82_FR_17614 82 FR 17545 - Inflation Adjustments and Other Technical Amendments Under Titles I and III of the Jobs Act

82 FR 17545 - Inflation Adjustments and Other Technical Amendments Under Titles I and III of the Jobs Act

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 69 (April 12, 2017)

Page Range17545-17557
FR Document2017-06797

We are adopting technical amendments to conform several rules and forms to amendments made to the Securities Act of 1933 (``Securities Act'') and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (``Exchange Act'') by Title I of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (``JOBS'') Act. To effectuate inflation adjustments required under Title I and Title III of the JOBS Act, we are also adopting new rules that include an inflation-adjusted threshold in the definition of the term ``emerging growth company'' as well as amendments to adjust the dollar amounts in Regulation Crowdfunding.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 69 (Wednesday, April 12, 2017)
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 69 (Wednesday, April 12, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 17545-17557]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-06797]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

17 CFR Parts 210, 227, 229, 230, 239, 240, and 249

[Release Nos. 33-10332; 34-80355; File No. S7-09-16]
RIN 3235-AL38


Inflation Adjustments and Other Technical Amendments Under Titles 
I and III of the Jobs Act

AGENCY: Securities and Exchange Commission.

ACTION: Final rule; technical amendments; interpretation.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting technical amendments to conform several rules 
and forms to amendments made to the Securities Act of 1933 
(``Securities Act'') and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(``Exchange Act'') by Title I of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups 
(``JOBS'') Act. To effectuate inflation adjustments required under 
Title I and Title III of the JOBS Act, we are also adopting new rules 
that include an inflation-adjusted threshold in the definition of the 
term ``emerging growth company'' as well as amendments to adjust the 
dollar amounts in Regulation Crowdfunding.

DATES: Effective April 12, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: With regard to the amendments to 
Regulation Crowdfunding, Julie Davis at (202) 551-3460, in the Office 
of Small Business Policy, Division of Corporation Finance, and with 
regard to the other amendments, N. Sean Harrison at (202) 551-3430, in 
the Office of Rulemaking, Division of Corporation Finance, U.S. 
Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 
20549.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We are adopting amendments to Rule 405 \1\ 
and Forms C,\2\ S-1,\3\ S-3,\4\ S-4,\5\ S-8,\6\ S-11,\7\ F-1,\8\ F-3 
\9\ and F-4 \10\ under the Securities Act; \11\ Rule 12b-2,\12\ Rule 
14a-21 \13\ and Forms 10,\14\ 8-K,\15\ 10-Q,\16\ 10-K,\17\ 20-F \18\ 
and 40-F \19\ under the Exchange Act; \20\ Rule 2-02 \21\ and Rule 3-02 
\22\ of Regulation S-X; \23\ Rule 100 \24\ and Rule 201 \25\ of 
Regulation Crowdfunding; \26\ and Items 301,\27\ 303,\28\ 308,\29\ 402 
\30\ and 1101 \31\ of Regulation S-K.\32\
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    \1\ 17 CFR 230.405.
    \2\ 17 CFR 239.900.
    \3\ 17 CFR 239.11.
    \4\ 17 CFR.239.13.
    \5\ 17 CFR 239.25.
    \6\ 17 CFR 239.16b.
    \7\ 17 CFR 239.18.
    \8\ 17 CFR 239.31.
    \9\ 17 CFR 239.33.
    \10\ 17 CFR 239.34.
    \11\ 15 U.S.C. 77a et seq.
    \12\ 17 CFR 240.12b-2.
    \13\ 17 CFR 240.14a-21.
    \14\ 17 CFR 249.210.
    \15\ 17 CFR 249.308.
    \16\ 17 CFR 249.308a.
    \17\ 17 CFR 249.310.
    \18\ 17 CFR 249.220f.
    \19\ 17 CFR 249.240f.
    \20\ 15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.
    \21\ 17 CFR 210.2-02.
    \22\ 17 CFR 210.3-02.
    \23\ 17 CFR 210.1-01 et seq.
    \24\ 17 CFR 227.100.
    \25\ 17 CFR 227.201.
    \26\ 17 CFR 227.100 et seq.
    \27\ 17 CFR 229.301.
    \28\ 17 CFR 229.303.
    \29\ 17 CFR 229.308.
    \30\ 17 CFR 229.402.
    \31\ 17 CFR 229.1101.
    \32\ 17 CFR 229.10 et seq.
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I. Introduction

    We are adopting several technical amendments to conform our rules 
and forms to certain provisions of Title I of the JOBS Act.\33\ Title I 
amended the Securities Act and the Exchange Act to provide several 
exemptions from a number of shareholder voting, disclosure and other 
regulatory requirements for an issuer that qualifies as an ``emerging 
growth company'' \34\ (``EGC''). Specifically, the regulatory

[[Page 17546]]

relief provided under Sections 102 and 103 of the JOBS Act: \35\
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    \33\ Public Law 112-106, 126 Stat. 306 (2012).
    \34\ Section 101(a) of the JOBS Act amended Section 2(a) of the 
Securities Act [15 U.S.C. 77b(a)] and Section 3(a) of the Exchange 
Act [15 U.S.C. 78c(a)] to define an ``emerging growth company'' as 
an issuer with less than $1 billion in total annual gross revenues 
during its most recently completed fiscal year. If an issuer 
qualifies as an EGC on the first day of its fiscal year, it 
maintains that status until the earliest of (1) the last day of the 
fiscal year of the issuer during which it has total annual gross 
revenues of $1 billion or more; (2) the last day of its fiscal year 
following the fifth anniversary of the first sale of its common 
equity securities pursuant to an effective registration statement; 
(3) the date on which the issuer has, during the previous three-year 
period, issued more than $1 billion in non-convertible debt; or (4) 
the date on which the issuer is deemed to be a ``large accelerated 
filer'' (as defined in Exchange Act Rule 12b-2). See Section 
2(a)(19) of the Securities Act [15 U.S.C. 77b(a)(19)] and Section 
3(a)(80) of the Exchange Act [15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(80)]. A ``large 
accelerated filer'' is an issuer that, as of the end of its fiscal 
year, has an aggregate worldwide market value of the voting and non-
voting common equity held by its non-affiliates of $700 million or 
more, as measured on the last business day of the issuer's most 
recently completed second fiscal quarter; has been subject to the 
requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act for a 
period of at least twelve calendar months; has filed at least one 
annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange 
Act; and is not eligible to use the scaled disclosure requirements 
under Regulation S-K for smaller reporting companies for its annual 
and quarterly reports. See Exchange Act Rule 12b-2. In Section IV.A 
of this release, we explain how we are adjusting for inflation the 
revenue threshold to qualify as an EGC, as required by the JOBS Act.
    \35\ Public Law 112-106, 126 Stat. 309 and 310.
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     permits an EGC to include only two years of audited 
financial statements in its common equity initial public offering 
registration statement (``IPO registration statement''); \36\
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    \36\ Rule 3-02 of Regulation S-X generally requires the filing 
of audited statements of income and cash flows for each of the three 
fiscal years preceding the date of the most recent audited balance 
sheet being filed.
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     permits an EGC to provide Management's Discussion and 
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (``MD&A'') 
disclosures that correspond to the financial statements included in its 
IPO registration statement;
     permits an EGC to omit in other Securities Act 
registration statements filed with the Commission selected financial 
data \37\ for any period prior to the earliest audited period included 
in its IPO registration statement;
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    \37\ See Section II.A for a discussion of the selected financial 
data requirements.
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     permits an EGC to omit selected financial data for any 
period prior to the earliest audited period included in its first 
registration statement that became effective under the Exchange Act or 
Securities Act in any Exchange Act registration statement, periodic 
report or other report filed with the Commission;
     exempts an EGC from the advisory shareholder votes on the 
compensation of its named executive officers (``say-on-pay''), the 
frequency of the say-on-pay votes (``say-on-frequency'') and golden 
parachute compensation arrangements with any named executive officers 
required by Sections 14A(a) \38\ and (b) \39\ of the Exchange Act;
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    \38\ 15 U.S.C. 78n-1(a).
    \39\ 15 U.S.C. 78n-1(b).
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     permits an EGC to comply with executive compensation 
disclosure requirements under Item 402 of Regulation S-K by providing 
the same executive compensation disclosure as a smaller reporting 
company; \40\
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    \40\ A ``smaller reporting company'' is defined in Rule 405 
under the Securities Act [17 CFR 230.405], Rule 12b-2 of the 
Exchange Act [17 CFR 240.12b-2], and Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K 
[17 CFR 229.10(f)(1)] to mean an issuer that had a public float of 
less than $75 million as of the last business day of its most 
recently completed second fiscal quarter or had; or, in the case of 
an initial registration statement, had a public float of less than 
$75 million as of a date within 30 days of the date of the filing of 
the registration statement; or had a public float of zero and annual 
revenues of less than $50 million during the most recently completed 
fiscal year for which audited financial statements are available. 17 
CFR 229.10(f)(1). Smaller reporting companies are subject to scaled 
executive compensation disclosure requirements. For example, they 
are not required to include a compensation discussion and analysis 
under Item 402(b) of Regulation S-K. The Commission recently 
proposed amendments that would increase the financial thresholds in 
the smaller reporting company definition. Under the proposed 
amendments, the $75 million public float threshold would be 
increased to $250 million and the $50 million revenue threshold 
would be increased to $100 million. See Amendments to Smaller 
Reporting Company Definition, Release No. 33-10107 [81 FR 43130] 
(June 27, 2016).
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     permits an EGC to defer compliance with any new or revised 
financial accounting standards until the date that companies that are 
not ``issuers'' as defined in Section 2(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act 
\41\ are required to comply; \42\ and
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    \41\ Section 2(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act [15 U.S.C. 7201(a)] 
defines the term ``issuer'' to mean an issuer (as defined in Section 
3 of the Exchange Act [15 U.S.C. 78(c)]), the securities of which 
are registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act [15 U.S.C. 78l], 
or that is required to file reports under Section 15(d) of the 
Exchange Act [15 U.S.C. 78o(d)], or that files or has filed a 
registration statement that has not yet become effective under the 
Securities Act, and that it has not withdrawn.
    \42\ Public Law 112-106, 126 Stat. 313.
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     exempts an EGC from the Sarbanes-Oxley Act Section 404(b) 
\43\ auditor attestation on management's assessment of its internal 
controls.\44\
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    \43\ 15 U.S.C. 7262(b).
    \44\ In addition, Section 102 of the JOBS Act exempts EGCs from 
the ``pay versus performance'' proxy disclosure requirements of 
Section 14(i) of the Exchange Act and from the pay ratio disclosure 
requirements of Section 953(b) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform 
and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-203, 124 Stat. 
1376, 1904 (2010). These exemptions are addressed in separate 
rulemakings, one that has been proposed (pay versus performance) and 
one that has been adopted (pay ratio). See Pay Versus Performance, 
Release No. 34-74835 [80 FR 26330] (May 7, 2015) and Pay Ratio 
Disclosure, Release No. 33-9877 [80 FR 50104] (Aug. 18, 2015).
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    The amendments to the Securities Act and Exchange Act included in 
Sections 102 and 103 of the JOBS Act are self-executing and became 
effective once that Act was signed into law. However, several of our 
rules and forms for registration under the Securities Act and the 
Exchange Act, as well as Exchange Act periodic and current reports, 
Regulation S-K and Regulation S-X, currently do not reflect these JOBS 
Act provisions.
    Title I of the JOBS Act also added new Securities Act Section 
2(a)(19) and Exchange Act Section 3(a)(80) to define the term 
``emerging growth company.'' Pursuant to the statutory definition, the 
Commission is required every five years to index to inflation the 
annual gross revenue amount used to determine EGC status to reflect the 
change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (``CPI-U'') 
published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (``BLS'').\45\ We are 
adopting amendments to our rules to define the term ``emerging growth 
company'' so as to reflect the inflation adjustment to the annual gross 
revenue amount.
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    \45\ The CPI-U is the statistical metric developed by the BLS to 
monitor the change in the price of a set list of products. The CPI-U 
represents changes in prices of all goods and services purchased for 
consumption by urban households. See ``Consumer Price Index'' 
available at https://www.bls.gov/cpi/home.htm.
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    Title III of the JOBS Act also added new Securities Act Section 
4(a)(6),\46\ which provides an exemption from the registration 
requirements of Securities Act Section 5 \47\ for certain crowdfunding 
transactions, and the Commission has promulgated Regulation 
Crowdfunding \48\ to implement that exemption. Sections 4(a)(6) and 4A 
\49\ of the Securities Act set forth dollar amounts used in connection 
with the crowdfunding exemption, and Section 4A(h)(1) \50\ states that 
such dollar amounts shall be adjusted by the Commission not less 
frequently than once every five years to reflect the change in the CPI-
U published by the BLS. Pursuant to this directive, we are amending 
Regulation Crowdfunding to adjust those dollar amounts for inflation.
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    \46\ 15 U.S.C. 77d(a)(6).
    \47\ 15 U.S.C. 77e.
    \48\ 17 CFR 227.100 et seq.
    \49\ 15 U.S.C. 77d-1.
    \50\ 15 U.S.C. 77d-1(h)(1).
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    These amendments are discussed in more detail below.

II. Discussion of the JOBS Act Technical Amendments

A. Scaled Disclosure Requirements for Emerging Growth Companies' 
Financial Disclosures

Securities Act Registration Statements
    Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act amended Section 7(a) of the 
Securities Act to provide that (1) an EGC is permitted to present only 
two years of audited financial statements in its IPO registration 
statement, and (2) in any Securities Act registration statement other 
than its IPO registration statement, an EGC need not present selected 
financial data \51\ under Item 301 of Regulation S-K for any period 
prior to the earliest audited period presented in its IPO registration 
statement. Under Rule 3-02 of Regulation S-X, issuers that are not 
smaller reporting companies are generally required to include three 
years of audited financial statements in a Securities Act registration 
statement. We are adopting amendments to Rule 3-02 of Regulation S-X 
and Form 20-F to

[[Page 17547]]

conform them to amended Section 7(a) of the Securities Act.
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    \51\ This information generally includes net sales or operating 
revenues; income (loss) from continuing operations; income (loss) 
from continuing operations per common share; total assets; long-term 
obligations and redeemable preferred stock.
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    Item 301 of Regulation S-K requires issuers that are not smaller 
reporting companies to include five years of selected financial data 
(or such shorter period as the issuer has been in existence) in any 
filing for which such disclosure is required. The language in amended 
Section 7(a) of the Securities Act refers to ``any other'' registration 
statement and does not expressly address the application of the five 
years of selected financial data requirement in Item 301 of Regulation 
S-K to IPO registration statements filed by EGCs.\52\ In light of the 
other relief provided in amended Section 7(a), which permits an EGC to 
present only two years of audited financial statements in its IPO 
registration statement and, in subsequent registered offerings, to 
present selected financial data for no period earlier than that 
presented in its IPO registration statement, we interpret amended 
Section 7(a) to mean that an EGC need not present selected financial 
data for any period prior to the earliest audited period presented in 
its IPO registration statement.\53\ Otherwise, the intended relief of 
Section 7(a) with respect to selected financial data would not be 
available in an IPO registration statement, as it is with subsequent 
registration statements. Accordingly, we are adopting amendments to 
Item 301 of Regulation S-K to reflect this statutory interpretation.
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    \52\ See 15 U.S.C. 77g(a)(2).
    \53\ In 2012, the Division of Corporation Finance provided 
guidance on the JOBS Act, including that the Division would not 
object if an emerging growth company presenting two years of audited 
financial statements in its initial public offering registration 
statement in accordance with Securities Act Section 7(a)(2)(A) were 
to limit the number of years of selected financial data under Item 
301 of Regulation S-K to two years. See Frequently Asked Questions 
of General Applicability on Title I of the JOBS Act (Dec. 21, 2015 
revised), Question 11, available at http://www.sec.gov/divisions/corpfin/guidance/cfjjobsactfaq-title-i-general.htm.
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Exchange Act Registration Statements and Periodic Reports
    Section 102(b)(2) of the JOBS Act amended Section 13(a) of the 
Exchange Act to provide that an EGC need not present selected financial 
data in an Exchange Act registration statement or periodic report for 
any period prior to the earliest audited period presented in the EGC's 
first effective registration statement under either the Exchange Act or 
Securities Act. We are adopting amendments to Item 301 of Regulation S-
K to conform that provision to amended Section 13(a).
MD&A Disclosure
    Section 102(c) of the JOBS Act provides that an EGC is permitted to 
comply with the MD&A requirements of Item 303(a) of Regulation S-K by 
providing disclosure covering only the audited financial statements for 
each period that Section 7(a) of the Securities Act requires to be 
presented in its IPO registration statement. Item 303(a) of Regulation 
S-K generally requires an issuer to discuss, among other things, the 
company's financial condition, changes in financial condition and 
results of operations for the previous three fiscal years and any 
interim periods. To conform the Item to Section 102(c), we are adopting 
amendments to Instruction 1 to Item 303(a). The amendments specify that 
if an EGC, pursuant to Section 7(a) of the Securities Act, provides 
audited financial statements for two years in a Securities Act 
registration statement for the initial public offering of its common 
equity securities, it may provide the discussion required by Item 
303(a) for its two most recent fiscal years.

