(a) Except in the case of a Headquarters Management Corporation described in subsection (b) of this section (but only to the extent that paragraph (a)(1) of this section does not apply), during each of the 10 taxable years commencing with the first taxable year following the effective date of a Headquarters Management Corporation’s original license under Chapter 23 of this title (but contingent upon the subsequent certification by the Director of Revenue as a Headquarters Management Corporation within 12 months of the effective date of such original license), the tax determined under § 6402 of this title shall be credited during such taxable year, but not below the tax payable under § 6402(2) of this title, in the amount of:

(1) Twenty percent for each qualified employee of the taxpayer within this State during such taxable year, to a maximum reduction of 99%; or

(2) Two percent for each expenditure during the taxable year (not including any payment of wages, salaries or benefits to or for the benefit of qualified employees) by the taxpayer in this State of $7,500 in excess of 100% of its operating expenses, if any, allocated to this State in the most recent taxable year of the taxpayer ending before the effective date of its original license, to a maximum reduction of 99%; or

(3) Any combination of the reduction for new employment under paragraph (a)(1) of this section and the reduction for new expenditures under paragraph (a)(2) of this section, to a maximum reduction of 99%.

(b) In the case of a Headquarters Management Corporation that conducted any business in this State (or any member of whose affiliated group conducted any business in this State) before the effective date of its original license under Chapter 23 of this title, during each of the 10 years commencing with the first taxable year beginning on the effective date of such original license (but contingent upon the subsequent certification by the Director of Revenue as a Headquarters Management Corporation within 12 months of the effective date of such original license), the tax determined under § 6402 of this title shall be credited during such taxable year, but not below the tax payable under § 6402(2) of this title, in the amount of:

(1) To the extent set forth in subsection (a) of this section with respect to Headquarters Management Corporation taxable income derived solely from investment activities; and

(2) With respect to Headquarters Management Corporation taxable income derived from headquarters services, by:

a. 20% for each qualified employee of the taxpayer within this State during such taxable year, conditioned upon the employment by the taxpayer within this State during such taxable year of a total number of qualified employees that is 25% or more greater than the total number of individuals employed within this State before the effective date of such original license (except that, for purposes of counting the total number of individuals employed within this State before the effective date of such original license, individuals employed solely by corporations whose activities within this State were confined to investment activities as defined in § 6401(8) of this title shall not be counted) by (i) itself and all members of its affiliated group, and (ii) entities that become members of its affiliated group by merger or acquisition on or after the effective date of such original license, to a maximum reduction of 99%; or

b. 2% for each expenditure during the taxable year (not including any payment of wages, salaries or benefits to or for the benefit of qualified employees) by the taxpayer in this State of $7,500 certified to be in excess of 125% of its operating expenses allocated to this State in the most recent taxable year of the taxpayer ending before the effective date of such original license (except that, for purposes of counting operating expenses allocated to this State before the effective date of such original license, operating expenses incurred solely by corporations whose activities within this State were confined to investment activities as defined in § 6401(8) of this title shall not be counted) by (i) itself and all members of its affiliated group, and (ii) entities that become members of its affiliated group by merger or acquisition on or after the effective date of such original license, to a maximum reduction of 99%; or

c. Any combination of the reduction for new employment under paragraph (b)(2)a. of this section and the reduction for new expenditures under paragraph (b)(2)b. of this section, to a maximum reduction of 99%.

(c) For purposes of calculating the credit under subsection (a) or (b) of this section, Headquarters Management Corporations electing to file consolidated income tax returns may elect to combine the calculations of employment and expenditures of all Headquarters Management Corporation members of the affiliated group.

74 Del. Laws, c. 256, § ?2[1]; 75 Del. Laws, c. 123, §§ ?3-7;