Delphi ruled a British company for U.S. tax purposes -filing

(Adds year of IPO, background; updates share price)

April 13 (Reuters) - Delphi Automotive Plc (NYSE: DLPH - news) has won an appeal with the U.S (Other OTC: UBGXF - news) . Internal Revenue Service, allowing it to be treated as a British company for tax purposes after it reincorporated in the UK, the auto-parts supplier said on Wednesday.

The IRS concluded on Friday that Delphi would not have to adjust its 2009 and 2010 tax returns, the company said in a filing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The U.S. Treasury Department last week took new steps to close tax loopholes that allow companies to lower tax bills by redomiciling overseas. This prompted Pfizer Inc (NYSE: PFE - news) to call off its proposed $160 billion merger with botox maker Allergan (Berlin: 28551749.BE - news) Plc.

U.S. President Barack Obama has repeatedly urged lawmakers to curb the tax-avoiding corporate "inversions."

"Delphi Automotive was established as a new limited liability partnership in 2009 by a group of investors to acquire some of the assets of the former Delphi Corporation," the company said in a statement. "As such, the company should not be treated as a U.S. company for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which is what the appeals process affirmed."

Delphi shares rose 4.5 percent to $75.62 on the New York Stock Exchange.

Delphi, once based in Troy, Michigan, was a part of General Motors Co until 1999. It (Other OTC: ITGL - news) emerged from a four-year bankruptcy in October 2009 and formed a limited liability partnership registered in Gillingham, England.

The company, whose automotive technology is used to develop self-driving vehicles, went public in 2011.

That year Delphi said it had asked for an exception to the IRS's proposed anti-inversion rules. When the rules were issued in 2014, Delphi was not given an exception and the company made its appeal.

Delphi also said in its SEC filing that it would repurchase $1.5 billion of its shares, and affirmed that it would increase dividends by 16 percent in 2016.

The new repurchase program will start once the current one is completed. The company has a market cap of about $20 billion.

Delphi also said it expected sales growth of 8 percent to 10 percent in 2016, excluding acquisitions. (Reporting by Bernie Woodall; Editing by Bill Trott and Richard Chang)