WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONSULT YOUR OWN TAX ADVISORS CONCERNING THE OVERALL TAX CONSEQUENCES ARISING IN YOUR OWN PARTICULAR SITUATION UNDER U.S. FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL OR FOREIGN LAW OF THE OWNERSHIP OR DISPOSITION OF OUR COMMON STOCK.
The following are the material Marshall Islands tax consequences of our activities to us and holders of our common stock. We are incorporated in the Marshall Islands. Under current Marshall Islands law, we are not subject to tax on income or capital gains and no Marshall Islands withholding tax will be imposed upon payments of dividends by us to holders of our common stock. A discussion of the material Marshall Islands tax consequences for holders of any preferred stock, rights and warrants issued pursuant to this prospectus will be provided in the relevant prospectus supplement at the time of issuance.
U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations
The following discussion represents the opinion of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP regarding the material U.S. federal income tax consequences to us of our activities and, subject to the limitations described above, to you as a beneficial owner of shares of our common stock or preferred stock.
This discussion is based on the Code, the Treasury regulations issued thereunder, published administrative interpretations of the IRS and judicial decisions as of the date hereof, all of which are subject to change at any time, possibly on a retroactive basis. We have not and will not seek any rulings from the IRS with respect to the U.S. federal income tax consequences discussed below. The discussion below is not in any way binding on the IRS or the courts or in any way an assurance that the U.S. federal income tax consequences discussed herein will be accepted by the IRS or the courts.
The U.S. federal income tax consequences to a beneficial owner of our common stock or preferred stock may vary depending on such beneficial owner’s particular situation or status. This discussion is limited to beneficial owners of our common stock or preferred stock who purchase such stock in an offering of such stock pursuant to this Registration Statement and who hold such stock as capital assets. This discussion does not purport to deal with the tax consequences of owning or disposing of our common stock or preferred stock to all categories of investors, some of which (such as financial institutions, regulated investment companies, real estate investment trusts, tax-exempt organizations, insurance companies, persons holding our common stock or preferred stock as part of a hedging, integrated, conversion or constructive sale transaction or a straddle, traders in securities that have elected the mark-to-market method of accounting for their securities, U.S. expatriates, persons liable for alternative minimum tax, persons who are investors in pass-through entities, dealers in securities or currencies and investors whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar) may be subject to special rules. In addition, this discussion does not address any U.S. state or local tax matters, any non-U.S. tax matters, or any U.S. federal taxes other than income taxes (such as estate and gift taxes).
Taxation of Our Operating Income
Our subsidiaries have elected to be treated as disregarded entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a result, for purposes of the discussion below, our subsidiaries are treated as branches rather than as separate corporations.
U.S. Taxation of Our Shipping Income
For purposes of the following discussion, “shipping income” means any income that is derived from the use of vessels, from the hiring or leasing of vessels for use on a time, voyage or bareboat charter basis, from the participation in a pool, partnership, strategic alliance, joint operating agreement, code sharing arrangement or other joint venture we directly or indirectly own or participate in that generates such income, or from the performance of services directly related to those uses.
“U.S. source gross transportation income” includes 50% of shipping income that is attributable to transportation that begins or ends, but that does not both begin and end, in the United States. Except as discussed below, our U.S. source gross transportation income would be subject to a 4% U.S. federal income tax imposed without allowance for deductions. Shipping income attributable to transportation exclusively between non-U.S. ports generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax.
Under Section 883 of the Code and the regulations thereunder, we will be exempt from the 4% U.S. federal income tax if:
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we are organized in a foreign country (the “country of organization”) that grants an “equivalent exemption” to corporations organized in the United States; and
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either:
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(A)
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more than 50% of the value of our stock is owned, directly or indirectly, by individuals who are “residents” of our country of organization or of another foreign country that grants an “equivalent exemption” to corporations organized in the United States, referred to as the “50% Ownership Test”, or
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(B)
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our stock is “primarily and regularly traded on an established securities market” in our country of organization, in another country that grants an “equivalent exemption” to U.S. corporations or in the United States, referred to as the “Publicly-Traded Test”.
