In Macquarie Infrastructure Corp., et al., v. Moab Partners, L. P., et. al, a unanimous United States Supreme Court held that failure to make MD&A disclosures required by Item 303 of Regulation S-K does not violate Rule 10b-5(b). The Court reiterated the tenet of Basic Inc. v. Levinson that “Silence, absent a duty to
Developments in Securities Regulation, Corporate Governance, Capital Markets, M&A and Other Topics of Interest. MORE
Public Companies and Securities
SEC Adopts Final Climate Rules
The SEC adopted amendments to its rules under the Securities Act of 1933 and Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that will require registrants to provide certain climate related information in their registration statements and annual reports. The final rules will require information about a registrant’s climate-related risks that have materially impacted, or are reasonably likely…
NYSE Updates Shareholder Approval Rule
The NYSE amended its shareholder approval rules to make it easier for listed companies to sell securities to passive existing shareholders without obtaining shareholder approval. The SEC approved the change on an accelerated basis.
Section 312.03(b)(i) of the NYSE’s Listed Company Manual provides that shareholder approval is required prior to the issuance of common stock…
2024 ISS Policy Update: Severance Arrangements
- The
SEC Issues Staff Report on Accredited Investor Definition
The SEC issued a staff report on the accredited investor definition. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act directs the Commission to review the accredited investor definition as it relates to natural persons every four years to determine whether the definition should be modified or adjusted. The Staff previously reviewed the definition in…
SEC Adopts Final Amendments Related to Share Repurchases
- Disclose daily repurchase activity quarterly;
- Check a box indicating if certain directors or officers traded in the relevant securities within four business days before or after the public announcement of an issuer’s repurchase plan or
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…