Amgen in Billion Dollar Transfer Pricing Dispute with the IRS

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Amgen, in its quarterly report for the period ended March 31, 2022, disclosed that, not only has the group been issued a notice of assessments from the IRS for FY 2010-2012 resulting in additional taxes of approximately $3.6 billion plus interest – as previously reported – it has also received a Revenue Agent Reports (RAR) for 2013-2015 resulting in additional taxes of approximately $5.1 billion, plus interest and penalties of approximately $2.0 billion. Furthermore, it is disclosed that Amgen is currently under examination by the IRS for the years 2016, 2017 and 2018 and by a number of state and foreign tax jurisdictions

The main dispute relates to the allocation of profits between Amgen group entities in the United States and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico.

Excerpt from Amgen’s quarterly report for the period ended March 31, 2022

4. Income taxes
The effective tax rates for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, were 11.9% and 11.4%, respectively.
The increase in our effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2022, was primarily due to current year net unfavorable items compared to last year, offset by changes in earnings mix. The effective tax rates differ from the federal statutory rate primarily as a result of foreign earnings from the Company’s operations conducted in Puerto Rico, a territory of the United States treated as a foreign jurisdiction for U.S. tax purposes, that are subject to a tax incentive grant through 2035. In addition, the Company’s operations conducted in Singapore are subject to a tax incentive grant through 2034. These foreign earnings are also subject to U.S. tax at a reduced rate of 10.5%.
The U.S. territory of Puerto Rico imposes an excise tax on the gross intercompany purchase price of goods and services from our manufacturer in Puerto Rico. The rate of 4% is effective through December 31, 2027. We account for the excise tax as a manufacturing cost that is capitalized in inventory and expensed in cost of sales when the related products are sold. For U.S. income tax purposes, in 2022 the excise tax results in foreign tax credits that are generally recognized in our provision for income taxes when the excise tax is incurred.
One or more of our legal entities file income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction, various U.S. state jurisdictions and certain foreign jurisdictions. Our income tax returns are routinely examined by tax authorities in those jurisdictions. Significant disputes can and have arisen with tax authorities involving issues regarding the timing and amount of deductions, the use of tax credits and allocations of income and expenses among various tax jurisdictions because of differing interpretations of tax laws, regulations and relevant facts. Tax authorities (including the IRS) are becoming more aggressive and are particularly focused on such matters.
In 2017, we received an RAR1 and a modified RAR from the IRS for the years 2010, 2011 and 2012 proposing significant adjustments that primarily relate to the allocation of profits between certain of our entities in the United States and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. We disagreed with the proposed adjustments and calculations and pursued resolution with the IRS appeals office but were unable to reach resolution. In July 2021, we filed a petition in the U.S. Tax Court to contest two duplicate Statutory Notices of Deficiency (Notices) for 2010, 2011 and 2012 that we received in May and July 2021, which seek to increase our U.S. taxable income for 2010-2012 by an amount that would result in additional federal tax of approximately $3.6 billion plus interest. Any additional tax that could be imposed for 2010-2012 would be reduced by up to approximately $900 million of repatriation tax previously accrued on our foreign earnings.
In 2020, we received an RAR and a modified RAR from the IRS for the years 2013, 2014 and 2015, also proposing significant adjustments that primarily relate to the allocation of profits between certain of our entities in the United States and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico similar to those proposed for the years 2010, 2011 and 2012. We disagreed with the proposed adjustments and calculations and pursued resolution with the IRS appeals office but were unable to reach resolution. In April 2022, we received a Notice that seeks to increase our U.S. taxable income for 2013-2015 by an amount that would result in additional federal tax of approximately $5.1 billion, plus interest. In addition, the Notice asserts penalties of approximately $2.0 billion. Any additional tax that could be imposed for 2013-2015 would be reduced by up to approximately $2.2 billion of repatriation tax previously accrued on our foreign earnings.
We firmly believe that the IRS positions set forth in the 2010-2012 and 2013-2015 Notices are without merit. We are contesting the 2010-2012 Notices through the judicial process, and we expect to file a Petition in the U.S. Tax Court to contest the 2013-2015 Notice through the judicial process. We will seek consolidation of the two periods into one case in Tax Court.
We are also currently under examination by the IRS for the years 2016, 2017 and 2018 and by a number of state and foreign tax jurisdictions.
Final resolution of these complex matters is not likely within the next 12 months. We believe our accrual for income tax liabilities is appropriate based on past experience, interpretations of tax law, application of the tax law to our facts and judgments about potential actions by tax authorities; however, due to the complexity of the provision for income taxes and uncertain resolution of these matters, the ultimate outcome of any tax matters may result in payments substantially greater than amounts accrued and could have a material adverse impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements.
We are no longer subject to U.S. federal income tax examinations for years ended on or before December 31, 2009.
See Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, Income Taxes for further discussion and Part II, Item 1A, Risk Factors—The adoption and interpretation of new tax legislation or exposure to additional tax liabilities could affect our profitability.
During the three months ended March 31, 2022, the gross amounts of our UTBs increased $45 million, as a result of tax positions taken during the current year. Substantially all of the UTBs as of March 31, 2022, if recognized, would affect our effective tax rate.