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The Marshall Islands, the jurisdiction where we are incorporated, grants an “equivalent exemption” to U.S. corporations. Therefore, we will be eligible for the exemption under Section 883 of the Code if either the 50% Ownership Test or the Publicly-Traded Test is met. As of the date hereof, our common stock is the only class of our stock that is outstanding. Because our common stock is traded on the NYSE and our stock is widely held, it would be difficult or impossible for us to establish that we satisfy the 50% Ownership Test.
As to the Publicly-Traded Test, the regulations under Section 883 of the Code provide, in pertinent part, that stock of a foreign corporation will be considered to be “primarily traded” on an established securities market in a country if the number of shares of each class of stock that is traded during any taxable year on all established securities markets in that country exceeds the number of shares in each such class that is traded during that year on established securities markets in any other single country. We believe that our common stock, is, and will continue to be, “primarily traded” on the NYSE, which is an established securities market for these purposes.
The Publicly-Traded Test also requires our stock that is “primarily traded” to be “regularly traded” on an established securities market. Our common stock is listed on the NYSE and, as of the date hereof, is the only class of our outstanding stock traded on an established securities market. Our common stock will be treated as “regularly traded” on the NYSE for purposes of the Publicly-Traded Test if:
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our common stock represents more than 50% of the total combined voting power of all classes of our stock entitled to vote and of the total value of all of our outstanding stock, referred to as the “trading threshold test”;
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(ii)
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our common stock is traded on the market, other than in minimal quantities, on at least 60 days during the taxable year or 1/6 of the days in a short taxable year, referred to as the “trading frequency test”; and
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(iii)
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the aggregate number of shares of our common stock traded on such market during the taxable year is at least 10% of the average number of shares of our common stock outstanding during such year (as appropriately adjusted in the case of a short taxable year), referred to as the “trading volume test”.
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We believe we satisfy the trading threshold test. We also believe we satisfy, and will continue to satisfy, the trading frequency and trading volume tests. However, even if we do not satisfy these tests in the future, both tests are deemed satisfied if our common stock is traded on an established securities market in the United States and is regularly quoted by dealers making a market in such stock. Because our common stock is listed on the NYSE, we believe this is and will continue to be the case.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, our common stock will not be considered to be “regularly traded” on an established securities market for any taxable year in which 50% or more of the vote and value of such stock is owned, actually or constructively under certain stock attribution rules, on more than half the days during the taxable year by persons who each own 5% or more of the vote and value of such stock, referred to as the “5 Percent Override Rule”.
In order to determine the persons who actually or constructively own 5% or more of the vote and value of our common stock (“5% Stockholders”) we are permitted to rely on those persons that are identified on Schedule 13G and Schedule 13D filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as having a 5% or more beneficial interest in our common stock. In addition, an investment company identified on a Schedule 13G or Schedule 13D filing which is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, will not be treated as a 5% Stockholder for such purposes.
We believe that the 5 Percent Override Rule has not been, and will not be, triggered with respect to our common stock. However, the 5 Percent Override Rule might be triggered in the future as a result of factual circumstances beyond our control, for example, if one or more stockholders became a 5% Stockholder. In this case, the 5 Percent Override Rule will nevertheless not apply if we can establish that among the closely-held group of 5% Stockholders, there are sufficient 5% Stockholders that are considered to be “qualified stockholders” for purposes of Section 883 of the Code to preclude non-qualified 5% Stockholders in the closely-held group from owning 50% or more of the value of our common stock for more than half the number of days during the taxable year.
In any year that the 5 Percent Override Rule is triggered with respect to our common stock, we will be eligible for the exemption from tax under Section 883 of the Code only if (i) we can nevertheless satisfy the Publicly-Traded Test, which would require us to show that the exception to the 5 Percent Override Rule applies, as described above, or if (ii) we can satisfy the 50% Ownership Test. In either case, we would have to satisfy certain substantiation requirements regarding the identity and certain other aspects of our stockholders which generally would require that we receive certain statements from certain of our direct and indirect stockholders. These requirements are onerous and there is no assurance that we would be able to satisfy them.
