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Home > > phlx-equity-8a
Equity 8A Unlisted Trading Privileges; Proxy and Other Rules
Section 1. Reserved
 

Adopted Jan. 22, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-04).

Section 2. Reserved
 

Adopted Jan. 22, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-04).

Section 3. Reserved
 

Adopted Jan. 22, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-04).

Section 4. Reserved
 

Adopted Jan. 22, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-04).

Section 5. Securities Traded under Unlisted Trading Privileges

(a) General Provisions and Unlisted Trading Privileges. Only such securities admitted pursuant to unlisted trading privileges shall be dealt in on the Exchange. The Exchange will not list equity securities pursuant to any Rule until the Exchange files a proposed rule change under Section 19(b)(2) under the Exchange Act to amend its Rules to make any changes needed to comply with Rules 10A-3 and 10C-1 under the Exchange Act and to incorporate additional qualitative and other listing criteria, and such proposed rule change is approved by the Commission. Therefore, the provisions of the Exchange's Rules are not effective to permit the listing of equity securities.

(1) The Exchange may extend unlisted trading privileges ("UTP") to any security that is an NMS Stock that is listed on another national securities exchange or with respect to which unlisted trading privileges may otherwise be extended in accordance with Section 12(f) of the Exchange Act and any such security shall be subject to all Exchange rules applicable to trading on the Exchange, unless otherwise noted.

(2) UTP Exchange Traded Product. Any UTP Security, which is defined in Equity 4, Rule 3100(b)(7), that is a UTP Exchange Traded Product, which is defined in Equity 4, Rule 3100(f), will be subject to the additional following rules:

(A) Information Circular. The Exchange will distribute an information circular prior to the commencement of trading in each such UTP Exchange Traded Product that generally includes the same information as is contained in the information circular provided by the listing exchange, including (a) the special risks of trading the new Exchange Traded Product, (b) the Exchange Rules that will apply to the new Exchange Traded Product, and (c) information about the dissemination of value of the underlying assets or indices.

(B) Product Description.

(i) Prospectus Delivery Requirements. Member organizations are subject to the prospectus delivery requirements under the Securities Act of 1933, unless the UTP Exchange Traded Product is the subject of an order by the Securities and Exchange Commission exempting the product from certain prospectus delivery requirements under Section 24(d) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the product is not otherwise subject to prospectus delivery requirements under the Securities Act of 1933.

(ii) Written Description of Terms and Conditions. The Exchange will inform member organizations of the application of the provisions of this subparagraph to UTP Exchange Traded Products by means of an information circular. The Exchange requires that member organizations provide each purchaser of UTP Exchange Traded Products a written description of the terms and characteristics of those securities, in a form approved by the Exchange or prepared by the open-ended management company issuing such securities, not later than the time a confirmation of the first transaction in such securities is delivered to such purchaser. In addition, member organizations will include a written description with any sales material relating to UTP Exchange Traded Products that is provided to customers or the public. Any other written materials provided by a member organization to customers or the public making specific reference to the UTP Exchange Traded Products as an investment vehicle must include a statement substantially in the following form:

"A circular describing the terms and characteristics of [the UTP Exchange Traded Products] has been prepared by the [open-ended management investment company name] and is available from your broker. It is recommended that you obtain and review such circular before purchasing [the UTP Exchange Traded Products]."

A member organization carrying an omnibus account for a nonmember organization is required to inform such non-member organizations that execution of an order to purchase UTP Exchange Traded Products for such omnibus account will be deemed to constitute an agreement by the non-member organizations to make such written description available to its customers on the same terms as are directly applicable to the member organization under this Rule. 

(iii) Customer Requests for a Prospectus. Upon request of a customer, a member organization will also provide a prospectus for the particular UTP Exchange Traded Product.

