1. Subject to the provisions of Articles 33 ter, 40 to 43 bis and 151 sexies, taxable profit is net profit, determined on the basis of the overall results of operations of any kind carried out by companies, including in particular disposals of any assets, either during or at the end of the business.
2. Net profit is the difference between the value of net assets at the beginning and end of the period whose results are to be used as a basis for taxation, less additional contributions and plus withdrawals made during this period by the operator or the partners. Net assets are defined as the excess of asset values over the total formed on the liabilities side by third party claims, depreciation and justified provisions.
Sums incorporated into shareholders’ equity at the time of a merger or demerger without exchange of securities within the meaning of 3° of II of article L. 236-3 of the Commercial Code are also deducted from the net profit determined under the conditions provided for in the first paragraph of this 2.
2 bis. For the purposes of applying 1 and 2, income corresponding to receivables from customers or payments received in advance in payment of the price are attached to the financial year in which the delivery of goods takes place for sales or similar transactions and the completion of services for the provision of services.
However, such income must be taken into account:
a. For continuous services remunerated in particular by interest or rent and for discontinuous services with successive instalments spread over several financial years, as and when they are performed;
b. For work carried out by a company giving rise to complete or partial acceptance, on the date of such acceptance, even if it is only provisional or made with reservations, or on the date of handover to the client if this is earlier.
Delivery within the meaning of the first paragraph means the physical handover of the goods where the sales contract includes a retention of title clause.
These provisions apply to the determination of taxable results for financial years ending on or after 31 December 1978. Income which, in application of the legislation previously in force, has already been used to determine the results of previous financial years shall be deducted to determine the results of the financial years to which the corresponding sums must now be attached.
2 ter. For the application of 1 and 2, the profit or loss resulting from the sale of an asset during the financial year by a specialised finance company mentioned in article L. 214-190-2 of the Monetary and Financial Code is taken into account to determine the taxable income for the same financial year. The same applies to subscription and redemption fees earned and to formation, merger or contribution costs incurred during the financial year. When, at the end of the financial year, a specialised finance company values its assets, liabilities and commitments at their current value, no account is taken, for the purposes of determining the taxable income for that financial year, of the differences in value thus recorded between the beginning and end of that financial year, with the exception of translation differences recorded on items denominated in foreign currencies in relation to the amounts initially recorded and profits and losses recorded in accordance with the provisions of 6 of this article.
3. For the application of 1 and 2, inventories are valued at cost price or at the rate on the day of the close of the financial year, if this rate is lower than cost price.
Work in progress is valued at cost price.
4. For the application of 1 and 2, differences arising from the conversion of foreign currencies and receivables and payables denominated in foreign currencies in relation to the amounts initially recognised are determined at the close of each financial year on the basis of the latest exchange rate and taken into account in determining taxable income for the financial year.
When credit institutions, finance companies or investment firms mentioned in the first paragraph of article 38 bis A value securities denominated in foreign currencies at the close of each financial year on the basis of the last known exchange rate, the conversion differences recorded are taken into account to determine the taxable income for the financial year. At the end of each financial year, the cost price of the securities is increased or reduced, as appropriate, by the conversion differences mentioned in the same paragraph. However, where the establishments or companies concerned hold the investment securities referred to in Article 38 bis B and equity securities, denominated in a foreign currency and whose acquisition was financed in francs or euros, the conversion differences mentioned in this paragraph and recorded on these securities are not taken into account in the taxable income for the financial year; in this case, for tax purposes, the cost price of these securities does not take account of the conversion differences. These provisions apply to exchange differences relating to the period after the opening of the first financial year ending on or after 31 December 1990.
For the financial year ended 31 December 1998 or the tax period ended on the same date, the conversion differences relating to the currencies, receivables, debts and securities mentioned in the first and second paragraphs and denominated in ecus or in the monetary units of the States participating in the single currency, are determined on the basis of the conversion rates defined in Article 1 of Council Regulation no. 97/1103/EC of 17 June 1997 on certain provisions relating to the introduction of the euro.