Based on the foregoing, we believe we satisfy, and will continue to satisfy, the Publicly-Traded Test and therefore we qualify for the exemption under Section 883 of the Code. However, if at any time in the future, including in 2017, we fail to qualify for these benefits, our U.S. source gross transportation income, to the extent not considered to be “effectively connected” with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business, as described below, would be subject to a 4% tax imposed by Section 887 of the Code on a gross basis, without the benefit of deductions. Since 50% of our gross shipping income for transportation that begins or ends in the United States would be treated as U.S. source gross transportation income, the effective rate of U.S. federal income tax on such shipping income would be 2%.
If the benefits of Section 883 of the Code become unavailable to us in the future, any of our U.S. source gross transportation income that is considered to be “effectively connected” with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business, as described below, net of applicable deductions, would be subject to the U.S. federal corporate income tax at rates of up to 35%. In addition, we may be subject to the 30% “branch profits tax” on such earnings, as determined after allowance for certain adjustments and on certain interest paid or deemed paid attributable to the conduct of our U.S. trade or business.
We believe that none of our U.S. source gross transportation income will be “effectively connected” with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business. Such income would be “effectively connected” only if:
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we had, or were considered to have, a fixed place of business in the United States involved in the earning of U.S. source gross transportation income, and
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substantially all of our U.S. source gross transportation income was attributable to regularly scheduled transportation, such as the operation of a vessel that followed a published schedule with repeated sailings at regular intervals between the same points for voyages that begin or end in the United States.
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We believe that we will not meet these conditions because we do not have, and we do not intend to have or permit circumstances that would result in our having, such a fixed place of business in the United States or any vessel sailing to or from the United States on a regularly scheduled basis.
Income attributable to transportation that both begins and ends in the United States is not subject to the tax rules described above. Such income is subject to either a 30% gross-basis tax or to a U.S. federal corporate income tax on net income at rates of up to 35% (and the branch profits tax described above). Although there can be no assurance, we do not expect to engage in transportation that produces shipping income of this type.
U.S. Taxation of Gain on Sale of Vessels
Regardless of whether we qualify for exemption under Section 883 of the Code, we will not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation with respect to gain realized on a sale of a vessel, provided that the sale is considered to occur outside of the United States under U.S. federal income tax principles. In general, a sale of a vessel will be considered to occur outside of the United States for this purpose if title to the vessel, and risk of loss with respect to the vessel, pass to the buyer outside of the United States. We expect that any sale of a vessel will be so structured that it will be considered to occur outside of the United States.
U.S. Federal Income Taxation of “U.S. Holders”
The following section applies to you only if you are a “U.S. Holder”. For this purpose, a “U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of shares of our common stock or preferred stock (other than an entity or arrangement that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes:
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is an individual who is a U.S. citizen or resident, a U.S. corporation, an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source, or a trust if a court within the United States is able to exercise primary jurisdiction over the administration of the trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or if the trust has validly elected to be treated as a U.S. trust,
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owns our common stock or preferred stock as a capital asset, and
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owns actually and constructively less than 10% of our common stock and less than 10% of our preferred stock by vote and value.
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If an entity or arrangement that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds our common stock or preferred stock, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner will generally depend on the status of the partner, the tax treatment of the partnership and certain determinations made at the partner level. A partner in a partnership holding our common stock or preferred stock is urged to consult its own tax advisor.
Taxation of Common Stock and Preferred Stock
Distributions on our Common Stock and Preferred Stock
Subject to the discussion of PFICs below, any distributions made by us with respect to our common stock and preferred stock to a U.S. Holder will generally constitute dividends, which may be taxable as ordinary income or “qualified dividend income” as described below, to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles (“E&P”). Distributions in excess of such E&P will be treated first as a nontaxable return of capital to the extent of the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in its common stock and preferred stock (determined separately for each share) on a dollar-for-dollar basis and thereafter as capital gain. Because we are not a U.S. corporation, U.S. Holders that are corporations will not be entitled to claim a dividends received deduction with respect to any distributions they receive from us. Dividends paid with respect to our common stock and preferred stock will generally be treated as “passive income” for purposes of computing allowable foreign tax credits for U.S. foreign tax credit purposes.
