1 / 32

Alternatives to Listing on a U.S. Stock Exchange

Alternatives to Listing on a U.S. Stock Exchange. Tod Ackerly September 30, 2009. or What “Globalization” Can Do For You. Globalization of International Securities Markets. Investors (especially Institutional Investors) have Easy Access to Markets Worldwide

trina
Download Presentation

Alternatives to Listing on a U.S. Stock Exchange

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Alternatives to Listing on a U.S. Stock Exchange Tod Ackerly September 30, 2009

  2. orWhat “Globalization” Can Do For You

  3. Globalization of International Securities Markets • Investors (especially Institutional Investors) have Easy Access to Markets Worldwide • Brokerage Level: Consolidation, Correspondent Relationships, Global Electronic Trading Systems • Market Level: Consolidation, Alliances • “Plumbing” Level: Consolidation, Inter-Connectivity • Information Level: Internet, Multiple News Services • As a Result: • Investors are able to Learn about “Foreign” companies; Place trades in their securities; and Complete the transactions, all with increasing ease and decreasing cost. • Companies are able to list on Foreign exchanges and obtain favorable results in secondary trading.

  4. Good Reasons Not to do IPO in U.S. • The SEC Registration Process • Is Time-Consuming and Expensive • Difficult to Plan Offering Schedule, Money Availability • The SEC On-Going Requirements • Reporting, e.g., 8-Ks, Reg. S-K Disclosure Items • Sarbanes-Oxley • Listing Standards can be Tough • Need to be Checked Carefully • Possibility of Being De-Listed • Easy to Get Lost in the Crowd

  5. Considerations in Choosing an Offshore Market • Each Company’s Circumstances are Different • One Size Does Not Fit All • Regulatory Requirements in Local Market • E.g., “Nomads” on AIM in London • Is a full-blown EU Prospectus required? • Access to Potential Investors • Will Analysts Follow your Stock? • Secondary Market Liquidity

  6. U.S. Regulatory Requirements -- Regulation S • General Requirements -- Offer and Sale Must be Made “Outside” the U.S. • No “Directed Selling Efforts” in the U.S. • “Offshore Transaction” • Three Levels (“Categories”) of Requirements, Based Generally on Likely U.S. Market Interest • Equities of U.S. Companies in “Category 3” -- the Most Onerous Requirements

  7. U.S. Regulatory Requirements -- Regulation S • The “Category 3” Requirements • Securities Must contain a Legend. • Bylaws Must Contain Provision Refusing Registration of any Transfer Not Made per U.S. Securities Laws. • Securities Remain “Restricted” for One Year. • Each Purchaser during First Year Must (a) Certify that it is Not a “U.S. Person”, and (b) Agree to Resell only in accordance with U.S. Securities Laws.

  8. Difficulty of Complying with the Certify/Agree Requirement • How is it Possible to Comply with this Requirement When Securities are Listed on a Modern, Electronic Market? • Some Markets Are Trying to Establish Compliant Systems. • Few Have Succeeded, but “Reg. S Friendly” Markets do Exist.

  9. “Going Public” without SEC Registration • It is Possible for a U.S. Company to “Go Public” without ever Registering with the SEC. • Dual Tranche Offering: Offering to QIBs in US under Rule 144A, plus an Offshore Offering under Reg. S. • A Single Pool of Liquidity can be Created, IF the “Plumbing” is in place so that U.S. QIBs can Buy and Sell Easily on the Offshore Market – In the Past this Capability has been Difficult. • After One Year, the Reg. S Restrictions come off, and all Investors, including all U.S. Persons, can buy and sell the securities freely. • The Only Limitation: Trading must be on an Offshore Market that is “Reg. S Friendly.”

