27, 1996; T.D. 8825, 64 FR 
36177, 36178, July 2, 1999]