(C) Trading Halts. The Exchange will halt trading in a UTP Exchange Traded Product as provided for in Equity 4, Rule 3100. Nothing in this rule will limit the power of the Exchange under the Rules or procedures of the Exchange with respect to the Exchange's ability to suspend trading in any securities if such suspension is necessary for the protection of investors or in the public interest.

(D) Market Maker Restrictions. The following restrictions will apply to each member organization acting as a registered Market Maker on the Exchange in a UTP Exchange Traded Product that derives its value from one or more currencies, commodities, or derivatives based on one or more currencies or commodities, or is based on a basket or index composed of currencies or commodities (collectively, "Reference Assets"):

(i) The member organization acting as a registered Market Maker on the Exchange in a UTP Exchange Traded Product must file with the Exchange, in a manner prescribed by the Exchange, and keep current a list identifying all accounts for trading the underlying physical asset or commodity, related futures or options on futures, or any other related derivatives (collectively with Reference Assets, "Related Instruments"), which the member organization acting as a registered Market Maker on the Exchange may have or over which it may exercise investment discretion. No member organization acting as a registered Market Maker on the Exchange in the UTP Exchange Traded Product will trade in the underlying physical asset or commodity, related futures or options on futures, or any other related derivatives, in an account in which a member organization acting as a registered Market Maker on the Exchange, directly or indirectly, controls trading activities, or has a direct interest in the profits or losses thereof, which has not been reported to the Exchange as required by this Rule.

(ii) A Market Maker on the Exchange will, in a manner prescribed by the Exchange, file with the Exchange and keep current a list identifying any accounts ("Related Instrument Trading Accounts") for which Related Instruments are traded: (a) in which the Market Maker holds an interest; (b) over which it has investment discretion; or (c) in which it shares in the profits and/or losses.

A Market Maker on the Exchange may not have an interest in, exercise investment discretion over, or share in the profits and/or losses of a Related Instrument Trading Account that has not been reported to the Exchange as required by this Rule.

(iii) In addition to the existing obligations under Exchange rules regarding the production of books and records, a Market Maker on the Exchange will, upon request by the Exchange, make available to the Exchange any books, records, or other information pertaining to any Related Instrument Trading Account or to the account of any registered or non-registered employee affiliated with the Market Maker on the Exchange for which Related Instruments are traded.

(iv) A Market Maker on the Exchange will not use any material nonpublic information in connection with trading a Related Instrument.

(E) Surveillance. The Exchange will enter into comprehensive surveillance sharing agreements with markets that trade components of the index or portfolio on which the UTP Exchange Traded Product is based to the same extent as the listing exchange's rules require the listing exchange to enter into comprehensive surveillance sharing agreements with such markets.

(3) Prior to the commencement of trading of CVRs on the Exchange, the Exchange will distribute a circular to its member organizations providing guidance regarding member organization compliance responsibilities (including suitability recommendations and account approval) when handling transactions in CVRs.

Adopted Jan. 22, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-04).

Section 6. Advertising Practices

(a) No member organization, directly or indirectly, in connection with the purchase or sale of any security that has listed or unlisted trading privileges on the Exchange, shall publish, circulate or distribute any advertisement, sales literature or market letter or make oral statements or presentations which the member organization knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, contain any untrue statement of material fact or which is otherwise false or misleading. Exaggerated or misleading statements or claims are prohibited.

(b) Advertisements, sales literature and market letters shall contain the name of the member organization, the person or firm preparing the material, if other than the member organization, and the date on which it was first published, circulated or distributed (except that in advertisements only the name of the member organization need be stated).

(c) No cautionary statements or caveats, often called hedge clauses, may be used if they could mislead the reader or are inconsistent with the content of the material.

(d) Each item of advertising and sales literature and each market letter shall be approved by signature or initial, prior to use, by an officer, partner or other official the member organization has designated to supervise all such matters.

