81 FR 88294 - Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated; Notice of Application
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 235 (December 7, 2016)
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 235 (December 7, 2016)
| Page Range | 88294-88297 | |
| FR Document | 2016-29297 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 235 (Wednesday, December 7, 2016)] [Notices] [Pages 88294-88297] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-29297] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. IA-4578; File No. 803-00236] Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated; Notice of Application December 1, 2016. AGENCY: Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission''). ACTION: Notice of application for an exemptive order under section 206A of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (``Advisers Act'') providing an exemption from the written disclosure and consent requirements of section 206(3). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Applicant: Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (``Applicant''). Relevant Advisers Act Sections: Exemption requested under section 206A from the written disclosure and consent requirements of section 206(3). Summary of Application: Applicant requests that the Commission issue an order under section 206A exempting it and Future Advisers (as defined below) from the written disclosure and consent requirements of section 206(3) with respect to principal transactions with nondiscretionary advisory client accounts. Filing Dates: The application was filed on November 23, 2016. Hearing or Notification of Hearing: An order granting the requested relief will be issued unless the Commission orders a hearing. Interested persons may request a hearing by writing to the Commission's Secretary and serving Applicant with a copy of the request, personally or by mail. Hearing requests should be received by the Commission by 5:30 p.m. on December 27, 2016, and should be accompanied by proof of service on Applicant, in the form of an affidavit or, for lawyers, a certificate of service. Pursuant to rule 0-5 under the Advisers Act, hearing requests should state the nature of the writer's interest, any facts bearing upon the desirability of a hearing on the matter, the reason for the request, and the issues contested. Persons who wish to be notified of a hearing may request notification by writing to the Commission's Secretary. [[Page 88295]] ADDRESSES: Secretary, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090. Applicant, Mackenzie E. Crane, Esq., Bank of America, 100 Federal Street, MA5-100-03-09, Boston, MA 02110 or James E. Anderson, Esq. and Kimberly B. Saunders, Esq., Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, 1875 K Street NW., Washington, DC 20006. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Shapiro, Senior Counsel, at (202) 551-7758 (Chief Counsel's Office, Division of Investment Management) or Melissa Harke, Senior Special Counsel, at (202) 551-6787 (Investment Adviser Regulation Office, Division of Investment Management). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following is a summary of the application. The complete application may be obtained via the Commission's Web site at http://www.sec.gov/rules/iareleases.shtml or by calling (202) 551-8090. Applicant seeks relief from the written disclosure and consent requirements of section 206(3) of the Advisers Act that would be similar to relief currently provided by Advisers Act rule 206(3)-3T (the ``Rule''), which will expire by its terms on December 31, 2016. The relief sought by Applicant, if granted, would be subject to conditions similar to those under the Rule, as well as certain revised or additional conditions. Applicant's Representations 1. The Applicant is registered as an investment adviser with the Commission and is a registered broker-dealer. The Applicant is a subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation, a diversified financial services company with operations around the world. The Applicant offers a number of advisory programs, including Merrill Lynch Personal Advisor (``MLPA''), a nondiscretionary advisory program, and Merrill Lynch Investment Advisory Program (``MLIAP''). While the Applicant offers both discretionary and nondiscretionary advisory services under MLIAP, the relief sought by the Applicant, as it relates to MLIAP, is limited to the client accounts enrolled in nondiscretionary strategies. 2. In 2007, many of the Applicant's fee-based brokerage accounts were converted to nondiscretionary advisory accounts in MLPA, following the invalidation of former rule 202(a)(11)-1 under the Advisers Act. When these accounts had been fee-based brokerage accounts, the Applicant, in its capacity as a broker-dealer, engaged in principal transactions with its customers, in accordance with applicable law. The Applicant currently relies on the Rule to engage in principal transactions with its client accounts in MLPA and client accounts enrolled in nondiscretionary strategies in MLIAP. 3. The Applicant currently has approximately 393,535 client accounts enrolled in nondiscretionary strategies in MLIAP. Those accounts have approximately $157 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2016. In the period January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015, there were approximately 53.9 million trades in MLIAP, involving approximately $79.1 billion in securities. In the period January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015, 25,114 trades were effected in reliance on the Rule in 5,978 unique accounts, representing an approximate average of 4.2 such trades per account. Approximately 70 percent of the trades done in reliance on the Rule in this period were purchases by client accounts; the average purchase was approximately $55,850. Approximately 30 percent of the trades done in reliance on the Rule in this period were sales from client accounts; the average sale was approximately $41,504. 