Employee share plans are commonly used to provide a staff incentive to employees who have served long and continuously, as well as to compensate the employees for their commitment in reaching company goals and performance criteria. Because any person, including employers implementing such schemes, will always structure transactions to achieve the best possible tax outcome, many schemes and structures have become available to achieve those ends. A recent employee share scheme was structured through the incorporation of a wholly- owned subsidiary, which was incorporated for the sole purpose of administering and managing the employee share plan on behalf of the holding company. This would include acquiring holding company shares in the open market and the subsequent transfer thereof to the holding company’s employees. The payment made to the subsidiary for the services rendered and to enable the subsidiary to acquire holding company shares in the open market, was structured as a fee together with a risk premium payable and not as an intercompany interest-free loan. A study of the investigation and evaluation of the adequacy and legality of such schemes and structures and whether or not appropriate tax principles were applied to achieve possible tax benefits, creates several research challenges. Although previous research has been conducted on the tax implications for employees under a share-based plan, payments structured as interest-free loans and several case law on the deductibility of payments structured as interest-free loans, there is a lack of extensive previous academic research on the funding of employee share plans structured as a fee together with a risk premium, made to wholly-owned subsidiaries to manage and administer an employee share plan. The aim of this study is to help to fill the gap in relevant research, case law and legislation regarding the tax implications of this new funding structure of conditional employee share plans. The tax implications for both the holding company and the subsidiary will be taken into consideration to assess whether or not the scheme will be beneficial to all parties involved. AFRIKAANS : Aandeelgebaseerde skemas vir werknemers word algemeen gebruik om personeelvoordele aan werknemers te verskaf wat lang en deurlopende diens gelewer het, asook om vergoeding te bied aan werknemers vir hul toewyding in die bereiking van die maatskappy se doelwitte en prestasie-kriteria. Verskeie skemas en strukture het al ontstaan as gevolg van die feit dat enige persoon, onder wie werkgewers wat sulke skemas implementeer, deurgans transaksies sal struktureer om die beste moontlike belastinguitkoms te bewerkstellig. ’n Onlangse aandeelgebaseerde skema vir werknemers is soos volg gestruktureer: Die houermaatskappy het ’n volfiliaal ingelyf met die uitsluitlike doel om die administrasie en bestuur van die aandeelgebaseerde skema, namens die houermaatskappy te onderneem. Die verkryging van die houermaatskappy-aandele in die ope mark en die daaropvolgende oordrag daarvan aan die houermaatskappy se werknemers is beplan. Die betaling aan die filiaal vir die dienste gelewer en om die filiaal in staat te stel om die houermaatskappy se aandele in die ope mark te bekom, is gestruktureer as ’n fooi en ’n risiko-premie betaalbaar eerder as ’n rentevrye intergroep-lening as sodanig. ’n Studie oor die ondersoek en evaluering van die geskiktheid en wettigheid van sulke strukture en of die korrekte belastingbeginsels toegepas is om moontlike belastingvoordele te bereik, skep verskeie navorsingsuitdagings. Hoewel vorige navorsing onderneem is oor die belastingimplikasies vir werknemers in die lig van aandeelgebaseerde transaksies, betalings wat gestruktureer is as rentevrye lenings en verskeie wetsbepalings ten opsigte van die aftrekbaarheid van betalings wat gestruktureer is as rentevrye lenings, is daar ’n gebrek aan uitgebreide vorige akademiese navorsing oor die befondsing van aandeelgebaseerde skemas deur ’n fooi insluitende ’n risikopremie. Die doel van hierdie studie is om te help om die die gaping in relevante navorsing, regspraak en wetgewing ten opsigte van die belastingimplikasies van die nuwe finansieringstruktuur van voorwaardelike aandeelgebaseerde skemas vir werknemers te vernou. Die belastingimplikasies vir die houermaatskappy en filiaal sal in ag geneem word om vas te stel of die skema voordelig is vir albei die betrokke partye Copyright 2011, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Van Wyk, C-L 2011, A critical analysis of the income tax implications of conditional employee share plans in South Africa, MCom dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-03202012-150330 / > F12/4/173/gm / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Taxation / unrestricted

AFRIKAANS: Die doel van hierdie verhandeling is om die proses van kapitaalverkryging deur die maatskappy te ondersoek en om veral op die begrip “aanbod van aandele aan die publiek” en verbandhoudende aangeleenthede klem te lê. Om hierdie doel te bereik was dit nodig gewees om op die verskillende kapitaalvorme te let soos wat dit ten opsigte van aandelekapitaal en leningskapitaal voorkom. Daar is in hierdie verband ook op enkele faktore gewys wat die maatskappy in ag moet neem in die keuse tussen die kapitaalvorme. Die regsreëls wat die aanbod van aandele aan die publiek reguleer is geskiedkundig nagespoor om sodoende die doel daarvan vas te stel en ook om te bepaal of daar nog aan hierdie doel voldoen word. Daar is ook ‘n regsvergelykende studie gedoen om sodoende perspektief ten opsigte van die effektiwiteit en wenslikheid van hierdie reëls te verkry. Die drie elemente wat die openbaarmakingsvereistes van die Maatskappywet 61 van 1973 in werking stel is in besonderhede ontleed om sodoende te bepaal of daar enige moontlike leemtes bestaan. Oplossings vir hierdie leemtes is dan ook in gepaste gevalle aan die hand gedoen, met die uitgangspunt steeds in gedagte dat die verkryging van aandelekapitaal deur middel van die aanbod van aandele aan die publiek sover moontlik vereenvoudig