17 C.F.R. § 240.12b-2
Unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms, when used in the rules contained in this regulation or in Regulation 13A or 15D or in the forms for statements and reports filed pursuant to sections 12, 13 or 15(d) of the act, shall have the respective meanings indicated in this rule:
Accelerated filer and large accelerated filer—(1) Accelerated filer. The term accelerated filer means an issuer after it first meets the following conditions as of the end of its fiscal year:
(2) Large accelerated filer. The term large accelerated filer means an issuer after it first meets the following conditions as of the end of its fiscal year:
(3) Entering and exiting accelerated filer and large accelerated filer status.
(4) For purposes of paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of this definition only, a business development company is considered to be eligible to use the requirements for smaller reporting companies under the revenue test in paragraph (2) or (3)(iii)(B) of the “smaller reporting company” definition in this section, provided that the business development company meets the requirements of the test using annual investment income under Rule 6-07.1 of Regulation S-X (17 CFR 210.6-07.1) as the measure of its “annual revenues” for purposes of the test.
Affiliate. An “affiliate” of, or a person “affiliated” with, a specified person, is a person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, the person specified.
Amount. The term “amount,” when used in regard to securities, means the principal amount if relating to evidences of indebtedness, the number of shares if relating to shares, and the number of units if relating to any other kind of security.
Associate. The term “associate” used to indicate a relationship with any person, means (1) any corporation or organization (other than the registrant or a majority-owned subsidiary of the registrant) of which such person is an officer or partner or is, directly or indirectly, the beneficial owner of 10 percent or more of any class of equity securities, (2) any trust or other estate in which such person has a substantial beneficial interest or as to which such person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity, and (3) any relative or spouse of such person, or any relative of such spouse, who has the same home as such person or who is a director or officer of the registrant or any of its parents or subsidiaries.
Blank check company. For purposes of section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78u-5), the term blank check company means a company that has no specific business plan or purpose or has indicated that its business plan is to engage in a merger or acquisition with an unidentified company or companies, or other entity or person.
Business combination related shell company: The term business combination related shell company means a shell company (as defined in § 240.12b-2) that is:
(2) Formed by an entity that is not a shell company solely for the purpose of completing a business combination transaction (as defined in § 230.165(f) of this chapter) among one or more entities other than the shell company, none of which is a shell company.
Certified. The term “certified,” when used in regard to financial statements, means examined and reported upon with an opinion expressed by an independent public or certified public accountant.
Charter. The term “charter” includes articles of incorporation, declarations of trust, articles of association or partnership, or any similar instrument, as amended, effecting (either with or without filing with any governmental agency) the organization or creation of an incorporated or unincorporated person.
Common equity. The term “common equity” means any class of common stock or an equivalent interest, including but not limited to a unit of beneficial interest in a trust or a limited partnership interest.
Control. The term “control” (including the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise.
Depositary share. The term “depositary share” means a security, evidenced by an American Depositary Receipt, that represents a foreign security or a multiple of or fraction thereof deposited with a depositary.
Emerging growth company. (1) The term emerging growth company means an issuer that had total annual gross revenues of less than $1,235,000,000 during its most recently completed fiscal year.
(2) An issuer that is an emerging growth company as of the first day of that fiscal year shall continue to be deemed an emerging growth company until the earliest of:
(iv) The date on which such issuer is deemed to be a large accelerated filer, as defined in Rule 12b-2 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Employee. The term “employee” does not include a director, trustee, or officer.
Fiscal year. The term “fiscal year” means the annual accounting period or, if no closing date has been adopted, the calendar year ending on December 31.
Majority-owned subsidiary. The term “majority-owned subsidiary” means a subsidiary more than 50 percent of whose outstanding securities representing the right, other than as affected by events of default, to vote for the election of directors, is owned by the subsidiary's parent and/or one or more of the parent's other majority-owned subsidiaries.
Managing underwriter. The term “managing underwriter” includes an underwriter (or underwriters) who, by contract or otherwise, deals with the registrant; organizes the selling effort; receives some benefit directly or indirectly in which all other underwriters similarly situated do not share in proportion to their respective interests in the underwriting; or represents any other underwriters in such matters as maintaining the records of the distribution, arranging the allotments of securities offered or arranging for appropriate stabilization activities, if any.
Material. The term “material,” when used to qualify a requirement for the furnishing of information as to any subject, limits the information required to those matters to which there is a substantial likelihood that a reasonable investor would attach importance in determining whether to buy or sell the securities registered.