4. In 2013, the Applicant began transitioning its investment advisory client accounts from five legacy investment advisory programs, including MLPA, to MLIAP. The Applicant currently has approximately 3,239 client accounts remaining in MLPA. Those accounts have approximately $5.5 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2016. It is expected that these client accounts will either transition to MLIAP or terminate their investment advisory relationship with the Applicant, at which point MLPA will be retired. In the period January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015, there were approximately 675,000 trades in MLPA, involving approximately $13 billion in securities. In the period January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015, 11,400 trades were effected in reliance on the Rule in 2,857 unique accounts, representing an approximate average of 4 such trades per account. Approximately 70 percent of the trades done in reliance on the Rule in this period were purchases by client accounts; the average purchase was approximately $77,600. Approximately 30 percent of the trades done in reliance on the Rule in this period were sales from client accounts; the average sale was approximately $77,517. 5. From January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015, Applicant did not rely on the Rule for any principal trades in securities it underwrote. Any principal transactions in securities that are underwritten by the Applicant are effected in accordance with section 206(3) of the Advisers Act. 6. The Applicant acknowledges that the Order, if granted, would not be construed as relieving in any way the Applicant from acting in the best interests of an advisory client, including fulfilling the duty to seek the best execution for the particular transaction for the advisory client; nor shall it relieve the Applicant from any obligation that may be imposed by sections 206(1) or (2) of the Advisers Act or by other applicable provisions of the federal securities laws or applicable FINRA rules. Applicant's Legal Analysis 1. Section 206(3) provides that it is unlawful for any investment adviser, directly or indirectly, acting as principal for its own account, knowingly to sell any security to or purchase any security from a client, without disclosing to the client in writing before the completion of the transaction the capacity in which the adviser is acting and obtaining the client's consent to the transaction. Rule 206(3)-3T deems an investment adviser to be in compliance with the provisions of section 206(3) of the Advisers Act when the investment adviser, or a person controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the investment adviser, acting as principal for its own account, sells to or purchases from an advisory client any security, provided that the investment adviser complies with the conditions of the Rule. 2. Rule 206(3)-3T requires, among other things, that the investment adviser obtain a client's written, revocable consent prospectively authorizing the adviser, directly or indirectly, acting as principal for its own account, to sell any security to or purchase any security from the client. The consent must be obtained after the adviser provides the client with written disclosure about: (i) The circumstances under which the investment adviser may engage in principal transactions with the client; (ii) the nature and significance of the conflicts the investment adviser has with its client's interests as a result of those transactions; and (iii) how the investment adviser addresses those conflicts. The investment adviser also must provide trade-by-trade disclosure to the client, before the execution of each principal transaction, of the capacity in which the adviser may act with respect to the transaction, and obtain the client's consent (which may be written or oral) to the transaction. The Rule is available only to an [[Page 88296]] investment adviser that is also a broker-dealer registered under section 15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (``Exchange Act'') and may only be relied upon with respect to a nondiscretionary account that is a brokerage account subject to the Exchange Act, and the rules thereunder, and the rules of the self-regulatory organization(s) of which it is a member. Rule 206(3)-3T is not available for principal transactions if the investment adviser or a person who controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the adviser (``control person'') is the issuer or is an underwriter of the security, except that an adviser may rely on the Rule for trades in which the adviser or a control person is an underwriter of non-convertible investment-grade debt securities. 3. The investment adviser also must provide to the client a trade confirmation that, in addition to the requirements of rule 10b-10 under the Exchange Act, includes a conspicuous, plain English statement informing the client that the investment adviser disclosed to the client before the execution of the transaction that the investment adviser may act as principal in connection with the transaction, that the client authorized the transaction, and that the investment adviser sold the security to or bought the security from the client for its own account. The investment adviser also must deliver to the client, at least annually, a written statement listing all transactions that were executed in the account in reliance on the Rule, including the date and price of each transaction. 