B. Auditor Attestation of Management's Report on Internal Control Over 
Financial Reporting

    Section 103 of the JOBS Act amended Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-
Oxley Act to provide that the auditor of an EGC does not need to attest 
to, and report on, management's assessment of the effectiveness of the 
EGC's internal control over financial reporting (``ICFR''). An EGC, 
however, is still required to establish and maintain internal control 
over financial reporting and, when applicable, to include a 
management's report on ICFR in its annual report. To conform our rules 
and forms to amended Section 404(b), we are adopting amendments to 
Article 2-02 of Regulation S-X, Item 308 of Regulation S-K, and Forms 
20-F and 40-F to specify that the auditor of an EGC does not need to 
attest to, and report on, management's report on ICFR and that 
management does not need to include the auditor's attestation report on 
ICFR in an annual report required by Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the 
Exchange Act.

C. Executive Compensation Disclosure and Shareholder Advisory Voting

    Section 102(c) of the JOBS Act provides in part that an EGC shall 
only be required to provide executive compensation disclosure pursuant 
to Item 402 of Regulation S-K to the same extent as a registrant ``with 
a market value of outstanding voting and nonvoting common equity held 
by non-affiliates of less than $75,000,000.'' Item 402(l) of Regulation 
S-K allows an issuer that is a smaller reporting company to provide the 
scaled executive compensation disclosures set forth in Items 402(m)-(r) 
of Regulation S-K. To conform this Item to Section 102(c), we are 
amending Item 402(l) of Regulation S-K to specify that EGCs also are 
permitted to provide the scaled executive compensation disclosure in 
Items 402(m)-(r) of Regulation S-K.
    Exchange Act Rule 14a-21 requires registrants to conduct 
shareholder advisory votes on say-on-pay, say-on-frequency and golden 
parachute compensation arrangements with any ``named executive 
officers.'' \54\ The rule applies to all registrants making a 
solicitation in connection with a meeting of shareholders at which 
directors are to be elected and for which compensation disclosure is 
required to be provided pursuant to Item 402 of Regulation S-K, or to 
registrants making a solicitation in connection with a meeting at which 
shareholders are asked to approve a merger, acquisition or sale of all 
or substantially all of the assets of an issuer.
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    \54\ Item 402(a)(3) of Regulation S-K [17 CFR 229.402(a)(3)] 
defines named executive officers as (1) all individuals serving as 
the registrant's principal executive officer or acting in a similar 
capacity during the last completed fiscal year (``PEO''), regardless 
of compensation level, (2) all individuals serving as the 
registrant's principal financial officer or acting in a similar 
capacity during the last completed fiscal year (``PFO''), regardless 
of compensation level, (3) the registrant's three most highly 
compensated executive officers other than the PEO and PFO who were 
serving as executive officers at the end of the last completed 
fiscal year, and (4) up to two additional individuals for whom Item 
402 disclosure would have been provided but for the fact that the 
individual was not serving as an executive officer of the registrant 
at the end of the last completed fiscal year.
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    Section 102(a) of the JOBS Act amended Section 14A(e) of the 
Exchange Act to exempt EGCs from say-on-pay, say-on-frequency votes, 
golden parachute compensation votes and the related disclosure 
provisions. We are adopting conforming amendments to Exchange Act Rule 
14a-21 and Item 402(t) and Instruction 1 to Item 1011(b) of Regulation 
S-K that specify that an EGC is not required to conduct shareholder 
advisory votes on say-on-pay, say-on-frequency, and golden parachute 
compensation, or provide the related disclosures. In addition, Section 
102(a) of the JOBS Act amended Section 14A of the Exchange Act to 
provide for a transition period when an EGC exits EGC status before it 
has to seek a shareholder advisory vote on say-on-pay. We are adding a 
new instruction to Rule 14a-21 to reflect the transition period set 
forth in the JOBS Act.

[[Page 17548]]

D. Foreign Private Issuers

    The definition of ``emerging growth company'' in Section 101(a) of 
the JOBS Act applies to any company meeting the criteria specified 
therein and is not dependent on the jurisdiction of incorporation or 
organization, the holders of the issuer's voting securities or that of 
its executive officers or directors, assets or business operations. 
Accordingly, a foreign private issuer \55\ that qualifies as an EGC may 
comply with the scaled disclosure provisions available to EGCs to the 
same extent as a domestic issuer. Sections 102 and 103 of the JOBS Act, 
however, refer to Regulation S-K provisions that apply to domestic 
issuers, whereas the corresponding disclosure requirements for foreign 
private issuers are applied through the disclosure content of Form 20-F 
or, where applicable, Form 40-F. Under Item 8.A. of Form 20-F, a 
foreign private issuer is generally required to include three years of 
audited financial statements. In addition, Item 3.A. generally requires 
a foreign private issuer to include five years of selected financial 
data. To conform the disclosure requirements of Form 20-F with the 
disclosure relief provided under the JOBS Act,\56\ we are amending the 
form to add instructions to Items 8.A.\57\ and 3.A. to reflect the 
availability of the scaled financial disclosure requirements under 
Sections 102 and 103 of the JOBS Act to a foreign private issuer that 
is an EGC.\58\ We are making revisions to Form 40-F to reflect the 
availability of the scaled financial disclosure requirements under 
Section 103 of the JOBS Act to a foreign private issuer that is an EGC.
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    \55\ Securities Act Rule 405 [17 CFR 230.405] and Exchange Act 
Rule 3b-4(c) [17 CFR 240.3b-4(c)] define the term ``foreign private 
issuer'' as any foreign issuer other than a foreign government 
except for an issuer meeting the following conditions as of the last 
business day of its most recently completed second fiscal quarter: 
(1) More than 50 percent of the issuer's outstanding voting 
securities are directly or indirectly held of record by residents of 
the United States; and (2) either the majority of the executive 
officers or directors are United States citizens or residents, more 
than 50 percent of the assets of the issuer are located in the 
United States, or the business of the issuer is administered 
principally in the United States.
    \56\ Form 20-F does not require the same level of detail about 
individual executive compensation and compensation philosophy and 
analysis as required by Item 402 of Regulation S-K applicable to 
issuers that are not smaller reporting companies or the scaled 
requirements in Items 402(m)-(r) applicable to smaller reporting 
companies. Accordingly, no conforming amendments to Form 20-F are 
needed in regard to Section 102(c)'s scaled executive compensation 
disclosure requirements. To the extent that a foreign private issuer 
that is an EGC elects to use forms available to domestic issuers 
rather than the foreign private issuer forms, it would be able to 
use the scaled disclosure provisions available to EGCs.
    \57\ These amendments do not affect the requirement for a 
foreign private issuer that is either a first-time adopter of 
International Financial Reporting Standards or is subject to the 
disclosure requirements of paragraph 10(f) of IAS 1, to provide 
three statements of financial position in its IPO registration 
statement. See Frequently Asked Questions of General Applicability 
on Title I of the JOBS Act (Dec. 21, 2015 revised), Question 39, 
available at http://www.sec.gov/divisions/corpfin/guidance/cfjjobsactfaq-title-i-general.htm.
    \58\ No conforming amendment is needed to Item 5 of Form 20-F 
(Operating and Financial Review and Prospects), which requires a 
discussion of a foreign private issuer's financial statements 
similar to MD&A, because Instruction 2 to Item 5 requires a 
discussion of the primary financial statements presented in the 
document without referring to the required periods.
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E. ``Check Box'' Notice of EGC Status and Compliance With New or 
Revised Accounting Standards

    Section 102(b) of the JOBS Act amended Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the 
Securities Act and Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act to state that an 
EGC ``may not be required to comply with any new or revised financial 
accounting standard'' until such standard is applicable to companies 
that are not ``issuers'' under Section 2(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, 
if such standard applies to companies that are not issuers. These 
revisions provide EGCs with additional time to apply any updates to the 
Financial Accounting Standards Board (``FASB'') Accounting Standards 
codification as compared to non-EGC issuers.\59\
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    \59\ In July 2009, the Financial Accounting Standards Board 
issued the FASB Accounting Standards Codification (``ASC'') as the 
single source of authoritative nongovernmental U.S. generally 
accepted accounting principles. The ASC was effective for annual 
periods ending after September 15, 2009. All preexisting accounting 
standards were superseded.
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    Under Section 107 of the JOBS Act, an EGC may forgo any of the 
Title I disclosure exemptions and instead comply with the requirements 
that apply to an issuer that is not an EGC. Section 107(b), however, 
provides that if an EGC opts out of the extended transition period for 
complying with new or revised accounting standards, it must do so at 
the time it is ``first required to file a registration statement, 
periodic report, or other report with the Commission under Section 13 
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934'' and notify the Commission of 
its choice.\60\ Pursuant to Section 107, an EGC that opts out of the 
extended transition period must comply with all new or revised 
accounting standards to the same extent that a non-EGC is required to 
comply with such standards and continue to do so for as long as the 
issuer remains an EGC.\61\ This election is irrevocable.
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    \60\ Section 107(b) does not specify where the opt-out notice 
language should appear in a registration statement or report. EGCs 
that have opted out of the extended transition period have placed 
this notice in different parts of our disclosure forms.
    \61\ Section 107(b)(3) of the JOBS Act (Pub. L. 112-106, 126 
Stat. 313).
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    To provide a uniform method for an EGC to notify the Commission and 
the public pursuant to Section 107 of the JOBS Act that it is an EGC 
and of its decision as to whether or not to opt out of the extended 
transition period for complying with new or revised accounting 
standards, we are adopting minor revisions to Securities Act Forms S-1, 
S-3, S-4, S-8, S-11, F-1, F-3 and F-4 and Exchange Act Forms 10, 8-K, 
10-Q, 10-K, 20-F and 40-F. These amendments modify the cover page of 
those forms to include two check boxes for an issuer to indicate 
whether, at the time of the filing, the issuer is an EGC and whether it 
has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying 
with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided 
pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act and Section 13(a) 
of the Exchange Act.

III. Discussion of Amendments To Effectuate Inflation Adjustments

A. Definition of ``Emerging Growth Company''

    JOBS Act Section 101 amended Section 2(a)(19) of the Securities Act 
and Section 3(a)(80) of the Exchange Act to define ``emerging growth 
company'' to mean an issuer that had total annual gross revenues of 
less than $1 billion, as such amount is indexed for inflation every 
five years by the Commission to reflect the change in the CPI-U during 
its most recently completed fiscal year. By statute, the adjusted 
threshold must be set to the nearest $1,000,000. Pursuant to this 
directive, we are adopting an amendment to Securities Act Rule 405 and 
to Exchange Act Rule 12b-2 to include a definition for the term 
``emerging growth company'' that indexes the statutory annual gross 
revenues amount to the CPI-U.
    To determine the new EGC gross revenue threshold to be included in 
the amendments, first we determine the appropriate CPI-U for December 
of the calendar year preceding the year of adjustment. Because we are 
making the inflation adjustment for the definition of EGC in 2017, we 
use the CPI-U for December 2016, which was 241.432 (``2016 CPI-
U'').\62\ We then determine the CPI-U for December of the calendar

[[Page 17549]]

year before the EGC definition was established by the JOBS Act, which 
was 2011. We thus use the CPI-U for December 2011, which was 225.672 
(``2011 CPI-U'').
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \62\ The JOBS Act was enacted on April 5, 2012. Under the 
definition of an EGC in Section 2(a)(19) of the Securities Act and 
Section 3(a)(80) of the Exchange Act the Commission is required to 
adjust the total gross revenue amount to inflation every five years.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Second, we calculate the cost-of-living adjustment or inflation 
factor. To do this we divide the 2016 CPI-U by the 2011 CPI-U. The 
resulting inflation factor is 1.06984.
    Third, we calculate the raw inflation adjustment, which is the 
inflation adjustment before rounding. To do this, we multiply the 
current EGC gross revenue threshold, $1,000,000,000, by the inflation 
factor 1.06984, which equals $1,069,840,000.
    Fourth, we round the raw inflation amounts according to the 
convention set forth in the statutory definition.\63\ Since we round 
only the increase amount, we calculate the increased amount by 
subtracting the current EGC gross revenue threshold from the raw 
maximum inflation adjustments. Accordingly, the increase in the EGC 
gross revenue threshold is $69,840,000 (i.e., $1,069,840,000 less 
$1,000,000,000). Under the statutory rounding convention, the threshold 
is set to the nearest $1,000,000. Therefore, the rounded increase in 
the EGC gross revenue threshold is $70,000,000.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \63\ See Section 2(a)(19) of the Securities Act and Section 
3(a)(80) of the Exchange Act, which require the amount to be set to 
the nearest $1,000,000.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Fifth, we add the rounded increase to the current EGC revenue 
threshold (i.e., $1,000,000,000). The inflation-adjusted EGC gross 
revenue threshold is $1,000,000,000 plus $70,000,000, which yields a 
maximum inflation-adjusted EGC revenue threshold of $1,070,000,000. The 
``emerging growth company'' definitions being adopted in Securities Act 
Rule 405 and Exchange Act Rule 12b-2 reflect this adjusted threshold, 
and will henceforth be amended every five years to account for future 
inflation adjustments.

