2022-11786. Self-Regulatory Organizations; Boston Stock Exchange Clearing Corporation; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Amend the Nasdaq Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation

May 26, 2022.

Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act” or “Exchange Act”),^[1] and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,^[2] notice is hereby given that on May 16, 2022, Boston Stock Exchange Clearing Corporation (“BSECC”) 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 BSECC. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons.

I. Clearing Agency's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change

BSECC is filing this proposed rule change to amend the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (“Certificate”) of its parent corporation, Nasdaq, Inc. (“Nasdaq” or the “Company”), to increase Nasdaq's authorized share capital.

The text of the proposed rule change is available on BSECC's website at https://listingcenter.nasdaq.com/​rulebook/​bsecc/​rules, at the principal office of BSECC, and at the Commission's Public Reference Room.

II. Clearing Agency's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

In its filing with the Commission, BSECC 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 these statements may be examined at the places specified in Item IV below. BSECC has prepared summaries, set forth in Sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant aspects of such statements.

A. Clearing Agency's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

1. Purpose

The purpose of the proposed rule change is to amend the Nasdaq Certificate ^[3] to increase the total number of authorized shares of Nasdaq common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”). Specifically, BSECC proposes to amend Article Fourth, Section A such that the total number of shares of Stock ( i.e., capital stock) that Nasdaq is authorized to issue would be increased from 330,000,000 to 930,000,000 shares, and the portion of that total constituting Common Stock would be changed from 300,000,000 to 900,000,000 shares. As amended, Article Fourth, Section A of the Certificate would provide:

The total number of shares of Stock which Nasdaq shall have the authority to issue is Nine Hundred Thirty Million (930,000,000), consisting of Thirty Million (30,000,000) shares of Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share (hereinafter referred to as “Preferred Stock”), and Nine Hundred Million (900,000,000) shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (hereinafter referred to as “Common Stock”).^[4]

As noted above, the proposed amendments to the Certificate were approved by the Nasdaq Board of Directors (“Nasdaq Board”) on March 23, 2022. The proposed amendments to the Certificate would be effective when filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware, which would not occur until approval of the amendments by the stockholders of Nasdaq is obtained at the 2022 Annual Meeting of the Stockholders on June 22, 2022 and until this proposed rule change becomes effective and operative.

The trading price of Nasdaq's Common Stock has risen significantly over the past several years. Since Nasdaq first became a publicly traded company in 2002, the total number of authorized shares of Common Stock has remained constant at 300,000,000 shares. However, over the last five years, the trading price of Nasdaq's Common Stock has increased by approximately 162%.^[5] As the trading price of Nasdaq's Common Stock has risen, the Nasdaq Board has carefully evaluated the effect of the trading price of the Common Stock on the liquidity and marketability of the Common Stock. The Nasdaq Board believes that this price appreciation may be affecting the liquidity of the Common Stock, making it more difficult to efficiently trade and potentially less attractive to certain investors. Accordingly, the Nasdaq Board approved pursuing a 3-for-1 stock split by way of a stock dividend, pursuant to which the holders of record of shares of Common Stock would receive, by way of a dividend, two shares of Common Stock for each share of Common Stock held by such holder (the “Stock Dividend”). The Nasdaq Board's approval of the Stock Dividend was contingent upon this proposed rule change becoming effective and operative, and Nasdaq stockholder approval of the proposed amendments to the Certificate.

The number of shares of Common Stock proposed to be issued in the Stock Dividend exceeds Nasdaq's authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock. The proposed rule change would increase Nasdaq's authorized shares of Common Stock and shares of capital stock sufficient to allow Nasdaq to effectuate the Stock Dividend.

The proposed changes would not otherwise alter the Certificate, including the limitations on voting and ownership set forth in Article Fourth, Section C of the Certificate that generally provides no person who beneficially owns shares of common stock or preferred stock of Nasdaq in excess of 5% of the then-outstanding securities generally entitled to vote may vote the shares in excess of 5%. This limitation mitigates the potential for any Nasdaq shareholder to exercise undue control over the operations of Nasdaq's self-regulatory subsidiaries, and facilitates the self-regulatory subsidiaries' and the Commission's ability to carry out their regulatory obligations under the Act.

2. Statutory Basis

BSECC believes that its proposal is consistent with Section 17A(b)(3)(A) of the Act,^[6] in that it enables BSECC to be so organized as to have the capacity to be able to facilitate the prompt and accurate clearance and settlement of securities transactions and derivative agreements, contracts, and transactions for which it is responsible, to safeguard securities and funds in its custody or control or for which it is responsible, to comply with the provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, to enforce compliance by its participants with the rules of BSECC, and to carry out the purposes of the Exchange Act.

