2012-30688. Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE MKT LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Amending Section 102(a) of the NYSE MKT Company Guide To Eliminate an Erroneous Reference  

  • Start Preamble December 14, 2012.

    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) [1] and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,[2] notice is hereby given that on December 4, 2012, NYSE MKT LLC (“Exchange” or “NYSE MKT”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) the proposed rule change as described in Items I and II below, which Items have been prepared by the self-regulatory organization. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons.

    I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change

    The Exchange proposes to amend Section 102(a) of the NYSE MKT Company Guide (the “Company Guide”) to eliminate an erroneous reference. The text of the proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's Web site at www.nyse.com,, at the principal office of the Exchange, and at the Commission's Public Reference Room.

    II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

    In its filing with the Commission, the self-regulatory organization included statements concerning the purpose of, and basis for, the proposed rule change and discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The text of those statements may be examined at the places specified in Item IV below. The Exchange has prepared summaries, set forth in sections A, B, and C below, Start Printed Page 75463of the most significant parts of such statements.

    A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and the Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

    1. Purpose

    The Exchange proposes to amend Section 102(a) of the Company Guide (to eliminate an erroneous reference.

    Section 102(a) of the Company Guide provides that a company listing its equity securities on the Exchange must have a minimum public distribution of 500,000 shares, together with a minimum of 800 public shareholders or minimum public distribution of 1,000,000 shares together with a minimum of 400 public shareholders. This provision contains an exception which ostensibly exempts from the distribution requirements in Section 102(a) applicants seeking to qualify for listing pursuant to Section 101(g). Section 101(g) is the Exchange's closed-end fund listing standard and it has always been the Exchange's policy to apply the general distribution standard of Section 102(a) to closed-end funds. As such, the reference to an exception for closed-end funds is erroneous and the Exchange proposes to delete it. The erroneous cross-reference was originally intended to be applicable to companies listing under the Exchange's Alternative Listing Standards for equity securities, which were eliminated in 2008.[3]

    2. Statutory Basis

    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b) [4] of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Act”),[5] in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,[6] in particular in that it is designed to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to foster cooperation and coordination with persons engaged in regulating, clearing, settling, processing information with respect to, and facilitating transactions in securities, to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and a national market system, and, in general, to protect investors and the public interest. The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b)(5) of the Act in that it simply corrects a non-substantive error in the text of Section 102(a).

    B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change will impose any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act.

    C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others

    No written comments were solicited or received with respect to the proposed rule change.

    III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for Commission Action

    The foregoing rule change has become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act [7] and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) [8] thereunder because the proposal does not: (i) Significantly affect the protection of investors or the public interest; (ii) impose any significant burden on competition; and (iii) by its terms, become operative for 30 days from the date on which it was filed, or such shorter time as the Commission may designate if consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest, provided that the Exchange has given the Commission notice of its intent to file the proposed rule change, along with a brief description and text of the proposed rule change, at least five business days prior to the date of filing of the proposed rule change, or such shorter time as designated by the Commission.[9]

    A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b-4(f)(6) normally may not become operative prior to 30 days after the date of filing. However, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) [10] permits the Commission to designate a shorter time if such action is consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest. The Exchange has requested that the Commission waive the 30-day operative delay period. The Commission believes that waiver of the 30-day operative delay period is consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest because it would immediately eliminate confusion for issuers resulting from the erroneous reference in the Company Guide and clarify the distribution requirement applicability. For these reasons, the Commission believes that waiving the 30-day operative delay is consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest, and therefore, it designates the proposed rule change to be operative upon filing with the Commission.[11]

    At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend such rule change if it appears to the Commission that such action is necessary or appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors, or otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of the Act.[12]

    IV. Solicitation of Comments

    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule change is consistent with the Act. Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:

    Electronic Comments

    Paper Comments

    • Send paper comments in triplicate to Elizabeth M. Murphy, Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090.

    All submissions should refer to File Number SR-NYSEMKT-2012-78. This file number should be included on the subject line if email is used. To help the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently, please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on the Commission's Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/​rules/​sro.shtml). Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all written statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are filed with the Commission, and all written communications relating to the proposed rule change between the Commission and any person, other than those that may be withheld from the Start Printed Page 75464public in accordance with the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for Web site viewing and printing in the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of such filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of the Exchange. All comments received will be posted without change; the Commission does not edit personal identifying information from submissions. You should submit only information that you wish to make available publicly. All submissions should refer to File Number SR-NYSEMKT-2012-78 and should be submitted on or before January 10, 2013.

    Start Signature

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.[13]

    Kevin M. O'Neill,

    Deputy Secretary.

    End Signature End Preamble

    Footnotes

    3.  See [sic] 34-59050 (December 3, 2008); 73 CFR 75144 (December 10, 2008) (SR-Amex-2008-70).

    Back to Citation

    9.  In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) requires the Exchange to give the Commission written notice of the Exchange's intent to file the proposed rule change, along with a brief description and text of the proposed rule change, at least five business days prior to the date of filing of the proposed rule change, or such shorter time as designated by the Commission. The Exchange has satisfied this requirement.

    Back to Citation

    11.  For purposes only of waiving the operative delay for this proposal, the Commission has considered the proposed rule's impact on efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).

    Back to Citation

    [FR Doc. 2012-30688 Filed 12-19-12; 8:45 am]

    BILLING CODE 8011-01-P

Document Information

Comments Received:
0 Comments
Published:
12/20/2012
Department:
Securities and Exchange Commission
Entry Type:
Notice
Document Number:
2012-30688
Pages:
75462-75464 (3 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Release No. 34-68444, File No. SR-NYSEMKT-2012-78
EOCitation:
of 2012-12-14
PDF File:
2012-30688.pdf