The ripple effect of the JOBS Act is beginning to show as the NYSE has proposed to adjust its listing qualification standards to reflect that emerging growth companies, or ECGs,  under the JOBS Act only need to present two years of audited financial statements.

In its rule filings the NYSE notes that its initial listing standards s require listing applicants to meet theapplicable financial criteria over a period of three fiscal years. As the staff of the NYSE bases its determination as to a company’s compliance with the financial initial listing standards only on publicly available audited financial data, an EGC which availed itself of the right to file only two years of audited financial data as part of its initial public offering registration statement or subsequent registration statements would be unable to qualify for listing under those particular financial listing standards. The NYSE proposes to amend the initial financial listing standards in Sections 102.01C and 103.01B to permit an EGC to meet the applicable standard on the basis of the two years of audited financial data actually reported, rather than the three years of financial data that would otherwise be required.

The proposed amendment would only be applicable to EGCs that actually avail themselves of their ability to report only two years of audited financial information. Under the proposed amendments, EGCs would still be required to meet the same aggregate financial requirements, but would be required to do so over a two-year period rather than a three-year period, if they have availed themselves of the JOBS Act provision allowing EGCs to file only two years of audited financial statements.

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