The SEC has adopted final amendments requiring disclosures related to issuers’ share repurchases. The amendments will require domestic issuers to:
Stock Exchanges Publish Proposed Clawback Rules
Both the NYSE and Nasdaq have issued proposed clawback rules in connection with SEC Rule 10D-1.
NYSE
The NYSE proposes to comply with Rule 10D-1 by adopting proposed new Section 303A.14 of the Listed Company Manual. Proposed Section 303A.14 is designed to conform closely to the applicable language of Rule 10D-1 and requires an issuer
SEC Adopts Final Rule on 10b5-1 Plans
The SEC has adopted final amendments to Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The amendments:
- Add new conditions to the availability of the affirmative defense under Exchange Act Rule 10b5-1(c)(1), including cooling-off periods for directors, officers, and persons other than issuers;
- Create new disclosure requirements regarding issuers’ insider trading policies and procedures
SEC Issues Final Compensation Clawback Rules
The SEC has adopted rules to require securities exchanges to adopt listing standards that require issuers to develop and implement a policy providing for the recovery of erroneously awarded incentive-based compensation received by current or former executive officers. The final rules require a listed issuer to file the policy as an exhibit to its annual
SEC Charges Company for Backlog Management
In a settled enforcement action, the SEC charged VMware, Inc., with omission of material information in its disclosures concerning its order “backlog” and revenue management, in quarterly and annual Exchange Act reports, on earnings calls, and in earnings releases, during its 2019 and 2020 fiscal years. According to the SEC, this information was necessary
SEC Adopts Pay Versus Performance Disclosure Rules
The Securities and Exchange Commission adopted final rules implementing the pay versus performance requirement as required by Congress in the Dodd-Frank Act.
The rules will require registrants to disclose, in proxy or information statements in which executive compensation disclosure is required, how executive compensation actually paid by the registrants and related to the financial performance
SEC Proposes Changes to Shareholder Proposal Rule
The Securities and Exchange Commission proposed amendments to Exchange Act Rule 14a-8, the shareholder proposal rule, which requires companies subject to the federal proxy rules to include shareholder proposals in their proxy statements, subject to certain procedural and substantive requirements.
According to the SEC the proposed amendments would:
- Revise three of the substantive bases for
SEC Fires Another Warning Shot on Confidentiality Agreements that Violate Whistleblower Provisions
The SEC brought an enforcement action against The Brink’s Company for using confidentiality agreements that the SEC alleged violated Exchange Act Rule 21F-17. That rule prohibits any person from taking any action to impede an individual from communicating directly with the Commission, including by “enforcing, or threatening to enforce, a confidentiality agreement….” The SEC has
SEC Updates Electronic Filing Requirements
The Securities and Exchange Commission adopted rules and form amendments to:
- Mandate the electronic filing or submission of certain documents that currently are permitted to be filed or submitted in paper; and
- Mandate the use of Inline eXtensible Business Reporting Language (“Inline XBRL”) for the filing of the financial statements and accompanying schedules to the
SEC Proposes ESG Disclosures for Investment Advisers and Investment Companies
The SEC has proposed amendments to rules and disclosure forms to promote consistent, comparable, and reliable information for investors concerning funds’ and advisers’ incorporation of environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) factors.
The proposed changes would apply to registered investment companies, business development companies (together with registered investment companies, “funds”), registered investment advisers, and certain unregistered