B. Regulation Crowdfunding Amendments

    Title III of the JOBS Act amended the Securities Act to add Section 
4(a)(6), which provides an exemption from the registration requirements 
of Section 5 of the Securities Act for certain crowdfunding 
transactions. The Commission has adopted Regulation Crowdfunding to 
implement that exemption.\64\ Sections 4(a)(6) and 4A of the Securities 
Act set forth dollar amounts used in connection with the crowdfunding 
exemption,\65\ and Section 4A(h)(1) \66\ states that those dollar 
amounts shall be adjusted by the Commission not less frequently than 
once every five years to reflect any changes in the CPI-U. Pursuant to 
this directive, we are amending Rules 100 and 201(t) of Regulation 
Crowdfunding and Securities Act Form C to adjust the dollar amounts set 
forth in these rules to inflation.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \64\ Crowdfunding, Release No. 33-9974 (Oct. 30, 2015) [80 FR 
71388].
    \65\ Section 4(a)(6)(A) sets forth the maximum amount an issuer 
may sell in reliance on the crowdfunding exemption in a 12-month 
period, and Section 4(a)(6)(B) sets limits on the dollar amount that 
may be sold to any investor by an issuer in reliance on the 
crowdfunding exemption. These amounts are reflected in Rule 100 of 
Regulation Crowdfunding (17 CFR 227.100). Section 4A(b)(1)(D) sets 
forth thresholds for determining the level of financial statements 
required, and those thresholds are reflected in Rule 201(t) of 
Regulation Crowdfunding (17 CFR 227.201(t)).
    \66\ 15 U.S.C. 77d-1(h)(1).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    To determine the adjusted dollar amounts, we use the same process 
as described above in connection with the EGC adjustment to determine 
the raw inflation amounts.\67\ Then we round up the raw inflation 
amounts to the nearest $100 for amounts under $100,000 and to the 
nearest $1,000 for amounts that equal or exceed $100,000. Tables 1 and 
2 show the inflation-adjusted amounts for Rules 100 and 201(t).\68\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \67\ The 2016 CPI-U is divided by the 2011 CPI-U to derive the 
inflation factor of 1.06984. Each dollar amount is then multiplied 
by the inflation factor to determine the raw inflation adjusted 
amount.
    \68\ We have reflected the adjusted amounts for the financial 
statement thresholds where those are referenced in Question 29 of 
the ``Optional Question & Answer Format'' portion of Form C.

      Table 1--Inflation-Adjusted Amounts in Rule 100 of Regulation
          Crowdfunding (Offering Maximum and Investment Limits)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              Rounded
                                             Original       inflation-
      Regulation crowdfunding rule          amount  ($)      adjusted
                                                            amount  ($)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maximum aggregate amount an issuer can         1,000,000       1,070,000
 sell under Regulation Crowdfunding in a
 12-month period (Rule 100(a)(1)).......
Threshold for assessing investor's               100,000         107,000
 annual income or net worth to determine
 investment limits (Rule 100(a)(2)(i)
 and (ii))..............................
Lower threshold of Regulation                      2,000           2,200
 Crowdfunding securities permitted to be
 sold to an investor if annual income or
 net worth is less than $107,000 (Rule
 100(a)(2)(i))..........................
Maximum amount that can be sold to an            100,000         107,000
 investor under Regulation Crowdfunding
 in a 12-month period (Rule
 100(a)(2)(ii)).........................
------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Table 2--Inflation-Adjusted Amounts in Rule 201(t) of Regulation
             Crowdfunding (Financial Statement Requirements)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             Original         Rounded
                                             offering       inflation-
      Regulation crowdfunding rule           threshold       adjusted
                                            amount  ($)     amount  ($)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rule 201(t)(1)..........................         100,000         107,000
Rule 201(t)(2)..........................         500,000         535,000
Rule 201(t)(3)..........................       1,000,000       1,070,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 17550]]

IV. Procedural and Other Matters

    The Administrative Procedure Act (``APA'') generally requires an 
agency to publish notice of a rulemaking in the Federal Register and 
provide an opportunity for public comment. This requirement does not 
apply, however, if the agency ``for good cause finds . . . that notice 
and public procedure are impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to the 
public interest.'' \69\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \69\ 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The technical amendments and the implementation of statutory 
inflation adjustments pursuant to Title I and Title III of the JOBS Act 
do not impose any new substantive regulatory requirements on any 
person. The technical amendments merely conform our rules and forms to 
the provisions of the JOBS Act, or reflect reasonable interpretations 
thereof, and involve the exercise of minimal discretion. Similarly, the 
amendments to implement the statutory inflation adjustments will 
effectuate the adjusted dollar amount thresholds mandated by the JOBS 
Act and involve minimal discretion. For these reasons, for good cause, 
we find that it is unnecessary to publish notice of these amendments in 
the Federal Register and solicit public comment thereon.\70\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \70\ This finding also satisfies the requirements of 5 U.S.C. 
808(2), allowing the amendments to become effective notwithstanding 
the requirement of 5 U.S.C. 801 (if a federal agency finds that 
notice and public comment are impractical, unnecessary or contrary 
to the public interest, a rule shall take effect at such time as the 
federal agency promulgating the rule determines). The amendments 
also do not require analysis under the Regulatory Flexibility Act. 
See 5 U.S.C. 604(a) (requiring a final regulatory flexibility 
analysis only for rules required by the APA or other law to undergo 
notice and comment).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    For similar reasons, although the APA generally requires 
publication of a rule at least 30 days before its effective date, we 
find there is good cause for the amendments to take effect on April 12, 
2017.\71\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \71\ See 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    If any of the provisions of these amendments, or the application 
thereof to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid, such 
invalidity shall not affect other provisions or application of such 
provisions to other persons or circumstances that can be given effect 
without the invalid provision or application.

V. Economic Analysis

    We are mindful of the costs imposed by, and the benefits to be 
obtained from, our rules. Section 2(b) of the Securities Act and 
Section 3(f) of the Exchange Act require the Commission, whenever it 
engages in rulemaking and is required to consider or determine whether 
an action is necessary or appropriate in the public interest, to 
consider, in addition to the protection of investors, whether the 
action would promote efficiency, competition, and capital 
formation.\72\ In addition, Section 23(a)(2) of the Exchange Act 
requires the Commission, when making rules under the Exchange Act, to 
consider the impact such rules would have on competition.\73\ Section 
23(a)(2) of the Exchange Act also prohibits the Commission from 
adopting any rule that would impose a burden on competition not 
necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Exchange 
Act.\74\ Below we address the costs and benefits, as well as the 
potential effects on efficiency, competition and capital formation, of 
the various amendments being adopted in this release. Because the 
amendments merely make conforming changes to our rules and forms to 
reflect certain provisions of the JOBS Act and implement the statutory 
inflation adjustments mandated by the JOBS Act, we do not believe there 
are reasonable alternatives to the amendments.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \72\ See 15 U.S.C. 77b(b) and 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
    \73\ See 15 U.S.C. 78w(a)(2).
    \74\ Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

A. Discussion of the Technical Amendments

    We are adopting technical amendments to conform several of our 
rules and forms to amendments made to the Securities Act and the 
Exchange Act by Title I of the JOBS Act. For the purposes of analyzing 
the economic effects of these amendments, we use as a baseline the 
scaled disclosure requirements and other accommodations applicable to 
EGCs discussed in Section II. These amendments merely make conforming 
changes to our rules and forms to reflect certain provisions of the 
JOBS Act. As a result, these amendments will not substantially alter 
the costs and benefits, relative to the baseline, associated with 
complying with these rules and forms, and do not impose any substantive 
regulatory obligations on any person or otherwise. To the extent they 
have an economic effect, we expect the amendments will help to minimize 
potential confusion concerning any inconsistencies between the 
statutory provisions of the JOBS Act and our rules and forms and could 
result in some marginal cost savings to the extent that filers have 
fewer questions to research when completing the form. Similarly, we do 
not anticipate any competitive advantages or disadvantages will be 
created as a result of the amendments.

B. Discussion of the Amendments to Effectuate Inflation Adjustments

    To comply with the inflation adjustments required under the JOBS 
Act, we are also adopting new rules that include an inflation-adjusted 
threshold in the definition of the term ``emerging growth company.'' 
These amendments adjust the total annual gross revenue threshold for 
EGCs in accordance with inflation as required by the JOBS Act and have 
no impact on disclosure or compliance costs per filer. As the number of 
eligible filers that may qualify for scaled disclosure increases, it 
may reduce disclosure costs in the aggregate,\75\ to the extent that 
eligible filers take advantage of the EGC accommodations, relative to a 
baseline without this inflation adjustment.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \75\ See Section II.A for a summary of scaled disclosure 
requirements for EGCs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We note that this inflation adjustment affects both domestic 
issuers and foreign private issuers. We estimate that there are 
approximately 7,200 issuers that file on domestic forms and 800 foreign 
private issuers that file on F-forms, of which 13.2% of issuers that 
file on domestic forms and 15.1% of foreign private issuers that file 
on Forms 20-F and 40-F also identified themselves as EGCs in filings 
made in 2016. Not all EGCs self-identify as such every year, so annual 
filings-based counts likely underestimate the EGC population.
    The inflation adjustment to the total annual gross revenue 
threshold for EGCs is designed to maintain the scope of registrants 
that may qualify as an EGC, preserving the economic effects associated 
with the option to claim EGC status. It does so by not allowing the 
level of revenue, in real terms, that determines the eligibility for 
EGC status to be diminished by inflation. The inflation adjustment 
amendment may marginally expand the number of firms that may claim EGC 
status, thus extending the economic effects, including impacts on 
efficiency, competition, and capital formation, associated with the 
option to claim this status to firms that fall between the 
$1,000,000,000 gross revenue threshold that previously determined EGC 
eligibility and the $1,070,000,000 gross revenue threshold that will 
define EGC eligibility under the amendment. Assuming that the number of 
domestic and foreign private issuers in calendar years subsequent to 
adoption of the amendments is similar to that obtained in calendar year 
2016, the inflation adjustment of the EGC revenue

[[Page 17551]]

threshold would increase the percentage of domestic issuers that 
qualify as EGCs from 13.2% to approximately 13.8% and foreign private 
issuers that qualify as EGCs from 15.1% to approximately 16.3% on the 
basis of the distribution of revenues of filers in calendar year 2016, 
where data is available.\76\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \76\ The number of domestic filers and foreign private issuers 
affected by the inflation adjustment of total annual gross revenues 
is estimated as the number of unique companies, identified by 
Central Index Key (CIK), that filed Form 10-K, Form 20-F, or Form 
40-F with the Commission during the calendar year 2016. The number 
of filers that identify themselves as EGCs is estimated by analyzing 
several types of filings filed with the Commission during calendar 
year 2016.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    For the purposes of analyzing the economic effects of the 
amendments to Regulation Crowdfunding, we use as our baseline the 
regulatory framework established by Regulation Crowdfunding as adopted 
in 2015.\77\ The amendments to Regulation Crowdfunding adjust the 
thresholds in Rules 100 and 201(t) of Regulation Crowdfunding 
(Sec. Sec.  227.100 and 227.201(t)) in accordance with inflation as 
required by Section 4A(h) of the Securities Act and are not expected to 
increase disclosure or compliance costs incurred by an issuer, to the 
extent that the issuer remains subject to the same financial statement 
requirements. The adjustment may cause some issuers to become subject 
to less extensive financial statement requirements, and may lower 
disclosure or compliance costs for these issuers.\78\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \77\ See Crowdfunding supra note 64.
    \78\ Id at 71497.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The inflation adjustment to the thresholds in Rules 100 and 201(t) 
is intended to allow these thresholds to keep pace with inflation, 
preserving the economic effects of Regulation Crowdfunding in real 
terms.\79\ For example, the inflation adjustments to the financial 
statement thresholds ensure that issuers can take advantage of the 
inflation-adjusted offering amounts without incurring a fixed cost of 
complying with additional financial statement requirements.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \79\ Id at 71482.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Substantively, the inflation adjustments to Rule 100 and Rule 
201(t) marginally affect the amount of capital that issuers may raise 
in reliance on Regulation Crowdfunding, the number of investors who may 
participate in crowdfunding offerings, and the amounts that investors 
may invest in crowdfunding offerings.

C. Efficiency, Competition, and Capital Formation

    Because we believe the substantive impact of these amendments to 
our rules and forms is likely to be marginal, we do not believe they 
will substantially impact efficiency, competition, and capital 
formation.

VI. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The amendments, including those to effect the statutory inflation 
adjustments, do not make any substantive modifications to any existing 
collection of information requirements or impose any new substantive 
recordkeeping or information collection requirements within the meaning 
of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (``PRA'').\80\ Accordingly, we 
are not revising any burden and cost estimates in connection with these 
amendments.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \80\ 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. The new check boxes that will appear 
on the cover page of affected Exchange Act forms and Securities Act 
registration statements will result in an incremental paperwork 
burden for EGCs; however, we believe that the incremental burden 
associated with checking one or both of the new boxes will be so 
minimal that it will not affect the overall burden estimates 
associated with these forms. Similarly, the amendments to reflect 
the statutory inflation adjustments to certain dollar amount 
thresholds in Titles I and III of the JOBS Act will have only 
marginal effects on the application of these thresholds for 
eligibility and reporting purposes and therefore are not expected to 
affect the overall burden estimates for affected forms. See Section 
VI.C above.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

VII. Statutory Authority

    The amendments contained in this release are being adopted under 
the authority set forth in in Sections 2, 4(a)(6), 4A, 5, 6, 7, 10, and 
19 of the Securities Act; Sections 3, 12, 13, 14, 15(d), and 23(a) of 
the Exchange Act; and Sections 102, 103 and 107 of the JOBS Act.

List of Subjects

17 CFR Part 210

    Accountants, Accounting, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, 
Securities.

17 CFR Parts 227, 229, 230, 239, 240 and 249

    Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Securities.

Text of the Final Amendments

    For the reasons set out in the preamble, the Commission is amending 
title 17, chapter II of the Code of Federal Regulations as follows:

PART 210--FORM AND CONTENT OF AND REQUIREMENTS FOR FINANCIAL 
STATEMENTS, SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 
1934, PUBLIC UTILITY HOLDING COMPANY ACT OF 1935, INVESTMENT 
COMPANY ACT OF 1940, INVESTMENT ADVISERS ACT OF 1940, AND ENERGY 
POLICY AND CONSERVATION ACT OF 1975

0
1. The authority citation for part 210 is revised to read as follows:

    Authority:  15 U.S.C. 77f, 77g, 77h, 77j, 77s, 77z-2, 77z-3, 
77aa(25), 77aa(26), 77nn(25), 77nn(26), 78c, 78j-1, 78l, 78m, 78n, 
78o(d), 78q, 78u-5, 78w, 78ll, 78mm, 80a-8, 80a-20, 80a-29, 80a-30, 
80a-31, 80a-37(a), 80b-3, 80b-11, 7202 and 7262, and sec. 102(c), 
Pub. L. 112-106, 126 Stat. 310 (2012), unless otherwise noted.

0
2. Amend Sec.  210.2-02 by revising paragraph (f)(1) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  210.2-02  Accountants' reports and attestation reports.

* * * * *
    (f) Attestation report on internal control over financial 
reporting. (1) Every registered public accounting firm that issues or 
prepares an accountant's report for a registrant, other than a 
registrant that is neither an accelerated filer nor a large accelerated 
filer (as defined in Sec.  240.12b-2 of this chapter), or is an 
emerging growth company, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act 
(Sec.  230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act 
(Sec.  240.12b-2 of this chapter), or an investment company registered 
under Section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-
8), that is included in an annual report required by section 13(a) or 
15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.) 
containing an assessment by management of the effectiveness of the 
registrant's internal control over financial reporting must include an 
attestation report on internal control over financial reporting.
* * * * *

0
3. Amend Sec.  210.3-02 by revising paragraph (a) to read as follows:


Sec.  210.3-02  Consolidated statements of income and changes in 
financial positions.

