DDAmanda

[Zardiw]

What is a Form 15 and what it means:

Many companies file a Form 15 to end their reporting requirements with the SEC by de-registering their shares, but most people don't have a clue as to what the effect on trading is because of this.

Actually, there is Zero Effect on the trading.

There are countless companies out there whose shares are trading just peachy even though they are not 'registered'.

And an argument could be made that it actually leads to an INCREASE in share price, because the company can now spend $300-500K/year to follow their business plan, instead of 'wasting' it on auditors for their 10K's/Qs each year.

Here are the Legal Definitions:

Rule 12g-4(a)(1)

17 CFR 240.12g-4 - Certifications of termination of registration under section 12(g).

§ 240.12g-4 Certifications of termination of registration under section 12(g).

(a) Termination of registration of a class of securities under section 12(g) of the Act ( 15 U.S.C. 78l(g)) shall take effect 90 days, or such shorter period as the Commission may determine, after the issuer certifies to the Commission on Form 15 ( § 249.323 of this chapter) that the class of securities is held of record by:

(1) Fewer than 300 persons, or in the case of a bank; a savings and loan holding company, as such term is defined in section 10 of the Home Owners' Loan Act ( 12 U.S.C. 1461); or a bank holding company, as such term is defined in section 2 of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 ( 12 U.S.C. 1841), 1,200 persons; or

(2) Fewer than 500 persons, where the total assets of the issuer have not exceeded $10 million on the last day of each of the issuer's most recent three fiscal years.

(b) The issuer's duty to file any reports required under section 13(a) shall be suspended immediately upon filing a certification on Form 15; Provided, however, That if the certification on Form 15 is subsequently withdrawn or denied, the issuer shall, within 60 days after the date of such withdrawal or denial, file with the Commission all reports which would have been required had the certification on Form 15 not been filed. If the suspension resulted from the issuer's merger into, or consolidation with, another issuer or issuers, the certification shall be filed by the successor issuer.
[ 49 FR 12689, Mar. 30, 1984, as amended at 51 FR 25362, July 14, 1986; 61 FR 21356, May 9, 1996; 72 FR 16956, Apr. 5, 2007; 81 FR 28706, May 10, 2016]

Rule 12h-3(b)(1)(i)

§ 240.12h-3 Suspension of duty to file reports under section 15(d).

(a) Subject to paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section, the duty under section 15(d) to file reports required by section 13(a) of the Act with respect to a class of securities specified in paragraph (b) of this section shall be suspended for such class of securities immediately upon filing with the Commission a certification on Form 15 ( 17 CFR 249.323) if the issuer of such class has filed all reports required by section 13(a), without regard to Rule 12b-25 ( 17 CFR 249.322), for the shorter of its most recent three fiscal years and the portion of the current year preceding the date of filing Form 15, or the period since the issuer became subject to such reporting obligation. If the certification on Form 15 is subsequently withdrawn or denied, the issuer shall, within 60 days, file with the Commission all reports which would have been required if such certification had not been filed.

(b) The classes of securities eligible for the suspension provided in paragraph (a) of this section are:

(1) Any class of securities, other than any class of asset-backed securities, held of record by:

(i) Fewer than 300 persons, or in the case of a bank; a savings and loan holding company, as such term is defined in section 10 of the Home Owners' Loan Act ( 12 U.S.C. 1461); or a bank holding company, as such term is defined in section 2 of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 ( 12 U.S.C. 1841), 1,200 persons; or

(ii) Fewer than 500 persons, where the total assets of the issuer have not exceeded $10 million on the last day of each of the issuer's three most recent fiscal years; and

(2) Any class or securities deregistered pursuant to section 12(d) of the Act if such class would not thereupon be deemed registered under section 12(g) of the Act or the rules thereunder.

z