4. Rule 206(3)-3T is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2016. Upon expiration, the Applicant would be required to provide trade-by-trade written disclosure to each nondiscretionary advisory client with whom the Applicant sought to engage in a principal transaction in accordance with section 206(3). The Applicant submits that its nondiscretionary clients, through the Applicant's current reliance on the Rule, have had access to the Applicant's inventory through principal transactions for a number of years, and expect to continue to have such access in the future. The Applicant believes that engaging in principal transactions with its clients provides certain benefits to its clients, including access to securities of limited availability, such as municipal bonds, and that the written disclosure requirement of section 206(3) acts as an operational barrier to its ability to engage in principal trades with its clients, especially when the transaction involves securities of limited availability. 5. Unless the Applicant is provided an exemption from the written disclosure and client consent requirements of section 206(3), Applicant believes that it will be unable to provide the same range of services and access to the same types of securities to its nondiscretionary advisory clients as it currently is able to provide to clients under the Rule. 6. The Applicant notes that, if the requested relief is granted, it will remain subject to the fiduciary duties that are generally enforceable under sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Advisers Act, which, in general terms, require the Applicant to: (i) Disclose material facts about the advisory relationship to its clients; (ii) treat each client fairly; and (iii) act only in the best interests of its client, disclosing conflicts of interest when present and obtaining client consent to arrangements that present such conflicts. 7. The Applicant further notes that, in its capacity as a broker- dealer with respect to these accounts, it will remain subject to a comprehensive set of Commission and FINRA regulations that apply to the relationship between a broker-dealer and its customer in addition to the fiduciary duties an adviser owes a client. These rules require, among other things, that the Applicant deal fairly with its customers, seek to obtain best execution of customer orders, and make only suitable recommendations. These obligations are designed to promote business conduct that protects customers from abusive practices that may not necessarily be fraudulent, and to protect against unfair prices and excessive commissions. Specifically, these provisions, among other things, require that the prices charged by the Applicant be reasonably related to the prevailing market, and limit the commissions and mark- ups the Applicant can charge. Additionally, these obligations require that the Applicant have a reasonable basis to believe that a recommended transaction or investment strategy involving a security or securities is suitable for the customer, based on information obtained through reasonable diligence. 8. The Applicant requests that the Commission issue an Order pursuant to section 206A exempting it from the written disclosure and consent requirements of section 206(3) only with respect to client accounts in MLPA, nondiscretionary strategies in MLIAP, and any similar nondiscretionary program to be created in the future. The Applicant also requests that the Commission's Order apply to future investment advisers controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Applicant (``Future Advisers''). Any Future Adviser relying on any Order granted pursuant to the application will comply with the terms and conditions stated in the application.\1\ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ All entities that currently intend to rely on any order granted pursuant to the application are named as Applicants. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Applicant's Conditions The Applicant agrees that any Order granting the requested relief will be subject to the following conditions: 1. The investment adviser will exercise no ``investment discretion'' (as such term is defined in section 3(a)(35) of the Exchange Act), except investment discretion granted by the advisory client on a temporary or limited basis,\2\ with respect to the client's account. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \2\ Discretion is considered to be temporary or limited for purposes of this condition when the investment adviser is given discretion: (i) As to the price at which or the time to execute an order given by a client for the purchase or sale of a definite amount or quantity of a specified security; (ii) on an isolated or infrequent basis, to purchase or sell a security or type of security when a client is unavailable for a limited period of time not to exceed a few months; (iii) as to cash management, such as to exchange a position in a money market fund for another money market fund or cash equivalent; (iv) to purchase or sell securities to satisfy margin requirements; (v) to sell specific bonds and purchase similar bonds in order to permit a client to take a tax loss on the original position; (vi) to purchase a bond with a specified credit rating and maturity; and (vii) to purchase or sell a security or type of security limited by specific parameters established by the client. See, e.g., Temporary Rule Regarding Principal Trades with Certain Advisory Clients, Investment Advisers Act Release No. 2653 (Sept. 24, 2007) at n. 31. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. The investment adviser will not trade in reliance on this Order any security for which the investment adviser or any person controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the investment adviser is the issuer, or, at the time of the sale, an underwriter (as defined in section 202(a)(20) of the Advisers Act). 3. The investment adviser will not directly or indirectly require the client to consent to principal trading as a condition to opening or maintaining an account with the investment adviser. 