1998Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS410">*410 Decisions will be entered under Rule 155.
Eric B. Jorgensen and Amy Campbell, for respondent.
David D. Aughtry and David W. Siegel, for petitioners.
COLVIN, JUDGE.
COLVIN
MEMORANDUM FINDINGS OF FACT AND OPINION
COLVIN, JUDGE: Respondent determined deficiencies in petitioners gift tax for 1992 as follows:
Taxpayer
Docket number
Deficiency
Louise Barnes
13850-96
$ 169,039
John M. Barnes
13851-96
169,143
Edwin L. Barnes
13852-96
169,039
Frank S. Barnes, Jr.
13856-96
196,226
Mary Anne G. Barnes
13857-96
196,226
Jean D. Barnes
13896-96
169,143
Vera W. Helmly
14049-96
133,350
Robert L. Helmly
14050-96
133,350
The issues for decision are:
1. Whether1998Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS410">*411 the fair market value of Home Telephone Co. voting common stock in January and December 1992 was $ 389 per share, as respondent contends; $ 216.56 per share, as petitioners contend; or some other amount. We hold that it was $ 227.41 per share.
2. Whether the fair market value of Rock Hill Telephone Co. nonvoting common stock in December 1992 was $ 410 per share, as respondent contends; $ 186.55 per share on December 22, 23, and 26, 1992, and $ 179.03 per share on December 30, 1992, as petitioners contend; or some other amount. We hold that it was $ 201.12 per share on December 22, 23, and 26, 1992, and $ 193.34 per share on December 30, 1992.
Section references are to the Internal Revenue Code in effect for the year in issue. Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.
I. FINDINGS OF FACTA. PETITIONERS
Petitioners lived in South Carolina when they filed the petitions in these cases.
Edwin L. Barnes and Louise Barnes are married. Frank S. Barnes, Jr., and Mary Anne G. Barnes are married. John M. Barnes and Jean D. Barnes are married. Edwin, Frank, and John Barnes are brothers and are the children of Francis May Barnes and Frank1998Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS410">*412 S. Barnes, Sr. They are the grandsons of E.L. and Mary Sanders Barnes.
Ladson A. Barnes, Sr., who was one of three sons of E.L. Barnes, died on March 11, 1984. Ladson A. Barnes, Jr., was the son of Ladson A. Barnes, Sr.
Vera W. Helmly and Robert L. Helmly (the Helmlys) are married.
B. ROCK HILL TELEPHONE CO.
Rock Hill Telephone Co. (Rock Hill) was organized in 1894 under the laws of South Carolina. It is primarily engaged in the business of providing local telephone service in the city of Rock Hill, South Carolina, and in York and Chester counties.
Frank Barnes, Jr., and Edwin Barnes began working for Rock Hill in 1946. Frank Barnes, Jr., was president, chief executive officer, and chairman of the board of directors in 1992. Edwin Barnes was its secretary and treasurer in 1992. John Barnes was one of Rock Hill's vice presidents in 1992.
Four members of the fourth generation of the Barnes family (i.e., great-grandchildren of E.L. Barnes) worked for Rock Hill in 1992. A member of the fifth generation works for Fort Mill, a subsidiary of Rock Hill.
2. THE VOTING TRUST
Frank Barnes, Jr., and his brothers intend to keep Rock Hill as a family owned business. They control Rock Hill through a voting trust. Frank Barnes, Sr., created the voting trust on April 30, 1964, to ensure that 52 percent of Rock Hill's voting stock would vote as a unit. Frank Jr., Edwin, and John (the Barneses), are the trustees of the trust and together own 52 percent of the1998Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS410">*414 voting stock of Rock Hill.
In 1992, the Barneses considered forming a holding company to ensure that Rock Hill would remain in the family. They also bought insurance (at a time not stated in the record) to avoid being required to sell shares of Rock Hill to pay death taxes.