Dividends paid on our common stock and preferred stock to a U.S. Holder who is an individual, trust or estate (a “U.S. Non-Corporate Holder”) will generally be treated as “qualified dividend income” that is taxable to such U.S. Non-Corporate Holder at a maximum preferential tax rate of 20% provided that (i) the class of stock with respect to which such dividends are paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States (such as the NYSE), which we expect to be the case with respect to our common stock (but which might not be the case with respect to preferred stock that is issued pursuant to this Registration Statement); (ii) we are not a PFIC for the taxable year during which the dividend is paid or the immediately preceding taxable year (see the discussion below); (iii) the U.S. Non-Corporate Holder has owned the common stock or preferred stock for more than 60 days in the 121-day period beginning 60 days before the date on which such common stock or preferred stock becomes ex-dividend (and has not entered into certain risk limiting transactions with respect to such common stock or preferred stock); and (iv) the U.S. Non-Corporate Holder is not under an obligation to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property. Any dividends we pay out of E&P which are not eligible for the preferential tax rates will be taxed at ordinary income rates in the hands of a U.S. Non-Corporate Holder. Special rules may apply to any “extraordinary dividend”-generally, a dividend in an amount which is equal to or in excess of a threshold percentage (10% in the case of common stock and either 5% or 10% in the case of preferred stock, depending on the nature of the preference) of a stockholder’s adjusted basis (or fair market value in certain circumstances) in a share of our stock-paid by us. If we pay an “extraordinary dividend” on our common stock or preferred stock that is treated as “qualified dividend income”, then any loss derived by a U.S. Non-Corporate Holder from the subsequent sale or exchange of such stock will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of such dividend. There is no assurance that any dividends paid on our common stock or preferred stock will be eligible for these preferential tax rates in the hands of a U.S. Non-Corporate Holder, although we believe that they will be so eligible provided that we are not a PFIC, as discussed below.
Sale, Exchange or Other Disposition of Our Common Stock and Preferred Stock
Provided that we are not a PFIC for any taxable year, a U.S. Holder generally will recognize capital gain or loss upon a sale, exchange or other disposition of our common stock or preferred stock in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized by the U.S. Holder from such sale, exchange or other disposition and the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in such stock. Such gain or loss will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder’s holding period is greater than one year at the time of the sale, exchange or other disposition. Such capital gain or loss will generally be treated as U.S. source income or loss, as applicable, for U.S. foreign tax credit purposes. Long-term capital gains of U.S. Non-Corporate Holders are generally eligible for a maximum 20% preferential tax rate. A U.S. Holder’s ability to deduct capital losses against income is subject to certain limitations.
PFIC Status and Significant Tax Consequences
Special U.S. federal income tax rules apply to a U.S. Holder that holds stock in a non-U.S. corporation classified as a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In particular, U.S. Non-Corporate Holders would not be eligible for the maximum 20% preferential tax rate on qualified dividends. In general, we will be treated as a PFIC with respect to a U.S. Holder if, for any taxable year in which the U.S. Holder held our common stock or preferred stock, either
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at least 75% of our gross income for such taxable year consists of “passive income” (e.g., dividends, interest, capital gains and rents derived other than in the active conduct of a rental business), or
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at least 50% of the average value of our assets during such taxable year consists of “passive assets” (i.e., assets that produce, or are held for the production of, passive income).
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Income earned, or treated as earned (for U.S. federal income tax purposes), by us in connection with the performance of services would not constitute passive income. By contrast, rental income would generally constitute “passive income” unless we were treated under specific rules as deriving our rental income in the active conduct of a trade or business.
We believe that it is more likely than not that the gross income we derive, or are deemed to derive, from our time chartering activities is properly treated as services income rather than rental income. Assuming this is correct, our income from time chartering activities would not constitute “passive income” and the assets we own and operate in connection with the production of that income would not constitute passive assets. Consequently, based upon our actual and projected income, assets and activities, we believe it is more likely than not that we are not currently a PFIC and will not become a PFIC in the foreseeable future.