4. The advisory client has executed a written revocable consent prospectively authorizing the investment adviser directly or indirectly to act as principal for its own account in selling any security to or purchasing any security from the advisory client. The advisory client's written consent must be obtained through a signature or other positive manifestation of consent that is separate from or in addition to the signature indicating the client's consent to the advisory agreement. The separate [[Page 88297]] or additional signature line or alternative means of expressing consent must be preceded immediately by prominent, plain English disclosure containing either: (a) An explanation of: (i) The circumstances under which the investment adviser directly or indirectly may engage in principal transactions; (ii) the nature and significance of conflicts with its client's interests as a result of the transactions; and (iii) how the investment adviser addresses those conflicts; or (b) a statement explaining that the client is consenting to principal transactions, followed by a cross-reference to a specific document provided to the client containing the disclosure in (a)(i)-(iii) above and to the specific page or pages on which such disclosure is located; provided, however, that if the investment adviser requires time to modify its electronic systems to provide the disclosure in (a)(i)-(iii) above immediately preceding the separate or additional signature line, the investment adviser may, while updating such electronic systems, and for no more than 90 days from the date of the Order, instead provide a cross-reference to a specific document provided to the client containing the disclosure in (a)(i)-(iii) above and to the specific section in such document in which such disclosure is located. Transition provision: To the extent that the adviser obtained fully informed written revocable consent from an advisory client for purposes of rule 206(3)-3T(a)(3) prior to the date of this Order, the adviser may rely on this Order with respect to such client without obtaining additional prospective consent from such client. 5. The investment adviser, prior to the execution of each transaction in reliance on this Order, will: (a) Inform the advisory client, orally or in writing, of the capacity in which it may act with respect to such transaction; and (b) obtain consent from the advisory client, orally or in writing, to act as principal for its own account with respect to such transaction. 6. The investment adviser will send a written confirmation at or before completion of each such transaction that includes, in addition to the information required by rule 10b-10 under the Exchange Act, a conspicuous, plain English statement informing the advisory client that the investment adviser: (a) Disclosed to the client prior to the execution of the transaction that the adviser may be acting in a principal capacity in connection with the transaction and the client authorized the transaction; and (b) sold the security to, or bought the security from, the client for its own account. 7. The investment adviser will send to the client, no less frequently than annually, written disclosure containing a list of all transactions that were executed in the client's account in reliance upon this Order, and the date and price of each such transaction. 8. The investment adviser is a broker-dealer registered under section 15 of the Exchange Act and each account for which the investment adviser relies on this Order is a brokerage account subject to the Exchange Act, and the rules thereunder, and the rules of the self-regulatory organization(s) of which it is a member. 9. Each written disclosure required as a condition to this Order will include a conspicuous, plain English statement that the client may revoke the written consent referred to in Condition 4 above without penalty at any time by written notice to the investment adviser in accordance with reasonable procedures established by the investment adviser, but in all cases such revocation must be given effect within 5 business days of the investment adviser's receipt thereof. 10. The investment adviser will maintain records sufficient to enable verification of compliance with the conditions of this Order. Such records will include, without limitation: (a) Documentation sufficient to demonstrate compliance with each disclosure and consent requirement under this Order; (b) in particular, documentation sufficient to demonstrate that, prior to the execution of each transaction in reliance on this Order, the adviser informed the advisory client of the capacity in which it may act with respect to the transaction and that it received the advisory client's consent (if the investment adviser informs the client orally of the capacity in which it may act with respect to such transaction or obtains oral consent, such records may, for example, include recordings of telephone conversations or contemporaneous written notations); and (c) documentation sufficient to enable assessment of compliance by the investment adviser with sections 206(1) and (2) of the Advisers Act in connection with its reliance on this Order.\3\ In each case, such records will be maintained and preserved in an easily accessible place for a period of not less than five years, the first two years in an appropriate office of the investment adviser, and be available for inspection by the staff of the Commission. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \3\ For example, under sections 206(1) and (2), an adviser may not engage in any transaction on a principal basis with a client that is not consistent with the best interests of the client or that subrogates the client's interests to the adviser's own. Cf. Investment Advisers Act Release No. 2106 (Jan. 31, 2003) (adopting Rule 206(4)-6). