In 2015 the NYSE amended its policy with respect to material news releases. One of the amendments was to include advisory text in Section 202.06 of the Listed Companies Manual requesting that listed companies intending to release material news after the close of trading on the Exchange wait until the earlier of the publication of their security’s official closing price on the Exchange or fifteen minutes after the scheduled closing time on the Exchange.  The reason for the change was that securities trade in other markets after the NYSE closes, and investor confusion arises if the trades in other markets are at prices different than NYSE trades being completed at the NYSE closing price.

Notwithstanding the addition of the advisory text, the NYSE has continued to experience situations where material news released shortly after 4:00 p.m. has caused significant investor confusion. Accordingly, the NYSE now proposes to amend Section 202.06 to prohibit listed companies from issuing material news after the official closing time for the NYSE’s trading session until the earlier of publication of such company’s official closing price on the Exchange or five minutes after the official closing time.  The NYSE believes that designated market makers are able to complete the closing auctions for the securities assigned to the market maker in almost all cases within five minutes of the NYSE’s official closing time.

In the proposed rule, the NYSE continues to recommend that companies that intend to issue material news after the NYSE’s official closing time delay doing so until the earlier of publication of such company’s official closing price on the NYSE or fifteen minutes after the Exchange’s official closing time.

The foregoing change is in addition to changes to NYSE rules related to dividend announcements, which the NYSE is currently seeking to delay to facilitate implementation of the new rules.