(a) Large corporation defined. The term large corporation means any corporation (or a predecessor corporation) that had taxable income of at least $1,000,000 for any taxable year during the testing period. For purposes of this section, a predecessor corporation is the distributor or transferor corporation in a transaction to which section 381 (relating to carryovers in certain corporate acquisitions) applies.

(b) Testing period. For purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, the term testing period means the 3 taxable years immediately preceding the taxable year for which estimated tax is being determined (the current taxable year) or, if less, the number of taxable years the taxpayer has been in existence.

(c) Computation of taxable income during testing period—(1) Short taxable year. In the case of a corporation (or predecessor corporation) that had a short taxable year during the testing period, for purposes of determining whether the $1,000,000 amount referred to in paragraph (a) of this section is equaled or exceeded, the taxable income for the short taxable year is computed by—

(i) Multiplying the taxable income for the short taxable year by 12; and

(ii) Dividing the resulting amount by the number of months in the short taxable year.

(2) Computation of taxable income in taxable year when there occurs a transaction to which section 381 applies. (i) For purposes of determining whether an acquiring corporation had taxable income of $1,000,000 or more for a taxable year in which a section 381 transaction occurs, the acquiring corporation's taxable income will be the sum of—

(A) The taxable income of the acquiring corporation for its taxable year; plus

(B) The taxable income (or loss) of the distributor or transferor corporation for that portion of its taxable year corresponding to the acquiring corporation's taxable year up to and including the date of distribution or transfer (as defined in § 1.381(b)-1(b)).

(ii) For purposes of determining whether a transferor or distributor corporation had taxable income of $1,000,000 or more for a taxable year in which a section 381 transaction occurs, the distributor or transferor corporation's taxable income (or loss) is reduced by the amount of taxable income (or loss) that is included in the acquiring corporation's taxable income for the taxable year in which the distribution or transfer (as defined in § 1.381(b)-1(b)) occurs, as described in paragraph (c)(2)(i)(B) of this section.

(d) Members of controlled group—(1) In general. For purposes of applying paragraph (a) of this section, the taxable income of members of a controlled group of corporations (as defined in section 1563(a)) must be aggregated for each year of the testing period. The provisions of this section do not apply to a controlled group for any taxable year in which the aggregate taxable income of the members of the controlled group is less than $1,000,000.

(2) Aggregation. For purposes of paragraph (d)(1) of this section, a taxable loss of any member of the controlled group for a taxable year during the testing period is not taken into account.

(3) Allocation rule. If the aggregate taxable income of members of a controlled group computed pursuant to paragraph (d)(1) of this section exceeds $1,000,000 during the testing period, the $1,000,000 amount that is relevant for purposes of determining, under paragraph (a)(1) of this section, whether a corporation is a large corporation is divided equally among the component members of such group (including component members excluded pursuant to paragraph (d)(2) of this section) unless all of such component members consent to an apportionment plan providing for an alternative allocation of such amount. The procedure for making and filing this plan will be the same as the procedure used for making and filing an apportionment plan under section 1561. See section 1561 and the regulations.

(4) Controlled group members. (i) In the case of any corporation that was a member of a controlled group of corporations at any time during the testing period but is not a member of such group during the taxable year involved, the taxable income of the former member for the testing period is determined as if such corporation were not a member of a group at any time during that period. With respect to the controlled group, the taxable income of its former member will not be taken into account in determining such group's taxable income for any taxable year during the testing period for purposes of applying paragraph (a)(1) of this section.

(ii) For purposes of paragraph (d)(4)(i) of this section, the determination of whether a corporation is a member of a controlled group during the testing period is based on whether the corporation was a member of the controlled group on the last day of the month preceding the due date of the required installment.

(e) Effect on a corporation's taxable income of items that may be carried back or carried over from any other taxable year. In determining whether a corporation (or predecessor corporation) is a large corporation for its current taxable year, items that could offset taxable income during a taxable year included in the testing period (for example, those described in sections 172 and 1212) are not to be taken into account and the taxable income of a corporation for any taxable year during the testing period is determined without regard to items carried back or carried over from any other taxable year.

(f) Consolidated returns. [Reserved]

(g) Example. The provisions of this section may be illustrated by the following example:

Example.Y Corporation and Z Corporation are calendar year taxpayers. In 2008, Z acquires all of the assets of Y in a transaction to which section 381 applies. Z's taxable income for both 2006 and 2007 was less than $1,000,000. Y's taxable income for 2008 is determined under paragraph (c)(2) of this section to be $300,000 for that portion of Y's taxable year corresponding to Z's taxable year up to and including the date of transfer. Z's taxable income for 2008 is $800,000. Under the provisions of paragraph (c)(2) of this section, Z's 2008 taxable income for purposes of determining whether it is a large corporation for taxable year 2009 is $1,100,000 ($800,000 + $300,000). Thus, Z is a large corporation for the 2009 taxable year. In addition, if Z's 2008 taxable income, as determined under paragraph (c)(2) of this section, had been less than $1,000,000 but Y's taxable income in 2006 or 2007 had been $1,000,000 or more, Z would be a large corporation for taxable year 2009 because Y is a predecessor corporation.

(h) Effective/applicability date. This section applies to taxable years beginning after September 6, 2007.

[T.D. 9347, 72 FR 44360, Aug. 7, 2007]