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11. The investment adviser will adopt written compliance policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure, and the investment adviser's chief compliance officer will monitor, the investment adviser's compliance with the conditions of this Order. The investment adviser's chief compliance officer will, on at least a quarterly basis, conduct testing reasonably sufficient to verify such compliance. Such written policies and procedures, monitoring and testing will address, without limitation: (a) Compliance by the investment adviser with its disclosure and consent requirements under this Order; (b) the integrity and operation of electronic systems employed by the investment adviser in connection with its reliance on this Order; (c) compliance by the investment adviser with its recordkeeping obligations under this Order; and (d) whether there is any evidence of the investment adviser engaging in ``dumping'' in connection with its reliance on this Order.\4\ The investment adviser's chief compliance officer will document the frequency and results of such monitoring and testing, and the investment adviser will maintain and preserve such documentation in an easily accessible place for a period of not less than five years, the first two years in an appropriate office of the investment adviser, and be available for inspection by the staff of the Commission. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \4\ See Report of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Investment Trusts and Investment Companies, H.R. Doc. No. 279, 76th Cong., 2d Sess., pt. 3, at 2581, 2589 (1939); Hearings on S. 3580 Before a Subcommittee of the Commission on Banking and Currency, 76th Cong., 3d Sess. 209, 212-23 (1940); Hearings on S. 3580 Before the Subcomm. of the Comm. on Banking and Currency, 76th Cong., 3d Sess. 322 (1940). By the Commission. Brent J. Fields, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2016-29297 Filed 12-6-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011-01-P
![88294 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 235 / Wednesday, December 7, 2016 / Notices
B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s change should be approved or For the Commission, by the Division of
Statement on Burden on Competition disapproved. Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
authority.12
CBOE does not believe that the IV. Solicitation of Comments Brent J. Fields,
proposed rule change will impose any
Secretary.
burden on competition that is not Interested persons are invited to
[FR Doc. 2016–29287 Filed 12–6–16; 8:45 am]
necessary or appropriate in furtherance submit written data, views, and
of the purposes of the Act. Specifically, BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
arguments concerning the foregoing,
the Exchange believes that, by extending including whether the proposed rule
the expiration of the Pilot Program, the change is consistent with the Act. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
proposed rule change will allow for Comments may be submitted by any of COMMISSION
further analysis of the Pilot Program and the following methods:
a determination of how the Program [Release No. IA–4578; File No. 803–00236]
shall be structured in the future. In Electronic Comments
doing so, the proposed rule change will Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
• Use the Commission’s Internet Incorporated; Notice of Application
also serve to promote regulatory clarity
comment form (http://www.sec.gov/
and consistency, thereby reducing December 1, 2016.
burdens on the marketplace and rules/sro.shtml); or
AGENCY: Securities and Exchange
facilitating investor protection. In • Send an email to rule-comments@
Commission (‘‘Commission’’).
addition, the Exchange has been sec.gov. Please include File Number SR–
ACTION: Notice of application for an
authorized to act jointly in extending CBOE–2016–083 on the subject line.
exemptive order under section 206A of
the Pilot Program and believes the other
Paper Comments the Investment Advisers Act of 1940
exchanges will be filing similar
(‘‘Advisers Act’’) providing an
extensions. • Send paper comments in triplicate exemption from the written disclosure
C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s to Secretary, Securities and Exchange and consent requirements of section
Statement on Comments on the Commission, 100 F Street NE., 206(3).
Proposed Rule Change Received From Washington, DC 20549–1090.
Members, Participants, or Others Applicant: Merrill Lynch, Pierce,
All submissions should refer to File Fenner & Smith Incorporated
The Exchange neither solicited nor Number SR–CBOE–2016–083. This file (‘‘Applicant’’).
received comments on the proposed number should be included on the Relevant Advisers Act Sections:
rule change. subject line if email is used. To help the Exemption requested under section
III. Date of Effectiveness of the Commission process and review your 206A from the written disclosure and
Proposed Rule Change and Timing for comments more efficiently, please use consent requirements of section 206(3).
Commission Action only one method. The Commission will Summary of Application: Applicant
post all comments on the Commission’s requests that the Commission issue an
The Exchange has filed the proposed Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/ order under section 206A exempting it
rule change pursuant to Section and Future Advisers (as defined below)
rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the
19(b)(3)(A) of the Act 10 and Rule 19b– from the written disclosure and consent
submission, all subsequent
4(f)(6) 11 thereunder. Because the requirements of section 206(3) with
amendments, all written statements
proposed rule change does not: (i) respect to principal transactions with
Significantly affect the protection of with respect to the proposed rule
change that are filed with the nondiscretionary advisory client
investors or the public interest; (ii) accounts.
