A CUSIP number is the U.S. identification number assigned by the CUSIP Service Bureau (operated by Standard and Poor's Corp. for the American Banking Association) for both equity and debt instruments. It is the U.S. standard for identification and facilitates the orderly and accurate trade processing and the ultimate settlement of transactions.
What instances require a change in the CUSIP number?
The CUSIP number is assigned to each issue and may need to be changed when there is a:
Change in company name; Reorganization; Merger; Forward stock split, when payable upon surrender of certificates; Reverse stock split; or Emergence from bankruptcy.