    (a) There shall be filed, for the registrant and its subsidiaries 
consolidated and for its predecessors, audited statements of income and 
cash flows for each of the three fiscal years preceding the date of the 
most recent audited balance sheet being filed or such shorter period as 
the registrant (including predecessors) has been in existence. A 
registrant that is an emerging growth company, as defined

[[Page 17552]]

in Rule 405 of the Securities Act (Sec.  230.405 of this chapter) or 
Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act (Sec.  240.12b-2 of this chapter), may, 
in a Securities Act registration statement for the initial public 
offering of the emerging growth company's equity securities, provide 
audited statements of income and cash flows for each of the two fiscal 
years preceding the date of the most recent audited balance sheet (or 
such shorter period as the registrant has been in existence).
* * * * *

PART 227--REGULATION CROWDFUNDING, GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS

0
4. The authority citation for part 227 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  15 U.S.C. 77d, 77d-1, 77s, 78c, 78o, 78q, 78w, 78mm, 
and Pub. L. 112-106, secs. 301-305, 126 Stat. 306 (2012).


Sec.  227.100   [Amended]

0
5. Amend Sec.  227.100 by:
0
a. In paragraph (a)(1), removing reference to ``$1,000,000'' and adding 
in its place ``$1,070,000'';
0
b. In paragraph (a)(2)(i), removing reference to ``$2,000'' and adding 
in its place ``$2,200''; and removing ``$100,000'' and adding in its 
place ``$107,000'';
0
c. In paragraph (a)(2)(ii), removing the two references to ``$100,000'' 
and adding in their place ``$107,000.''


Sec.  227.201   [Amended]

0
6. Amend Sec.  227.201 by:
0
a. In paragraph (t)(1), removing reference to ``$100,000'' and adding 
in its place ``$107,000'';
0
b. In paragraph (t)(2), removing reference to ``$100,000'' and adding 
in its place ``$107,000''; and removing reference to ``$500,000'' and 
adding in its place ``$535,000'';
0
c. In paragraph (t)(3), removing the two references to ``$500,000'' and 
adding in their place ``$535,000''; and removing reference to 
``$1,000,000'' and adding in its place ``$1,070,000.''

PART 229--STANDARD INSTRUCTIONS FOR FILING FORMS UNDER SECURITIES 
ACT OF 1933, SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 AND ENERGY POLICY AND 
CONSERVATION ACT OF 1975--REGULATION S-K

0
7. The authority citation for part 229 is revised to read as follows:

    Authority:  15 U.S.C. 77e, 77f, 77g, 77h, 77j, 77k, 77s, 77z-2, 
77z-3, 77aa(25), 77aa(26), 77ddd, 77eee, 77ggg, 77hhh, 77iii, 77jjj, 
77nnn, 77sss, 78c, 78i, 78j, 78j-3, 78l, 78m, 78n, 78n-1, 78o, 78u-
5, 78w, 78ll, 78 mm, 80a-8, 80a-9, 80a-20, 80a-29, 80a-30, 80a-
31(c), 80a-37, 80a-38(a), 80a-39, 80b-11 and 7201 et seq.; 18 U.S.C. 
1350; sec. 953(b), Pub. L. 111-203, 124 Stat. 1904 (2010); and sec. 
102(c), Pub. L. 112-106, 126 Stat. 310 (2012).

0
8. Amend Sec.  229.301 by adding paragraph (d) before the Instructions 
to Item 301 to read as follows:


Sec.  229.301   (Item 301) Selected financial data.

* * * * *
    (d) Emerging growth company. An emerging growth company, as defined 
in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (Sec.  230.405 of this 
chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Sec.  
240.12b-2 of this chapter), that is providing the information called 
for by this Item in:
    (1) A Securities Act registration statement, need not present 
selected financial data for any period prior to the earliest audited 
financial statements presented in connection with the registrant's 
initial public offering of its common equity securities; or
    (2) A registration statement, periodic report, or other report 
filed under the Exchange Act, need not present selected financial data 
for any period prior to the earliest audited financial statements 
presented in connection with its first registration statement that 
became effective under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act.
* * * * *

0
9. Amend Sec.  229.303 by revising instruction 1 of the Instructions to 
Paragraph 303(a) to read as follows:


Sec.  229.303  (Item 303) Management's discussion and analysis of 
financial condition and results of operations.

* * * * *
    Instructions to paragraph 303(a): 1. The registrant's discussion 
and analysis shall be of the financial statements and other statistical 
data that the registrant believes will enhance a reader's understanding 
of its financial condition, changes in financial condition and results 
of operations. Generally, the discussion shall cover the three-year 
period covered by the financial statements and shall use year-to-year 
comparisons or any other formats that in the registrant's judgment 
enhance a reader's understanding. However, where trend information is 
relevant, reference to the five-year selected financial data appearing 
pursuant to Item 301 of Regulation S-K (Sec.  229.301) may be 
necessary. A smaller reporting company's discussion shall cover the 
two-year period required in Article 8 of Regulation S-X and shall use 
year-to-year comparisons or any other formats that in the registrant's 
judgment enhance a reader's understanding. An emerging growth company, 
as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act (Sec.  230.405 of this 
chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act (Sec.  240.12b-2 of this 
chapter), may provide the discussion required in paragraph (a) of this 
Item for its two most recent fiscal years if, pursuant to Section 7(a) 
of the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C 77g(a)), it provides audited 
financial statements for two years in a Securities Act registration 
statement for the initial public offering of the emerging growth 
company's common equity securities.
* * * * *

0
10. Amend Sec.  229.308 by revising paragraph (b) to read as follows:


Sec.  229.308  (Item 308) Internal control over financial reporting.

* * * * *
    (b) Attestation report of the registered public accounting firm. If 
the registrant, other than a registrant that is an emerging growth 
company, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (Sec.  
230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act 
of 1934 (Sec.  240.12b-2 of this chapter), is an accelerated filer or a 
large accelerated filer (as defined in Sec.  240.12b-2 of this 
chapter), provide the registered public accounting firm's attestation 
report on the registrant's internal control over financial reporting in 
the registrant's annual report containing the disclosure required by 
this Item.
* * * * *

0
11. Amend Sec.  229.402 by revising paragraph (l) and the introductory 
text to paragraph (t)(1) to read as follows:


Sec.  229.402   (Item 402) Executive compensation.

* * * * *
    (l) Smaller reporting companies and emerging growth companies. A 
registrant that qualifies as a ``smaller reporting company,'' as 
defined by Item 10(f) (Sec.  229.10(f)(1)), or is an ``emerging growth 
company,'' as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act (Sec.  230.405 
of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act (Sec.  240.12b-2 of 
this chapter), may provide the scaled disclosure in paragraphs (m) 
through (r) instead of paragraphs (a) through (k), (s), and (u) of this 
Item.
* * * * *
    (t) Golden parachute compensation. (1) In connection with any proxy 
or consent solicitation material providing the disclosure required by 
section 14A(b)(1) of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78n-1(b)(1)) or any 
proxy or consent

[[Page 17553]]

solicitation that includes disclosure under Item 14 of Schedule 14A 
(Sec.  240.14a-101 of this chapter) pursuant to Note A of Schedule 14A 
(excluding any proxy or consent solicitation of an ``emerging growth 
company,'' as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act (Sec.  230.405 
of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act (Sec.  240.12b-2 of 
this chapter)), with respect to each named executive officer of the 
acquiring company and the target company, provide the information 
specified in paragraphs (t)(2) and (3) of this section regarding any 
agreement or understanding, whether written or unwritten, between such 
named executive officer and the acquiring company or target company, 
concerning 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 assets of the issuer, as follows:
* * * * *

0
12. Amend Sec.  229.1011 by revising instruction 1 of the Instructions 
to Item 1011(b) to read as follows:


Sec.  229.1011  (Item 1011) Additional information.

* * * * *
Instructions to Item 1011(b).
    1. The obligation to provide the information in paragraph (b) of 
this section shall not apply where the issuer whose securities are the 
subject of the Rule 13e-3 transaction or tender offer is a foreign 
private issuer, as defined in Sec.  240.3b-4 of this chapter, or an 
emerging growth company, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act 
(Sec.  230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act 
(Sec.  240.12b-2 of this chapter).
* * * * *

PART 230--GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS, SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

0
13. The authority citation for part 230 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  15 U.S.C. 77b, 77b note, 77c, 77d, 77f, 77g, 77h, 
77j, 77r, 77s, 77z-3, 77sss, 78c, 78d, 78j, 78l, 78m, 78n, 78o, 78o-
7 note, 78t, 78w, 78ll(d), 78mm, 80a-8, 80a-24, 80a-28, 80a-29, 80a-
30, and 80a-37, and Public Law 112-106, sec. 201(a), sec. 401, 126 
Stat. 313 (2012), unless otherwise noted.
    Section 230.151 is also issued under 15 U.S.C. 77s(a).
    Section 230.160 is also issued under Section 104(d) of the 
Electronic Signatures Act.
    Section 230.193 is also issued under sec. 943, Public Law 111-
203, 124 Stat. 1376.
    Sections 230.400 to 230.499 issued under 15 U.S.C. 77f, 77h, 
77j, 77s, unless otherwise noted.
    Section 230.502 is also issued under 15 U.S.C. 80a-8, 80a-29, 
80a-30.

0
14. Amend Sec.  230.405 by adding the definition ``Emerging growth 
company'' in alphabetical order to read as follows:


Sec.  230.405   Definitions of terms.

* * * * *
    Emerging growth company. (1) The term emerging growth company means 
an issuer that had total annual gross revenues of less than 
$1,070,000,000 during its most recently completed fiscal year.
    (2) An issuer that is an emerging growth company as of the first 
day of that fiscal year shall continue to be deemed an emerging growth 
company until the earliest of:
    (i) The last day of the fiscal year of the issuer during which it 
had total annual gross revenues of $1,070,000,000 or more;
    (ii) The last day of the fiscal year of the issuer following the 
fifth anniversary of the date of the first sale of common equity 
securities of the issuer pursuant to an effective registration 
statement under the Securities Act of 1933;
    (iii) The date on which such issuer has, during the previous three 
year period, issued more than $1,000,000,000 in non-convertible debt; 
or
    (iv) The date on which such issuer is deemed to be a large 
accelerated filer, as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act (Sec.  
240.12b-2 of this chapter).
* * * * *

PART 239--FORMS PRESCRIBED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

0
15. The authority citation for part 239 is revised to read in part as 
follows:

    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 77c, 77f, 77g, 77h, 77j, 77s, 77z-2, 77z-3, 
77sss, 78c, 78l, 78m,78n, 78o(d), 78o-7 note, 78u-5, 78w(a), 78ll, 
78mm, 80a-2(a), 80a-3, 80a-8, 80a-9, 80a-10, 80a-13, 80a-24, 80a-26, 
80a-29, 80a-30, and 80a-37; and sec. 107, Pub. L. 112-106, 126 Stat. 
312, unless otherwise noted.
* * * * *

0
16. Amend Form S-1 (referenced in Sec.  239.11) by revising the text 
and check boxes on the cover page immediately before the ``Calculation 
of Registration Fee'' table to read as follows:

    Note:  The text of Form S-1 does not, and this amendment will 
not, appear in the Code of Federal Regulations.

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

FORM S-1

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

* * * * *
    Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large 
accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, 
smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the 
definitions of ``large accelerated filer,'' ``accelerated filer,'' 
``smaller reporting company,'' and ``emerging growth company'' in Rule 
12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
    Large accelerated filer [square]
    Accelerated filer [square]
    Non-accelerated filer [square] (Do not check if a smaller reporting 
company)
    Smaller reporting company [square]
    Emerging growth company [square]
    If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the 
registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for 
complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards 
provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. [square]
* * * * *
0
17. Amend Form S-3 (referenced in Sec.  239.13) by revising the text 
and check boxes on the cover page immediately before the ``Calculation 
of Registration Fee'' table to read as follows:

    Note:  The text of Form S-3 does not, and this amendment will 
not, appear in the Code of Federal Regulations.

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

* * * * *
    Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large 
accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, 
smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the 
definitions of ``large accelerated filer,'' ``accelerated filer,'' 
``smaller reporting company,'' and ``emerging growth company'' in Rule 
12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
    Large accelerated filer [square]
    Accelerated filer [square]
    Non-accelerated filer [square] (Do not check if a smaller reporting 
company)
    Smaller reporting company [square]
    Emerging growth company [square]
    If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the 
registrant

[[Page 17554]]

has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying 
with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided 
pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. [square]
* * * * *

0
18. Amend Form S-8 (referenced in Sec.  239.16b) by revising the text 
and check boxes on the cover page immediately before the ``Calculation 
of Registration Fee'' table to read as follows:

    Note: The text of Form S-8 does not, and this amendment will 
not, appear in the Code of Federal Regulations.

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

* * * * *
    Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large 
accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, 
smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the 
definitions of ``large accelerated filer,'' ``accelerated filer,'' 
``smaller reporting company,'' and ``emerging growth company'' in Rule 
12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
    Large accelerated filer [square]
    Accelerated filer [square]
    Non-accelerated filer [square] (Do not check if a smaller reporting 
company)
    Smaller reporting company [square]
    Emerging growth company [square]
    If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the 
registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for 
complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards 
provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. [square]
* * * * *

0
19. Amend Form S-11 (referenced in Sec.  239.18) by revising the text 
and check boxes on the cover page immediately before the ``Calculation 
of Registration Fee'' table to read as follows:

    Note:  The text of Form S-11 does not, and this amendment will 
not, appear in the Code of Federal Regulations.

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

FORM S-11

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

* * * * *
    Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large 
accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, 
smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the 
definitions of ``large accelerated filer,'' ``accelerated filer,'' 
``smaller reporting company,'' and ``emerging growth company'' in Rule 
12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
    Large accelerated filer [square]
    Accelerated filer [square]
    Non-accelerated filer [square] (Do not check if a smaller reporting 
company)
    Smaller reporting company [square]
    Emerging growth company [square]
    If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the 
registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for 
complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards 
provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. [square]
* * * * *

0
20. Amend Form S-4 (referenced in Sec.  239.25) by revising the text 
and check boxes on the cover page immediately before the ``Calculation 
of Registration Fee'' table to read as follows:

    Note:  The text of Form S-4 does not, and this amendment will 
not, appear in the Code of Federal Regulations.

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

FORM S-4

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

* * * * *
    Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large 
accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, 
smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the 
definitions of ``large accelerated filer,'' ``accelerated filer,'' 
``smaller reporting company,'' and ``emerging growth company'' in Rule 
12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
    Large accelerated filer [square]
    Accelerated filer [square]
    Non-accelerated filer [square] (Do not check if a smaller reporting 
company)
    Smaller reporting company [square]
    Emerging growth company [square]
    If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the 
registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for 
complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards 
provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. [square]
* * * * *

0
21. Amend Form F-1 (referenced in Sec.  239.31) by adding text and two 
check boxes to the cover page immediately before the ``Calculation of 
Registration Fee'' table to read as follows:

    Note:  The text of Form F-1 does not, and this amendment will 
not, appear in the Code of Federal Regulations.