impose any significant burden on Commission, and all written Filing Dates: The application was
competition; and (iii) become operative communications relating to the filed on November 23, 2016.
prior to 30 days from the date on which proposed rule change between the Hearing or Notification of Hearing: An
it was filed, or such shorter time as the Commission and any person, other than order granting the requested relief will
Commission may designate, if those that may be withheld from the be issued unless the Commission orders
consistent with the protection of public in accordance with the a hearing. Interested persons may
investors and the public interest, the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be request a hearing by writing to the
proposed rule change has become available for Web site viewing and Commission’s Secretary and serving
effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) printing in the Commission’s Public Applicant with a copy of the request,
of the Act and Rule 19b–4(f)(6)(iii) Reference Room, 100 F Street NE., personally or by mail. Hearing requests
thereunder. Washington, DC 20549 on official should be received by the Commission
At any time within 60 days of the business days between the hours of by 5:30 p.m. on December 27, 2016, and
filing of the proposed rule change, the 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the should be accompanied by proof of
Commission summarily may filing also will be available for service on Applicant, in the form of an
temporarily suspend such rule change if inspection and copying at the principal affidavit or, for lawyers, a certificate of
it appears to the Commission that such office of the Exchange. All comments service. Pursuant to rule 0–5 under the
action is necessary or appropriate in the received will be posted without change; Advisers Act, hearing requests should
public interest, for the protection of state the nature of the writer’s interest,
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
the Commission does not edit personal
investors, or otherwise in furtherance of identifying information from any facts bearing upon the desirability
the purposes of the Act. If the submissions. You should submit only of a hearing on the matter, the reason for
Commission takes such action, the the request, and the issues contested.
information that you wish to make
Commission will institute proceedings Persons who wish to be notified of a
available publicly. All submissions
to determine whether the proposed rule hearing may request notification by
should refer to File Number SR–CBOE–
writing to the Commission’s Secretary.
10 15
2016–083 and should be submitted on
U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
11 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6).
or before December 28, 2016. 12 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
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![Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 235 / Wednesday, December 7, 2016 / Notices 88297
or additional signature line or 7. The investment adviser will send to inspection by the staff of the
alternative means of expressing consent the client, no less frequently than Commission.
must be preceded immediately by annually, written disclosure containing 11. The investment adviser will adopt
prominent, plain English disclosure a list of all transactions that were written compliance policies and
containing either: (a) An explanation of: executed in the client’s account in procedures reasonably designed to
(i) The circumstances under which the reliance upon this Order, and the date ensure, and the investment adviser’s
investment adviser directly or indirectly and price of each such transaction. chief compliance officer will monitor,
may engage in principal transactions; 8. The investment adviser is a broker- the investment adviser’s compliance
(ii) the nature and significance of dealer registered under section 15 of the with the conditions of this Order. The
conflicts with its client’s interests as a Exchange Act and each account for investment adviser’s chief compliance
result of the transactions; and (iii) how which the investment adviser relies on officer will, on at least a quarterly basis,
the investment adviser addresses those this Order is a brokerage account subject conduct testing reasonably sufficient to
conflicts; or (b) a statement explaining to the Exchange Act, and the rules verify such compliance. Such written
that the client is consenting to principal thereunder, and the rules of the self- policies and procedures, monitoring and
transactions, followed by a cross- regulatory organization(s) of which it is testing will address, without limitation:
reference to a specific document a member. (a) Compliance by the investment
provided to the client containing the 9. Each written disclosure required as adviser with its disclosure and consent
disclosure in (a)(i)–(iii) above and to the a condition to this Order will include a requirements under this Order; (b) the
specific page or pages on which such conspicuous, plain English statement integrity and operation of electronic
disclosure is located; provided, that the client may revoke the written systems employed by the investment
however, that if the investment adviser consent referred to in Condition 4 above adviser in connection with its reliance
requires time to modify its electronic without penalty at any time by written on this Order; (c) compliance by the
systems to provide the disclosure in notice to the investment adviser in investment adviser with its
(a)(i)–(iii) above immediately preceding accordance with reasonable procedures recordkeeping obligations under this
the separate or additional signature line, established by the investment adviser, Order; and (d) whether there is any
the investment adviser may, while but in all cases such revocation must be evidence of the investment adviser
updating such electronic systems, and given effect within 5 business days of engaging in ‘‘dumping’’ in connection
for no more than 90 days from the date the investment adviser’s receipt thereof. with its reliance on this Order.4 The
of the Order, instead provide a cross- 10. The investment adviser will investment adviser’s chief compliance
reference to a specific document maintain records sufficient to enable officer will document the frequency and
provided to the client containing the verification of compliance with the results of such monitoring and testing,
disclosure in (a)(i)–(iii) above and to the conditions of this Order. Such records and the investment adviser will
specific section in such document in will include, without limitation: (a) maintain and preserve such
which such disclosure is located. Documentation sufficient to documentation in an easily accessible
Transition provision: To the extent that demonstrate compliance with each place for a period of not less than five
the adviser obtained fully informed disclosure and consent requirement years, the first two years in an
written revocable consent from an under this Order; (b) in particular, appropriate office of the investment
advisory client for purposes of rule documentation sufficient to demonstrate adviser, and be available for inspection
206(3)–3T(a)(3) prior to the date of this that, prior to the execution of each by the staff of the Commission.
