11 – Income taxes

In Germany, a uniform corporate income tax rate of 15.0% as well as a solidarity surcharge of 5.5% thereon is levied on all paid out and retained earnings. In addition to corporate income tax, income generated in Germany is subject to a trade tax that varies depending on the municipality in which the company is represented. Due to an increase in the rate of assessment for Ludwigshafen, Germany, the weighted average trade tax rate was 14.1% in 2015 (2014: 13.4%). As the increase had already been enacted in the previous year, the 30% rate used to calculate deferred taxes for German Group companies remained unchanged in 2015. The profits of foreign Group companies are assessed using the tax rates applicable in their respective countries. These are also generally used to calculate deferred taxes to the extent that tax rate adjustments for the future have not yet been enacted.

Tax expense

Million €

 

2015

2014

Current tax expense

 

1,610

1,645

Corporate income tax, solidarity surcharge and trade taxes (Germany)

 

514

528

Foreign income tax

 

1,231

1,244

Taxes for prior years

 

(135)

(127)

Deferred tax expense (+) / income (−)

 

(363)

66

From changes in temporary differences

 

(314)

66

From changes in tax loss carryforwards / unused tax credits

 

(59)

(41)

From changes in the tax rate

 

7

38

From valuation allowances on deferred tax assets

 

3

3

Income taxes

 

1,247

1,711

Other taxes as well as sales and consumption taxes

 

302

266

Tax expense

 

1,549

1,977

The BASF Group tax rate amounted to 22.5% in 2015 (2014: 23.8%). This lower rate was primarily attributable to lower contributions to income from countries with higher tax rates, especially Norway. Taxes for prior years primarily contained reversals of long-term tax provisions.

Changes in valuation allowances on deferred tax assets for tax loss carryforwards resulted in expenses of €4 million in 2015 and income of €3 million in 2014.

Other taxes included real estate taxes and other comparable taxes totaling €106 million in 2015 and €96 million in 2014.

Reconciliation of the effective tax rate and the tax rate in Germany

 

 

2015

2014

 

 

Million €

%

Million €

%

Income before taxes and minority interests

 

5,548

7,203

Expected tax based on German corporate income tax (15%)

 

832

15.0

1,080

15.0

Solidarity surcharge

 

11

0.2

11

0.2

German trade tax

 

234

4.2

217

3.0

Foreign tax-rate differential

 

225

4.1

920

12.8

Tax-exempt income

 

(103)

(1.9)

(354)

(4.9)

Nondeductible expenses

 

239

4.3

111

1.5

Income after taxes of companies accounted for using the equity method

 

(38)

(0.7)

(45)

(0.6)

Taxes for prior years

 

(135)

(2.4)

(127)

(1.8)

Deferred tax liabilities for the future reversal of temporary differences associated with shares in participating interests

 

(28)

(0.5)

(7)

(0.1)

Other

 

10

0.2

(95)

(1.3)

Income taxes / effective tax rate

 

1,247

22.5

1,711

23.8

Gains from the asset swap with Gazprom did not result in tax burdens. The previous year had included higher tax-exempt income in connection with the disposal of investments, especially of the shares in Styrolution and in VNG – Verbundnetz Gas AG, as well as the sale of oil and gas fields in the North Sea to the MOL Group.

Nondeductible expenses particularly included an impairment of the goodwill of the Exploration & Production business sector.

Future reversals of temporary differences for shares in investments that are assumed to have a planning horizon of one year led to deferred tax income of €28 million in 2015 (2014: €7 million).

Deferred taxes

Deferred tax assets and liabilities (in million €)

 

 

Deferred tax assets

Deferred tax liabilities

 

 

2015

2014

2015

2014

Intangible assets

 

90

119

1,553

1,747

Property, plant and equipment

 

182

199

3,322

3,195

Financial assets

 

12

24

106

87

Inventories and accounts receivable

 

251

294

517

766

Provisions for pensions

 

2,410

2,687

472

487

Other provisions and liabilities

 

1,346

1,574

177

152

Tax loss carryforwards

 

271

388

Other

 

164

155

107

146

Netting

 

(2,873)

(3,160)

(2,873)

(3,160)

Valuation allowances for deferred tax assets

 

(62)

(87)

Thereof for tax loss carryforwards

 

(25)

(40)

Total

 

1,791

2,193

3,381

3,420

Thereof current

 

439

597

256

346

Deferred taxes result from temporary differences between tax balances and the measurement of assets and liabilities according to IFRS as well as from tax loss carryforwards and unused tax credits. The remeasurement of all the assets and liabilities associated with acquisitions according to IFRS 3 has resulted in significant deviations between fair values and the values in the tax accounts. This leads primarily to deferred tax liabilities.

Undistributed earnings of subsidiaries resulted in temporary differences of €9,241 million in 2015 (2014: €7,472 million) for which deferred tax liabilities were not recognized, as they are either not subject to taxation on payout or they are expected to be reinvested for indefinite periods of time.

Tax loss carryforwards

The regional distribution of tax loss carryforwards is as follows:

Tax loss carryforwards (in million €)

 

 

Tax loss carryforwards

Deferred tax assets

 

 

2015

2014

2015

2014

Germany

 

1

1

Foreign

 

2,490

2,302

246

348

Total

 

2,491

2,303

246

348

Tax loss carryforwards exist in all regions, especially in Europe and Asia. German tax losses may be carried forward indefinitely. In foreign countries, tax loss carryforwards are in some cases only possible for a limited period of time. The bulk of the tax loss carryforwards will expire in Europe by 2018 and in Asia by 2020. No deferred tax assets were recognized for tax loss carryforwards of €1,767 million in 2015 (2014: €1,441 million).

Tax obligations

Tax obligations primarily include assessed income taxes and other taxes as well as estimated income taxes not yet assessed for the current year. Tax obligations amounted to €1,082 million in 2015 (2014: €1,079 million).