moet word om sekerheid ten opsigte van die maatskappy daar te stel. Die teenkant hiervan is egter ook in gedagte gehou, naamlik dat die belegger in aandele die mees effektiewe beskerming moet geniet. Dit het veral duidelik geblyk dat die onderskeid tussen die begrippe “inskrywing op” en “koop van” aandele vir sover dit die Suid-Afrikaanse situasie betref, uitgedien is en dat daar slegs voorsiening gemaak moet word vir die koop van aandele op die primêre sowel as op die sekondêre mark. As gevolg van die eng omskrywing van “aandeel” in die Maatskappywet blyk dit dat daar ‘n aantal prosedures van kapitaalverkrying is wat nie deur openbaarmaking gereguleer word nie en die benadeling van die betrokke beleggers tot gevolg het. Die laaste element wat die openbaarmakingsvereistes van die Maatskappywet in werking stel, naamlik die begrip “publiek”, is in wese ondefinieerbaar as gevolg van die vaagheid daarvan en gevolglik die element van sekerhied by kapitaalverkryging benadeel. Die verband tussen die prospektus en die voornoteringsverklaring is onduidelik en verwarrend veral ten opsigte van die dualistiese benadering wat ten opsigte van aanspreeklikheid vir onware verklarings in hierdie dokumente gevolg word en behoort opgeklaar te word ten behoewe van die belegger. ENGLISH: The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the process of the acquisition of capital by a company and in particular emphasis will be placed on the concept “an offer of shares to the public” and matters incidental thereto. In order to achieve this purpose it was necessary to distinguish the different forms of capital as manifested in share and loan capital. The different factors which the company should take into account in the exercise of the choice regarding the various forms of capital are also analyzed. The legal rules regulating the offer of shares to the public are historically investigated in order to establish their purpose and also to determine whether they still achieve this purpose. A comparative study was also done in order to place the desirability and efficacy of these rules in perspective. The three elements which make the disclosure requirements of the Companies Act 61 of 1973 operative are analyzed in detail in order to ascertain whether any shortcomings exist. Solutions for these shortcomings are suggested in appropriate cases but against the background of the concept that the acquisition of share capital by the offer of shares to the public must be simplified as far as possible in order to promote certainty from the viewpoint of the company. Against this however, the principle that the investor in shares should enjoy the most effective protection was also highlighted. It especially became apparent that the distinction between the concepts “subscription for” and “sale of” shares have become redundant in so far as they are applied in the South African experience and that provision should be made for the sale of shares on the primary as well as the secondary market. As a result of the narrow definition of “share” in the Companies Act it is apparent that there are a number of procedures for the acquisition of capital which are not regulated by disclosure and consequently have the effect of prejudicing the investors. The last element which makes the disclosure requirements in the Companies Act operative, namely the concept “public”, is in essence indefineable because of its uncertainty, with the effect that the element of certainty in the acquisition of capital is detracted from. The relationship between the prospectus and the prelisting statement is uncertain and confusing especially in respect of the dualistic approach with regards to untrue statements in these documents and should be clarified on behalf of the investor. / Thesis (LLD)--University of Pretoria, 1987. / Mercantile Law / unrestricted

People make a company. Their expertise and talents, efficiency and job performance determine the company‘s profitability and growth. The long-term retention of employees is of the utmost importance, as these employees have a wealth of knowledge about the company, its industry and the products or services being sold. Businesses have created plans to retain employees for a maximum period of time. These ideas include cash bonuses, phantom share schemes, and providing the employee with shares in the business. This study will look at such ideas in general, and specifically investigate the different ways of providing employees with shares in the business. There are different ways of providing the employee with shares in a business. This can include loans (including interest-free loans) to the employee from the employer, loans to the employee from a financial institution, employee share ownership plans, company share option plans and providing the employee with shares in the business through an employee share trust. Each of these methods attracts certain taxes such as income tax, capital gains tax and secondary tax on companies or dividend tax. The aim of this study is to use a case study approach, critically analysing an anonymous company providing its employees with shares in the company through an employee share trust, and will specifically investigate the different tax consequences of each transaction taking place in the trust AFRIKAANS : Werknemers is 'n maatskappy se belangrikste bate. 