18. Income Tax

Paid or outstanding income taxes and deferred taxes are shown under the item income taxes. Income taxes are made up of corporation tax, solidarity surcharge and trade tax. Companies domiciled in Germany pay corporation tax of 15.0 % and a solidarity surcharge of 5.5 % of the corporation tax expense. These companies and German-based subsidiaries in the form of limited partnerships are also liable for trade tax, which is imposed at different local rates. Trade tax does not reduce the amount of a company’s profits on which corporation tax is payable.

Components of Income Tax Expenses

Deferred taxes and current income tax in € thousand

 

2017

 

2016

Deferred taxes on temporary differences

 

- 4,262

 

- 6,017

of which Domestic

 

- 4,177

 

- 6,045

of which Foreign

 

- 85

 

28

Deferred taxes on losses carried forward

 

- 18

 

- 26

of which Domestic

 

0

 

0

of which Foreign

 

- 18

 

- 26

Total deferred taxes

 

- 4,280

 

- 6,043

Current income tax expense

 

45,717

 

47,004

of which Domestic

 

28,176

 

31,268

of which Foreign

 

17,541

 

15,736

Income tax expense recognised in the income statement

 

41,437

 

40,961

Current income tax expenses include tax income from other accounting periods amounting to € 1,131 thousand (previous year: tax expenses of € 1,164 thousand).

Deferred tax assets and liabilities result from temporary differences and tax loss carry-forwards.

Deferred Taxes

 

 

Deferred tax assets

 

Deferred tax liabilities

in € thousand

 

31.12.2017

 

31.12.2016

 

31.12.2017

 

31.12.2016

Intangible assets

 

0

 

0

 

2,421

 

1,953

Property, plant and equipment and finance leases

 

0

 

0

 

16,746

 

13,220

Investment property

 

0

 

0

 

10,304

 

11,098

Financial assets

 

0

 

0

 

2,272

 

1,673

Inventories

 

750

 

554

 

0

 

0

Receivables and other assets

 

965

 

268

 

358

 

206

Pension and other provisions

 

91,051

 

90,677

 

2,090

 

1,973

Liabilities

 

9,707

 

6,820

 

2,986

 

5,277

Tax losses carried forward

 

18

 

0

 

0

 

0

 

 

102,491

 

98,319

 

37,177

 

35,400

Netted amounts

 

- 15,398

 

- 15,599

 

- 15,398

 

- 15,599

 

 

87,093

 

82,720

 

21,779

 

19,801

Reconciliation between the Income Tax Expenses and Hypothetical Tax Expenses based on the IFRS Result and the Group’s Applicable Tax Rate

in € thousand

 

2017

 

2016

Earnings before tax

 

147,291

 

146,023

Income tax expense at hypothetical income tax rate of 32.28 % (previous year: 32.28 %)

 

47,546

 

47,136

Tax income (-), tax expenses (+) for prior years

 

3,256

 

831

Effect of tax rate change

 

0

 

232

Tax-free income

 

- 301

 

- 213

Non-deductible expenses

 

1,923

 

1,606

Trade tax additions and reductions

 

- 1,423

 

- 803

Permanent differences

 

4,129

 

- 948

Differences in tax rates

 

- 13,592

 

- 10,071

Impairment losses in deferred tax assets

 

304

 

2,033

Other tax effects

 

- 405

 

1,158

Actual income tax expenses

 

41,437

 

40,961

Deferred taxes are calculated on the basis of the tax rates currently in force in Germany or those expected to apply at the time of realisation. A tax rate of 32.28 % was used for the calculations in both 2017 and 2016. This is made up of corporation tax at 15.0 %, solidarity surcharge of 5.5 % of the corporation tax, and the trade tax payable in Hamburg of 16.45 %. Limited partnerships are also liable for trade tax. Due to special rules, property management companies generally do not pay trade tax. Due to rules on minimum taxation, tax loss carry-forwards are only partially usable in Germany. Tax losses of up to € 1 million can be set off against taxable profits without restriction, and higher tax losses up to a maximum of 60 %.

The effects of tax rates for domestic and foreign taxes that diverge from the Group parent company’s tax rate are reported in the offsetting and reconciliation under differences in tax rates.

Deferred tax assets are recognised on tax loss carry-forwards and temporary differences if it is sufficiently certain that they can be realised in the near future. The Group has no domestic corporation tax loss carry-forwards and no domestic trade tax loss carry-forwards. Deferred taxes of € 18 thousand (previous year: € 0 thousand) are recognised on foreign tax loss carry-forwards of € 96 thousand (previous year: € 0 thousand). No deferred tax assets are recognised for domestic corporation tax loss carry-forwards of € 1,374 thousand (previous year: € 4,057 thousand), domestic trade tax loss carry-forwards of € 5,383 thousand (previous year: € 4,271 thousand) and foreign tax loss carry-forwards of € 22,238 thousand (previous year: € 19,546 thousand). Under current legislation, tax losses can be carried forward in Germany without restriction.

Deferred tax assets of € 25,249 thousand (previous year: € 27,041 thousand) recognised directly in equity without effect on profit and loss come from actuarial gains and losses on pension provisions, cash flow hedges and unrealised gains/losses arising from available-for-sale financial assets.

Deferred Taxes recognised in the Statement of Comprehensive Income

 

 

Gross

 

Taxes

 

Net

in € thousand

 

2017

 

2016

 

2017

 

2016

 

2017

 

2016

Actuarial gains/losses

 

5,482

 

- 45,441

 

- 1,768

 

14,661

 

3,714

 

- 30,780

Cash flow hedges

 

- 8

 

231

 

2

 

- 74

 

- 6

 

157

Unrealised gains/losses on available-for-sale financial assets

 

145

 

- 164

 

- 74

 

49

 

71

 

- 115

 

 

5,619

 

- 45,374

 

- 1,840

 

14,636

 

3,779

 

- 30,738