SEC Fall 2021 Regulatory Agenda- In mid-December, the SEC published its semiannual regulatory agenda and plans for rulemaking. The Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions contains the Regulatory Plans of 28 federal agencies and 68 federal agency regulatory agendas. The Fall 2021 Agenda (“Agenda”) met with criticism from Commissioner Hester M. Peirce and now former Commissioner Elad L. Roisman as failing to provide any items intended to facilitate capital formation – one of the main tenets of the SEC. The Agenda is published twice a year, and for several years I have blogged about each publication.

SPAC Shareholder Litigation – First Fire- On January 3, 2022, the Delaware Court of Chancery denied a motion to dismiss a shareholder lawsuit against a SPAC’s sponsor, its directors, and financial advisor claiming among items, breach of fiduciary duty. The facts supporting the claim mirror common factual scenarios in SPAC and de-SPAC (acquisition transaction) transactions where the post SPAC public company has a decline in stock value.. For More on the blog go to https://securities-law-blog.com/ 

SPAC Shareholder Litigation – First Fire- On January 3, 2022, the Delaware Court of Chancery denied a motion to dismiss a shareholder lawsuit against a SPAC’s sponsor, its directors, and financial advisor claiming among items, breach of fiduciary duty. The facts supporting the claim mirror common factual scenarios in SPAC and de-SPAC (acquisition transaction) transactions where the post SPAC public company has a decline in stock value.. For More on the blog go to https://securities-law-blog.com/ 

Form S-3 Instructions- The SEC has issued FAQ on Covid-19 issues, including the impact on S-3 shelf registration statements. The SEC issued 4 questions and answers consisting of one question related to disclosure and three questions related to S-3 shelf registrations. SEC FAQ Disclosure Confirming prior guidance, the SEC FAQ sets forth the required disclosures in the Form 8-K or 6-K filed by a company to take advantage of a Covid-19 extension for the filing of periodic reports. In particular, in the Form 8-K or Form 6-K, the company must disclose (i) that it is relying on the COVID-19 Order (for more information on the Order, see HERE); (ii) a brief description of the reasons why the company could not file the subject report, schedule or form on a timely basis; (iii) the estimated date by which the report, schedule or form is expected to be filed; and (iv) a company-specific risk factor or factors explaining the impact, if material, of COVID-19 on the company’s business. Also, if the reason the report cannot be filed timely relates to the inability of any person, other than the company, to furnish any required opinion, report or certification, the company must also attach, as an exhibit to the Form 8-K or Form 6-K, a statement signed by such person stating the specific reasons why the person is unable to furnish the required opinion, report or certification. The Form 8-K or 6-K must be filed with the SEC on or before the original due date of such report

Form S-3 Eligibility – The SEC has issued FAQ on Covid-19 issues, including the impact on S-3 shelf registration statements. The SEC issued 4 questions and answers consisting of one question related to disclosure and three questions related to S-3 shelf registrations. SEC FAQ Disclosure Confirming prior guidance, the SEC FAQ sets forth the required disclosures in the Form 8-K or 6-K filed by a company to take advantage of a Covid-19 extension for the filing of periodic reports. In particular, in the Form 8-K or Form 6-K, the company must disclose (i) that it is relying on the COVID-19 Order (for more information on the Order, see HERE); (ii) a brief description of the reasons why the company could not file the subject report, schedule or form on a timely basis; (iii) the estimated date by which the report, schedule or form is expected to be filed; and (iv) a company-specific risk factor or factors explaining the impact, if material, of COVID-19 on the company’s business. Also, if the reason the report cannot be filed timely relates to the inability of any person, other than the company, to furnish any required opinion, report or certification, the company must also attach, as an exhibit to the Form 8-K or Form 6-K, a statement signed by such person stating the specific reasons why the person is unable to furnish the required opinion, report or certification. The Form 8-K or 6-K must be filed with the SEC on or before the original due date of such report.

SEC Adopts Amendments To Accelerated And Large Accelerated Filer Definitions- Part 4- Detail on Amendments to Accelerated Filer and Large Accelerated Filer Definitions Prior to the June 2018 SRC amendments, the SRC category of filers generally did not overlap with either the accelerated or large accelerated filer categories. However, following the amendment, a company with a public float of $75 million or more but less than $250 million regardless of revenue, or one with less than $100 million in annual revenues and a public float of $250 million or more but less than $700 million, would be both an SRC and an accelerated filer. The SEC has now amended the accelerated and large accelerated filer definitions in Exchange Act Rule 12b-2 to exclude any company that is eligible to be an SRC and that had annual revenues of less than $100 million during its most recently completed fiscal year for which audited financial statements are available. The effect of this change is that such a company will not be subject to accelerated or large accelerated filing deadlines for its annual and quarterly reports or to the ICFR auditor attestation requirement under SOX Section 404(b). The rule change does not exclude all SRC’s from the definition of accelerated or large accelerated filers and as such, some companies that qualify as an SRC would still be subject to the shorter filing deadlines and Section 404(b) compliance. In particular, an SRC with greater than $75 million in public float and greater than $100 million in revenue will still be categorized as an accelerated filer…