3. ROCK HILL'S AFFILIATES AND SUBSIDIARIES
In 1992, Rock Hill owned the following percentage of common stock in Fort Mill Telephone Co., Lancaster Telephone Co., and Home Telephone Co.:
Percent owned
by Rock Hill
Fort Mill Telephone Co. (Fort Mill)
48.0%
Lancaster Telephone Co. (Lancaster)
49.2
Home Telephone Co. (Home)
49.8
The Fort Mill, Lancaster, and Home service areas are predominantly rural. The Fort Mill and Lancaster service areas are contiguous. Fort Mill provides service in York county. Lancaster provides service in Lancaster and Chester counties. Home is located in Moncks Corner, South Carolina, and provides services in parts of Berkeley, Dorchester, and Orangeburg counties.
Rock Hill has three television cable company subsidiaries: Great Falls Cablevision, Inc.; Carolina Telecom Services, Inc.; and Winnsboro/Ridgeway Cablevision, Inc. It also has three wholly owned subsidiaries (Associated1998Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS410">*415 Data Services, Inc.; Stenseth Directory Service, Inc.; and Associated Telecom, Inc.), that provide services to the cable television and telecommunications industry.
4. TELEPHONE SERVICES PROVIDED BY ROCK HILL
In 1949, Rock Hill converted its local service network to dial service. It installed electromechanical toll switching equipment in 1968, and began offering touch tone service in 1971.
Rock Hill replaced all of its electromechanical switching equipment with digital electronic switching equipment between 1981 and 1990. After it installed digital equipment, Rock Hill offered new services including call waiting, call forwarding, and conference calling. Rock Hill was converting from copper wires to fiber optics technology in December 1992.
Rock Hill maintained 36,820 access lines on December 31, 1991. Each of these lines has access to inter-exchange carriers such as AT&T, MCI, and Sprint. Rock Hill also owns a 5-percent interest in a consortium that provides cellular telephone service in rural South Carolina.
5. DIVIDENDS
From 1987 to 1992, Rock Hill paid common stock dividends as follows:
Mary Anne and Frank Barnes made the following gifts of Rock Hill stock in 1992:
Percent of
No. of shares
Donee
nonvotine stock
Gifts on 12/22/92:
1,470
Frank S. Barnes III
.89%
1,470
Bryant G. Barnes
.89
1,470
Anne B. Grant
.89
1,470
Mary Lea B. Taylor
.89
Gifts on 12/30/92:
80
Rita B. Shaw, trust
.049
80
James Bryant Grant trust
.049
80
Benjamin Lea Grant trust
.049
80
Catherine Iverson Grant trust
.049
80
Michael Francis Taylor trust
.049
80
Robert Graves Taylor trust
.049
80
David Bryant Barnes trust
.049
80
Emily Ann Barnes trust
.049
80
Amanda Emily Barnes trust
.049
1998Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS410">*420 On December 30, 1992, Frank Barnes gave 6,000 shares of Rock Hill nonvoting common stock to Mary Anne Barnes. This stock was about 2.45 percent of the total authorized and issued common (both voting and nonvoting) stock, and about 3.64 percent of the total nonvoting common stock.
Louise and Edwin Barnes made the following gifts of Rock Hill stock on December 23, 1992:
Percent of
No. of shares
Donee
stock
1,900
Susan B. Ellis
1.15%
1,900
Frances T. Barnes
1.15
1,900
Edwin Barnes, Jr.
1.15
On December 31, 1992, Edwin Barnes gave 4,500 shares of Rock Hill nonvoting common stock to Louise Barnes. This stock was about 1.84 percent of the total authorized and issued common (both voting and nonvoting) stock, and about 2.73 percent of the total nonvoting common stock.
Jean and John Barnes made the following gifts of Rock Hill stock on December 26, 1992:
Percent of
No. of shares
Donee
stock
1,900
John Barnes, Jr.
1.15%
1,900
Jean S. Barnes trust
1.15
1,900
Charles D. Barnes trust
1.15
On December 31, 1992, John Barnes gave 4,500 shares of Rock Hill nonvoting common stock to Jean Barnes. This stock was about 1.84 percent of the total authorized and1998Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS410">*421 issued common (both voting and nonvoting) stock, and about 2.73 percent of the total nonvoting common stock.
