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HBI » Topics » This summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences is for general information only and is not tax advice. Accordingly, you are urged to consult your own tax advisors concerning the U.S. federal, state, and local, and non-U.S. tax consequencThis excerpt taken from the HBI 8-K filed Sep 5, 2006. This summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences is for general information only and is not tax advice. Accordingly, you are urged to consult your own tax advisors concerning the U.S. federal, state, and local, and non-U.S. tax consequences of the spin off to you. Sara Lee has received a private letter ruling from the IRS to the effect that the spin off will qualify as a tax-free distribution under Section 355 and a tax-free reorganization under Section 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code. Such ruling provides that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, among other things:
United States Treasury Regulations also generally provide that if a Sara Lee stockholder holds different blocks of Sara Lee common stock (generally shares of Sara Lee common stock purchased or acquired on different dates or at different prices), the aggregate basis for each block of Sara Lee common stock purchased or acquired on the same date and at the same price will be allocated, to the greatest extent possible, between the shares of our common stock (including any fractional share) received in the spin off in respect of such block of Sara Lee common stock and such block of Sara Lee common stock, in proportion to their respective fair market values, and the holding period of the shares of our common stock (including any fractional share) received in the spin off in respect of such block of Sara Lee common stock will include the holding period of such block of Sara Lee common stock, provided that such block of Sara Lee common stock was held as a capital asset on the distribution date. If a Sara Lee stockholder is not able to identify which particular shares of our common stock (including any fractional share) are received in the spin off with respect to a particular block of Sara Lee
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Table of Contentscommon stock, for purposes of applying the rules described above, the stockholder may designate which shares of our common stock (including any fractional share) are received in the spin off in respect of a particular block of Sara Lee common stock, provided that such designation is consistent with the terms of the spin off. Holders of Sara Lee common stock are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the application of these rules to their particular circumstances. If you receive cash in lieu of a fractional share of our common stock as part of the spin off, you will be treated as though you first received a distribution of the fractional share in the spin off and then sold it for the amount of such cash. You will generally recognize capital gain or loss, provided that the fractional share is considered to be held as a capital asset, measured by the difference between the cash you receive for such fractional share and your tax basis in that fractional share, as determined above. Such capital gain or loss will be a long-term capital gain or loss if your holding period (as determined above) for such fractional share of Sara Lee common stock is more than one year on the distribution date. Although the private letter ruling relating to the qualification of the spin off under Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code is generally binding on the IRS, the continuing validity of the ruling is subject to the accuracy of factual representations and assumptions made in connection with obtaining such private letter ruling. Further, as part of the IRSs general ruling policy with respect to spin off transactions under Section 355 of the Code, the private letter ruling is based upon representations by Sara Lee (rather than a determination by the IRS) that certain conditions which are necessary to obtain tax-free treatment under Section 355 of the Code have been satisfied. Any inaccuracy in these representations could invalidate the ruling. If the spin off does not qualify for tax-free treatment, then Sara Lee will recognize taxable gain in an amount equal to the excess of the value of the shares of our common stock held by Sara Lee immediately prior to the spin off over Sara Lees tax basis in such shares of our common stock. In addition, a holder of Sara Lees common stock will be subject to tax as if the holder had received a taxable distribution in an amount equal to the fair market value of the shares of our common stock received in the spin off by such holder. See Risk FactorsRisks Related to the Spin OffThe spin off could result in substantial tax liability. Current U.S. federal tax law that applies to spin offs generally creates a presumption that the spin off would be taxable to Sara Lee but not to its stockholders if we engage in, or enter into an agreement to engage in, a plan or series of related transactions that would result in 50% or greater change (by vote or by value) in our stock ownership during the four-year period beginning on the date that begins two years before the spin off, unless it is established that the transaction is not pursuant to a plan related to the spin off. United States Treasury Regulations generally provide that whether an acquisition of our stock and a spin off are part of a plan is determined based on all of the facts and circumstances, including specific factors listed in the regulations. In addition, the regulations provide certain safe harbors for acquisitions of our stock that are not considered to be part of a plan related to the spin off. There are other restrictions imposed on us under current U.S. federal tax law for spin offs and with which we will need to comply in order to preserve the favorable tax treatment of the distribution, such as continuing to own and manage our apparel business and limitations on sales or redemptions of our common stock for cash or other property following the distribution. In the tax sharing agreement with Sara Lee, we will agree that, among other things, we will not take any actions that would result in any tax being imposed on the spin off. Please see Agreements with Sara LeeTax Sharing Agreement for more detail. Treasury Regulations under Section 355 of the Code require that certain Sara Lee stockholders who receive shares of our common stock pursuant to the spin off attach statements to their U.S. federal income tax returns for the taxable year in which such stockholder receives the shares of our common stock in the spin off, which statement shows the applicability of Section 355 of the Code to the spin off.
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Table of ContentsSara Lee will make available to the Sara Lee stockholders who may be subject to this requirement any information known to Sara Lee and necessary to comply with this requirement. |
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