  10. Alternatives to Listing on a U.S. Stock Exchange Tod Ackerly September 30, 2009

  11. Introduction to The BSX Greg Wojciechowski - President & CEO 2009

  12. BSX Snapshot BSX founded in 1971 Over 650 listings 16 Trading Members and Listing Sponsors Daily trading Rolling T + 3 Settlement Market Cap over $ 200 Billion

  13. The BSX’s Mission • To Develop an efficient, electronic domestic capital market • To develop a listing service for investment funds and other international securities • To develop a platform to assist in the convergence of the capital and insurance markets • To build the infrastructure to make Bermuda the world’s first truly offshore, international capital market

  14. Sound Legal Framework Bermuda Stock Exchange Private Act - 1992, 1996, 1997, 2002 Financial Institution under Schedule 3 of BMA Act 1969 Power to Make Regulations - subject to prior consent of BMA

  15. Full Member of World Federation of Exchanges “DOSM” status from US-SEC “Registered Organisation” - LSE Designated Investment Exchange - UK Financial Services Authority Approved Stock Exchange – Australian tax authorities Recognised Investment Exchange – The BMA Affiliate Member – IOSCO Recognised Stock Exchange – UK’s HM Revenue & Customs Member – America’s Central Securities Depository Association International Recognitions

  16. Regulatory Objectives Integral part of the domestic capital market infrastructure – National stock exchange Investor Protection – full disclosure and transparency A level playing field - equal access to all investors

  17. Regulatory Philosophy Suitability Transparency Disclosure Equality Corporate Governance

  18. Domicile Demographic

  19. Securities Type

  20. New Approved Listings

  21. Trading Volumes by Year

  22. Trading History by Value

  23. Trading & Settlement Fully Electronic BEST - Trading System, CLOB based BSD - Fully integrated settlement and Depository system

  24. The Bermuda Securities Depository • The Bermuda Securities Depository (BSD) is wholly owned, controlled and operated by the BSX • BSD operates a clearing, settlement and depository service for the Bermuda market • It operate in basically the same way as other electronic central depository systems although adapted to the Bermuda environment.

  25. Source of BSX Information • www.bsx.com

  26. Jeffrey Conyers Chief Executive Officer/Director

  27. Trading Member The following is a concise overview of the BSX Membership process, complete information on the Trading Member role may be found in the BSX Trading Membership Regulations, which includes the full form of application, Trading and Settlement Regulations (and Practice Notes made there under), and the Code of Conduct. First Bermuda Group Ltd.

  28. Introduction • The BSX was established in 1971 by the three Bermuda banks in operation at the time and was formally incorporated as a for profit, limited liability company under the Bermuda Stock Exchange Act 1992. • Today the BSX is the world’s leading fully electronic securities market. Domestic and international trading is executed on a daily basis, Monday to Friday on BEST, the Exchange's custom-designed fully electronic trading system. • Trading Members are granted non-transferable licenses to trade on the Exchange and membership is open to both international and domestic brokers that meet the requirements of the BSX, without limitation on numbers. First Bermuda Group Ltd.

  29. Trading Membership Requirements The BSX invites applications for Trading Membership from any company that meets the requirements as set out in the BSX Trading Membership Regulations, including: • A business plan setting out the company’s plans to be actively engaged in trading securities on a full time basis; • Be a limited liability company incorporated in Bermuda (local 80/20 or 60/40 or exempted) i.e. no individual members or permit companies will be admitted • Meet the Minimum Net Capital (MNC) requirements, both at the time of admission and on a continuous basis thereafter; • Have appointed an independent auditor; • Satisfy the BSX’s requirements for relevant experience; • Install and use terminals for the BSX’s BEST trading system; • Pay an admission fee, an annual membership fee and an ad valorem transaction levy; • Make annual contributions to the BSX, as prescribed by the BSX and approved by the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) from time to time. First Bermuda Group Ltd.

  30. Categories of Trading Members Trading Members may choose to join the BSX as Brokers, Broker/dealers, or Market-makers. • ABroker may only act in an agency capacity (i.e. execute trades on behalf of clients) and may not trade on a principal basis • A Broker/dealer may act in an agency capacity and trade as principal (subject to prior notification of the client if he/she is dealing with a client). A broker/dealer is subject to a higher Minimum Net Capital (MNC) requirement than a broker to reflect the higher risk involved in such business. • A Market-maker is a Trading Member who agrees to provide continuous two way quotes, as principal in one or more specified securities. First Bermuda Group Ltd.

  31. Membership Fees The membership fees and MNC requirements for Trading Members are as follows: First Bermuda Group Ltd.

  32. Sponsorship Trading Members may sponsor all forms of application to list on the BSX in addition to their trading privileges. Listing Sponsors, by comparison, do not have trading privileges and may not sponsor primary equity listings. First Bermuda Group Ltd.

More Related