The provisions of the first paragraph are not applicable, by irrevocable option, to loans denominated in a foreign currency granted, as from 1 January 2001, by companies other than credit institutions, finance companies and investment companies mentioned in article 38 bis A, for an initial and effective period of at least three years, to a company whose registered office is located in a State not participating in the single currency and in which they directly or indirectly hold more than half of the capital continuously throughout the period of the loan. Correspondingly, the tax value of these loans does not take into account any conversion differences recorded in the accounts. The provisions of this paragraph do not apply to loans hedged against exchange rate risk.
The option mentioned in the fourth paragraph is exercised for each loan. It results from the non-application of the provisions of the first paragraph in respect of the financial year during which the loan is granted. By way of exception, for companies which granted loans in 2001 and closed a financial year before 31 December 2001, the option results from the non-application of the provisions of the first paragraph in respect of the first financial year closed from the same date.
4 bis. For the application of the provisions of 2, for the calculation of the difference between the values of the net assets at the close and at the start of the financial year, the opening net assets of the first non-prescribed financial year determined, in the absence of specific provisions, in accordance with the first and second paragraphs of article L. 169 of the Book of Tax Procedures may not be corrected for omissions or errors resulting in an underestimation or overestimation thereof.
The provisions of the first paragraph do not apply where the company provides proof that these omissions or errors occurred more than seven years before the opening of the first financial year that is not time-barred.
Neither do they apply to omissions or errors resulting from excessive depreciation allowances in relation to the practices mentioned in 2° of 1 of Article 39 deducted over time-barred financial years or from the deduction during time-barred financial years of charges that should have been added to fixed assets.
The corrections of the omissions or errors mentioned in the second and third paragraphs remain without influence on taxable income when they affect balance sheet assets. However, they are not taken into account when calculating depreciation or provisions, or when determining the profit on disposal.
5.1° With the exception of sums distributed pursuant to Article L. 214-17-2 of the Monetary and Financial Code, the profit or loss resulting from sales of securities by a mutual fund is included in the income for the financial year during which the fund units are sold by the company. The profit or loss is determined by the difference between the sale price and the value of the units in the company’s balance sheet.
Sums distributable pursuant to the same article L. 214-17-2 are included in the taxable income for the financial year during which they are distributed and are excluded from the tax regime for long-term capital gains, subject to the provisions of 2° of this 5.
2° By way of derogation from the provisions of 1°, the sums corresponding to the distribution, provided for in IX of Article L. 214-28 of the Monetary and Financial Code of a fraction of the assets of a venture capital mutual fund or a professional private equity fund that meets the conditions set out in II or IIIa of Article 163 quinquies B, are allocated in priority to the repayment of contributions. The excess of the sums distributed over the amount of the contributions, or over the acquisition price of the shares if this is different from the amount of the contributions, is included in the taxable income for the financial year in which the excess arises. It is subject to long-term capital gains tax in the proportion that the amount of the contributions made for at least two years on the date of the distribution bears to the total amount of the contributions made on that same date. The cost price of the units is correlatively reduced to the extent of the sums distributed which have not been taxed pursuant to this paragraph.
The first paragraph of this 2° also applies to sums received by a fonds commun de placement à risques, or a fonds professionnel de capital investissement which meets the conditions set out in II or III bis of article 163 quinquies B, from:
a) Distributions of a fraction of the assets of a fonds commun de placement à risques, or a fonds professionnel de capital investissement provided for in IX of article L. 214-28 of the Monetary and Financial Code;
b) Distributions from an entity mentioned in 2° of II of article L. 214-28 of the same code, other than a venture capital mutual fund, a specialised professional fund covered by article L. 214-37 of the Monetary and Financial Code as it read prior to Order no. 2013-676 of 25 July 2013 amending the legal framework for asset management or that a professional private equity fund incorporated in a State or territory that has entered into a tax treaty with France that contains an administrative assistance clause with a view to combating tax evasion or avoidance, levied on capital gains realised by the entity on the disposal of securities occurring during the previous financial year.
5 bis. The profit or loss resulting from the exchange of securities following the merger or demerger of open-ended investment companies and unit trusts is included in the taxable income for the financial year during which the securities received in exchange are sold. In this case, the profit or loss resulting from the subsequent disposal of these securities is determined by reference to the value that the securities given in exchange had for tax purposes.