Rock Hill stock and Home stock were not registered or traded on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, NASDAQ, over the counter, or listed in National Quotation Bureau price reports (the pink sheets).
E. PETITIONERS' GIFT TAX RETURNS AND THE NOTICES OF DEFICIENCY
The Helmlys each agreed to treat each of their gifts as being made one-half by the other under section 2513. Mary Ann and Frank Barnes, Louise and Edwin Barnes, and Jean and John Barnes also elected to split their gifts under section 2513.
The issues for decision are the fair market values of Home and Rock Hill stock that petitioners gave to their children and grandchildren in 1992.
A. FAIR MARKET VALUE
Fair market value is the price at which the property would change hands between a willing buyer and a willing seller, neither being under any compulsion to buy or to sell and both having reasonable knowledge of the relevant facts. United States v. Cartwright, 411U.S.546">411U.S.546, 411U.S.546">551, 36L. Ed. 2d528">36L. Ed. 2d528, 93S. Ct.1713">93S. Ct.1713 (1973); sec. 25.2512-1, Gift Tax Regs. The fair market value of stock is a question of fact. Hamm v. Commissioner, 325F.2d934">325F.2d934, 325F.2d934">938 (8th Cir. 1963), affg. T.C. Memo 1961-347. If selling prices for stock in a closely held corporation which is not listed on any exchange are not1998Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS410">*423 available, then we decide its fair market value by considering factors such as the company's net worth, earning power, dividend-paying capacity, management, goodwill, position in the industry, the economic outlook in its industry, and the values of publicly traded stock of comparable corporations. Estate of Andrews v. Commissioner, 79T.C.938">79T.C.938, 79T.C.938">940 (1982); see sec. 25.2512-2(f), Gift Tax Regs. The weight to be given to these or other evidentiary factors depends on the facts of each case. Sec. 25.2512-2(f), Gift Tax Regs.
B. EXPERT TESTIMONY
Both parties called expert witnesses to give their opinions about the value of the Home and Rock Hill stock that petitioners gave to their children and grandchildren in 1992. We may accept or reject expert1998Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS410">*424 testimony according to our own judgment, and we may be selective in deciding what parts of an expert's opinion, if any, we will accept. Parker v. Commissioner, 86T.C.547">86T.C.547, 86T.C.547">562 (1986).
The expert witnesses at trial were: Dr. Scott D. Hakala (Hakala), for respondent, and George B. Hawkins (Hawkins), for petitioner. Their opinions and the positions of the parties as to the per share value of Home and Rock Hill stock at issue in these cases are as follows:
Respondent contends that Hawkins gave too much weight to the capitalization of dividends and the capitalization of 3-year average dividends multiples. Respondent points out that section 25.2512-2(f)(2), Gift Tax Regs., and Rev. Rul. 59-60, 1959-1 C.B. 237, state that dividend-paying capacity should be considered in estimating the value of closely held stock, and that the regulation does not say to consider actual dividends. Respondent contends that the capitalization of dividends method is unreliable and rarely used because the payment of dividends allegedly has little effect on the price of stock. We disagree.
Where there are no sales available from which to ascertain the fair market value of closely held stock, courts have considered the amount of dividends which the corporation has paid. See Estate of Newhouse v. Commissioner, 94T.C.193">94T.C.193, 94T.C.193">217 (1990); Estate of Leyman v. Commissioner, 40T.C.100">40T.C.100, 40T.C.100">119 (1963), remanded on other grounds 344F.2d763">344F.2d763 (6th Cir. 1965); Estate of Tebb v. Commissioner, 27T.C.671">27T.C.671, 27T.C.671">675 (1957); Estate of Oman v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo 1987-71 (Government expert used valuation based in part on capitalization of dividends). Dividends paid can be more important than dividend-paying capacity in appraising minority interests because a minority shareholder cannot force the company to pay dividends even if it has the capacity to do so. Pratt, Valuing a Business: The Analysis and Appraisal of Closely Held Companies 227 (1996).
