NorthWest Biotherapeutics Inc (NWBO)

[tryn2]

Question about taxes on a hypothetical situation from a rube without a clue:
Let’s say NWBO is bought out by MERCK on a stock swap. One MRK share for every four NWBO shares. Now, let’s say l have 800,000 NWBO shares that l have held for 5 years... l wake up the day after the BO, look in my portfolio and low and behold l now see 200,000 shares of MRK. The question is: if l sell them all that day, is it short term capital gains and l have to hold the shares for a year and a day to get long term capital gains, or is it long term gains the day of the BO because l held my NWBO shares for 5 years...??? While l am asking, what are the percent tax rates for short and long term capital gains???