(e) A separate file of all advertisements, sales literature and market letters, including the names of the persons who prepared them and/or approved their use, shall be maintained by the member organization for a period of three years from the date of each use (for the first two years in a place readily accessible to examination or spot checks). Each member organization shall file with the Exchange, or the designated self-regulatory organization for such member organization, within five business days after initial use, each advertisement (i.e., any material for use in any newspaper or magazine or other public media or by radio, telephone, recording, motion picture or television, except tombstone advertisements), unless such advertisement may be published under the rules of another self-regulatory organization regulating the member organization under the Act.

(f) Testimonial material based on experience with the member organization or concerning any advice, analysis, report or other investment related service rendered by the member organization must make clear that such testimony is not necessarily indicative of future performance or results obtained by others. Testimonials also shall state whether any compensation has been paid to the maker, directly or indirectly, and if the material implies special experience or expert opinion, the qualifications of the maker of the testimonial should be given.

(g) Any statement to the effect that a report or analysis or other service will be furnished free or without any charge shall not be made unless such report or analysis or other service actually is or will be furnished entirely free and without condition or obligation.

(h) No claim or implication may be made for research or other facilities beyond those which the member organization actually possesses or has reasonable capacity to provide.

Adopted Jan. 22, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-04).

Section 7. Prevention of the Misuse of Material, Nonpublic Information

(a) Every member organization must establish, maintain and enforce written policies and procedures reasonably designed, taking into consideration the nature of such member organization's business, to prevent the misuse of material, non-public information by such member or member organization. Any member or member organization who becomes aware of a possible misuse of material, non-public information must promptly notify the Exchange's regulatory staff.

Supplementary Material: 

.01 For purposes of Equity 8A, Section 7, conduct constituting the misuse of material, non-public information includes, but is not limited to, the following:

(A) Trading in any securities issued by a corporation, or in any related securities or related options or other derivative securities, while in possession of material, nonpublic information concerning that issuer; or

(B) Trading in a security or related options or other derivative securities, while in possession of material non-public information concerning imminent transactions in the security or related securities; or

(C) Disclosing to another person or entity any material, non-public information involving a corporation whose shares are publicly traded or an imminent transaction in an underlying security or related securities for the purpose of facilitating the possible misuse of such material, non-public information.

.02 This Rule provides that each member organization for which the Exchange is the DEA should establish, maintain, and enforce written policies and procedures similar to the following, as applicable:

(A) All members must be advised in writing of the prohibition against the misuse of material, non-public information; and

(B) All members of the member organization must sign attestations affirming their awareness of, and agreement to abide by the aforementioned prohibitions. These signed attestations must be maintained for at least three years, the first two years in an easily accessible place; and

(C) Each member organization must receive and retain copies of trade confirmations and monthly account statements for each account in which a member: has a direct or indirect financial interest or makes investment decisions. The activity in such brokerage accounts should be reviewed at least quarterly by the member organization for the express purpose of detecting the possible misuse of material, non-public information; and

(D) All members must disclose to the member organization whether they, or any person in whose account they have a direct or indirect financial interest, or make investment decisions, are an officer, director or 10% shareholder in a company whose shares are publicly traded. Any transaction in the stock (or option thereon) of such company shall be reviewed to determine whether the transaction may have involved a misuse of material non-public information.

Maintenance of the foregoing policies and procedures may not, in all cases, satisfy the requirements and intent of this Rule. The adequacy of each member organization's policies and procedures will depend upon the nature of each member organization's business.

.03 Member organizations acting as a registered Market Maker in UTP Exchange Traded Products, and their affiliates, shall also establish, maintain and enforce written policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent the misuse of any material nonpublic information with respect to such products, any components of the related products, any physical asset or commodity underlying the product, applicable currencies, underlying indexes, related futures or options on futures, and any related derivative instruments.

Adopted Jan. 22, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-04).

Section 8. Additional Requirements for Securities Issued by Nasdaq or its Affiliates

(a) For purposes of this Rule, the terms below are defined as follows:

(1) "Nasdaq Affiliate" means Nasdaq, Inc. and any entity that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with Nasdaq, Inc., where "control" means that one entity possesses, directly or indirectly, voting control of the other entity either through ownership of capital stock or other equity securities or through majority representation on the board of directors or other management body of such entity.