However, in the event of an exchange with a balancing payment, the profit made is, up to the amount of the balancing payment received, included in the profit for the financial year during which the exchange takes place.
The provisions of the first and second paragraphs do not apply if the balancing payment exceeds 10 p. 100 of the nominal value of the units or shares received, or if it exceeds the profit made.
These provisions apply to the profit or loss resulting from the exchange of securities following the merger or demerger of open-ended preponderantly real estate investment companies mentioned in 3° nonies of Article 208 and real estate investment funds mentioned in Article 239 nonies.
5 ter. The profit resulting from the transfer of units or shares following the demerger of mutual funds and open-ended investment companies carried out pursuant to articles L. 214-7-4, L. 214-8-7, L. 214-24-33 and L. 214-24-41 of the Monetary and Financial Code is not included in taxable income.
The tax value of the units or shares received on the demerger, carried out under the conditions mentioned in the first paragraph of this 5 ter, is equal to the product of the balance sheet entry value of the units or shares of the demerged entity by the ratio, on the date of the demerger, between the net asset value of the entity whose units or shares are received and the sum of the net asset values of the demerged entity and the entity resulting from the demerger.
The tax value of the units or shares of the split entity is equal to the difference between the balance sheet value of these units or shares and the tax value of the units or shares received determined under the conditions provided for in the second paragraph of this 5 ter.
The sums corresponding to the distribution of the assets of the split mutual funds or open-ended investment companies are allocated in priority to the repayment of the contributions, up to the tax value of the units or shares of these funds or companies. The surplus is included in the taxable income for the year in which it is realised. The tax value of these units or shares is reduced up to the amount of the sums distributed which have not been taxed pursuant to this paragraph.
Subsequent provisions as well as the profit or loss resulting from the sale, redemption or cancellation of the units or shares of the split-off entity or the entity resulting from the demerger are calculated on the basis of the tax values determined pursuant to the second and third paragraphs of this 5 ter.
The holding period of the units or shares received at the time of the demerger is counted from the date of acquisition of the units or shares of the demerged entity.
This 5 ter does not apply to units or shares held by companies that include the difference between the net asset value at the beginning and end of the financial year in the taxable income for each financial year pursuant to 1° of Article 209-0 A.
6.1° By way of exception to 1 and 2, the profit or loss resulting from the execution of financial instrument futures contracts outstanding at the close of the financial year is included in the results for that financial year; it is determined on the basis of the price recorded on the closing date on the market on which the contract was entered into.
These provisions apply to contracts, options and other forward financial instruments entered into in France or abroad, which are listed on a stock exchange or traded on a market or by reference to a market with the exception of contracts referred to in the fourth paragraph of 7, received as part of an exchange transaction referred to in that same paragraph ;
2° In the event that a futures contract for financial instruments outstanding at the close of the financial year is used exclusively to offset the risk of a transaction in one of the two following financial years, dealt in on a market of a different nature, taxation of the profit made on the contract is deferred until the contract is unwound, provided that the transactions for which offsetting is envisaged appear on the document provided for in 3° ;
2° bis The profit on a forward contract relating to foreign currencies and the sole purpose of which is to hedge the foreign exchange risk of a future transaction is taxed in respect of the same financial year(s) as the hedged transaction, provided that the latter is identified from the outset by a precise and measurable act or commitment made to a third party. The profits concerned and the hedged transaction must be mentioned on a document attached to the income tax return for each financial year and drawn up in accordance with the model set by the administration;
3° Where a company has taken symmetrical positions, the loss on one of these positions is deductible from taxable income only for the part that exceeds the gains not yet taxed on the positions taken in the opposite direction.
For the purposes of these provisions, a position means the direct or indirect holding of financial instrument futures contracts, transferable securities, foreign currencies, negotiable debt securities, loans or borrowings or a commitment relating to these items.
Positions are said to be symmetrical if their values or returns undergo correlated variations such that the risk of variation in the value or return of one of them is offset by another position, without it being necessary for the positions concerned to be of the same nature or taken on the same market, or to have the same duration.
Symmetrical positions taken during the financial year and those outstanding at the close must be mentioned on a specific document submitted or sent on request to the tax authorities. Otherwise, the loss on a position is not deductible from taxable income.