There is substantial legal authority supporting the position that we are not a PFIC consisting of case law and IRS pronouncements concerning the characterization of income derived from time chartering activities as services income for other tax purposes. Nonetheless, it should be noted that there is legal uncertainty in this regard because the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has held that, for purposes of a different set of rules under the Code, income derived from certain time chartering activities should be treated as rental income rather than services income. However, the IRS stated that it disagrees with the holding of this Fifth Circuit case and that income from time chartering activities should be treated as services income. We have not sought, and we do not expect to seek, an IRS ruling on this matter. Accordingly, no assurance can be given the IRS or a court will accept this position and there is a risk that the IRS or a court could determine that we are a PFIC. No assurance can be given that this result will not occur. In addition, although we intend to conduct our affairs in a manner to avoid, to the extent possible, being classified as a PFIC with respect to any taxable year, we cannot assure you that the nature of our operations will not change in the future, or that we can avoid PFIC status in the future.
If we are a PFIC for any taxable year during which a U.S. Holder owns our common stock or preferred stock, such U.S. Holder will, for that taxable year and any subsequent taxable year during which we are treated as a PFIC, be required to file IRS Form 8621 with his or her U.S. federal income tax return to report his or her ownership of our common stock or preferred stock if the total value of all PFIC stock that such U.S. Holder directly or indirectly owns exceeds certain thresholds. U.S. Holders are urged to consult their own tax advisors concerning the filing of IRS Form 8621.
In addition, as discussed more fully below, if we were treated as a PFIC for any taxable year, a U.S. Holder would be subject to different taxation rules depending on whether the U.S. Holder made an election to treat us as a “Qualified Electing Fund”, which election is referred to as a “QEF election”. As an alternative to making a QEF election, a U.S. Holder should be able to make a “mark-to-market” election with respect to our common stock (and might be able to make such an election with respect to our preferred stock) as discussed below.
The PFIC rules are complex and you are encouraged to consult your own tax advisor regarding the PFIC rules, including the annual PFIC reporting requirement.
Taxation of U.S. Holders of a PFIC Making a Timely QEF Election
If we were a PFIC for any taxable year and a U.S. Holder made a timely QEF election, which U.S. Holder is referred to as an “Electing Holder”, the Electing Holder would be required to report each year for U.S. federal income tax purposes the Electing Holder’s pro rata share of our ordinary earnings (as ordinary income) and our net capital gain (which gain shall not exceed our E&P for the taxable year and would be reported as long-term capital gain), if any, for our taxable year that ends with or within the taxable year of the Electing Holder, regardless of whether or not distributions were received from us by the Electing Holder. Any such income inclusions would not be eligible for the maximum 20% preferential tax rates applicable to qualified dividend income as discussed above. The Electing Holder’s adjusted tax basis in our common stock or preferred stock would be increased to reflect taxed but undistributed E&P. Distributions of E&P that had been previously taxed would, pursuant to this election, result in a corresponding reduction in the adjusted tax basis in such common stock or preferred stock and would not be taxed again once distributed. An Electing Holder would not, however, be entitled to a deduction for its pro rata share of any losses that we incurred with respect to any year. An Electing Holder would generally recognize capital gain or loss on the sale, exchange or other disposition of such common stock or preferred stock. A U.S. Holder would make a QEF election with respect to any year that we are a PFIC by filing IRS Form 8621 with its U.S. federal income tax return. If we were to become aware that we were treated as a PFIC for any taxable year, we would notify all U.S. Holders of such treatment and provide each U.S. Holder with all necessary information in order to make the QEF election described above. Even if a U.S. Holder makes a QEF election for one of our taxable years, if we were a PFIC for a prior taxable year during which the holder was a stockholder and for which the holder did not make a timely QEF election, the holder would also be subject to the different and more adverse tax consequences described below under “-
Taxation of U.S. Holders of a PFIC not Making a Timely QEF or “Mark-to-Market” Election”
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A QEF election generally will not have any effect with respect to any taxable year for which we are not a PFIC, but will remain in effect with respect to any subsequent taxable year for which we are a PFIC.
Taxation of U.S. Holders of a PFIC Making a “Mark-to-Market” Election
Alternatively, if we were treated as a PFIC for any taxable year and our common stock or preferred stock, as applicable, is treated as “marketable stock”, a U.S. Holder would be allowed to make a “mark-to-market” election with respect to such stock, provided that the U.S. Holder completes and files IRS Form 8621 with its U.S. federal income tax return. We believe our common stock will be treated as “marketable stock” for this purpose. As of the time this Registration Statement was filed, we did not have any preferred stock that would be treated as “marketable stock” for this purpose.