(2) "Affiliate Security" means any security issued by a Nasdaq Affiliate or any Exchange-listed option on any such security.

(b) No Equity Affiliate Security will be listed on the Exchange.

(c) Throughout the trading of the Affiliate Security on the Exchange, the Exchange will prepare a quarterly report on the Affiliate Security for the Exchange's Regulatory Oversight Committee that describes Exchange regulatory staff's monitoring of the trading of the Affiliate Security including summaries of all related surveillance alerts, complaints, regulatory referrals, adjusted trades, investigations, examinations, formal and informal disciplinary actions, exception reports and trading data used to ensure the Affiliate Security's compliance with the Exchange's trading rules.

Adopted Jan. 22, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-04).

Section 9. Restriction

No member organization shall give a proxy to vote stock registered in its name, except as required or permitted under the provisions of Equity 8A, Section 11, unless the firm is the beneficial owner of such stock.

Adopted Jan. 22, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-04).

Section 10. Voting Instructions

Whenever a person soliciting proxies shall furnish a member organization:

(1) copies of all soliciting material which such person is sending to registered holders, and

(2) satisfactory assurance that he will reimburse such member organization for all out-of-pocket expenses, including reasonable clerical expenses, if any, incurred by such member organization, in obtaining instructions from the beneficial owners of stock.

Such organization shall transmit to each beneficial owner of stock the material furnished together with a request for voting instructions and also a statement to the effect that, if such instructions are not received by the tenth day before the meeting the proxy may be given at discretion by the owner of record of the stock. However, when the proxy soliciting material is transmitted to the beneficial owner of the stock twenty-five days or more before the meeting, the statement accompanying such material shall be to the effect that the proxy may be given fifteen days before the meeting at the discretion of the owner of record of the stock. This Rule shall not apply to beneficial owners outside the United States.

Adopted Jan. 22, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-04).

Section 11. Proxies at Direction of Owner

A member organization shall give a proxy for stock registered in its name, at the direction of the beneficial owner. If the stock is not in the control or possession of the member organization, satisfactory proof of the beneficial ownership as of the record date may be required.

Member organization holdings as executor, etc.

A member organization may give a proxy to vote any stock registered in its name if the member organization holds such stock as executor, administrator, guardian, trustee, or in a similar representative or fiduciary capacity with authority to vote.

A member organization which has in its possession or control stock registered in the name of another member organization shall

(1) forward to such other member organization any voting instructions received from the beneficial owner, or

(2) if the proxy-soliciting material has been transmitted to the beneficial owner of the stock in accordance with Equity 8A, Section 10 and no instructions have been received by the date specified in the statement accompanying such material, notify such other member organization of such fact in order that such organization may give the proxy as provided below.

(a) When a member organization may vote without customer instructions—A member organization may give a proxy to vote stock provided that:

(1) it has transmitted proxy-soliciting material to the beneficial owner of stock

(2) it has not received voting instructions from the beneficial owner by the date specified in the statement accompanying such material; and

(3) provided such action is adequately disclosed to stockholders and does not include authorization for a merger, consolidation or any matter which may substantially affect the rights or privileges of such stock.

(b) When a member organization may not vote without customer instructions—A member organization may not give or authorize a proxy to vote without instructions from beneficial owners when the matter to be voted upon:

(1) is submitted to stockholders by means of a proxy statement comparable to that specified in Schedule 14-A of the SEC;

(2) is the subject of a counter-solicitation, or is part of a proposal made by a stockholder which is being opposed by management;

(3) relates to a merger or consolidation (except when the company's proposal is to merge with its own wholly owned subsidiary, provided shareholders dissenting thereto do not have rights of appraisal and there is no change in the state of incorporation);

(4) involves right of appraisal;

(5) authorizes mortgaging of property;