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

FORM F-1

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

* * * * *
    Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth 
company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933.
    Emerging growth company [square]
    If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial 
statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by check mark if the 
registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for 
complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards 
[dagger] provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. 
[square]
    [dagger] The term ``new or revised financial accounting standard'' 
refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board 
to its Accounting Standards Codification after April 5, 2012.
* * * * *

0
22. Amend Form F-3 (referenced in Sec.  239.33) by adding text and two 
check boxes to the cover page immediately before the ``Calculation of 
Registration Fee'' table to read as follows:

    Note:  The text of Form F-3 does not, and this amendment will 
not, appear in the Code of Federal Regulations.

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

FORM F-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

* * * * *
    Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth 
company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933.
    Emerging growth company [square]
    If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial 
statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by check mark if the 
registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for 
complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards 
[dagger] provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. 
[square]
    [dagger] The term ``new or revised financial accounting standard'' 
refers to any update issued by the Financial

[[Page 17555]]

Accounting Standards Board to its Accounting Standards Codification 
after April 5, 2012.
* * * * *

0
23. Amend Form F-4 (referenced in Sec.  239.34) by adding text and two 
check boxes to the cover page immediately before the ``Calculation of 
Registration Fee:'' table to read as follows:

    Note:  The text of Form F-4 does not, and this amendment will 
not, appear in the Code of Federal Regulations.

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

FORM F-4

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

* * * * *
    Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth 
company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933.
    Emerging growth company [square]
    If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial 
statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by check mark if the 
registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for 
complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards 
[dagger] provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. 
[square]
    [dagger] The term ``new or revised financial accounting standard'' 
refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board 
to its Accounting Standards Codification after April 5, 2012.
* * * * *

0
24. Amend Form C (referenced in Sec.  239.900) by revising the dollar 
amounts in Question 29 of the ``OPTIONAL QUESTION & ANSWER FORMAT FOR 
AN OFFERING STATEMENT'' as follows:

    Note: The text of Form C does not, and this amendment will not, 
appear in the Code of Federal Regulations.

0
a. Removing all references to ``$100,000'' and adding in their place 
``$107,000'';
0
b. Removing all references to ``$500,000'' and adding in their place 
``$535,000''; and
0
c. Removing reference to ``$1,000,000'' and adding in its place 
``$1,070,000.''

PART 240--GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS, SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 
1934

0
25. The general authority citation for part 240 is revised to read as 
follows:

    Authority:  15 U.S.C. 77c, 77d, 77g, 77j, 77s, 77z-2, 77z-3, 
77eee, 77ggg, 77nnn, 77sss, 77ttt, 78c, 78c-3, 78c-5, 78d, 78e, 78f, 
78g, 78i, 78j, 78j-1, 78k, 78k-1, 78l, 78m, 78n, 78n-1, 78o, 78o-4, 
78o-10, 78p, 78q, 78q-1, 78s, 78u-5, 78w, 78x, 78ll, 78mm, 80a-20, 
80a-23, 80a-29, 80a-37, 80b-3, 80b-4, 80b-11, 7201 et seq.; and 
8302; 7 U.S.C. 2(c)(2)(E); 12 U.S.C. 5221(e)(3); 18 U.S.C. 1350; and 
Pub. L. 111-203, 939A, 124 Stat. 1887 (2010); and secs. 503 and 602, 
Pub. L. 112-106, 126 Stat. 326 (2012), unless otherwise noted.
* * * * *

0
26. Amend Sec.  240.12b-2 by adding the definition ``Emerging growth 
company'' in alphabetical order to read as follows:


Sec.  240.12b-2  Definitions.

* * * * *
    Emerging growth company. (1) The term emerging growth company means 
an issuer that had total annual gross revenues of less than 
$1,070,000,000 during its most recently completed fiscal year.
    (2) An issuer that is an emerging growth company as of the first 
day of that fiscal year shall continue to be deemed an emerging growth 
company until the earliest of:
    (i) The last day of the fiscal year of the issuer during which it 
had total annual gross revenues of $1,070,000,000 or more;
    (ii) The last day of the fiscal year of the issuer following the 
fifth anniversary of the date of the first sale of common equity 
securities of the issuer pursuant to an effective registration 
statement under the Securities Act of 1933;
    (iii) The date on which such issuer has, during the previous three 
year period, issued more than $1,000,000,000 in non-convertible debt; 
or
    (iv) The date on which such issuer is deemed to be a large 
accelerated filer, as defined in Rule 12b-2 (Sec.  240.12b-2 of this 
chapter).
* * * * *

0
27. Amend Sec.  240.14a-21 by:
0
a. In paragraphs (a) and (b), removing ``If a solicitation is made by a 
registrant and the solicitation relates to an annual or other meeting 
of shareholders at which directors will be elected and for which the 
rules of the Commission require executive compensation disclosure 
pursuant to Item 402 of Regulation S-K (Sec.  229.402 of this 
chapter)'' and adding in its place ``If a solicitation is made by a 
registrant, other than an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 
12b-2 (Sec.  240.12b-2), and the solicitation relates to an annual or 
other meeting of shareholders at which directors will be elected and 
for which the rules of the Commission require executive compensation 
disclosure pursuant to Item 402 of Regulation S-K (Sec.  229.402 of 
this chapter)'';
0
b. In paragraph (c), removing ``If a solicitation is made by a 
registrant for a meeting of shareholders at which shareholders are 
asked to approve an acquisition, merger, consolidation or proposed sale 
or other disposition of all or substantially all the assets of the 
registrant, the registrant shall include a separate resolution subject 
to shareholder advisory vote to approve any agreements or 
understandings and compensation disclosed pursuant to Item 402(t) of 
Regulation S-K (Sec.  229.402(t) of this chapter)'' and adding in its 
place ``If a solicitation is made by a registrant, other than an 
emerging growth company as defined in Rule 12b-2 (Sec.  240.12b-2), for 
a meeting of shareholders at which shareholders are asked to approve an 
acquisition, merger, consolidation or proposed sale or other 
disposition of all or substantially all the assets of the registrant, 
the registrant shall include a separate resolution subject to 
shareholder advisory vote to approve any agreements or understandings 
and compensation disclosed pursuant to Item 402(t) of Regulation S-K 
(Sec.  229.402(t) of this chapter)''; and
0
c. Add item 4 to the Instructions to Sec.  240.14a-21.
    The addition reads as follows:


Sec.  240.14a-21  Shareholder approval of executive compensation, 
frequency of votes for approval of executive compensation and 
shareholder approval of golden parachute compensation.

* * * * *
    Instructions to Sec.  240.14a-21: * * *
    4. A registrant that has ceased being an emerging growth company 
shall include the first separate resolution described under Sec.  
240.14a-21(a) not later than the end of (i) in the case of a registrant 
that was an emerging growth company for less than two years after the 
date of first sale of common equity securities of the registrant 
pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities 
Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C 77a et seq.), the three-year period beginning on 
such date; and (ii) in the case of any other registrant, the one-year 
period beginning on the date the registrant is no longer an emerging 
growth company.

PART 249--FORMS, SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

0
28. The authority citation for part 249 continues to read in part as 
follows:

    Authority:  15 U.S.C. 78a et seq. and 7201 et seq.; 12 U.S.C. 
5461 et seq.; 18 U.S.C. 1350;

[[Page 17556]]

Sec. 953(b) Pub. L. 111-203, 124 Stat. 1904; Sec. 102(a)(3) Pub. L. 
112-106, 126 Stat. 309 (2012), Sec. 107 Pub. L. 112-106, 126 Stat. 
313 (2012), and Sec. 72001 Pub. L. 114-94, 129 Stat. 1312 (2015), 
unless otherwise noted.
* * * * *

0
29. Amend Form 10 (referenced in Sec.  249.210) by revising the text 
and check boxes on the cover page immediately before the text 
``Information Required in the Registration Statement'' to read as 
follows:

    Note:  The text of Form 10 does not, and this amendment will 
not, appear in the Code of Federal Regulations.

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

FORM 10

GENERAL FORM FOR REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES

Pursuant to Section 12(b) or (g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

* * * * *
    Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large 
accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, 
smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the 
definitions of ``large accelerated filer,'' ``accelerated filer,'' 
``smaller reporting company,'' and ``emerging growth company'' in Rule 
12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
    Large accelerated filer [square]
    Accelerated filer [square]
    Non-accelerated filer [square] (Do not check if a smaller reporting 
company)
    Smaller reporting company [square]
    Emerging growth company [square]
    If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the 
registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for 
complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards 
provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. [square]
* * * * *

0
30. Amend Form 20-F (referenced in Sec.  249.220f) by:
0
a. Revising the text and check boxes on the cover page immediately 
before the text ``Indicate by check mark which basis of accounting the 
registrant has used to prepare the financial statements included in 
this filing'';
0
b. Adding new Instruction 3 to ``Item 3.A'';
0
c. Adding new Instruction 4 to ``Item 8.A.2''; and
    The additions and revisions read as follows.

    Note:  The text of Form 20-F does not, and this amendment will 
not, appear in the Code of Federal Regulations.

FORM 20-F

* * * * *
    Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large 
accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or an 
emerging growth company. See the definitions of ``large accelerated 
filer,'' ``accelerated filer,'' and ``emerging growth company'' in Rule 
12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
    Large accelerated filer [square]
    Accelerated filer [square]
    Non-accelerated filer [square]
    Emerging growth company [square]
    If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial 
statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by check mark if the 
registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for 
complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards 
[dagger] provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. 
[square]
    [dagger] The term ``new or revised financial accounting standard'' 
refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board 
to its Accounting Standards Codification after April 5, 2012.
* * * * *

Item 3. Key Information

* * * * *
    Instructions to Item 3A:
* * * * *
    3. If you are an emerging growth company, as defined in Rule 12b-2 
of the Exchange Act (Sec.  240.12b-2 of this chapter), that is 
providing the information called for by Item 3.A.1 in: (1) A Securities 
Act registration statement, you do not need to present selected 
financial data for any period prior to the earliest audited financial 
statements presented in connection with the initial public offering of 
your common equity securities; or (2) a registration statement, 
periodic report, or other report filed under the Exchange Act, you do 
not need to present selected financial data in accordance with this 
Item for any period prior to the earliest audited financial statements 
presented in connection with your first registration statement that 
became effective under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act.
* * * * *

Item 8. Financial Information

* * * * *
    Instructions to Item 8.A.2:
* * * * *
    4. If you are an emerging growth company, as defined in Rule 12b-2 
(Sec.  240.12b-2 of this chapter), you do not need to present more than 
two years of audited financial statements in your registration 
statement for an initial public offering of your common equity 
securities.
* * * * *

Item 15. Controls and Procedures

* * * * *
    (4) If an issuer is an accelerated filer or a large accelerated 
filer (as defined in Sec.  240.12b-2 of this chapter), other than an 
emerging growth company (as defined in Sec.  240.12b-2 of this 
chapter), or otherwise includes in its annual report a registered 
public accounting firm's attestation report on internal control over 
financial reporting, a statement that the registered public accounting 
firm that audited the financial statements included in the annual 
report containing the disclosure required by this Item has issued an 
attestation report on management's assessment of the issuer's internal 
control over financial reporting.
    (c) Attestation report of the registered public accounting firm. If 
an issuer is an accelerated filer or a large accelerated filer (as 
defined in Sec.  240.12b-2 of this chapter), other than an emerging 
growth company (as defined in Sec.  240.12b-2 of this chapter), and 
where the Form is being used as an annual report filed under Section 
13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, provide the registered public 
accounting firm's attestation report on management's assessment of the 
issuer's internal control over financial reporting in the issuer's 
annual report containing the disclosure required by this Item.
* * * * *

0
31. Amend Form 40-F (referenced in Sec.  249.240f) by:
0
a. Adding text and two check boxes to the cover page immediately before 
the General Instructions;
0
b. Revising paragraph (6)(c)(4) and (d) to General Instruction B.
    The additions and revisions read as follows.

    Note: The text of Form 40-F does not, and this amendment will 
not, appear in the Code of Federal Regulations.

FORM 40-F

* * * * *
    Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth 
company as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
    Emerging growth company [square]
    If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial 
statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by check mark if the 
registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for 
complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards 
[dagger]

[[Page 17557]]

provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. [square]
    [dagger] The term ``new or revised financial accounting standard'' 
refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board 
to its Accounting Standards Codification after April 5, 2012.
* * * * *

B. Information To Be Filed on This Form

* * * * *
    (6) * * *
    (c) Management's annual report on internal control over financial 
reporting. * * *
    (4) If an issuer, other than an emerging growth company, as defined 
in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act, a statement that the registered 
public accounting firm that audited the financial statements included 
in the annual report containing the disclosure required by this Item 
has issued an attestation report on management's assessment of the 
issuer's internal control over financial reporting.
    (d) Attestation report of the registered public accounting firm. 
Where the Form is being used as an annual report filed under Section 
13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, the issuer, other than an emerging 
growth company, as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act, must 
provide the registered public accounting firm's attestation report on 
management's assessment of internal control over financial reporting in 
the annual report containing the disclosure required by this Item.
* * * * *

0
32. Amend Form 8-K (referenced in Sec.  249.308) by adding text and two 
check boxes to the cover page immediately before the General 
Instructions to read as follows:

    Note: The text of Form 8-K does not, and this amendment will 
not, appear in the Code of Federal Regulations.

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

    Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 
1934
* * * * *
    Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth 
company as defined in as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 
1933 (Sec.  230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities 
Exchange Act of 1934 (Sec.  240.12b-2 of this chapter).
    Emerging growth company [square]
    If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the 
registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for 
complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards 
provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. [square]
* * * * *

0
33. Amend Form 10-Q (referenced in Sec.  249.308a) by revising the text 
and check boxes on the cover page immediately before the text 
``Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as 
defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).'' to read as follows:

    Note:  The text of Form 10-Q does not, and this amendment will 
not, appear in the Code of Federal Regulations.

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

FORM 10-Q

* * * * *
    Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large 
accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, 
smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the 
definitions of ``large accelerated filer,'' ``accelerated filer,'' 
``smaller reporting company,'' and ``emerging growth company'' in Rule 
12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
    Large accelerated filer [square]
    Accelerated filer [square]
    Non-accelerated filer [square] (Do not check if a smaller reporting 
company)
    Smaller reporting company [square]
    Emerging growth company [square]
    If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the 
registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for 
complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards 
provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. [square]
* * * * *

0
34. Amend Form 10-K (referenced in Sec.  249.310) by revising the text 
and check boxes on the cover page immediately before the text 
``Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as 
defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).'' to read as follows:

    Note:  The text of Form 10-K does not, and this amendment will 
not, appear in the Code of Federal Regulations.

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

FORM 10-K

* * * * *
    Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large 
accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, 
smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the 
definitions of ``large accelerated filer,'' ``accelerated filer,'' 
``smaller reporting company,'' and ``emerging growth company'' in Rule 
12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
    Large accelerated filer [square]
    Accelerated filer [square]
    Non-accelerated filer [square] (Do not check if a smaller reporting 
company)
    Smaller reporting company [square]
    Emerging growth company [square]
    If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the 
registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for 
complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards 
provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. [square]
* * * * *

    By the Commission.