 

In a News Release on the announcement in the quarterly report, Amgen states

 

Amgen firmly believes that the adjustments proposed by the IRS for the 2010-2015 period and the penalties proposed by the IRS for the 2013-2015 period are without merit:
•Puerto Rico is the site of the Company’s flagship manufacturing complex responsible for the majority of Amgen’s global manufacturing. Amgen has had a substantial manufacturing presence in Puerto Rico for 30 years, and the Company’s Puerto Rico subsidiary produces sophisticated biologic medicines for millions of patients around the world. The many valuable contributions of the Company’s Puerto Rico subsidiary include the effort and expertise of its 2,400 highly skilled staff members, the nearly $4 billion in capital investments it has made on the Island, the valuable assets it possesses, and the significant risks it has assumed in connection with its business. It is through these investments that Amgen has been able to meet the needs of every patient, every time.
•Amgen’s allocation of profit between its U.S. and Puerto Rico entities appropriately recognizes the key contributions made by the Company’s Puerto Rico subsidiary. The IRS position fails to adequately account for the importance of these value drivers. The proposed adjustments would result in Amgen’s Puerto Rico subsidiary earning little or no profit from its operations despite the value of and risk associated with its contributions.
•The IRS audited Amgen at length for many years on the allocation of profit between the U.S. and Puerto Rico. These audits were resolved through agreements with the IRS, resulting in no financial statement detriment to the Company. Refer to Footnote 5, Income Taxes, in Amgen’s 2007 and 2008 Form 10-K filings, and Footnote 4, Income Taxes, in Amgen’s 2012 and 2013 Form 10-K filings.
Further, the amount of the adjustments proposed by the IRS for the 2010-2015 period overstates by billions of dollars the magnitude of the dispute:
•Amgen believes, based upon the positions advanced by the IRS, that the IRS adjustments for the 2010-2015 period are overstated by approximately $2 billion due to the IRS failure to account for certain income and expenses. Amgen has reported its income and expenses in a consistent manner for many years and the IRS has appropriately accounted for the Company’s income and expenses in all prior audits.
•Any additional tax that could be imposed for the 2010-2015 period would be reduced by up to approximately $3.1 billion of repatriation tax previously accrued with respect to the Company’s Puerto Rico earnings.
•Amgen previously made advance tax deposits to the IRS totaling $1.1 billion for the 2010-2015 period. These deposits would further reduce any additional cash tax that could be imposed.
In addition, Amgen believes the IRS assertion of approximately $2 billion in penalties for the 2013-2015 period is wholly unwarranted. Amgen has applied a consistent transfer pricing methodology since 2002, has documented that transfer pricing methodology as required under relevant tax regulations, and has extensively discussed that methodology with the IRS across multiple tax audits over multiple years. The IRS has never previously proposed transfer pricing penalties.
Amgen believes that the Company has appropriate tax reserves. The Company filed a petition in the U.S. Tax Court in July 2021 to contest the adjustments previously proposed for the 2010-2012 period and plans to file another petition in the U.S. Tax Court to contest the adjustments proposed in the notice for the 2013-2015 period. Amgen will seek consolidation of the two periods into one case in Tax Court. The dispute is expected to take several years to resolve.
The IRS is currently auditing the 2016-2018 period. Amgen expects the audit to continue for several years, and it is possible the 2010-2015 dispute will be resolved before the conclusion of the 2016-2018 audit and administrative appeals process. Any transfer pricing adjustments the IRS may propose for this period will be lessened by the change in tax rates resulting from the 2017 tax reform law, which reduced the difference between the tax rates applicable in the U.S. and Puerto Rico by approximately two thirds beginning in 2018.

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