| • | | persons whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar; |
| • | | persons who have elected mark-to-market accounting; |
| • | | persons who hold Shares or Warrants through a partnership or other entity treated as a pass-through entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes; |
| • | | persons subject to the alternative minimum tax or the unearned income Medicare contribution tax on net investment income; and |
| • | | certain U.S. expatriates or former long-term residents of the United States. |
This summary does not address all potentially relevant U.S. federal income tax matters, nor does it address any state, local, foreign, estate, or gift tax consequences of holding or disposing of Shares or Warrants.
As used herein, the term “U.S. Holder” means any beneficial owner of Shares or Warrants who, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is: (i) a citizen or individual resident of the United States; (ii) a corporation (or other entity classified as a corporation for U.S. federal tax purposes) organized under the laws of the United States or of any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (iii) an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source, and (iv) a trust (A) if a U.S. court is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (B) that has elected to be treated as a U.S. person under applicable Treasury Regulations.
If a partnership (or other entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal tax purposes) holds Shares or Warrants, the tax treatment of a partner generally will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Partnerships (or other entities or arrangements classified as a partnership for U.S. federal tax purposes) holding Shares or Warrants, and their partners and other owners, are urged to consult their own tax advisers to determine the U.S. federal, state, local, and other tax consequences that may be relevant to them.
Prospective investors are urged to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax considerations relevant to the ownership and disposition of Unit Shares and Warrants acquired pursuant to the Offering and Warrant Shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of a Warrant, having regard to their particular circumstances.
Treatment of the Units
Each Unit is comprised of one Unit Share and 0.50 of a Warrant, each of which will be treated as a separate instrument for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The purchase price for a Unit must be allocated between the Unit Share and the 0.50 of a Warrant for U.S. federal income tax purposes, based on their respective fair market values at the time of the Offering, and the initial tax basis of each will equal the amount so allocated. Under U.S. federal income tax law, each U.S. Holder must make its own determination of such fair market values, based on all the facts and circumstances. The holding period for each Unit Share and 0.50 of a Warrant acquired as a Unit will begin on the day after the date of acquisition. Each U.S. Holder is urged to consult its own tax adviser regarding the allocation of the purchase price for the Units purchased in the Offering.
Ownership and Disposition of the Warrants
Exercise of the Warrants
Subject to the discussion below under “Passive Foreign Investment Company Considerations” and, except as discussed below with respect to the cashless exercise of a Warrant, a U.S. Holder generally will not recognize gain or loss upon the exercise of a Warrant and the related receipt of a Warrant Share. A U.S. Holder’s initial tax basis in the Warrant Share received upon the exercise of a Warrant generally should equal the sum of (i) the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in such Warrant plus (ii) the exercise price paid by the U.S. Holder. It is unclear whether a U.S. Holder’s holding period for the Warrant Share received upon the exercise of a Warrant would commence on the date of exercise of the Warrant or the day following the date of exercise of the Warrant.
The tax consequences of a cashless exercise of a Warrant are not clear under current law. A cashless exercise may not be taxable, either because the exercise is not a realization event or because the exercise is treated as a recapitalization for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In either case, a U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the Warrant Shares received generally would equal the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the Warrants. If the cashless exercise is not a realization event, it is unclear whether a U.S. Holder’s holding period for the Warrant Share would commence on the date of exercise of the Warrant or the day following the date of exercise of the Warrant. If the cashless exercise is treated as a recapitalization, the holding period of the Warrant Shares would include the holding period of the Warrants.
It is also possible that a cashless exercise may be treated as a taxable exchange in which gain or loss would be recognized. In such event, a U.S. Holder may be deemed to have surrendered Warrants with an aggregate fair market value equal to the exercise price for the total number of Warrants to be exercised. The U.S. Holder would recognize capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the fair market value of the Warrants deemed surrendered and the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in such Warrants. In this case, a U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the Warrant Shares received would equal the sum of the U.S. Holder’s initial investment in the Warrants deemed exercised (i.e., the portion of the U.S. Holder’s purchase price for the Units that is allocated to the Warrants, as described above under “Treatment of the Units”) and the exercise price of such Warrants. It is unclear whether a U.S. Holder’s holding period for the Warrant Shares would commence on the date of exercise of the Warrant or the day following the date of exercise of the Warrant.
Due to the absence of authority regarding the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a cashless exercise, there can be no assurance which, if any, of the alternative tax consequences and holding periods described above would be adopted by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) or a court of law. Accordingly, U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of a cashless exercise.
Sale, Exchange, or Other Taxable Disposition of the Warrants
Subject to the discussion below under “Passive Foreign Investment Company Considerations,” a U.S. Holder generally will recognize capital gain or loss on the sale, exchange, or other taxable disposition of a Warrant in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized on such sale, exchange, or other taxable disposition (or, if the amount realized is denominated in Canadian dollars, its U.S. dollar equivalent, generally, for U.S. Holders that use the cash method and for electing U.S. Holders that use the accrual method, determined by reference to the spot rate of exchange on the date of settlement) and the holder’s tax basis in such Warrant. Such gain or loss will be long-term capital gain or loss if the Warrant has been held for more than one year and will be short-term capital gain or loss if the holding period is equal to or less than one year. Such gain or loss generally will be U.S.-source gain or loss for U.S. foreign tax credit purposes. Long-term capital gains of non-corporate taxpayers are eligible for reduced rates of taxation. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations.
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