    Dated: March 31, 2017.
Brent J. Fields,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-06797 Filed 4-11-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P



                                                              Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 69 / Wednesday, April 12, 2017 / Rules and Regulations                                                     17545

                                             burden should be directed to the FAA at: 800            SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE                               Q,16 10–K,17 20–F 18 and 40–F 19 under
                                             Independence Ave. SW., Washington, DC                   COMMISSION                                            the Exchange Act; 20 Rule 2–02 21 and
                                             20591, Attn: Information Collection                                                                           Rule 3–02 22 of Regulation S–X; 23 Rule
                                             Clearance Officer, AES–200.                             17 CFR Parts 210, 227, 229, 230, 239,                 100 24 and Rule 201 25 of Regulation
                                             (j) Alternative Methods of Compliance                   240, and 249                                          Crowdfunding; 26 and Items 301,27
                                             (AMOCs)                                                 [Release Nos. 33–10332; 34–80355; File No.            303,28 308,29 402 30 and 1101 31 of
                                                (1) The Manager, Chicago ACO, FAA, has               S7–09–16]                                             Regulation S–K.32
                                             the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD,                                                                   I. Introduction
                                                                                                     RIN 3235–AL38
                                             if requested using the procedures found in 14
                                             CFR 39.19. In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19,                                                                      We are adopting several technical
                                                                                                     Inflation Adjustments and Other                       amendments to conform our rules and
                                             send your request to your principal inspector
                                             or local Flight Standards District Office, as
                                                                                                     Technical Amendments Under Titles I                   forms to certain provisions of Title I of
                                             appropriate. If sending information directly            and III of the Jobs Act                               the JOBS Act.33 Title I amended the
                                             to the manager of the ACO, send it to the               AGENCY:  Securities and Exchange                      Securities Act and the Exchange Act to
                                             attention of the person identified in                   Commission.                                           provide several exemptions from a
                                             paragraph (j) of this AD.                                                                                     number of shareholder voting,
                                                (2) Before using any approved AMOC,                  ACTION: Final rule; technical
                                                                                                                                                           disclosure and other regulatory
                                             notify your appropriate principal inspector,            amendments; interpretation.                           requirements for an issuer that qualifies
                                             or lacking a principal inspector, the manager                                                                 as an ‘‘emerging growth company’’ 34
                                             of the local flight standards district office/
                                                                                                     SUMMARY:     We are adopting technical
                                                                                                     amendments to conform several rules                   (‘‘EGC’’). Specifically, the regulatory
                                             certificate holding district office.
                                                                                                     and forms to amendments made to the
                                                                                                                                                             16 17  CFR 249.308a.
                                             (k) Related Information                                 Securities Act of 1933 (‘‘Securities Act’’)             17 17  CFR 249.310.
                                               For more information about this AD,                   and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934                  18 17 CFR 249.220f.
                                             contact Wess Rouse, Aerospace Engineer,                 (‘‘Exchange Act’’) by Title I of the                     19 17 CFR 249.240f.
                                             FAA, Chicago ACO, 2300 East Devon                       Jumpstart Our Business Startups                          20 15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.
                                             Avenue, Room 107, Des Plaines, Illinois                 (‘‘JOBS’’) Act. To effectuate inflation                  21 17 CFR 210.2–02.
                                             60018; telephone: (847) 294–8113; fax: (847)            adjustments required under Title I and                   22 17 CFR 210.3–02.
                                             294–7834; email: wess.rouse@faa.gov.                    Title III of the JOBS Act, we are also                   23 17 CFR 210.1–01 et seq.

                                             (l) Material Incorporated by Reference                  adopting new rules that include an                       24 17 CFR 227.100.
                                                                                                                                                              25 17 CFR 227.201.
                                                (1) The Director of the Federal Register             inflation-adjusted threshold in the
                                                                                                                                                              26 17 CFR 227.100 et seq.
                                             approved the incorporation by reference                 definition of the term ‘‘emerging growth                 27 17 CFR 229.301.
                                             (IBR) of the service information listed in this         company’’ as well as amendments to                       28 17 CFR 229.303.
                                             paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR               adjust the dollar amounts in Regulation                  29 17 CFR 229.308.
                                             part 51.                                                Crowdfunding.                                            30 17 CFR 229.402.
                                                (2) You must use this service information            DATES: Effective April 12, 2017.                         31 17 CFR 229.1101.
                                             as applicable to do the actions required by                                                                      32 17 CFR 229.10 et seq.
                                                                                                     FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                             this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.                                                                      33 Public Law 112–106, 126 Stat. 306 (2012).
                                                (i) American Champion Aircraft Corp.                 With regard to the amendments to                         34 Section 101(a) of the JOBS Act amended

                                             Service Letter 442, dated February 16, 2017.            Regulation Crowdfunding, Julie Davis at               Section 2(a) of the Securities Act [15 U.S.C. 77b(a)]
                                                (ii) Reserved.                                       (202) 551–3460, in the Office of Small                and Section 3(a) of the Exchange Act [15 U.S.C.
                                                (3) For American Champion Aircraft Corp.             Business Policy, Division of Corporation              78c(a)] to define an ‘‘emerging growth company’’ as
                                             service information identified in this AD,              Finance, and with regard to the other                 an issuer with less than $1 billion in total annual
                                                                                                                                                           gross revenues during its most recently completed
                                             contact American Champion Aircraft Corp.,               amendments, N. Sean Harrison at (202)                 fiscal year. If an issuer qualifies as an EGC on the
                                             P.O. Box 37, 32032 Washington Ave.,                     551–3430, in the Office of Rulemaking,                first day of its fiscal year, it maintains that status
                                             Rochester, Wisconsin 53167; telephone: (262)            Division of Corporation Finance, U.S.                 until the earliest of (1) the last day of the fiscal year
                                             534–6315; fax: (262) 534–2395; email: aca-              Securities and Exchange Commission,                   of the issuer during which it has total annual gross
                                             engineering@tds.net; Internet: http://                                                                        revenues of $1 billion or more; (2) the last day of
                                                                                                     100 F Street NE., Washington, DC                      its fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the
                                             www.americanchampionaircraft.com/
                                                                                                     20549.                                                first sale of its common equity securities pursuant
                                             service-letters.html.
                                                                                                                                                           to an effective registration statement; (3) the date on
                                                (4) You may view this referenced service             SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:    We are                  which the issuer has, during the previous three-year
                                             information at the FAA, Small Airplane                  adopting amendments to Rule 405 1 and                 period, issued more than $1 billion in non-
                                             Directorate, 901 Locust, Kansas City,                   Forms C,2 S–1,3 S–3,4 S–4,5 S–8,6 S–11,7              convertible debt; or (4) the date on which the issuer
                                             Missouri 64106. For information on the                  F–1,8 F–3 9 and F–4 10 under the                      is deemed to be a ‘‘large accelerated filer’’ (as
                                             availability of this material at the FAA, call                                                                defined in Exchange Act Rule 12b–2). See Section
                                                                                                     Securities Act; 11 Rule 12b–2,12 Rule                 2(a)(19) of the Securities Act [15 U.S.C. 77b(a)(19)]
                                             (816) 329–4148.                                         14a–21 13 and Forms 10,14 8–K,15 10–                  and Section 3(a)(80) of the Exchange Act [15 U.S.C.
                                                (5) You may view this service information
                                                                                                                                                           78c(a)(80)]. A ‘‘large accelerated filer’’ is an issuer
                                             that is incorporated by reference at the                  1 17                                                that, as of the end of its fiscal year, has an aggregate
                                                                                                            CFR 230.405.
                                             National Archives and Records                             2 17                                                worldwide market value of the voting and non-
                                                                                                            CFR 239.900.
                                             Administration (NARA). For information on                 3 17 CFR 239.11.                                    voting common equity held by its non-affiliates of
                                             the availability of this material at NARA, call           4 17 CFR.239.13.
                                                                                                                                                           $700 million or more, as measured on the last
                                             202–741–6030, or go to: http://                                                                               business day of the issuer’s most recently
                                                                                                       5 17 CFR 239.25.
                                             www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-                                                                    completed second fiscal quarter; has been subject to
                                                                                                       6 17 CFR 239.16b.
                                                                                                                                                           the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
                                             locations.html.                                           7 17 CFR 239.18.                                    Exchange Act for a period of at least twelve
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                                                Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on April              8 17 CFR 239.31.                                    calendar months; has filed at least one annual
                                             3, 2017.                                                  9 17 CFR 239.33.                                    report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
                                                                                                       10 17 CFR 239.34.                                   Exchange Act; and is not eligible to use the scaled
                                             Melvin Johnson,                                                                                               disclosure requirements under Regulation S–K for
                                                                                                       11 15 U.S.C. 77a et seq.
                                             Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate,               12 17 CFR 240.12b–2.
                                                                                                                                                           smaller reporting companies for its annual and
                                             Aircraft Certification Service.                                                                               quarterly reports. See Exchange Act Rule 12b–2. In
                                                                                                       13 17 CFR 240.14a–21.
                                                                                                                                                           Section IV.A of this release, we explain how we are
                                             [FR Doc. 2017–06960 Filed 4–11–17; 8:45 am]               14 17 CFR 249.210.
                                                                                                                                                           adjusting for inflation the revenue threshold to
                                             BILLING CODE 4910–13–P                                    15 17 CFR 249.308.                                  qualify as an EGC, as required by the JOBS Act.



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                                             17546              Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 69 / Wednesday, April 12, 2017 / Rules and Regulations

                                             relief provided under Sections 102 and                       • permits an EGC to defer compliance                  are adopting amendments to our rules to
                                             103 of the JOBS Act: 35                                   with any new or revised financial                        define the term ‘‘emerging growth
                                                • permits an EGC to include only two                   accounting standards until the date that                 company’’ so as to reflect the inflation
                                             years of audited financial statements in                  companies that are not ‘‘issuers’’ as                    adjustment to the annual gross revenue
                                             its common equity initial public offering                 defined in Section 2(a) of the Sarbanes-                 amount.
                                             registration statement (‘‘IPO registration                Oxley Act 41 are required to comply; 42                     Title III of the JOBS Act also added
                                             statement’’); 36                                          and                                                      new Securities Act Section 4(a)(6),46
                                                • permits an EGC to provide                               • exempts an EGC from the Sarbanes-                   which provides an exemption from the
                                             Management’s Discussion and Analysis                      Oxley Act Section 404(b) 43 auditor                      registration requirements of Securities
                                             of Financial Condition and Results of                     attestation on management’s assessment                   Act Section 5 47 for certain
                                             Operations (‘‘MD&A’’) disclosures that                    of its internal controls.44                              crowdfunding transactions, and the
                                             correspond to the financial statements                       The amendments to the Securities Act
                                                                                                                                                                Commission has promulgated
                                             included in its IPO registration                          and Exchange Act included in Sections
                                                                                                                                                                Regulation Crowdfunding 48 to
                                             statement;                                                102 and 103 of the JOBS Act are self-
                                                                                                                                                                implement that exemption. Sections
                                                • permits an EGC to omit in other                      executing and became effective once
                                                                                                       that Act was signed into law. However,                   4(a)(6) and 4A 49 of the Securities Act
                                             Securities Act registration statements
                                                                                                       several of our rules and forms for                       set forth dollar amounts used in
                                             filed with the Commission selected
                                                                                                       registration under the Securities Act and                connection with the crowdfunding
                                             financial data 37 for any period prior to
                                                                                                       the Exchange Act, as well as Exchange                    exemption, and Section 4A(h)(1) 50
                                             the earliest audited period included in
                                                                                                       Act periodic and current reports,                        states that such dollar amounts shall be
                                             its IPO registration statement;
                                                • permits an EGC to omit selected                      Regulation S–K and Regulation S–X,                       adjusted by the Commission not less
                                             financial data for any period prior to the                currently do not reflect these JOBS Act                  frequently than once every five years to
                                             earliest audited period included in its                   provisions.                                              reflect the change in the CPI–U
                                             first registration statement that became                     Title I of the JOBS Act also added new                published by the BLS. Pursuant to this
                                             effective under the Exchange Act or                       Securities Act Section 2(a)(19) and                      directive, we are amending Regulation
                                             Securities Act in any Exchange Act                        Exchange Act Section 3(a)(80) to define                  Crowdfunding to adjust those dollar
                                             registration statement, periodic report or                the term ‘‘emerging growth company.’’                    amounts for inflation.
                                             other report filed with the Commission;                   Pursuant to the statutory definition, the                   These amendments are discussed in
                                                • exempts an EGC from the advisory                     Commission is required every five years                  more detail below.
                                             shareholder votes on the compensation                     to index to inflation the annual gross                   II. Discussion of the JOBS Act
                                             of its named executive officers (‘‘say-on-                revenue amount used to determine EGC                     Technical Amendments
                                             pay’’), the frequency of the say-on-pay                   status to reflect the change in the
                                             votes (‘‘say-on-frequency’’) and golden                   Consumer Price Index for All Urban                       A. Scaled Disclosure Requirements for
                                             parachute compensation arrangements                       Consumers (‘‘CPI–U’’) published by the                   Emerging Growth Companies’ Financial
                                             with any named executive officers                         Bureau of Labor Statistics (‘‘BLS’’).45 We               Disclosures
                                             required by Sections 14A(a) 38 and (b) 39                                                                          Securities Act Registration Statements
                                             of the Exchange Act;                                      proposed amendments that would increase the
                                                • permits an EGC to comply with                        financial thresholds in the smaller reporting
                                                                                                                                                                   Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act
                                                                                                       company definition. Under the proposed
                                             executive compensation disclosure                         amendments, the $75 million public float threshold       amended Section 7(a) of the Securities
                                             requirements under Item 402 of                            would be increased to $250 million and the $50           Act to provide that (1) an EGC is
                                             Regulation S–K by providing the same                      million revenue threshold would be increased to          permitted to present only two years of
                                             executive compensation disclosure as a                    $100 million. See Amendments to Smaller
                                                                                                       Reporting Company Definition, Release No. 33–
                                                                                                                                                                audited financial statements in its IPO
                                             smaller reporting company; 40                             10107 [81 FR 43130] (June 27, 2016).                     registration statement, and (2) in any
                                                                                                          41 Section 2(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act [15         Securities Act registration statement
                                               35 Public  Law 112–106, 126 Stat. 309 and 310.          U.S.C. 7201(a)] defines the term ‘‘issuer’’ to mean      other than its IPO registration statement,
                                               36 Rule  3–02 of Regulation S–X generally requires      an issuer (as defined in Section 3 of the Exchange       an EGC need not present selected
                                             the filing of audited statements of income and cash       Act [15 U.S.C. 78(c)]), the securities of which are
                                             flows for each of the three fiscal years preceding the    registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act [15      financial data 51 under Item 301 of
                                             date of the most recent audited balance sheet being       U.S.C. 78l], or that is required to file reports under   Regulation S–K for any period prior to
                                             filed.                                                    Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act [15 U.S.C.             the earliest audited period presented in
                                                37 See Section II.A for a discussion of the selected   78o(d)], or that files or has filed a registration       its IPO registration statement. Under
                                             financial data requirements.                              statement that has not yet become effective under
                                                38 15 U.S.C. 78n–1(a).                                 the Securities Act, and that it has not withdrawn.       Rule 3–02 of Regulation S–X, issuers
                                                39 15 U.S.C. 78n–1(b).                                    42 Public Law 112–106, 126 Stat. 313.                 that are not smaller reporting companies
                                                40 A ‘‘smaller reporting company’’ is defined in          43 15 U.S.C. 7262(b).                                 are generally required to include three
                                             Rule 405 under the Securities Act [17 CFR 230.405],          44 In addition, Section 102 of the JOBS Act           years of audited financial statements in
                                             Rule 12b–2 of the Exchange Act [17 CFR 240.12b–           exempts EGCs from the ‘‘pay versus performance’’         a Securities Act registration statement.
                                             2], and Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S–K [17 CFR           proxy disclosure requirements of Section 14(i) of
                                                                                                       the Exchange Act and from the pay ratio disclosure
                                                                                                                                                                We are adopting amendments to Rule 3–
                                             229.10(f)(1)] to mean an issuer that had a public
                                             float of less than $75 million as of the last business    requirements of Section 953(b) of the Dodd-Frank         02 of Regulation S–X and Form 20–F to
                                             day of its most recently completed second fiscal          Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of
                                             quarter or had; or, in the case of an initial             2010 (Public Law 111–203, 124 Stat. 1376, 1904           Price Index’’ available at https://www.bls.gov/cpi/
                                             registration statement, had a public float of less        (2010). These exemptions are addressed in separate       home.htm.
                                             than $75 million as of a date within 30 days of the       rulemakings, one that has been proposed (pay               46 15 U.S.C. 77d(a)(6).
                                             date of the filing of the registration statement; or      versus performance) and one that has been adopted          47 15 U.S.C. 77e.
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                                             had a public float of zero and annual revenues of         (pay ratio). See Pay Versus Performance, Release
                                                                                                                                                                  48 17 CFR 227.100 et seq.
                                             less than $50 million during the most recently            No. 34–74835 [80 FR 26330] (May 7, 2015) and Pay
                                                                                                                                                                  49 15 U.S.C. 77d–1.
                                             completed fiscal year for which audited financial         Ratio Disclosure, Release No. 33–9877 [80 FR
                                                                                                       50104] (Aug. 18, 2015).                                    50 15 U.S.C. 77d–1(h)(1).
                                             statements are available. 17 CFR 229.10(f)(1).
                                             Smaller reporting companies are subject to scaled            45 The CPI–U is the statistical metric developed        51 This information generally includes net sales or

