Section 202.094. World class issuer exemption

Under the authority in section 202(i) of the act (70 P. S. § 1-202(i)), the Commission finds that it is not in the public interest nor necessary for the protection of investors to require registration under section 201 of the act (70 P. S. § 1-201) of any security meeting the following conditions:

(1) The securities are one of the following:

(i) Equity securities except options, warrants, preferred stock, subscription rights, securities convertible into equity securities or any right to subscribe to or purchase the options, warrants, convertible securities or preferred stock.

(ii) Units consisting of equity securities permitted by subparagraph (i) and warrants to purchase the same equity security being offered in the unit.

(iii) Nonconvertible debt securities that are rated in one of the four highest rating categories of Standard and Poor’s, Moody’s, Dominion Bond Rating Services or Canadian Bond Rating Services or another rating organization designated by order of the Commission. For purposes of this subsection, nonconvertible debt securities means securities that cannot be converted for at least 1 year from the date of issuance and then only into equity shares of the issuer or its parent.

(iv) American Depository Receipts representing securities described in subparagraphs (i)—(iii).

(2) The issuer is not organized under the laws of the United States, or of any state, territory or possession of the United States, or of the District of Columbia or Puerto Rico.

(3) The issuer, at the time an offer or sale is made in reliance on this section, has been a going concern engaged in continuous business operations for the immediate past 5 years and during that period, has not been the subject of a proceeding relating to insolvency, bankruptcy, involuntary administration, receivership or similar proceeding. For purposes of this paragraph, the operating history of any predecessor that represented more than 50% of the value of the assets of the issuer that otherwise would have met the conditions of this section may be used toward the 5-year requirement.

(4) The issuer, at the time an offer or sale is made in reliance on this section, has a public float of $1 billion or more. For purposes of this paragraph:

(i) Public float means the market value of all outstanding equity shares owned by nonaffiliates.

(ii) Equity shares means common shares, nonvoting equity shares and subordinated or restricted voting equity shares but does not include preferred shares.

(iii) An affiliate of a person is anyone who beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, or exercises control or direction over, more than 10% of the outstanding equity shares of the person.

(5) The market value of the issuer’s equity shares, at the time an offer or sale is made in reliance on this section, is $3 billion or more. For purposes of this subsection, equity shares mean common shares, nonvoting equity shares and subordinated or restricted voting shares but does not include preferred shares.

(6) The issuer, at the time an offer or sale is made in reliance on this section, has a class of equity securities listed for trading on or through the facilities of a foreign securities exchange or recognized foreign securities market included in 17 CFR 230.901(a)(1) (relating to general statement) or successor rule promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C.A. § § 77a—77aa) or designated by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission under 17 CFR 230.902(a)(2) (relating to definitions) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933.

The provisions of this § 202.094 adopted October 10, 1997, effective October 11, 1997, 27 Pa.B. 5255; transferred and renumbered from 64 Pa. Code § 202.094, December 14, 2012, effective December 15, 2012, 42 Pa.B. 7533. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (317569) to (317570).

Notation

Authority

The provisions of this § 202.094 issued under sections 102(k), 202(h) and (i), 203(r), 204(a), 207(h), (i) and (k), 209(a), 606(a) and 609(a) of the Pennsylvania Securities Act of 1972 (70 P. S. § § 1-102(k), 2-202(h) and (i), 2-203(r), 2-204(a), 2-207 (h), (i) and (k), 2-209(a), 6-606(a) and 6-609(a)).