"there may be a need to have an acquisition in lined up to offset the tax man should a settlement come to fruition.........."

So when anyone figures the share price of the future be sure to not subtract the taxes, or at least a huge portion of them. As I understand it, the strategy all along has been to avoid the taxes. A company with some tax credits makes the most "cents" for the merger/purchase. A company already listed on an exchange would make getting on an exchange easier and faster. GLTAL.