(a) In general. This section provides rules for determining the taxable income or loss, or the earnings and profits, of an owner of a section 987 QBU (hereafter, section 987 taxable income or loss). Paragraph (b) of this section provides rules for determining items of income, gain, deduction, and loss, which generally must be determined in the section 987 QBU's functional currency. Paragraph (c) of this section provides rules for translating each item determined under paragraph (b) of this section into the functional currency of the owner of the section 987 QBU, if necessary. Paragraph (e) of this section provides examples illustrating the application of the rules of this section.

(b) Determination of each item of income, gain, deduction, or loss in the section 987 QBU's functional currency—(1) In general. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a section 987 QBU shall determine each item of income, gain, deduction, or loss of such section 987 QBU in its functional currency under Federal income tax principles.

(2) Translation of items of income, gain, deduction, or loss that are denominated in a nonfunctional currency—(i) In general. Except as otherwise provided in paragraphs (b)(2)(ii) and (b)(4) of this section, an item of income, gain, deduction, or loss that is denominated in (or determined by reference to) a nonfunctional currency (including the functional currency of the owner) shall be translated into the section 987 QBU's functional currency at the spot rate (as defined in §1.987-1(c)(1)) on the date such item is properly taken into account, subject to the limitation under §1.987-1(c)(1)(ii)(B) regarding the use of a spot rate convention. Examples 1, 2 and 6 of paragraph (e) of this section illustrate the application of this paragraph (b)(2)(i).

(ii) [Reserved]. For further guidance, see §1.987-3T(b)(2)(ii).

(3) Determination in the case of a section 987 QBU owned through a section 987 aggregate partnership—(i) In general. Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph (b)(3), the taxable income or loss of a section 987 aggregate partnership, and the distributive share of any owner that is a partner in such partnership, shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of subchapter K of the Internal Revenue Code.

(ii) Determination of each item of income, gain, deduction, or loss in the eligible QBU's functional currency. A section 987 aggregate partnership generally shall determine each item of income, gain, deduction, or loss reflected on the books and records of each of its eligible QBUs under §1.987-2(b) in the functional currency of each such QBU.

(iii) Allocation of items of income, gain, deduction, or loss of an eligible QBU. A section 987 aggregate partnership shall allocate the items of income, gain, deduction, or loss of each eligible QBU among its partners in accordance with each partner's distributive share of such income, gain, deduction, or loss as determined under subchapter K of the Internal Revenue Code.

(iv) Translation of items into the owner's functional currency. To the extent the items referred to in paragraph (b)(3)(iii) of this section are allocated to a partner, the partner shall adjust the items to conform to Federal income tax principles and translate the items into the partner's functional currency as provided in paragraph (c) of this section.

(4) [Reserved]. For further guidance, see §1.987-3T(b)(4).

(c) Translation of items of income, gain, deduction, or loss of a section 987 QBU into the owner's functional currency—(1) In general. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the exchange rate to be used by an owner in translating an item of income, gain, deduction, or loss attributable to a section 987 QBU into the owner's functional currency, if necessary, shall be the yearly average exchange rate (as defined in §1.987-1(c)(2)) for the taxable year. However, an owner of a section 987 QBU that has elected under §1.987-1(c)(1)(iii) to use spot rates in lieu of yearly average exchange rates must use the spot rate (as defined in §1.987-1(c)(1)) for the date each item is properly taken into account.

(2) Exceptions—(i) Recovery of basis with respect to historic assets. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the exchange rate to be used by the owner in translating any recovery of basis (whether through a sale or exchange; deemed sale or exchange; cost recovery deduction such as depreciation, depletion or amortization; or otherwise) with respect to a historic asset (as defined in §1.987-1(e)) shall be the historic rate as determined under §1.987-1(c)(3) for the property to which such recovery of basis is attributable.

(ii) [Reserved]. For further guidance, see §1.987-3T(c)(2)(ii).

(iii) Gain or loss on the sale, exchange or other disposition of an interest in a section 987 aggregate partnership. [Reserved]

(iv) Cost of goods sold computation—(A) General rule—simplified inventory method. Cost of goods sold (COGS) for a taxable year shall be translated into the functional currency of the owner at the yearly average exchange rate (as defined in §1.987-1(c)(2)) for the taxable year and adjusted as provided in paragraph (c)(3) of this section.

(B) Election to use the historic inventory method. In lieu of using the simplified inventory method described in paragraph (c)(2)(iv)(A) of this section, the owner of a section 987 QBU may elect under this paragraph (c)(2)(iv)(B) to translate inventoriable costs (including current-year inventoriable costs and costs that were capitalized into inventory in prior years) that are included in COGS at the historic rate as determined under §1.987-1(c)(3) for each such cost. As described in §1.987-1(c)(1)(iii), a taxpayer that elects to use spot rates in lieu of yearly average exchange rates as provided in that section will be deemed to have made the election described in this paragraph (c)(2)(iv)(B).