'n Maatskappy se winsgewendheid en groei word deur sy werknemers se kennis, doeltreffendheid en werksprestasie bepaal. Dit is vir 'n maatskappy van kritieke belang om sy werknemers vir so lank as moontlik te behou, aangesien hierdie werknemers oor kosbare kennis besit rakende die maatskappy, die bedryf waarin die maatskappy besigheid doen en die produkte of dienste wat die maatskappy bemark. Talle maatskappy het skemas bewerkstellig om hulle werknemers vir so lank as moontlik te behou. Dit behels onder andere kontantbonusse, fiktiewe aandeleskemas en die verkryging van aandele in die maatskappy deur die werknemer. Hierdie studie ondersoek sodanige skemas in die algemeen, en fokus spesifiek op werknemers wat aandele in 'n maatskappy bekom. Werknemers kan aandele in die maatskappy op verskillende wyses bekom. Hierdie wyses sluit in lenings (insluitend rentevrye lenings) van die maatskappy aan die werknemer, lenings aan die werknemer van 'n finansiële instelling, aandeleskemas, opsies om aandele in 'n maatskappy te koop, en die verskaffing van aandele aan die werknemer deur 'n werknemer-aandeletrust. Elkeen van hierdie opsies het spesifieke belastinggevolge, insluitend inkomstebelasting, kapitaalwinsbelasting, en sekondêre belasting op maatskappye of dividendbelasting. Die doel van hierdie studie is om 'n spesifieke gevallestudie van 'n annonieme maatskappye te ontleed, waar die maatskappy aandele aan sy werknemers deur 'n werknemer-aandeletrust verskaf het, en sal in detail na die belastinggevolge van elke aksie in die trust te kyk. Copyright 2011, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Fouche, C 2011, Taxation consequences of providing shares to employees through a trust, MCom dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-03262012-153458 / > F12/4/187/gm / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Taxation / unrestricted

The inability to effectively hedge against unfavourable exchange rate movements, using the current forward exchange rate as the only guideline, is a key inhibiting factor of international trade. Market participants use the current forward exchange rate quoted in the market to make decisions regarding future exchange rate changes. However, the current forward exchange rate is not solely determined by the interaction of demand and supply, but is also a mechanistic estimation, which is based on the current spot exchange rate and the carry cost of the transaction. Results of various studies, including this study, demonstrated that the current forward exchange rate differs substantially from the realized future spot exchange rate. This phenomenon is known as the exchange rate puzzle. This study contributes to the dynamics of modelling exchange rate theories by developing an exchange rate model that has the ability to explain the realized future spot exchange rate and the exchange rate puzzle. The exchange rate model is based only on current (time t) economic fundamentals and includes an alternative approach of incorporating the impact of the interaction of two international financial markets into the model. This study derived a unique exchange rate model, which proves that the exchange rate puzzle is a pseudo problem. The pseudo problem is based on the generally excepted fallacy that current non–stationary, level time series data cannot be used to model exchange rate theories, because of the incorrect assumption that all the available econometric methods yield statistically insignificant results due to spurious regressions. Empirical evidence conclusively shows that using non–stationary, level time series data of current economic fundamentals can statistically significantly explain the realized future spot exchange rate and, therefore, that the exchange rate puzzle can be solved. This model will give market participants in the foreign exchange market a better indication of expected future exchange rates, which will considerably reduce the dependence on the mechanistically derived forward points. The newly derived exchange rate model will also have an influence on the demand and supply of forward exchange, resulting in forward points that are a more accurate prediction of the realized future exchange rate. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Risk management))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

The inability to effectively hedge against unfavourable exchange rate movements, using the current forward exchange rate as the only guideline, is a key inhibiting factor of international trade. Market participants use the current forward exchange rate quoted in the market to make decisions regarding future exchange rate changes. However, the current forward exchange rate is not solely determined by the interaction of demand and supply, but is also a mechanistic estimation, which is based on the current spot exchange rate and the carry cost of the transaction. Results of various studies, including this study, demonstrated that the current forward exchange rate differs substantially from the realized future spot exchange rate. This phenomenon is known as the exchange rate puzzle. This study contributes to the dynamics of modelling exchange rate theories by developing an exchange rate model that has the ability to explain the realized future spot exchange rate and the exchange rate puzzle. The exchange rate model is based only on current (time t) economic fundamentals and includes an alternative approach of incorporating the impact of the interaction of two international financial markets into the model. This study derived a unique exchange rate model, which proves that the exchange rate puzzle is a pseudo problem. The pseudo problem is based on the generally excepted fallacy that current non–stationary, level time series data cannot be used to model exchange rate theories, because of the incorrect assumption that all the available econometric methods yield statistically insignificant results due to spurious regressions. Empirical evidence conclusively shows that using non–stationary, level time series data of current economic fundamentals can statistically significantly explain the realized future spot exchange rate and, therefore, that the exchange rate puzzle can be solved. This model will give market participants in the foreign exchange market a better indication of expected future exchange rates, which will considerably reduce the dependence on the mechanistically derived forward points. The newly derived exchange rate model will also have an influence on the demand and supply of forward exchange, resulting in forward points that are a more accurate prediction of the realized future exchange rate. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Risk management))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.