E7-17175. Self-Regulatory Organizations; The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change to Require Certain Companies to Notify Nasdaq About Any Quarterly Change in the Number of Outstanding Shares

August 23, 2007.

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 August 23, 2007, The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC (“Nasdaq” or “Exchange”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) the proposed rule change as described in Items I and II, which items have been substantially prepared by Nasdaq. Nasdaq has designated the proposed rule change as constituting a “non-controversial” rule change under paragraph (f)(6) of Rule 19b-4,^[3] which renders the proposal effective upon receipt of this filing by the Commission.^[4] 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

Nasdaq proposes to clarify that when a company is delinquent in a periodic report, Nasdaq will assess the listing of additional shares fee based on the number of shares the company tells Nasdaq it has issued during the period.

The text of the proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's Web site (http://www.nasdaq.com), at the Exchange's Office of the Secretary, 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, Nasdaq 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. Nasdaq has prepared summaries, set forth in Sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant aspects of such statements.

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

1. Purpose

The Commission has previously approved fees for the listing of additional shares by domestic Nasdaq-listed companies. Pursuant to Nasdaq rules, these fees are calculated and assessed quarterly based on the company's total shares outstanding as reported on its periodic reports filed with the Commission.

Some Nasdaq companies have recently become delinquent in filing their periodic reports with the Commission, primarily due to investigations into their accounting for stock option grants. Nonetheless, these companies may continue to issue additional shares. Because the existing rule uses a company's public filings to determine the quarterly change in shares outstanding, Nasdaq has been unable to assess additional share fees on these issuers that have not filed periodic reports with the Commission. In order to timely assess and collect the applicable fee in this situation, Nasdaq proposes to modify its rules such that a delinquent company must self-report the change in shares outstanding while it is delinquent. Nasdaq will assess fees based on this reported change in shares outstanding and will reconcile the fee charged with the actual fee due, once the filings are made with the Commission. Nasdaq notes that the proposed rule change has no impact on Nasdaq's substantive requirement that companies timely file required periodic reports with the Commission,^[5] and only concerns Nasdaq's ability to timely and accurately compute fees. Nasdaq's acceptance of the change in number of shares outstanding pursuant to the proposed rule change shall not be construed as a finding by Nasdaq that the issuer is compliant with the timely filing requirement. Any company that fails to timely file such a report would be reviewed pursuant to the procedures described in the Rule 4800 Series.

2. Statutory Basis

Nasdaq believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with the provisions of Section 6(b)(5) of the Act ^[6] in that the proposal is designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, 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 proposed change would allow Nasdaq to timely and accurately bill companies for their issuances of additional shares.

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

Nasdaq does not believe that the proposed rule change will result in any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act, as amended.

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

Written comments were neither solicited nor received.

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

Because the proposed rule change: (i) Does not significantly affect the protection of investors or the public interest; (ii) does not impose any significant burden on competition; and (iii) does not become operative for 30 days after the date of the filing, or such shorter time as the Commission may designate if consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest, the proposed rule change has become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act ^[7] and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.^[8]

A proposed rule change filed pursuant to Rule 19b-4(f)(6) under the Act ^[9] normally does not become operative for 30 days after the date of its 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. The Commission hereby grants the request.^[11] The proposed rule change will allow Nasdaq to assess additional share fees on companies that have are late in filing a periodic report with the Commission by requiring those filers to self-report the number of shares outstanding.^[12]

At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule change, the Commission may summarily abrogate the 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.

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 e-mail to [e-mail]. Please include File Number SR-NASDAQ-2007-074 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

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

All submissions should refer to File Number SR-NASDAQ-2007-074. This file number should be included on the subject line if e-mail 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 public in accordance with the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for inspection and copying in the Commission's Public Reference Room, on official business days between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Copies of such filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of Nasdaq. 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-NASDAQ-2007-074 and should be submitted on or before September 20, 2007.

For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated authority.^[13]

Nancy M. Morris,

Secretary.

Footnotes

1.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).

2.  17 CFR 240.19b-4.

3.  CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).

4.  17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).

5.  See, e.g., Nasdaq Rules 4310(c)(14) and 4320(e)(12).

6.  15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).

7.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).

8.  17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). Pursuant to Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) under the Exchange Act, the Exchange is required 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. The Exchange has satisfied the five-day pre-filing requirement.

9.  17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).

10.  17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).

11.  For purposes only of waiving the 30-day operative delay, the Commission has considered the proposed rule's impact on efficiency, competition, and capital formation. 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).

12.  The Commission notes that, as Nasdaq has stated, Nasdaq's acceptance of such updated share figures should not be construed as a finding by Nasdaq that the issuer is compliant with the timely filing requirement and only concerns Nasdaq's ability to timely and accurately compute fees. Any company that fails to timely file such a report would continue to be reviewed pursuant to the procedures described in the Nasdaq's 4800 Series Rules.

13.  17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).