                                             executive compensation disclosure requirements.           by the BLS to monitor the change in the price of         operating revenues; income (loss) from continuing
                                             For example, they are not required to include a           a set list of products. The CPI–U represents changes     operations; income (loss) from continuing
                                             compensation discussion and analysis under Item           in prices of all goods and services purchased for        operations per common share; total assets; long-
                                             402(b) of Regulation S–K. The Commission recently         consumption by urban households. See ‘‘Consumer          term obligations and redeemable preferred stock.



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                                                               Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 69 / Wednesday, April 12, 2017 / Rules and Regulations                                                  17547

                                             conform them to amended Section 7(a)                     MD&A Disclosure                                      affiliates of less than $75,000,000.’’ Item
                                             of the Securities Act.                                      Section 102(c) of the JOBS Act                    402(l) of Regulation S–K allows an
                                                Item 301 of Regulation S–K requires                   provides that an EGC is permitted to                 issuer that is a smaller reporting
                                             issuers that are not smaller reporting                   comply with the MD&A requirements of                 company to provide the scaled
                                             companies to include five years of                       Item 303(a) of Regulation S–K by                     executive compensation disclosures set
                                                                                                                                                           forth in Items 402(m)–(r) of Regulation
                                             selected financial data (or such shorter                 providing disclosure covering only the
                                                                                                                                                           S–K. To conform this Item to Section
                                             period as the issuer has been in                         audited financial statements for each
                                                                                                                                                           102(c), we are amending Item 402(l) of
                                             existence) in any filing for which such                  period that Section 7(a) of the Securities
                                                                                                                                                           Regulation S–K to specify that EGCs
                                             disclosure is required. The language in                  Act requires to be presented in its IPO
                                                                                                                                                           also are permitted to provide the scaled
                                             amended Section 7(a) of the Securities                   registration statement. Item 303(a) of
                                                                                                                                                           executive compensation disclosure in
                                             Act refers to ‘‘any other’’ registration                 Regulation S–K generally requires an
                                                                                                                                                           Items 402(m)–(r) of Regulation S–K.
                                             statement and does not expressly                         issuer to discuss, among other things,                  Exchange Act Rule 14a–21 requires
                                             address the application of the five years                the company’s financial condition,                   registrants to conduct shareholder
                                             of selected financial data requirement in                changes in financial condition and                   advisory votes on say-on-pay, say-on-
                                             Item 301 of Regulation S–K to IPO                        results of operations for the previous               frequency and golden parachute
                                             registration statements filed by EGCs.52                 three fiscal years and any interim                   compensation arrangements with any
                                             In light of the other relief provided in                 periods. To conform the Item to Section              ‘‘named executive officers.’’ 54 The rule
                                             amended Section 7(a), which permits an                   102(c), we are adopting amendments to                applies to all registrants making a
                                             EGC to present only two years of                         Instruction 1 to Item 303(a). The                    solicitation in connection with a
                                             audited financial statements in its IPO                  amendments specify that if an EGC,                   meeting of shareholders at which
                                             registration statement and, in                           pursuant to Section 7(a) of the                      directors are to be elected and for which
                                             subsequent registered offerings, to                      Securities Act, provides audited                     compensation disclosure is required to
                                             present selected financial data for no                   financial statements for two years in a              be provided pursuant to Item 402 of
                                             period earlier than that presented in its                Securities Act registration statement for            Regulation S–K, or to registrants making
                                             IPO registration statement, we interpret                 the initial public offering of its common            a solicitation in connection with a
                                             amended Section 7(a) to mean that an                     equity securities, it may provide the                meeting at which shareholders are asked
                                             EGC need not present selected financial                  discussion required by Item 303(a) for               to approve a merger, acquisition or sale
                                             data for any period prior to the earliest                its two most recent fiscal years.                    of all or substantially all of the assets of
                                             audited period presented in its IPO                      B. Auditor Attestation of Management’s               an issuer.
                                             registration statement.53 Otherwise, the                 Report on Internal Control Over                         Section 102(a) of the JOBS Act
                                             intended relief of Section 7(a) with                     Financial Reporting                                  amended Section 14A(e) of the
                                             respect to selected financial data would                                                                      Exchange Act to exempt EGCs from say-
                                                                                                         Section 103 of the JOBS Act amended               on-pay, say-on-frequency votes, golden
                                             not be available in an IPO registration                  Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley
                                             statement, as it is with subsequent                                                                           parachute compensation votes and the
                                                                                                      Act to provide that the auditor of an                related disclosure provisions. We are
                                             registration statements. Accordingly, we                 EGC does not need to attest to, and
                                             are adopting amendments to Item 301 of                                                                        adopting conforming amendments to
                                                                                                      report on, management’s assessment of                Exchange Act Rule 14a–21 and Item
                                             Regulation S–K to reflect this statutory                 the effectiveness of the EGC’s internal
                                             interpretation.                                                                                               402(t) and Instruction 1 to Item 1011(b)
                                                                                                      control over financial reporting                     of Regulation S–K that specify that an
                                             Exchange Act Registration Statements                     (‘‘ICFR’’). An EGC, however, is still                EGC is not required to conduct
                                             and Periodic Reports                                     required to establish and maintain                   shareholder advisory votes on say-on-
                                                                                                      internal control over financial reporting            pay, say-on-frequency, and golden
                                               Section 102(b)(2) of the JOBS Act                      and, when applicable, to include a                   parachute compensation, or provide the
                                             amended Section 13(a) of the Exchange                    management’s report on ICFR in its                   related disclosures. In addition, Section
                                             Act to provide that an EGC need not                      annual report. To conform our rules and              102(a) of the JOBS Act amended Section
                                             present selected financial data in an                    forms to amended Section 404(b), we                  14A of the Exchange Act to provide for
                                             Exchange Act registration statement or                   are adopting amendments to Article 2–                a transition period when an EGC exits
                                             periodic report for any period prior to                  02 of Regulation S–X, Item 308 of                    EGC status before it has to seek a
                                             the earliest audited period presented in                 Regulation S–K, and Forms 20–F and                   shareholder advisory vote on say-on-
                                             the EGC’s first effective registration                   40–F to specify that the auditor of an               pay. We are adding a new instruction to
                                             statement under either the Exchange Act                  EGC does not need to attest to, and                  Rule 14a–21 to reflect the transition
                                             or Securities Act. We are adopting                       report on, management’s report on ICFR               period set forth in the JOBS Act.
                                             amendments to Item 301 of Regulation                     and that management does not need to
                                             S–K to conform that provision to                         include the auditor’s attestation report                54 Item 402(a)(3) of Regulation S–K [17 CFR

                                             amended Section 13(a).                                   on ICFR in an annual report required by              229.402(a)(3)] defines named executive officers as
                                                                                                      Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange               (1) all individuals serving as the registrant’s
                                                                                                      Act.                                                 principal executive officer or acting in a similar
                                               52 See 15 U.S.C. 77g(a)(2).                                                                                 capacity during the last completed fiscal year
                                               53 In 2012, the Division of Corporation Finance                                                             (‘‘PEO’’), regardless of compensation level, (2) all
                                                                                                      C. Executive Compensation Disclosure
                                             provided guidance on the JOBS Act, including that                                                             individuals serving as the registrant’s principal
                                             the Division would not object if an emerging growth
                                                                                                      and Shareholder Advisory Voting                      financial officer or acting in a similar capacity
                                             company presenting two years of audited financial           Section 102(c) of the JOBS Act                    during the last completed fiscal year (‘‘PFO’’),
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                                             statements in its initial public offering registration                                                        regardless of compensation level, (3) the registrant’s
                                             statement in accordance with Securities Act Section
                                                                                                      provides in part that an EGC shall only              three most highly compensated executive officers
                                             7(a)(2)(A) were to limit the number of years of          be required to provide executive                     other than the PEO and PFO who were serving as
                                             selected financial data under Item 301 of Regulation     compensation disclosure pursuant to                  executive officers at the end of the last completed
                                             S–K to two years. See Frequently Asked Questions         Item 402 of Regulation S–K to the same               fiscal year, and (4) up to two additional individuals
                                             of General Applicability on Title I of the JOBS Act                                                           for whom Item 402 disclosure would have been
                                             (Dec. 21, 2015 revised), Question 11, available at
                                                                                                      extent as a registrant ‘‘with a market               provided but for the fact that the individual was not
                                             http://www.sec.gov/divisions/corpfin/guidance/           value of outstanding voting and                      serving as an executive officer of the registrant at
                                             cfjjobsactfaq-title-i-general.htm.                       nonvoting common equity held by non-                 the end of the last completed fiscal year.



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                                             17548              Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 69 / Wednesday, April 12, 2017 / Rules and Regulations

                                             D. Foreign Private Issuers                                of the scaled financial disclosure                      continue to do so for as long as the
                                                The definition of ‘‘emerging growth                    requirements under Sections 102 and                     issuer remains an EGC.61 This election
                                             company’’ in Section 101(a) of the JOBS                   103 of the JOBS Act to a foreign private                is irrevocable.
                                             Act applies to any company meeting the                    issuer that is an EGC.58 We are making                     To provide a uniform method for an
                                             criteria specified therein and is not                     revisions to Form 40–F to reflect the                   EGC to notify the Commission and the
                                             dependent on the jurisdiction of                          availability of the scaled financial                    public pursuant to Section 107 of the
                                             incorporation or organization, the                        disclosure requirements under Section                   JOBS Act that it is an EGC and of its
                                             holders of the issuer’s voting securities                 103 of the JOBS Act to a foreign private                decision as to whether or not to opt out
                                             or that of its executive officers or                      issuer that is an EGC.                                  of the extended transition period for
                                             directors, assets or business operations.                                                                         complying with new or revised
                                                                                                       E. ‘‘Check Box’’ Notice of EGC Status                   accounting standards, we are adopting
                                             Accordingly, a foreign private issuer 55                  and Compliance With New or Revised
                                             that qualifies as an EGC may comply                                                                               minor revisions to Securities Act Forms
                                                                                                       Accounting Standards                                    S–1, S–3, S–4, S–8, S–11, F–1, F–3 and
                                             with the scaled disclosure provisions
                                                                                                          Section 102(b) of the JOBS Act                       F–4 and Exchange Act Forms 10, 8–K,
                                             available to EGCs to the same extent as
                                                                                                       amended Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the                       10–Q, 10–K, 20–F and 40–F. These
                                             a domestic issuer. Sections 102 and 103
                                                                                                       Securities Act and Section 13(a) of the                 amendments modify the cover page of
                                             of the JOBS Act, however, refer to
                                                                                                       Exchange Act to state that an EGC ‘‘may                 those forms to include two check boxes
                                             Regulation S–K provisions that apply to
                                                                                                       not be required to comply with any new                  for an issuer to indicate whether, at the
                                             domestic issuers, whereas the
                                                                                                       or revised financial accounting                         time of the filing, the issuer is an EGC
                                             corresponding disclosure requirements
                                                                                                       standard’’ until such standard is                       and whether it has elected not to use the
                                             for foreign private issuers are applied
                                                                                                       applicable to companies that are not                    extended transition period for
                                             through the disclosure content of Form
                                                                                                       ‘‘issuers’’ under Section 2(a) of the                   complying with any new or revised
                                             20–F or, where applicable, Form 40–F.
                                                                                                       Sarbanes-Oxley Act, if such standard                    financial accounting standards provided
                                             Under Item 8.A. of Form 20–F, a foreign
                                                                                                       applies to companies that are not                       pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the
                                             private issuer is generally required to
                                                                                                       issuers. These revisions provide EGCs                   Securities Act and Section 13(a) of the
                                             include three years of audited financial
                                                                                                       with additional time to apply any                       Exchange Act.
                                             statements. In addition, Item 3.A.
                                                                                                       updates to the Financial Accounting
                                             generally requires a foreign private                                                                              III. Discussion of Amendments To
                                                                                                       Standards Board (‘‘FASB’’) Accounting
                                             issuer to include five years of selected                                                                          Effectuate Inflation Adjustments
                                                                                                       Standards codification as compared to
                                             financial data. To conform the
                                                                                                       non-EGC issuers.59                                      A. Definition of ‘‘Emerging Growth
                                             disclosure requirements of Form 20–F                         Under Section 107 of the JOBS Act, an
                                             with the disclosure relief provided                                                                               Company’’
                                                                                                       EGC may forgo any of the Title I
                                             under the JOBS Act,56 we are amending                                                                                JOBS Act Section 101 amended
                                                                                                       disclosure exemptions and instead
                                             the form to add instructions to Items                                                                             Section 2(a)(19) of the Securities Act
                                                                                                       comply with the requirements that
                                             8.A.57 and 3.A. to reflect the availability                                                                       and Section 3(a)(80) of the Exchange Act
                                                                                                       apply to an issuer that is not an EGC.
                                                                                                                                                               to define ‘‘emerging growth company’’
                                                                                                       Section 107(b), however, provides that if
                                                55 Securities Act Rule 405 [17 CFR 230.405] and                                                                to mean an issuer that had total annual
                                                                                                       an EGC opts out of the extended
                                             Exchange Act Rule 3b–4(c) [17 CFR 240.3b–4(c)]                                                                    gross revenues of less than $1 billion, as
                                             define the term ‘‘foreign private issuer’’ as any         transition period for complying with
                                                                                                                                                               such amount is indexed for inflation
                                             foreign issuer other than a foreign government            new or revised accounting standards, it
                                             except for an issuer meeting the following                                                                        every five years by the Commission to
                                                                                                       must do so at the time it is ‘‘first
                                             conditions as of the last business day of its most                                                                reflect the change in the CPI–U during
                                                                                                       required to file a registration statement,
                                             recently completed second fiscal quarter: (1) More                                                                its most recently completed fiscal year.
                                             than 50 percent of the issuer’s outstanding voting        periodic report, or other report with the
                                                                                                                                                               By statute, the adjusted threshold must
                                             securities are directly or indirectly held of record      Commission under Section 13 of the
                                                                                                                                                               be set to the nearest $1,000,000.
                                             by residents of the United States; and (2) either the     Securities Exchange Act of 1934’’ and
                                             majority of the executive officers or directors are                                                               Pursuant to this directive, we are
                                                                                                       notify the Commission of its choice.60
                                             United States citizens or residents, more than 50                                                                 adopting an amendment to Securities
                                             percent of the assets of the issuer are located in the    Pursuant to Section 107, an EGC that
                                                                                                                                                               Act Rule 405 and to Exchange Act Rule
                                             United States, or the business of the issuer is           opts out of the extended transition
                                                                                                                                                               12b–2 to include a definition for the
                                             administered principally in the United States.            period must comply with all new or
                                                56 Form 20–F does not require the same level of                                                                term ‘‘emerging growth company’’ that
                                                                                                       revised accounting standards to the
                                             detail about individual executive compensation and                                                                indexes the statutory annual gross
                                                                                                       same extent that a non-EGC is required
                                             compensation philosophy and analysis as required                                                                  revenues amount to the CPI–U.
                                             by Item 402 of Regulation S–K applicable to issuers       to comply with such standards and                          To determine the new EGC gross
                                             that are not smaller reporting companies or the
                                             scaled requirements in Items 402(m)–(r) applicable           58 No conforming amendment is needed to Item
                                                                                                                                                               revenue threshold to be included in the
                                             to smaller reporting companies. Accordingly, no           5 of Form 20–F (Operating and Financial Review          amendments, first we determine the
                                             conforming amendments to Form 20–F are needed             and Prospects), which requires a discussion of a        appropriate CPI–U for December of the
                                             in regard to Section 102(c)’s scaled executive            foreign private issuer’s financial statements similar   calendar year preceding the year of
                                             compensation disclosure requirements. To the              to MD&A, because Instruction 2 to Item 5 requires       adjustment. Because we are making the
                                             extent that a foreign private issuer that is an EGC       a discussion of the primary financial statements
                                             elects to use forms available to domestic issuers         presented in the document without referring to the      inflation adjustment for the definition of
                                             rather than the foreign private issuer forms, it          required periods.                                       EGC in 2017, we use the CPI–U for
                                             would be able to use the scaled disclosure                   59 In July 2009, the Financial Accounting            December 2016, which was 241.432
                                             provisions available to EGCs.                             Standards Board issued the FASB Accounting              (‘‘2016 CPI–U’’).62 We then determine
                                                57 These amendments do not affect the                  Standards Codification (‘‘ASC’’) as the single source
                                             requirement for a foreign private issuer that is either   of authoritative nongovernmental U.S. generally
                                                                                                                                                               the CPI–U for December of the calendar
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                                             a first-time adopter of International Financial           accepted accounting principles. The ASC was
                                                                                                       effective for annual periods ending after September        61 Section 107(b)(3) of the JOBS Act (Pub. L. 112–
                                             Reporting Standards or is subject to the disclosure
                                             requirements of paragraph 10(f) of IAS 1, to provide      15, 2009. All preexisting accounting standards were     106, 126 Stat. 313).
                                             three statements of financial position in its IPO         superseded.                                                62 The JOBS Act was enacted on April 5, 2012.