If the mark-to-market election is made with respect to a U.S. Holder’s common stock or preferred stock, the U.S. Holder generally would include as ordinary income in each taxable year the excess, if any, of the fair market value of such common stock or preferred stock at the end of the taxable year over the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in such common stock or preferred stock. The U.S. Holder would also be permitted an ordinary loss in respect of the excess, if any, of the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in such common stock or preferred stock over its fair market value at the end of the taxable year, but only to the extent of the net amount previously included in income as a result of the mark-to-market election. A U.S. Holder’s tax basis in its common stock or preferred stock would be adjusted to reflect any such income or loss amount. Gain realized on the sale, exchange or other disposition of our common stock or preferred stock would be treated as ordinary income and any loss realized on the sale, exchange or other disposition of the common stock or preferred stock would be treated as ordinary loss to the extent that such loss does not exceed the net mark-to-market gains previously included by the U.S. Holder in income.
Taxation of U.S. Holders of a PFIC not Making a Timely QEF or “Mark-to-Market” Election
Finally, if we were treated as a PFIC for any taxable year, a U.S. Holder that does not make either a QEF election or a “mark-to-market” election for that year, referred to as a “Non-Electing Holder”, would be subject to special rules with respect to (i) any excess distribution (i.e., the portion of any distributions received by the Non-Electing Holder on our common stock or preferred stock in a taxable year in excess of 125% of the average annual distributions received by the Non-Electing Holder in the three preceding taxable years, or, if shorter, the Non-Electing Holder’s holding period for such common stock or preferred stock) and (ii) any gain realized on the sale, exchange or other disposition of our common stock or preferred stock. Under these special rules:
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the excess distribution or gain would be allocated ratably over the Non-Electing Holder’s aggregate holding period for the common stock or preferred stock,
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the amount allocated to the current taxable year and any taxable year prior to the first taxable year in which we were a PFIC during the Non-Electing Holder’s holding period, would be taxed as ordinary income, and
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the amount allocated to each of the other taxable years would be subject to tax at the highest rate of tax in effect for the applicable class of taxpayer for that year and an interest charge for the deemed deferral benefit would be imposed with respect to the resulting tax attributable to each such other taxable year.
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These penalties would not apply to a qualified pension, profit sharing or other retirement trust or other tax-exempt organization that did not borrow money or otherwise utilize leverage in connection with its acquisition of our common stock or preferred stock. If we were a PFIC and a Non-Electing Holder who was an individual died while owning our common stock or preferred stock, such holder’s successor generally would not receive a step-up in tax basis with respect to such stock. Certain of these rules would apply to a U.S. Holder who made a QEF election for one of our taxable years if we were a PFIC in a prior taxable year during which the holder held our common stock or preferred stock and for which the holder did not make a QEF election.
Medicare Tax
A U.S. Non-Corporate Holder (excluding certain trusts within a special class of trusts that is exempt from such tax) is subject to a 3.8% tax on the lesser of (1) such U.S. Holder’s “net investment income” for the relevant taxable year and (2) the excess of such U.S. Holder’s modified gross income for the taxable year over a certain threshold (which in the case of individuals will be between $125,000 and $250,000, depending on the individual’s circumstances). Such a U.S. Holder’s net investment income will generally include such U.S. Holder’s gross dividend income and net gains from the disposition of our common stock and preferred stock, unless such dividend or net gains are derived in the ordinary course of the conduct of a trade or business (other than a trade or business that consists of certain passive or trading activities). A U.S. Non-Corporate Holder is urged to consult the holder’s own tax advisor regarding the applicability of the Medicare tax to the holder’s ownership of our common stock and preferred stock.
Taxation of Rights and Warrants
A discussion of the U.S. federal income tax considerations for U.S. Holders of any rights and warrants issued pursuant to this Registration Statement will be provided in the relevant Prospectus Supplement at the time of issuance.
U.S. Federal Income Taxation of “Non-U.S. Holders”
The following section applies to you only if you are a “Non-U.S. Holder”. For this purpose, a “Non-U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of shares of our common stock or preferred stock (other than an entity or arrangement that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) that is not a U.S. Holder.