Material weakness. The term material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the registrant's annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.
Parent. A “parent” of a specified person is an affiliate controlling such person directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries.
Predecessor. The term “predecessor” means a person the major portion of the business and assets of which another person acquired in a single succession or in a series of related successions in each of which the acquiring person acquired the major portion of the business and assets of the acquired person.
Previously filed or reported. The terms “previously filed” and “previously reported” mean previously filed with, or reported in, a statement under section 12, a report under section 13 or 15(d), a definitive proxy statement or information statement under section 14 of the act, or a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933: Provided, That information contained in any such document shall be deemed to have been previously filed with, or reported to, an exchange only if such document is filed with such exchange.
Principal underwriter. The term “principal underwriter” means an underwriter in privity of contract with the issuer of the securities as to which he is underwriter.
Promoter. (1) The term “promoter” includes:
(2) All persons coming within the definition of “promoter” in paragraph (1) of this definition may be referred to as “founders” or “organizers” or by another term provided that such term is reasonably descriptive of those persons' activities with respect to the issuer.
Prospectus. Unless otherwise specified or the context otherwise requires, the term “prospectus” means a prospectus meeting the requirements of section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 as amended.
Registrant. The term “registrant” means an issuer of securities with respect to which a registration statement or report is to be filed.
Registration statement. The term “registration statement” or “statement”, when used with reference to registration pursuant to section 12 of the act, includes both an application for registration of securities on a national securities exchange pursuant to section 12(b) of the act and a registration statement filed pursuant to section 12(g) of the act.
Share. The term “share” means a share of stock in a corporation or unit of interest in an unincorporated person.
Shell company: The term shell company means a registrant, other than an asset-backed issuer as defined in Item 1101(b) of Regulation AB (§ 229.1101(b) of this chapter), that has:
(2) Either:
(iii) Assets consisting of any amount of cash and cash equivalents and nominal other assets.
Significant deficiency. The term significant deficiency is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting that is less severe than a material weakness, yet important enough to merit attention by those responsible for oversight of the registrant's financial reporting.
Significant subsidiary. The term significant subsidiary means a subsidiary, including its subsidiaries, which meets any of the conditions in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of this definition; however, if the registrant is a registered investment company or a business development company, the tested subsidiary meets any of the conditions in paragraph (4) of this definition instead of any of the conditions in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of this definition. A registrant that files its financial statements in accordance with or provides a reconciliation to U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (U.S. GAAP) must use amounts determined under U.S. GAAP. A foreign private issuer that files its financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IFRS-IASB) must use amounts determined under IFRS-IASB.
(1) Investment test.
(i) For acquisitions, other than those described in paragraph (1)(ii) of this definition, and dispositions this test is met when the registrant's and its other subsidiaries' investments in and advances to the tested subsidiary exceed 10 percent of the aggregate worldwide market value of the registrant's voting and non-voting common equity, or if the registrant has no such aggregate worldwide market value, the total assets of the registrant and its subsidiaries consolidated as of the end of the most recently completed fiscal year.
(3) Income test.
(i) This test is met when:
(ii) When determining the income component in paragraph (3)(i)(A) of this definition:
(4) Registered investment company or business development company. For a registrant that is a registered investment company or a business development company, the term significant subsidiary means a subsidiary, including its subsidiaries, which meets any of the following conditions using amounts determined under U.S. GAAP and, if applicable, section 2(a)(41) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-2(a)(41)):
(ii) Income test. The absolute value of the sum of combined investment income from dividends, interest, and other income, the net realized gains and losses on investments, and the net change in unrealized gains and losses on investments from the tested subsidiary (except, for purposes of § 210.6-11 of this chapter, the absolute value of the change in net assets resulting from operations of the tested subsidiary), for the most recently completed fiscal year exceeds:
(B) 10 percent of the absolute value of the change in net assets resulting from operations of the registrant and its subsidiaries consolidated for the most recently completed fiscal year and the investment test (paragraph (4)(i) of this definition) condition exceeds 5 percent. However, if the absolute value of the change in net assets resulting from operations of the registrant and its subsidiaries consolidated is at least 10 percent lower than the average of the absolute value of such amounts for each of its last five fiscal years, then the registrant may compute both conditions of the income test using the average of the absolute value of such amounts for the registrant and its subsidiaries consolidated for each of its last five fiscal years.
