Nokian Renkaat - Company Announcement

Nokian Tyres received EUR 73.3 million additional payable tax in Finland regarding years 2008-2010; the company will make a complaint against the decision

Nokia, Finland, 2014-01-21 14:00 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nokian Tyres plc Stock
Exchange Release 21 Jan 2014, 3:00 p.m. 

Nokian Tyres received EUR 73.3 million additional payable tax in Finland
regarding years 2008-2010; the company will make a complaint against the
decision 

Nokian Tyres plc has received a reassessment decision from the Tax
Administration, according to which the Company is obliged to pay EUR 73.3
million additional taxes with punitive tax increases and interests concerning
tax years 2008-2010. Payment must be made in February 2014. The total sum
demanded by the tax authorities is EUR 73.3 million, of which EUR 51.0 million
are additional taxes and EUR 22.3 million punitive tax increases and interests. 

Nokian Tyres plc has previously announced on 30 Dec 2013 that the Company
received a reassessment decision from the Tax Administration, according to
which the Company is obliged to pay EUR 26.9 million additional taxes with
punitive tax increases and interests concerning tax year 2007. 

The Company will record the 2007-2010 total additional taxes of EUR 100.3
million in full to the financial statement and result of year 2013. 

The Tax Administration's ruling does not affect the company's dividend
distribution. The Board of Directors will propose to the Annual General Meeting
that the dividend per share for the year 2013 would be at least on the previous
year's level. 

If the claim to the Administrative Court does not lead to annulment of the tax
decision, the Group's corporate tax rate is expected to rise in the next 5
years, from the previously announced 17 per cent to maximum 22 per cent. 

Background to the Tax Administration's decision

Large Taxpayers' Office carried out a transfer pricing tax audit regarding tax
years 2007-2011, investigating if the intercompany transactions between Nokian
Tyres plc and its subsidiaries were concluded based on market prices.
Reassessment decision regarding year 2011 has not been received yet. The Tax
Administration states in the reasoning of its decision concerning 2007-2010,
that the transfer pricing was market-based with all other but the Russian
subsidiaries. According to Tax Authorities the success of Russian business is
not based on the modern and efficient production plant in Russia combined with
the sales and logistic network covering whole Russia. Tax Administration
considers the Russian plant as a low risk contract manufacturer. The Tax
Administration has ruled that a significant part of the Russian subsidiaries'
profits should be added to Nokian Tyres' taxable income in Finland. In practice
this leads to double taxation of income, which is contrary to existing tax
agreements. 

Nokian Tyres to appeal against the decision

Nokian Tyres plc has consistently applied transfer pricing according to tax
laws and OECD guidelines prevailing at the time. Previous tax audit in the
company ended to fiscal year 2006, and in its tax audit report the Tax
Administration did not require any corrections to the transfer pricing between
the company and its subsidiaries already operating at that time in Russia. 

The Company has prepared a transfer pricing documentation which the Tax
Administration has ignored during the tax audit. The Company considers the
reassessment decision of the Tax Administration as unfounded and is going to
appeal against it by leaving the claim for rectification to the Board of
Adjustment and, if necessary, the Company will continue the appeal process in
the Administrative Court. If needed, the Company will also require the
competent authorities to negotiate on the elimination of the double taxation.
The Company is also considering a separate process to determine the legality of
the procedures used in the tax audit by Tax Administration and tax inspectors. 

Nokian Tyres plc
Antti-Jussi Tähtinen
VP, Marketing and Communications

Further information:
Mrs. Anne Leskelä, CFO, tel: +358 10 401 7481
Mr. Kim Gran, President and CEO, tel: +358 10 401 7336

Distribution: NASDAQ OMX Helsinki, media, www.nokiantyres.com