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, a solidarity surcharge and trade tax. Limited 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 legal 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 limited company’s profits on which corporation tax is payable.

Components of income tax expenses

Deferred taxes and current income tax in € thousand

 

2018

 

2017

Deferred taxes on temporary differences

 

1,752

 

- 4,262

of which domestic

 

1,750

 

- 4,177

of which foreign

 

2

 

- 85

Deferred taxes on losses carried forward

 

- 1,436

 

- 18

of which domestic

 

0

 

0

of which foreign

 

- 1,436

 

- 18

Total deferred taxes

 

316

 

- 4,280

Current income tax expense

 

44,794

 

45,717

of which domestic

 

26,424

 

28,176

of which foreign

 

18,370

 

17,541

Income tax expense recognised in the income statement

 

45,110

 

41,437

Current income tax expenses include tax income from other accounting periods amounting to € 517 thousand (previous year: € 1,131 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

 

31.12.2018

 

31.12.2017

 

31.12.2018

 

31.12.2017

Intangible assets

 

0

 

0

 

3,168

 

2,421

Property, plant and equipment and finance leases

 

0

 

0

 

17,809

 

16,746

Investment property

 

0

 

0

 

10,136

 

10,304

Financial assets

 

0

 

0

 

2,496

 

2,272

Inventories

 

963

 

750

 

0

 

0

Receivables and other assets

 

1,876

 

965

 

1,008

 

358

Pension and other provisions

 

89,174

 

91,051

 

858

 

2,090

Liabilities

 

7,270

 

9,707

 

3,822

 

2,986

Tax losses carried forward

 

1,436

 

18

 

0

 

0

 

 

100,719

 

102,491

 

39,297

 

37,177

Netted amounts

 

- 18,593

 

- 15,398

 

- 18,593

 

- 15,398

 

 

82,126

 

87,093

 

20,704

 

21,779

Reconciliation between the income tax expenses and hypothetical tax expenses based on the IFRS result and the Group’s applicable tax rate

in € thousand

 

2018

 

2017

Earnings before tax

 

183,584

 

147,291

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

 

59,261

 

47,546

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

 

-455

 

3,256

Tax-free income

 

48

 

- 301

Non-deductible expenses

 

1,398

 

1,923

Trade tax additions and reductions

 

70

 

- 1,423

Permanent differences

 

1,113

 

4,129

Differences in tax rates

 

- 14,565

 

- 13,592

Impairment losses in deferred tax assets

 

-1,824

 

304

Other tax effects

 

64

 

- 405

Actual income tax expenses

 

45,110

 

41,437

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 2018 and 2017. This is made up of corporation tax at 15.0 %, a 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 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 € 1,436 thousand (previous year: € 18 thousand) are recognised on foreign tax loss carry-forwards of € 7,560 thousand (previous year: € 96 thousand). No deferred tax assets are recognised for domestic corporation tax loss carry-forwards of € 515 thousand (previous year: € 1,374 thousand), domestic trade tax loss carry-forwards of € 7,969 thousand (previous year: € 5,383 thousand) and foreign tax loss carry-forwards of € 11,244 thousand (previous year: € 22,238 thousand). Under current legislation, tax losses can be carried forward in Germany without restriction.

Deferred tax assets of € 21,538 thousand (previous year: € 25,249 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

 

2018

 

2017

 

2018

 

2017

 

2018

 

2017

Actuarial gains/losses

 

11,603

 

5,482

 

- 3,747

 

- 1,768

 

7,856

 

3,714

Cash flow hedges

 

33

 

- 8

 

- 11

 

2

 

22

 

- 6

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

 

- 124

 

145

 

47

 

- 74

 

- 77

 

71

 

 

11,512

 

5,619

 

- 3,711

 

- 1,840

 

7,801

 

3,779