Respondent relies on Driver v. United States, 1976U.S. Dist. LEXIS13277">1976U.S. Dist. LEXIS13277, 76-2 U.S. Tax Cas. (CCH) P13,155, 38 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 6315 (W.D. Wis. 1976),1998Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS410">*429 for the proposition that dividends are not a significant factor in valuing closely held stock. In Driver, the decedent made gifts of a majority of the stock in a closely held telephone company in Wisconsin. The donee of the stock in Driver received a majority interest in and control of the company; in contrast, the donees of Rock Hill nonvoting stock had no right to participate in any decision related to the company, and the donees of Home stock had about 1 percent of the voting stock. Thus, the donees here could not force the companies to pay dividends or salaries.
3. SMALL STOCK PREMIUM
Hawkins included a small stock premium Estate of Jung v. Commissioner, 101T.C.412">101T.C.412, 101T.C.412">444 (1993), we declined to apply a small stock premium because the taxpayer's expert did not provide evidence that an investment in the corporation in question was riskier simply because of its small size. Like the expert in Estate of Jung, Hawkins did not show that Home and Rock Hill1998Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS410">*430 were riskier merely because they are small. On the contrary, he concluded that Home and Rock Hill are financially sound and that investments in Home and Rock Hill were much less risky than in other comparably sized companies since the business of Home and Rock Hill is highly regulated.
4. HAKALA'S ANALYSIS
We believe that Hakala did not adequately consider that: (a) Neither Home nor Rock Hill stock is likely to be sold, (b) the Barnes and Helmly families intend to retain control of their companies, (c) Home and Rock Hill paid low dividends, (d) Rock Hill nonvoting stock had no right to participate in any decision related to the company and Home voting stock had about a 1-percent vote that was ineffectual, and (e) an owner of a 1-percent interest in either Home or Rock Hill would find it hard to resell his or her interest. Hakala admitted that Rock 1998Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS410">*431 Hill will not be sold or taken public.
A discount for lack of marketability may apply to minority interests in closely held corporations because there is no ready market for those shares. Estate of Andrews v. Commissioner, 79T.C.938">79T.C.953. Respondent agrees that petitioners are entitled to lack of marketability discounts for Home and Rock Hill stock.
Hawkins applied a 40-percent discount for lack of marketability to his estimate of the value ($ 360.93) of the Home stock, and a 45-percent discount to the value ($ 337.87) of the Rock Hill stock. Hakala applied discounts of 25 percent for lack of marketability to his estimate of the values of the Home ($ 518) and Rock Hill ($ 546) stock.
Hawkins and Hakala mostly cited the same studies. Hakala cited eight studies in which the average discount for lack of marketability ranged from 30 percent to 60 percent. He acknowledged that the typical discount cited for restricted stock Wallace v. United States, 566F. Supp.904">566F. Supp.904, 566F. Supp.904">917 (D. Mass. 1981) (voting shares appraised 5 percent higher than nonvoting shares); Kosman v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo 1996-112 (nonvoting 1998Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS410">*435 shares discounted by 4 percent); Estate of Winkler v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo 1989-231.
Hawkins applied a discount of 3.66 percent for lack of voting power to the value ($ 337.87) of the Rock Hill stock. Hawkins based this discount on a study of 43 public companies with voting and nonvoting shares. The study found that the average discount for nonvoting stock was 3.66 percent. Hakala discounted the nonvoting stock of Rock Hill by an additional 5 percent. We find that Hawkins' use of a 3.66-percent discount for nonvoting stock was reasonable.
3. CONCLUSION -- DISCOUNTS
Based on the arguments of the parties and the record, we conclude that discounts for lack of marketability of 40 percent for the Home stock and 45 percent for the Rock Hill stock are appropriate. We further conclude that a 3.66-percent discount for nonvoting stock is appropriate for the Rock Hill stock. See Estate of Lauder v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo 1994-527 (40% discount for lack of liquidity or marketability); Martin v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo 1985-424 (70% discount for marketability/minority considerations).
