Compaq Computer Corporation and Subsidiaries - Page 12




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          former category are Cottage Sav. Association v. Commissioner, 499           
          U.S. 554 (1991); and Esmark, Inc. & Affiliated Cos. v.                      
          Commissioner, 90 T.C. 171 (1988), affd. without published opinion           
          886 F.2d 1318 (7th Cir. 1989).  In the latter category are ACM              
          Partnership v. Commissioner, 157 F.3d 231 (3d Cir. 1998), affg.             
          in part T.C. Memo. 1997-115; Goldstein v. Commissioner, 364 F.2d            
          734 (2d Cir. 1966); and Friendship Dairies, Inc. v. Commissioner,           
          90 T.C. 1054 (1988).  Referring to tax shelter transactions in              
          which a taxpayer seeks to use a minimal commitment of funds to              
          secure a disproportionate tax benefit, the Court of Appeals for             
          the Seventh Circuit stated, in Saviano v. Commissioner, 765 F.2d            
          643, 654 (7th Cir. 1985), affg. 80 T.C. 955 (1983):                         
               The freedom to arrange one's affairs to minimize taxes                 
               does not include the right to engage in financial                      
               fantasies with the expectation that the Internal                       
               Revenue Service and the courts will play along.  The                   
               Commissioner and the courts are empowered, and in fact                 
               duty-bound, to look beyond the contrived forms of                      
               transactions to their economic substance and to apply                  
               the tax laws accordingly.  * * *                                       
               Petitioner repeatedly argues, and asks the Court to find,              
          that it could not have had a tax savings or tax benefit purpose             
          in entering into the ADR transaction because:                               
                    In this case, a tax savings or tax benefit purpose                
               cannot be attributed to Compaq because Compaq did not                  
               enjoy any tax reduction or other tax benefit from the                  
               transaction.  Compaq's taxable income increased by                     
               approximately $1.9 million as a result of the Royal                    
               Dutch ADR arbitrage.  Compaq's worldwide tax liability                 
               increased by more than $640,000 as a direct result of                  
               the Royal ADR arbitrage.  The reason for this increase                 





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