Airbnb is under examination by the Internal Revenue Service for its income taxes in 2013 and 2016, according to the company’s December 2020 SEC filing.
According to the filing a draft notice of adjustment from the IRS proposes that the company owes an additional $1.35 billion in taxes plus interest and penalties for the years in question. The assessment is related to valuation of its intellectual property that was transferred to a subsidiary in FY 2013. Airbnb then had had two subsidiaries outside the United States – Airbnb International Holdings Ltd and Airbnb International Unlimited Co – both resident for tax purposes in tax haven Jersey.
The company plans to fight a potential adjustment.
“We disagree with the proposed adjustment and intend to vigorously contest it,”
“If the IRS prevails in the assessment of additional tax due based on its position and such tax and related interest and penalties, if any, exceeds our current reserves, such outcome could have a material adverse impact on our financial position and results of operations, and any assessment of additional tax could require a significant cash payment and have a material adverse impact on our cash flow,”
Finally, it appears that the company is now in the process of moving its intellectual property back to the United States.
Excerpts From Airbnb’s SEC filings
“We are currently under examination for income taxes by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) for the years 2013 and 2016. We are continuing to respond to inquiries related to these examinations. While we have not yet received a Revenue Agent’s Report generally issued at the conclusion of an IRS examination, in September 2020, we received a Draft Notice of Proposed Adjustment from the IRS for the 2013 tax year relating to the valuation of our international intellectual property which was sold to a subsidiary in 2013. The notice proposes an increase to our U.S. taxable income that could result in additional income tax expense and cash tax liability of $1.35 billion, plus penalties and interest, which exceeds our current reserve recorded in our consolidated financial statements by more than $1.0 billion. A formal Notice of Proposed Adjustment is expected from the IRS by the end of 2020. Following formal receipt of the Revenue Agent’s adjustment which is anticipated late in the fourth quarter of 2020, we intend to vigorously contest the IRS’s proposed adjustment, including through all administrative and, if necessary, judicial remedies which may include: entering into administrative settlement discussions with the IRS Independent Office of Appeals (“IRS Appeals”) in 2021, and if necessary petitioning the U.S. Tax Court (“Tax Court”) for redetermination if an acceptable outcome cannot be reached with IRS Appeals, and finally, and if necessary, appealing the Tax Court’s decision to the appropriate appellate court. If the IRS prevails in the assessment of additional tax due based on its position and such tax and related interest and penalties, if any, exceeds our current reserves, such outcome could have a material adverse impact on our financial position and results of operations, and any assessment of additional tax could require a significant cash payment and have a material adverse impact on our cash flow.“
“We may have exposure to greater than anticipated income tax liabilities. In September 2020, we received a Draft Notice of Proposed Adjustment from the IRS for the 2013 tax year proposing an increase to our U.S. taxable income that could result in additional income tax expense and cash tax liability of $1.35 billion, plus penalties and interest, which exceeds our current reserve recorded in our consolidated financial statements by more than $1.0 billion.“
“The Company is in various stages of examination in connection with its ongoing tax audits globally, and it is difficult to determine when these examinations will be settled. The Company believes that an adequate provision has been recorded for any adjustments that may result from tax audits. However, the outcome of tax audits cannot be predicted with certainty. If any issues addressed in the Company’s tax audits are resolved in a manner not consistent with management’s expectations, the Company may be required to record an adjustment to the provision for income taxes in the period such resolution occurs. It is reasonably possible that over the next 12-month period the Company may experience an increase or decrease in its unrecognized tax benefits as a result of tax examinations or lapses of the statute of limitations. However, an estimate of the range of the reasonably possible change in the next twelve months cannot be made.“
“On July 27, 2015, the United States Tax Court (the “Tax Court”) issued an opinion in Altera Corp. v. Commissioner (the “Tax Court Opinion”), which concluded that related parties in a cost sharing arrangement are not required to share expenses related to stock-based compensation. The Tax Court Opinion was appealed by the Commissioner to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (the “Ninth Circuit”). On June 7, 2019, the Ninth Circuit issued an opinion (the “Ninth Circuit Opinion”) that reversed the Tax Court Opinion. On July 22, 2019, Altera Corp. filed a petition for a rehearing before the full Ninth Circuit. On November 12, 2019, the Ninth Circuit denied Altera Corp.’s petition for rehearing its case. The Company accordingly recognized tax expense of $26.6 million related to changes in uncertain tax positions during the year ended December 31, 2019. The Company will continue to monitor future developments in this case to determine if there will be further impacts to its consolidated financial statements.”
“The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision in Altera Corp. v. Commissioner in June of 2019 regarding the treatment of stock-based compensation expense in a cost sharing arrangement, which had a material effect on our tax obligations and effective tax rate for the quarter in which the decision was issued.”
“The Company is in the process of providing documentation to the Internal Revenue Service in connection with an examination of the Company’s 2013 income taxes with the primary issue under examination being the valuation of the Company’s international intellectual property which was sold to a subsidiary in 2013. In September 2020, the Company received a Draft Notice of Proposed Adjustment from the IRS which proposes an increase to the Company’s U.S. taxable income that could result in additional income tax expense and cash liability of $1.35 billion, subject to penalties and interest. If the IRS prevails in the assessment of additional tax due based on its position, the assessed tax, interest, and penalties, if any exceeding the Company’s current reserves, could have a material adverse impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations, and cash flows. Following formal receipt of the Revenue Agent’s adjustment, which the Company anticipates late in the fourth quarter of 2020, it intends to vigorously contest the IRS’s proposed adjustment, including through all administrative and, if necessary, judicial remedies which may include: entering into administrative settlement discussions with the IRS Independent Office of Appeals (“IRS Appeals”) in 2021, and if necessary petitioning the U.S. Tax Court (“Tax Court”) for redetermination if an acceptable outcome cannot be reached with IRS Appeals, and finally, and if necessary, appealing the Tax Court’s decision to the appropriate appellate court. The Company believes that adequate amounts have been reserved for any adjustments that may ultimately result from these examinations.“
“During the third quarter of 2020, the Company approved a restructuring plan to repatriate its intellectual property to the United States to align with its evolving operations in a post-COVID-19 environment. The transaction is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2020. The effects of the transaction are included in the estimated annual effective tax rate. As a result of the approved transaction, the tax benefit of $100.0 million related to the five-year net operating loss carryback provision of the CARES Act accrued in the first two quarters of 2020 was reversed in the third quarter of 2020. In the fourth quarter of 2020, the Company expects to eliminate a $789.6 million foreign deferred tax asset related to the tax basis of intellectual rights that are being repatriated back to the United States. The foreign deferred tax asset was offset by a full valuation allowance. Also, the transaction is intended to create a U.S. deferred tax asset of $98.5 million resulting from a step-up in the tax basis of certain repatriated intellectual property. Based on available objective evidence, management believes it is not more-likely-than-not that these additional U.S. deferred tax assets will be realizable as of September 30, 2020 and, therefore, these deferred tax assets are offset by a full valuation allowance.“