E. CONCLUSION
We conclude1998Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS410">*436 that the fair market value per share of the stock of Home that the Helmlys gave to their children and grandchildren was $ 227.41 per share in January and December 1992, and that the fair market value of the stock of Rock Hill that the Barneses gave to their children was $ 201.12 per share on December 22, 23, and 26, 1992, and $ 193.34 per share on December 30, 1992.
4. Rock Hill's financial statement for 1987 and 1988 audited by KPMG Peat Marwick shows capital expenses of $ 5,410,879 for 1988. The audited financial statement for 1988 and 1989 shows capital expenses of $ 5,680,152 for 1988. The record does not explain the $ 269,273 difference.↩
1. This includes $ 8 for a special nonrecurring dividend which Rock Hill declared on Dec. 29, 1992, payable on Dec. 30, 1992.↩
5. Immediately before the gifts in question, Home common stock was held as follows:
2. This includes $ 13 for a special nonrecurring dividend resulting from concerns about impending tax law changes.↩
1. This includes $ 12 for a special nonrecurring dividend resulting from the sale of Home's inter-est in Telecom U.S.A.↩
6. The AUS appraisals were admitted into evidence for the limited purpose of showing that they were sources fo the factual descriptions of Home and Rock Hill used in the report prepared by respondent's expert.↩
7. Petitioners bear the burden of proving that respondent's determinations in the notices of deficiency are erroneous, Welch v. Helvering, 290U.S.111">290U.S.111, 290U.S.111">115, 78L. Ed.212">78L. Ed.212, 54S. Ct.8">54S. Ct.8↩ (1933), and respondent bears the burden of proving the increased gift tax deficiencies resulting from respondent's amended answers. Rule 142(a). However, on this record, our conclusions are not affected by who bears the burden of proof.
1. Hawkins said that Rock Hill stock was worth $ 179.03 per share as of Dec. 30, 1992, because of the $ 8 special dividend payable on Dec. 30, 1992.↩
8. The income capitalization method is used to estimate the fair market value of income-producing property by considering the present value of the future stream of income to be produced by that property. See Estate of Bennett v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo 1989-681, affd. 935F.2d1285">935F.2d1285↩ (4th Cir. 1991).
9. The market value or public guideline company method is used to estimate the fair market value of a company's stock by comparing it with the stock of similar, publicly traded (i.e., "guideline") companies.↩
10. Dividend payout equals dividends (excluding special dividends) per share divided by the net income available per share. It measures the extent to which the company pays its earnings to shareholders.↩
11. A small stock premium is an increase in the discount rate used to capitalize the earnings of the stock of small companies (smaller than S&P 500) on the theory that their average rates of return are higher than thos of large companies. See Pratt, Valuing a Business: The Analysis and Appraisal of Closely Held Companies 165 (1996).↩
12. Hakala did not use as comparables Concord Telephone, Mid-Plains Telephone, and North Pittsburgh Systems.↩
13. We denied respondent's posttrial motion to reopen the record to supplement Hakala's report because of the risk of prejudice to petitioners.↩
14. Stocks with low dividends typically suffer more from lack of marketability than stocks with high dividends. Pratt, supra at 358.↩
15. Under SEC Rule 144(b), 17 C.F.R. sec. 230.144 (1984)↩, restricted securities eventually become freely tradeable through either registration or the passage of time.
16. The values of Home and Rock Hill stock reported on petitioners' returns ($ 230 and $ 220 $ 221 respectively) are admissions by petitioners and will not be overcome without cogent evidence that they are wrong. Waring v. Commissioner, 412F.2d800">412F.2d800, 412F.2d800">801 (3d Cir. 1969), affg. per curiam T.C. Memo 1968-126; Estate of Hall v. Commissioner, 92T.C.312">92T.C.312, 92T.C.312">337-338↩ (1989). Petitioners have met this burden.