Tip of the Week: Need a Reverse Split?
When a public shell is in the process of completing a reverse merger it often finds itself with too many issued and outstanding shares or not enough authorized shares. One solution is a reverse stock split. A reverse stock split is a pro rata reduction in the number of shares of capital stock of a company that are outstanding. It is often used to increase per-share price, or to make more authorized shares available in order to complete a reverse merger. At the time of the split, each shareholder still owns the same overall percentage interest in the company. Most states’ laws require a reverse stock split to be approved by shareholders, and this requires a proxy or information statement under SEC rules, if the shell is subject to the SEC’s reporting requirements. If the reverse split is a condition of the reverse merger, the SEC requires a much more complex merger proxy.