7. The profit or loss resulting from the exchange of shares carried out as part of a public exchange offer, or from the conversion or exchange of bonds for shares, carried out in accordance with the regulations in force, is included in the profit or loss for the financial year during which the shares received in exchange are sold. In this case, the profit or loss resulting from the subsequent disposal of these securities is determined by reference to the value that the shares given in exchange or the bonds converted or exchanged had for tax purposes; the two-year period referred to in Article 39 duodecies is assessed from the date of acquisition of the shares given in exchange.
However, in the event of an exchange or conversion with a balancing payment, the capital gain realised is, up to the amount of the balancing payment received, included in the profit for the financial year during which the exchange or conversion takes place. The same applies in the case of the exchange of shares with bond subscription rights, whether attached or not, and the conversion of bonds into shares with the same rights, to the fraction of the capital gain corresponding to the actual value of these rights on the date of the exchange or conversion transaction or to the price of these rights calculated under the conditions of the second paragraph of 1° of 8 of this article if they are exchanged or converted for a single price. The taxable amount may benefit from the long-term capital gains regime provided for in article 39 duodecies, within the limit of the capital gain realised on the shares held for at least two years.
These provisions do not apply if the total of the balancing payment and, where applicable, the price of the rights mentioned in the second paragraph exceeds 10% of the nominal value of the shares allocated or if this total exceeds the capital gain realised.
Where, on the occasion of a share exchange transaction referred to in the first paragraph, one of the co-traders guarantees, by means of a financial instrument contract, on a date fixed in the offer and between twelve and sixty months following the closing date of that offer, the price of the shares tendered to the exchange of which it is the issuer, the profit or loss resulting from the exchange of shares is subject to the provisions of this first paragraph and the profit resulting from the allocation of this financial instrument contract is not included in the results for the financial year of the exchange ; the sums received by the co-trading partner are included, depending on the case, in the results for the financial year in which the contract is assigned or the financial year in which the guarantee provided for in the contract is implemented. In the latter case, the sums received may benefit from the long-term capital gains regime provided for in article 39 duodecies if the shares delivered and received in exchange are covered by this regime, respectively on the date of the exchange transaction and on the expiry date of the contract in question, and if the share whose price is guaranteed by this contract and the contract itself have been held until this expiry date. For the assessment of this last condition, the contracts held until the date of their maturity are allocated by priority to the shares still held on that date.
When a company remits several securities in exchange pursuant to the terms of exchange, the value mentioned in the second sentence of the first paragraph corresponds to the total value that each of these securities had from a tax point of view; the two-year period mentioned in the same paragraph is assessed from the most recent date of acquisition or subscription of the shares remitted in exchange by this company.
When a company receives several securities on the occasion of an exchange or conversion transaction pursuant to the terms of exchange or the bases of conversion, the value mentioned in the second sentence of the first paragraph is allocated in proportion to the actual value on the date of this transaction or to the value resulting from their first listing if the securities received are shares with share subscription rights, whether attached or not, issued for a single price on the occasion of such a transaction.
For transactions carried out during financial years ending on or after 31 December 1994, the provisions of this 7 do not apply if one of the co-traders tenders for exchange shares issued during a capital increase carried out less than three years ago by a company that directly or indirectly holds more than 5% of the capital of the other company with which the exchange is carried out or by a company in which more than 5% of the capital is held directly or indirectly by that other company.
The capital increases referred to in the seventh paragraph are those resulting:
a-from a contribution of cash;
b-from a contribution of receivables or securities excluded from the long-term capital gains regime pursuant to I of Article 219;
c-from the takeover of a company whose assets consist mainly of cash or the rights referred to in b or from the contribution of shares or units in such a company.
The provisions of this article apply to exchange transactions involving investment certificates, cooperative investment certificates, oil certificates, voting right certificates, non-voting preference shares and preference shares, as well as the conversion of ordinary shares into non-voting preference shares or preference shares, preference shares into preference shares of another class, non-voting preference shares or preference shares into ordinary shares and the conversion of shares into mutualist or parity certificates.
The provisions of this 7 apply to the redemption, by the issuing company, of holders of bonds redeemable in shares, when that same company carries out the aforementioned transaction by concurrently issuing shares.