(6) authorizes or creates indebtedness or increases the authorized amount of indebtedness;

(7) authorizes or creates a preferred stock or increases the authorized amount of an existing preferred stock;

(8) alters the terms or conditions of existing stock or indebtedness;

(9) involves a waiver or modification of preemptive rights;

(10) changes existing quorum requirements with respect to stockholder meetings;

(11) alters voting provisions or the proportionate voting power of a stock, or the number of its votes per share (except where cumulative voting provisions govern the number of votes per share for election of directors and the company proposal involves a change in the number of its directors by not more than 10% or not more than one); 

(12) authorizes the implementation of any equity compensation plan, or any material revision to the terms of any existing equity compensation plan;

••• Supplementary Material:

.01 A member organization may not give or authorize a proxy to vote without instructions on a matter relating to executive compensation, even if such matter would otherwise qualify for an exception from the requirements of Item 12, Item 13 or any other Item under this Rule. See Item 21.

(13) authorizes:

(i) a new profit-sharing or special remuneration plan, or a new retirement plan, the annual cost of which will amount to more than 10% of average annual income before taxes for the preceding five years, or

(ii) the amendment of an existing plan which would bring its costs above 10% of such average annual income before taxes.

Exception may be made in cases of:

(i) retirement plans based on agreement or negotiations with labor unions (or which have been or are to be approved by such unions) and

(ii) any related retirement plan for benefit of non-union employees having terms substantially equivalent to the terms of such union-negotiated plan which is submitted for action of stockholders concurrently with such union-negotiated plan;

••• Supplementary Material:

.02 A member organization may not give or authorize a proxy to vote without instructions on a matter relating to executive compensation, even if such matter would otherwise qualify for an exception from the requirements of Item 12, Item 13 or any other Item under this Rule. See Item 21.

(14) changes the purposes or powers of a company to an extent which would permit it to change to a materially different line of business and it is the company's stated intention to make such a change;

(15) authorizes the acquisition of property, assets or a company, where the consideration to be given has a fair value approximating 20% or more of the market value of the previously outstanding shares;

(16) authorizes the sale or other disposition of assets or earning power approximating 20% or more of those existing prior to the transaction;

(17) authorizes a transaction not in the ordinary course of business in which an officer, director or substantial security holder has a direct or indirect interest;

(18) reduces earned surplus by 51% or more, or reduces earned surplus to an amount less than the aggregate of three years' common stock dividends computed at the current dividend rate.

(19) is the election of directors, provided, however, that this prohibition shall not apply in the case of a company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940;

(20) materially amends an investment advisory contract with an investment company. A material amendment to an investment advisory contract would include any proposal to obtain shareholder approval of an investment company's investment advisory contract with a new investment adviser, which approval is required by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), and the rules thereunder. Such approval will be deemed to be a "matter which may affect substantially the rights or privileges of such stock" for purposes of this Rule so that a member organization may not give or authorize a proxy to vote shares registered in its name absent instruction from the beneficial holder of the shares. As a result, for example, a member organization may not give or authorize a proxy to vote shares registered in its name, absent instruction from the beneficial holder of the shares, on any proposal to obtain shareholder approval required by the 1940 Act of an investment advisory contract between an investment company and a new investment adviser due to an assignment of the investment company's investment advisory contract, including an assignment caused by a change in control of the investment adviser that is party to the assigned contract; or

(21) is in connection with a vote on executive compensation matters, or any other significant matter, as determined by the Commission by rule.

••• Supplementary Material:

.03 A matter relating to executive compensation would include, among other things, the items referred to in Section 14A of the Exchange Act (added by Section 951 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act), including (i) an advisory vote to approve the compensation of executives, (ii) a vote on whether to hold such an advisory vote every one, two or three years, and (iii) an advisory vote to approve any type of compensation (whether present, deferred, or contingent) that is based on or otherwise relates to an acquisition, merger, consolidation, sale, or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of an issuer and the aggregate total of all such compensation that may (and the conditions upon which it may) be paid or become payable to or on behalf of an executive officer. In addition, a member organization may not give or authorize a proxy to vote without instructions on a matter relating to executive compensation, even if such matter would otherwise qualify for an exception from the requirements of Item 12, Item 13 or any other Item under this Rule. Any vote on these or similar executive compensation-related matters is subject to the requirements of this Rule.