Smaller reporting company. As used in this part, the term smaller reporting company means an issuer that is not an investment company, an asset-backed issuer (as defined in § 229.1101 of this chapter), or a majority-owned subsidiary of a parent that is not a smaller reporting company and that:
(2) Had annual revenues of less than $100 million and either:
(3) Whether an issuer is a smaller reporting company is determined on an annual basis.
(i) For issuers that are required to file reports under section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act:
(ii) For determinations based on an initial registration statement under the Securities Act or Exchange Act for shares of its common equity:
(iii) Once an issuer determines that it does not qualify for smaller reporting company status because it exceeded one or more of the current thresholds, it will remain unqualified unless when making its annual determination either:
(B) It determines that its public float and its annual revenues meet the requirements for subsequent qualification included in the following chart:
| Prior annual revenues | Prior public float | |
|---|---|---|
| None or less than $700 million | $700 million or more | |
| Less than $100 million | Neither threshold exceeded | Public float—Less than $560 million; and |
| Revenues—Less than $100 million. | ||
| $100 million or more | Public float—None or less than $700 million; and | Public float—Less than $560 million; and |
| Revenues—Less than $80 million | Revenues—Less than $80 million. |
Instruction 1 to definition of “smaller reporting company”: A registrant that qualifies as a smaller reporting company under the public float thresholds identified in paragraphs (1) and (3)(iii)(A) of this definition will qualify as a smaller reporting company regardless of its revenues. Instruction 2 to definition of “smaller reporting company”: A foreign private issuer is not eligible to use the requirements for smaller reporting companies unless it uses the forms and rules designated for domestic issuers and provides financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
(iv) Upon the consummation of a de-SPAC transaction, as defined in § 229.1601(a) of this chapter (Item 1601(a) of Regulation S-K), an issuer must re-determine its status as a smaller reporting company pursuant to the thresholds set forth in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this definition prior to its first filing, other than pursuant to Items 2.01(f), 5.01(a)(8), and/or 9.01(c) of Form 8-K, following the de-SPAC transaction and reflect this re-determination in its filings, beginning 45 days after consummation of the de-SPAC transaction.
(B) Annual revenues are the annual revenues of the target company, as defined in § 229.1601(d) of this chapter (Item 1601(d) of Regulation S-K), as of the most recently completed fiscal year reported in the Form 8-K filed pursuant to Items 2.01(f), 5.01(a)(8), and/or 9.01(c) of Form 8-K.
Succession: The term succession means the direct acquisition of the assets comprising a going business, whether by merger, consolidation, purchase, or other direct transfer; or the acquisition of control of a shell company in a transaction required to be reported on Form 8-K (§ 249.308 of this chapter) in compliance with Item 5.01 of that Form or on Form 20-F (§ 249.220f of this chapter) in compliance with Rule 13a-19 (§ 240.13a-19) or Rule 15d-19 (§ 240.15d-19). Except for an acquisition of control of a shell company, the term does not include the acquisition of control of a business unless followed by the direct acquisition of its assets. The terms succeed and successor have meanings correlative to the foregoing.
Totally held subsidiary. The term “totally held subsidiary” means a subsidiary (1) substantially all of whose outstanding securities are owned by its parent and/or the parent's other totally held subsidiaries, and (2) which is not indebted to any person other than its parent and/or the parent's other totally held subsidiaries in an amount which is material in relation to the particular subsidiary, excepting indebtedness incurred in the ordinary course of business which is not overdue and which matures within one year from the date of its creation, whether evidenced by securities or not.
Voting securities. The term “voting securities” means securities the holders of which are presently entitled to vote for the election of directors.
Wholly-owned subsidiary. The term “wholly-owned subsidiary” means a subsidiary substantially all of whose outstanding voting securities are owned by its parent and/or the parent's other wholly-owned subsidiaries.
Editorial Note:For Federal Register citations affecting § 240.12b-2, see the List of CFR Sections Affected, which appears in the Finding Aids section of the printed volume and at www.govinfo.gov.
Note to paragraphs (1), (2) and (3): The aggregate worldwide market value of the issuer's outstanding voting and non-voting common equity shall be computed by use of the price at which the common equity was last sold, or the average of the bid and asked prices of such common equity, in the principal market for such common equity.
Note: For purposes of this definition, the determination of a registrant's assets (including cash and cash equivalents) is based solely on the amount of assets that would be reflected on the registrant's balance sheet prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles on the date of that determination.
[13 FR 9321, Dec. 31, 1948]