(v) [Reserved]. For further guidance, see §1.987-3T(c)(2)(v) through (d).

(3) Adjustments to COGS required under the simplified inventory method—(i) In general. An owner of a section 987 QBU that uses the simplified inventory method described in paragraph (c)(2)(iv)(A) of this section must make the adjustment described in paragraph (c)(3)(ii) of this section. In addition, the owner must make the adjustment described in paragraph (c)(3)(iii) of this section with respect to any inventory for which the section 987 QBU does not use the LIFO inventory method (as described in section 472) and must make the adjustment described in paragraph (c)(3)(iv) of this section with respect to any inventory for which the section 987 QBU uses the LIFO inventory method. An owner of a section 987 QBU that uses the simplified inventory method must make all of the applicable adjustments described in paragraphs (c)(3)(ii) through (iv) with respect to the section 987 QBU even in taxable years in which the amount of COGS is zero.

(ii) Adjustment for cost recovery deductions included in inventoriable costs. The translated COGS amount computed under paragraph (c)(2)(iv)(A) of this section must be increased or decreased (as appropriate) to reflect the difference between the historic rates appropriate for translating cost recovery deductions attributable to other historic assets and the exchange rate used to translate COGS under paragraph (c)(2)(iv)(A) of this section, to the extent any such cost recovery deductions are included in inventoriable costs for the taxable year. The adjustment shall be included as an adjustment to translated COGS computed under paragraph (c)(2)(iv)(A) of this section in full in the year to which the adjustment relates and shall not be allocated between COGS and ending inventory. The adjustment for each cost recovery deduction shall be computed as the product of:

(A) The cost recovery deduction, expressed in the functional currency of the section 987 QBU; and

(B) The exchange rate specified in paragraph (c)(2)(i) of this section for translating the cost recovery deduction (that is, the historic rate for the property to which such deduction is attributable) less the exchange rate used to translate COGS under the simplified inventory method described in paragraph (c)(2)(iv)(A) of this section (that is, the yearly average exchange rate for the taxable year).

(iii) Adjustment to beginning inventory for non-LIFO inventory. In the case of inventory with respect to which a section 987 QBU does not use the LIFO inventory method (non-LIFO inventory), the translated COGS amount computed under paragraph (c)(2)(iv)(A) of this section must be increased or decreased (as appropriate) by the product of:

(A) The ending non-LIFO inventory included on the closing balance sheet for the preceding year, expressed in the functional currency of the section 987 QBU; and

(B) The exchange rate described in §§1.987-4(e)(2)(ii) and 1.987-1(c)(3)(i)(C) that is used for translating ending inventory on the closing balance sheet for the preceding year (that is, the yearly average exchange rate for the preceding year) less the exchange rate used to translate COGS under paragraph (c)(2)(iv)(A) of this section (that is, the yearly average exchange rate for the taxable year).

(iv) Adjustment for year of LIFO liquidation. In the case of inventory with respect to which a section 987 QBU uses the LIFO inventory method, for each LIFO layer liquidated in whole or in part during the taxable year, the translated COGS amount computed under paragraph (c)(2)(iv)(A) of this section must be increased or decreased (as appropriate) by the product of:

(A) The amount of the LIFO layer liquidated during the taxable year, expressed in the functional currency of the section 987 QBU; and

(B) The exchange rate described in §§1.987-4(e)(2)(ii) and 1.987-1(c)(3)(i)(C) that is used for translating such LIFO layer (that is, the yearly average exchange rate for the year such LIFO layer arose) less the exchange rate used to translate COGS under paragraph (c)(2)(iv)(A) of this section (that is, the yearly average exchange rate for the taxable year).

(d) [Reserved]. For further guidance, see §1.987-3T(c)(2)(v) through (d).

(e) Examples. The following examples illustrate the application of this section. For purposes of the examples, U.S. Corp is a domestic corporation that uses the calendar year as its taxable year and has the U.S. dollar as its functional currency. Except as otherwise indicated, U.S. Corp is the owner of Business A, a section 987 QBU with the euro as its functional currency, and elects under paragraph (c)(2)(iv)(B) of this section to use the historic inventory method with respect to Business A but does not make any other elections under section 987. However, where it is specified that U.S. Corp elects to use spot rates in lieu of yearly average exchange rates under §1.987-1(c)(1)(iii), U.S. Corp also elects under §1.987-1(c)(1)(ii) to use a spot rate convention. Under this convention, sales booked during a particular month are translated at the average of the spot rates on the first and last day of the preceding month (the “convention rate”). Exchange rates used in these examples are selected for the purpose of illustrating the principles of this section. No inference (for example, whether a currency is hyperinflationary or not) is intended by their use. See §1.987-4(g) for an illustration of the simplified inventory method described in paragraphs (c)(2)(iv)(A) and (c)(3) of this section.

[T.D. 9794, 81 FR 88821, Dec. 8, 2016, as amended by T.D. 9795, 81 FR 88870, Dec. 8, 2016]