7 bis. The profit or loss realised on the exchange of company rights resulting from a merger or demerger of companies may be included in the profit or loss for the financial year in which the company rights received in exchange are sold. In this case, the profit or loss resulting from the subsequent disposal of these company rights is determined by reference to the value that the company rights given in exchange had for tax purposes.
In the event of a company demerger, the tax value of the securities of each company receiving the contributions received in consideration therefor is equal to the product of the tax value of the securities of the demerged company by the ratio existing on the date of the demerger transaction between the actual value of the securities of each recipient company under this transaction and the actual value of the securities of the demerged company.
However, in the event of an exchange with a balancing payment, the capital gain realised is included in the profit for the financial year in which the exchange takes place, up to the amount of the balancing payment received. The taxable amount may benefit from the long-term capital gains regime provided for in Article 39 duodecies, within the limit of the capital gain realised on the securities held for at least two years.
These provisions do not apply if the balance exceeds 10% of the nominal value of the shares or units allocated or if the balance exceeds the capital gain realised.
7 ter. The capital gain or loss resulting from the cancellation of shares carried out as part of a reverse stock split or reverse stock split, carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Commercial Code or equivalent foreign provisions, is included in the profit or loss for the financial year in which the shares allocated in replacement are sold. The capital gain or loss arising on the subsequent sale of these shares is determined by reference to the value that the shares replaced had for tax purposes.
In the event of a reverse split or reverse split of shares, the capital gain or loss is determined by reference to the value that the shares replaced had for tax purposes.
In the event of a reverse stock split or reverse stock split with a balancing payment, the capital gain realised is, up to the amount of the balancing payment received, included in the profit for the financial year in which the reverse stock split or reverse stock split takes place.
7 quater. The capital gain or loss resulting from the free and irrevocable transfer of equity securities or shares to a fonds de pérennité mentioned in Article 177 of Law no. 2019-486 of 22 May 2019 relating to the growth and transformation of businesses when it is set up is included in the profit or loss for the financial year during which these securities or shares are subsequently sold by the fund that is the beneficiary of this transfer if the latter has undertaken to calculate the capital gain or loss based on the value that these securities or shares had, for tax purposes, on the date of the transfer.
7 quinquies. The taxation of the capital gain resulting from the free and irrevocable transfer of capital securities or shares to a foundation recognised as being in the public interest may be deferred until they are sold by the foundation that is the beneficiary of this transfer.
The deferred capital gain is taxed on the date on which the deferral is terminated in the name of the foundation that is the beneficiary of the transfer.
When the transfer value of the securities is less than the value of the same securities on the day of the transfer referred to in the first paragraph of this 7 quinquies, the deferred capital gain is reduced by the difference between these two values.
The company transferring the equity securities or shares referred to in the same first paragraph shall provide the administration with a statement attached to its income tax return showing the amount of capital gains realised at the time of the transfer and the taxation of which is deferred.
The foundation that is the beneficiary of the transfer referred to in the said first paragraph must, if it opts to defer taxation, send the tax authorities, for the year in progress on the date of the transfer and for subsequent years, a statement showing the information required to monitor the capital gain whose taxation is deferred. This statement is appended to the income tax return or, failing that, sent within the same timeframe as the income tax return mentioned in article 223.
8.1° The capital gain from the separate sale of transferable securities and subscription rights attached to them, acquired for a single price, is calculated by reference to the fraction of the acquisition price relating to each of these items.
The fraction relating to subscription rights is equal to the difference between the single price and the price of the transferable security on the date of the subscription or acquisition. The price means the current value for bonds;
2° The difference between the current value of a bond with subscription rights and its redemption value is considered, for the taxation of the subscriber, as a redemption premium. However, for securities issued before 1 January 1993, this is only subject to the provisions of I of Article 238 septies B if its amount exceeds 15% of the present value of the bond;
3° The sums received by a company on the issue of rights to subscribe for or acquire transferable securities are included in its taxable income for the financial year in which these rights expire if they have not been exercised.
9.1° The application of the valuation method provided for in article L. 232-5 of the French Commercial Code has no impact on taxable income, notwithstanding 1 and 2 of this article;
2° However, the provisions of the sixteenth paragraph of 5° of 1 of article 39 are applicable to the fraction of the provision set aside for the negative equity difference, which corresponds to the depreciation defined in the seventeenth paragraph of 5° of 1 of article 39, for securities valued using this method. Any excess of this provision is not deductible for tax purposes.
