Private Placement after Going Public31
Sometimes a company goes public and then, for any number of reasons that add up to bad luck, the high expectations that attracted lots of investors early on turn sour. Your financial picture worsens; there is a cash crisis; down goes the price of your stock in the public marketplace. You find that you need new funds to work your way out of difficulties, but public in¬vestors are disillusioned and not likely to cooperate if you bring out a new issue.
Still, other investors are sophisticated enough to see beyond todays problems; thev know the company's fundamentals are sound. While the public has turned its back on you, these investors may be receptive if you offer a private placement to tide vou over. In such cir¬cumstances, you may use a wide vaiety of securities— common stock, convertible preferred stock, convert¬ible debentures. There are several tvpes of exempt offerings, usually described by reference to the securi¬ties regulation that applies to them.
Regulation D is the result of the first cooperative effort by the SEC and the state securities associa¬tions to develop a uniform exemption from registra¬tion for small issuers. A significant number of states allow for qualification under state law in coordina¬tion with the qualification under Regulation D. Heavily regulated states, such as California, are no¬table exceptions. However, even in California, the applicable exemption is fairly consistent with the Regulation D concept.
Although Regulation D outlines procedures for ex¬empt offerings, there is a requirement to file certain information (Form D) with the SEC. Form D is a rel¬atively short form that asks for certain general infor-mation about the issuer and the securities being is¬sued, as well as some specific data about the expenses o( the offering and the intended use of the proceeds.
Regulation D provides exemptions from registra¬tion when securities are being sold in certain circum-stances. The various circumstances are commonlv re¬ferred to by the applicable Regulation D rule number. The rules and their application are as follows:
Rule 504. Issuers that are not subject to the reporting obligations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (nonpublic companies) and that are not investment companies may sell up to $ 1 million worth of securities over a 12-month period to an unlimited number of investors.
Rule 505. Issuers that are not investment companies may sell up to $5 million worth of securities over a 12-month period to no more than 35 nonaccredited purchasers, and to an unlimited number of accredited investors. Such issuers may be eligible for this exemption even though they are public companies (subject to the reporting requirements of the 1934 Act). Rule 506. Issuers may sell an unlimited number of securities to no more than 35 unaccredited but sophisticated purchasers, and to an unlimited number of accredited purchasers. Public companies may be eligible for this exemption.