Order, the adviser may rely on this transaction in reliance on this Order, the By the Commission.
Order with respect to such client adviser informed the advisory client of
Brent J. Fields,
without obtaining additional the capacity in which it may act with
Secretary.
prospective consent from such client. respect to the transaction and that it
[FR Doc. 2016–29297 Filed 12–6–16; 8:45 am]
5. The investment adviser, prior to the received the advisory client’s consent (if
the investment adviser informs the BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
execution of each transaction in reliance
on this Order, will: (a) Inform the client orally of the capacity in which it
advisory client, orally or in writing, of may act with respect to such transaction
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
the capacity in which it may act with or obtains oral consent, such records
COMMISSION
respect to such transaction; and (b) may, for example, include recordings of
obtain consent from the advisory client, telephone conversations or [Release No. IA–4581; File No. 803–00234]
orally or in writing, to act as principal contemporaneous written notations);
for its own account with respect to such and (c) documentation sufficient to Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC and Wells
transaction. enable assessment of compliance by the Fargo Advisors Financial Network,
6. The investment adviser will send a investment adviser with sections 206(1) LLC; Notice of Application
written confirmation at or before and (2) of the Advisers Act in December 1, 2016.
completion of each such transaction that connection with its reliance on this AGENCY: Securities and Exchange
includes, in addition to the information Order.3 In each case, such records will Commission (‘‘Commission’’).
required by rule 10b–10 under the be maintained and preserved in an ACTION: Notice of application for an
Exchange Act, a conspicuous, plain easily accessible place for a period of
English statement informing the exemptive order under section 206A of
not less than five years, the first two the Investment Advisers Act of 1940
advisory client that the investment
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
years in an appropriate office of the
adviser: (a) Disclosed to the client prior investment adviser, and be available for 4 See Report of the Securities and Exchange
to the execution of the transaction that Commission, Investment Trusts and Investment
the adviser may be acting in a principal 3 For example, under sections 206(1) and (2), an Companies, H.R. Doc. No. 279, 76th Cong., 2d Sess.,
capacity in connection with the adviser may not engage in any transaction on a pt. 3, at 2581, 2589 (1939); Hearings on S. 3580
transaction and the client authorized the principal basis with a client that is not consistent Before a Subcommittee of the Commission on
with the best interests of the client or that Banking and Currency, 76th Cong., 3d Sess. 209,
transaction; and (b) sold the security to, subrogates the client’s interests to the adviser’s 212–23 (1940); Hearings on S. 3580 Before the
or bought the security from, the client own. Cf. Investment Advisers Act Release No. 2106 Subcomm. of the Comm. on Banking and Currency,
for its own account. (Jan. 31, 2003) (adopting Rule 206(4)–6). 76th Cong., 3d Sess. 322 (1940).
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Document Created: 2016-12-07 05:31:20
Document Modified: 2016-12-07 05:31:20
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice of application for an exemptive order under section 206A of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (``Advisers Act'') providing an exemption from the written disclosure and consent requirements of section 206(3). | |
| Dates | The application was filed on November 23, 2016. | |
| Contact | Robert Shapiro, Senior Counsel, at (202) 551-7758 (Chief Counsel's Office, Division of Investment Management) or Melissa Harke, Senior Special Counsel, at (202) 551-6787 (Investment Adviser Regulation Office, Division of Investment Management). | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 88294 |
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