The proposal to increase Nasdaq's authorized shares of Common Stock and shares of capital stock sufficient to allow Nasdaq to effectuate the Stock Dividend would not impact BSECC's ability to be so organized as to have the capacity to be able to carry out the purposes of the Exchange Act. In particular, the proposed changes would not alter the limitations on voting and ownership set forth in Article Fourth, Section C of the Certificate, and so the proposed changes would not enable a person to exercise undue control over the operations of Nasdaq's self-regulatory subsidiaries or to restrict the ability of the Commission or BSECC to effectively carry out their regulatory oversight responsibilities under the Act.

BSECC also believes that the proposal is consistent with Section 17A(b)(3)(F) of the Act ^[7] because it would not impact BSECC's governance or regulatory structure, which would continue to be designed to foster cooperation and coordination with persons engaged in the clearance and settlement of securities transactions, remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a national system for the prompt and accurate clearance and settlement of securities transactions, and, in general, to protect investors and the public interest.

BSECC believes that the proposed rule change would remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a national system for the prompt and accurate clearance and settlement of securities transactions, and, in general, to protect investors and the public interest, because by increasing Nasdaq's authorized shares of Common Stock and shares of capital stock sufficient to allow Nasdaq to effectuate the Stock Dividend, the proposed rule change will facilitate broader ownership of Nasdaq.

BSECC also notes that the proposed rule change is substantially similar to a prior proposal by Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (“ICE”), which is the holding company for three national securities exchanges, including the New York Stock Exchange. The ICE proposal amended ICE's Certificate of Incorporation to effectuate a similar stock split as proposed by BSECC herein.^[8] As such, BSECC does not believe that its proposal raises any new or novel issues not already considered by the Commission.

B. Clearing Agency's Statement on Burden on Competition

Because the proposed rule change relates solely to the number of authorized shares of Common Stock and shares of capital stock of the Company and not to the operations of BSECC, BSECC does not believe that the proposed rule change will impose any burden on competition not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act.

C. Clearing Agency's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others

No written comments were either solicited or received.

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

Because the foregoing proposed rule change does not: (i) Significantly affect the protection of investors or the public interest; (ii) impose any significant burden on competition; and (iii) become operative for 30 days from the date on which it was filed, or such shorter time as the Commission may designate, it has become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act ^[9] and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.^[10]

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. If the Commission takes such action, the Commission shall institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule should be approved or disapproved.

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

• Use the Commission's internet comment form ( http://www.sec.gov/​rules/​sro.shtml ); or

• Send an email to [e-mail]. Please include File Number SR-BSECC-2022-001 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

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

All submissions should refer to File Number SR-BSECC-2022-001. 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 website ( 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 public in accordance with the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for website 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 the filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of BSECC. All comments received will be posted without change. Persons submitting comments are cautioned that we do not redact or edit personal identifying information from comment submissions. You should submit only information that you wish to make available publicly. All submissions should refer to File Number SR-BSECC-2022-001 and should be submitted on or before June 23, 2022.

For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.^[11]

J. Matthew DeLesDernier,

Assistant Secretary.

Footnotes

1.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).

2.  17 CFR 240.19b-4.

3.  Nasdaq owns 100% of the equity interest in Nasdaq BX, Inc., which in turn owns 100% of the equity interest in BSECC. BSECC's affiliates, Nasdaq BX, Inc., Nasdaq GEMX, LLC, Nasdaq ISE, LLC, Nasdaq MRX, LLC, The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, Nasdaq PHLX LLC, and Stock Clearing Corporation of Philadelphia will each concurrently submit substantially the same rule filings to propose the changes described herein.

4.  Nasdaq currently has no Preferred Stock outstanding.

5.  The price of one share of Common Stock on March 31, 2017 was $69.45 and the closing market price of one share of Common Stock on April 1, 2022 was $181.92 as reported on the Nasdaq Stock Market.

6.  15 U.S.C. 78q-1(b)(3)(A).

7.  15 U.S.C. 78q-1(b)(3)(F).

8.  In particular, the ICE proposal increased ICE's total number of authorized shares of ICE common stock in order to effectuate a 5-for-1 stock split by way of a stock dividend. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 78992 (September 29, 2016), 81 FR 69092 (October 5, 2016) (SR-NYSE-2016-57, SR-NYSEArca-2016-119, and SR-NYSEMKT-2016-80) (hereinafter, “ICE Approval”).

9.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).

10.  17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) requires a self-regulatory organization to give the Commission written 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. BSECC has satisfied this requirement.

11.  17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).