(a) If property was acquired by a corporation which is a member of a system group, from a corporation which is a member of the same system group, upon a transfer or distribution described in section 1081 (d)(1), then as a general rule the basis of such property in the hands of the acquiring corporation is the basis which such property would have had in the hands of the transferor if the transfer or distribution had not been made. Except as otherwise indicated in this section, this rule will apply equally to cases in which the consideration for the property acquired consists of stock or securities, money, and other property, or any of them, but it is contemplated that an ultimate true reflection of income will be obtained in all cases, notwithstanding any peculiarities in form which the various transactions may assume. See the example in Sec. 1.1081-6.
(b) An exception to the general rule is provided for in case the property acquired consists of stock or securities issued by the corporation from which such stock or securities were received. If such stock or securities were the sole consideration for the property transferred to the corporation issuing such stock or securities, then the basis of the stock or securities shall be (1) the same as the basis (adjusted to the time of the transfer) of the property transferred for such stock or securities, or (2) the fair market value of such stock or securities at the time of their receipt, whichever is the lower. If such stock or securities constituted only part consideration for the property transferred to the corporation issuing such stock or securities, then the basis shall be an amount which bears the same ratio to the basis of the property transferred as the fair market value of such stock or securities on their receipt bears to the total fair market value of the entire consideration received, except that the fair market value of such stock or securities at the time of their receipt shall be the basis therefor, if such value is lower than such amount.
(c) The application of paragraph (b) of this section may be illustrated by the following examples:
Example 1. Suppose the A Corporation has property with an adjusted basis of $600,000 and, in an exchange in which section 1081 (d)(1) is applicable, transfers such property to the B Corporation in exchange for a total consideration of $1,000,000, consisting of (1) cash in the amount of $100,000, (2) tangible property having a fair market value of $400,000 and an adjusted basis in the hands of the B Corporation of $300,000, and (3) stock or securities issued by the B Corporation with a par value and a fair market value as of the date of their receipt in the amount of $500,000. The basis to the B Corporation of the property received by it is $600,000, which is the adjusted basis of such property in the hands of the A Corporation. The basis to the A Corporation of the assets (other than cash) received by it is as follows: Tangible property, $300,000, the adjusted basis of such property to the B Corporation, the former owner; stock or securities issued by the B Corporation, $300,000, an amount equal to 550,000/ 1,000,000ths of $600,000.
Example 2. Suppose that in example (1) the property of the A Corporation transferred to the B Corporation had an adjusted basis of $1,100,000 instead of $600,000, and that all other factors in the example remain the same. In such case, the basis to the A Corporation of the stock or securities in the B Corporation is $500,000, which was the fair market value of such stock or securities at the time of their receipt by the A Corporation, because this amount is less than the amount established as 500,000/1,000,000ths of $1,100,000 or $550,000.