(c) Discretionary and non-discretionary proposals in one proxy form—A proxy form may contain proposals, some of which may be acted upon at the discretion of the member organization in the absence of instruction, and others which may be voted only in accordance with the directions of the beneficial owner. This should be indicated in the letter of transmittal. In such cases, the member organization may vote the proxy in the absence of instructions if it physically crosses out those portions where it does not have discretion.

(d) Cancellation of discretionary proxy where counter-solicitation develops—Where a discretionary proxy has been given in good faith under the rules and counter-solicitation develops at a later date, thereby creating a "contest", the question as to whether or not the discretionary proxy should then be canceled is a matter which each member organization must decide for itself. After a contest has developed, no further proxies should be given except at the direction of beneficial owners.

(e) Subsequent proxy—Where a member organization gives a subsequent proxy, it should clearly indicate whether the proxy is in addition to, in substitution for, or in revocation of, any prior proxy.

(f) Signing and dating proxy—All proxies should be dated and should show the number of shares voted. Since manual signatures are sometimes illegible, a member organization should also either type or rubber-stamp its name on such proxy.

(g) Proxy records—Records covering the solicitation of proxies shall show the following:

(1) the date of receipt of the proxy material from the issuer or other person soliciting the proxies;

(2) names of customers to whom the material is sent together with date of mailing;

(3) all voting instructions showing whether verbal or written; and

(4) a summary of all proxies voted by the member organization clearly setting forth total shares voted for or against, or not voted, for each proposal to be acted upon at the meeting.

Verbal voting instructions may be accepted provided a record is kept of the instructions of the beneficial owner and the instructions are retained by the member organization. The record shall also indicate the date of the receipt of the instructions and the name of the recipient.

(h) Retention of records—All proxy solicitation records, originals of all communications received and copies of all communications sent relating to such solicitation, shall be retained for a period of not less than three years, the first two years in an easily accessible place.

Adopted Jan. 22, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-04).

Section 12. Proxy to Show Number of Shares

In all cases in which a proxy is given by a member organization the proxy shall state the actual number of shares of stock for which the proxy is given.

Adopted Jan. 22, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-04).

Section 13. Transfer to Facilitate Solicitation

A member organization, when so requested by the Exchange shall transfer certificates of a listed stock held either for its own account or for the account of others, if registered in the name of a previous holder of record, into its own name, prior to the taking of a record of stockholders, to facilitate the convenient solicitation of proxies.

The Exchange will make such request at the instance of the issuer or of persons owning in the aggregate at least ten percent of such stock, provided, if the Exchange so requires, the issuer or persons making such request agree to indemnify member organizations against transfer taxes, and the Exchange may make such a request whenever it deems it advisable.

Adopted Jan. 22, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-04).

Section 14. Rule Applicable to Individual Members and Nominees

The provisions of Equity 8A, Sections 9 to 13, inclusive, shall apply also to any nominees of member organizations. They shall apply also to voting in person.

Adopted Jan. 22, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-04).

Section 15. Transmission of Interim Reports and Other Material

A member organization, when so requested by a company, and upon being furnished with:

(1) copies of interim reports of earnings or other material being sent to stockholders, and

(2) satisfactory assurance that it will be reimbursed by such company for all out-of-pocket expenses, including reasonable clerical expenses, shall transmit such reports or material to each beneficial owner of stock of such company held by such member organization and registered in a name other than the name of the beneficial owner.

This Rule shall not apply to beneficial owners outside the United States.

Adopted Jan. 22, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-04).

 
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