Provisions that are transferred to the equity difference item, as well as those that have become redundant as a result of the application of the valuation method mentioned in 1°, are immediately added back to taxable income. The provisions for depreciation of the securities thus transferred are included in the long-term capital gains for the financial year referred to in 1 of I of Article 39 quindecies;
3° In the event of the disposal of securities referred to in 2°, the capital gain or loss is determined on the basis of their cost price;
4° A decree defines the terms and conditions for the application of this article as well as the reporting obligations of companies that apply the valuation method provided for in 1°.
10. The capital gain on the sale of a property by a non-trading property company not subject to corporation tax whose shares have been allocated by an insurance company, by a supplementary occupational pension scheme mentioned in Article L. 381-1 of the Insurance Code, a mutual or union for supplementary professional retirement mentioned in Article L. 214-1 du code de la mutualité ou une institution de retraite professionnelle supplémentaire mentionnée à l’article L. 942-1 of the Social Security Code to cover unit-linked life insurance contracts provided for in Article L. 131-1 of the Insurance Code is included in the taxable income of the insurance company, the supplementary occupational retirement fund, the supplementary occupational retirement mutual or union or the supplementary occupational retirement institution after deduction of the revaluation profits recorded at the time of the annual valuations of these units in the accounts of the insurance company, the supplementary occupational retirement fund, the supplementary occupational retirement mutual or union or the supplementary occupational retirement institution.
The capital loss of the same nature is retained under the same conditions, and may not be deducted from the revaluation profits of the shares of the non-trading company, recorded by the insurance company, the supplementary occupational retirement fund, the supplementary occupational retirement mutual or union or the supplementary occupational retirement institution.
11. The transfer to a subsidiary allocation account of assets for which the rules of article L. 134-4, Article L. 142-5, Article L. 143-7, Article L. 381-2, of Article L. 441-8, or VII of article L. 144-2 of the Insurance Code is treated as a transfer. The same applies in the event of the withdrawal of assets from one of these accounts.
1° However, the profit or loss recorded on the transfer of assets to the auxiliary allocation accounts subject to the rules of article L. 143-7 of the Insurance Code is not included in the profit or loss for the financial year in which the transfer takes place if the following conditions are met:
a) The transaction is carried out in accordance with the provisions of Article L. 143-8 of the Insurance Code;
b) The items are entered in the auxiliary allocation accounts at their book value as shown in the accounts of the company carrying out the transaction.
In this case, the profit or loss resulting from the subsequent disposal of these items is calculated on the basis of the value they had, from a tax point of view, in the accounts of the company carrying out the transaction.
2° The profit or loss recorded when assets are withdrawn from the auxiliary allocation accounts, subject to the rules of VII of Article L. 144-2 of the same code, in order to meet the obligations set out in Article L. 142-4 of the said code, is not included in the profit or loss for the financial year during which the withdrawal took place if the items are entered in the general accounts at their book value as shown in the auxiliary allocation accounts at the outset.
In this case, the profit or loss resulting from the subsequent disposal of these items is calculated on the basis of the value they had, for tax purposes, in the accounts of the company that carried out the transaction.
3° The profit or loss recognised on the transfer of assets to the auxiliary allocation accounts subject to the rules of Article L. 142-5 of the Insurance Code is not included in the profit or loss for the financial year during which the transfer took place if the following conditions are met:
a) The transaction is carried out in accordance with the rules of Article L. 142-5 of the Insurance Code.
a) The transaction is carried out in accordance with articles L. 142-4 or L. 142-7 of the same code;
> b) The items are recorded in the profit and loss account.
b) The items are entered in the auxiliary allocation accounts at their book value as shown in the accounts of the company carrying out the transaction;
In this case, the profit or loss is entered in the auxiliary allocation accounts at its book value as shown in the accounts of the company carrying out the transaction.
In this case, the profit or loss resulting from the subsequent disposal of these items is calculated on the basis of the value that these items had, for tax purposes, in the accounts of the company carrying out the transaction.