Taxation of Common Stock and Preferred Stock
Distributions on our Common Stock and Preferred Stock
Non-U.S. Holders generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax or withholding tax on distributions received from us with respect to our common stock or preferred stock, unless that dividend income is effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States. If the Non-U.S. Holder is entitled to the benefits of an applicable U.S. income tax treaty with respect to those dividends, that income is taxable only if it is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the Non-U.S. Holder in the United States.
Sale, Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Common Stock and Preferred Stock
Non-U.S. Holders generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax or withholding tax on any gain realized upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of our common stock or preferred stock, unless:
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the gain is effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States (and, if the Non-U.S. Holder is entitled to the benefits of an applicable U.S. income tax treaty with respect to that gain, that gain is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the Non-U.S. Holder in the United States); or
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the Non-U.S. Holder is an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year of disposition and other conditions are met.
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If the Non-U.S. Holder is engaged in a U.S. trade or business for U.S. federal income tax purposes, any income from the common stock or preferred stock, including dividends and the gain from the sale, exchange or other disposition of such stock, that is effectively connected with the conduct of that trade or business will generally be subject to regular U.S. federal income tax in the same manner as discussed in the previous section relating to the taxation of U.S. Holders. In addition, if you are a Non-U.S. Holder that is a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, your E&P that is attributable to the effectively connected income, which is subject to certain adjustments, may be subject to an additional branch profits tax at a rate of 30%, or at a lower rate as may be specified by an applicable U.S. income tax treaty.
Taxation of Rights and Warrants
A discussion of the U.S. federal income tax considerations for Non-U.S. Holders of any rights and warrants issued pursuant to this prospectus will be provided in the relevant prospectus supplement at the time of issuance.
Tax Return Disclosure Requirements
Individual U.S. Holders (and to the extent specified in applicable Treasury regulations, certain individual Non-U.S. Holders and certain U.S. Holders that are entities) that hold certain specified foreign assets with values in excess of certain dollar thresholds are required to report such assets on IRS Form 8938 with their U.S. federal income tax return, subject to certain exceptions (including an exception for foreign assets held in accounts maintained by U.S. financial institutions). Stock in a non-U.S. corporation, including our common stock and preferred stock, is a specified foreign asset for this purpose. Substantial penalties apply for failure to properly complete and file Form 8938. You are encouraged to consult your own tax advisor regarding the filing of this form.
Backup Withholding and Information Reporting
In general, dividend payments (or other taxable distributions) and proceeds from the disposition of our common stock and preferred stock made to you may be subject to information reporting requirements if you are a U.S. Non-Corporate Holder. Such distributions may also be subject to backup withholding if you are a U.S. Non-Corporate Holder and you:
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fail to provide an accurate taxpayer identification number;
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are notified by the IRS that you have failed to report all interest or dividends required to be shown on your U.S. federal income tax returns; or
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in certain circumstances, fail to comply with applicable certification requirements.
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Non-U.S. Holders may be required to establish their exemption from information reporting and backup withholding by certifying their status on IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E, W-8ECI or W-8IMY, as applicable.
If you are a Non-U.S. Holder and you sell our common stock or preferred stock to or through a U.S. office of a broker, the payment of the proceeds is subject to both U.S. backup withholding and information reporting unless you certify that you are a non-U.S. person, under penalties of perjury, or you otherwise establish an exemption. If you sell our common stock or preferred stock through a non-U.S. office of a non-U.S. broker and the sales proceeds are paid to you outside the United States, then information reporting and backup withholding generally will not apply to that payment. However, U.S. information reporting requirements, but not backup withholding, will apply to a payment of sales proceeds, even if that payment is made to you outside the United States, if you sell our common stock or preferred stock through a non-U.S. office of a broker that is a U.S. person or has certain other contacts with the United States. However, such information reporting requirements will not apply if the broker has documentary evidence in its records that you are a non-U.S. person and certain other conditions are met, or you otherwise establish an exemption.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Rather, you generally may obtain a refund of any amounts withheld under backup withholding rules that exceed your income tax liability by timely filing a refund claim with the IRS.