                                             registration statement. See Frequently Asked                 60 Section 107(b) does not specify where the opt-    Under the definition of an EGC in Section 2(a)(19)
                                             Questions of General Applicability on Title I of the      out notice language should appear in a registration     of the Securities Act and Section 3(a)(80) of the
                                             JOBS Act (Dec. 21, 2015 revised), Question 39,            statement or report. EGCs that have opted out of the    Exchange Act the Commission is required to adjust
                                             available at http://www.sec.gov/divisions/corpfin/        extended transition period have placed this notice      the total gross revenue amount to inflation every
                                             guidance/cfjjobsactfaq-title-i-general.htm.               in different parts of our disclosure forms.             five years.



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                                                                      Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 69 / Wednesday, April 12, 2017 / Rules and Regulations                                                                                     17549

                                             year before the EGC definition was                                          $1,000,000,000). Under the statutory                                         Commission has adopted Regulation
                                             established by the JOBS Act, which was                                      rounding convention, the threshold is                                        Crowdfunding to implement that
                                             2011. We thus use the CPI–U for                                             set to the nearest $1,000,000. Therefore,                                    exemption.64 Sections 4(a)(6) and 4A of
                                             December 2011, which was 225.672                                            the rounded increase in the EGC gross                                        the Securities Act set forth dollar
                                             (‘‘2011 CPI–U’’).                                                           revenue threshold is $70,000,000.                                            amounts used in connection with the
                                                Second, we calculate the cost-of-                                          Fifth, we add the rounded increase to                                      crowdfunding exemption,65 and Section
                                             living adjustment or inflation factor. To                                   the current EGC revenue threshold (i.e.,                                     4A(h)(1) 66 states that those dollar
                                             do this we divide the 2016 CPI–U by the                                     $1,000,000,000). The inflation-adjusted                                      amounts shall be adjusted by the
                                             2011 CPI–U. The resulting inflation                                         EGC gross revenue threshold is                                               Commission not less frequently than
                                             factor is 1.06984.                                                          $1,000,000,000 plus $70,000,000, which                                       once every five years to reflect any
                                                Third, we calculate the raw inflation                                    yields a maximum inflation-adjusted                                          changes in the CPI–U. Pursuant to this
                                             adjustment, which is the inflation                                          EGC revenue threshold of                                                     directive, we are amending Rules 100
                                             adjustment before rounding. To do this,                                     $1,070,000,000. The ‘‘emerging growth                                        and 201(t) of Regulation Crowdfunding
                                             we multiply the current EGC gross                                           company’’ definitions being adopted in                                       and Securities Act Form C to adjust the
                                             revenue threshold, $1,000,000,000, by                                       Securities Act Rule 405 and Exchange                                         dollar amounts set forth in these rules
                                             the inflation factor 1.06984, which                                         Act Rule 12b–2 reflect this adjusted                                         to inflation.
                                             equals $1,069,840,000.                                                      threshold, and will henceforth be
                                                Fourth, we round the raw inflation                                       amended every five years to account for                                        To determine the adjusted dollar
                                             amounts according to the convention set                                     future inflation adjustments.                                                amounts, we use the same process as
                                             forth in the statutory definition.63 Since                                                                                                               described above in connection with the
                                             we round only the increase amount, we                                       B. Regulation Crowdfunding                                                   EGC adjustment to determine the raw
                                             calculate the increased amount by                                           Amendments                                                                   inflation amounts.67 Then we round up
                                             subtracting the current EGC gross                                             Title III of the JOBS Act amended the                                      the raw inflation amounts to the nearest
                                             revenue threshold from the raw                                              Securities Act to add Section 4(a)(6),                                       $100 for amounts under $100,000 and to
                                             maximum inflation adjustments.                                              which provides an exemption from the                                         the nearest $1,000 for amounts that
                                             Accordingly, the increase in the EGC                                        registration requirements of Section 5 of                                    equal or exceed $100,000. Tables 1 and
                                             gross revenue threshold is $69,840,000                                      the Securities Act for certain                                               2 show the inflation-adjusted amounts
                                             (i.e., $1,069,840,000 less                                                  crowdfunding transactions. The                                               for Rules 100 and 201(t).68

                                                   TABLE 1—INFLATION-ADJUSTED AMOUNTS IN RULE 100 OF REGULATION CROWDFUNDING (OFFERING MAXIMUM AND
                                                                                          INVESTMENT LIMITS)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Rounded
                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Original        inflation-
                                                                                                            Regulation crowdfunding rule                                                                                     amount          adjusted
                                                                                                                                                                                                                               ($)            amount
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 ($)

                                             Maximum aggregate amount an issuer can sell under Regulation Crowdfunding in a 12-month period (Rule
                                               100(a)(1)) .............................................................................................................................................................        1,000,000       1,070,000
                                             Threshold for assessing investor’s annual income or net worth to determine investment limits (Rule 100(a)(2)(i)
                                               and (ii)) .................................................................................................................................................................      100,000          107,000
                                             Lower threshold of Regulation Crowdfunding securities permitted to be sold to an investor if annual income or
                                               net worth is less than $107,000 (Rule 100(a)(2)(i)) ............................................................................................                                    2,000            2,200
                                             Maximum amount that can be sold to an investor under Regulation Crowdfunding in a 12-month period (Rule
                                               100(a)(2)(ii)) .........................................................................................................................................................         100,000          107,000


                                                   TABLE 2—INFLATION-ADJUSTED AMOUNTS IN RULE 201(t) OF REGULATION CROWDFUNDING (FINANCIAL STATEMENT
                                                                                            REQUIREMENTS)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Original       Rounded
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              offering       inflation-
                                                                                                            Regulation crowdfunding rule                                                                                     threshold       adjusted
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              amount          amount
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 ($)             ($)

                                             Rule 201(t)(1) ...........................................................................................................................................................          100,000         107,000
                                             Rule 201(t)(2) ...........................................................................................................................................................          500,000         535,000
                                             Rule 201(t)(3) ...........................................................................................................................................................        1,000,000       1,070,000
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                                               63 See Section 2(a)(19) of the Securities Act and                         that may be sold to any investor by an issuer in                                67 The 2016 CPI–U is divided by the 2011 CPI–

                                             Section 3(a)(80) of the Exchange Act, which require                         reliance on the crowdfunding exemption. These                                U to derive the inflation factor of 1.06984. Each
                                             the amount to be set to the nearest $1,000,000.                             amounts are reflected in Rule 100 of Regulation                              dollar amount is then multiplied by the inflation
                                               64 Crowdfunding, Release No. 33–9974 (Oct. 30,                            Crowdfunding (17 CFR 227.100). Section                                       factor to determine the raw inflation adjusted
                                             2015) [80 FR 71388].                                                        4A(b)(1)(D) sets forth thresholds for determining the                        amount.
                                               65 Section 4(a)(6)(A) sets forth the maximum                              level of financial statements required, and those                               68 We have reflected the adjusted amounts for the

                                             amount an issuer may sell in reliance on the                                thresholds are reflected in Rule 201(t) of Regulation                        financial statement thresholds where those are
                                             crowdfunding exemption in a 12-month period, and                            Crowdfunding (17 CFR 227.201(t)).                                            referenced in Question 29 of the ‘‘Optional
                                             Section 4(a)(6)(B) sets limits on the dollar amount                           66 15 U.S.C. 77d–1(h)(1).                                                  Question & Answer Format’’ portion of Form C.



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                                             17550              Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 69 / Wednesday, April 12, 2017 / Rules and Regulations

                                             IV. Procedural and Other Matters                          consider or determine whether an action               advantages or disadvantages will be
                                                The Administrative Procedure Act                       is necessary or appropriate in the public             created as a result of the amendments.
                                             (‘‘APA’’) generally requires an agency to                 interest, to consider, in addition to the
                                                                                                                                                             B. Discussion of the Amendments to
                                             publish notice of a rulemaking in the                     protection of investors, whether the
                                                                                                                                                             Effectuate Inflation Adjustments
                                             Federal Register and provide an                           action would promote efficiency,
                                                                                                       competition, and capital formation.72 In                 To comply with the inflation
                                             opportunity for public comment. This
                                                                                                       addition, Section 23(a)(2) of the                     adjustments required under the JOBS
                                             requirement does not apply, however, if
                                                                                                       Exchange Act requires the Commission,                 Act, we are also adopting new rules that
                                             the agency ‘‘for good cause finds . . .
                                                                                                       when making rules under the Exchange                  include an inflation-adjusted threshold
                                             that notice and public procedure are                                                                            in the definition of the term ‘‘emerging
                                             impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary                   Act, to consider the impact such rules
                                                                                                       would have on competition.73 Section                  growth company.’’ These amendments
                                             to the public interest.’’ 69                                                                                    adjust the total annual gross revenue
                                                The technical amendments and the                       23(a)(2) of the Exchange Act also
                                                                                                       prohibits the Commission from adopting                threshold for EGCs in accordance with
                                             implementation of statutory inflation
                                                                                                       any rule that would impose a burden on                inflation as required by the JOBS Act
                                             adjustments pursuant to Title I and Title
                                                                                                       competition not necessary or                          and have no impact on disclosure or
                                             III of the JOBS Act do not impose any
                                                                                                       appropriate in furtherance of the                     compliance costs per filer. As the
                                             new substantive regulatory
                                                                                                       purposes of the Exchange Act.74 Below                 number of eligible filers that may
                                             requirements on any person. The                                                                                 qualify for scaled disclosure increases, it
                                             technical amendments merely conform                       we address the costs and benefits, as
                                                                                                       well as the potential effects on                      may reduce disclosure costs in the
                                             our rules and forms to the provisions of                                                                        aggregate,75 to the extent that eligible
                                             the JOBS Act, or reflect reasonable                       efficiency, competition and capital
                                                                                                       formation, of the various amendments                  filers take advantage of the EGC
                                             interpretations thereof, and involve the                                                                        accommodations, relative to a baseline
                                             exercise of minimal discretion.                           being adopted in this release. Because
                                                                                                       the amendments merely make                            without this inflation adjustment.
                                             Similarly, the amendments to                                                                                       We note that this inflation adjustment
                                             implement the statutory inflation                         conforming changes to our rules and
                                                                                                                                                             affects both domestic issuers and foreign
                                             adjustments will effectuate the adjusted                  forms to reflect certain provisions of the
                                                                                                                                                             private issuers. We estimate that there
                                             dollar amount thresholds mandated by                      JOBS Act and implement the statutory
                                                                                                                                                             are approximately 7,200 issuers that file
                                             the JOBS Act and involve minimal                          inflation adjustments mandated by the
                                                                                                                                                             on domestic forms and 800 foreign
                                             discretion. For these reasons, for good                   JOBS Act, we do not believe there are
                                                                                                                                                             private issuers that file on F-forms, of
                                             cause, we find that it is unnecessary to                  reasonable alternatives to the
                                                                                                                                                             which 13.2% of issuers that file on
                                             publish notice of these amendments in                     amendments.
                                                                                                                                                             domestic forms and 15.1% of foreign
                                             the Federal Register and solicit public                   A. Discussion of the Technical                        private issuers that file on Forms 20–F
                                             comment thereon.70                                        Amendments                                            and 40–F also identified themselves as
                                                For similar reasons, although the APA                                                                        EGCs in filings made in 2016. Not all
                                             generally requires publication of a rule                     We are adopting technical                          EGCs self-identify as such every year, so
                                             at least 30 days before its effective date,               amendments to conform several of our                  annual filings-based counts likely
                                             we find there is good cause for the                       rules and forms to amendments made to                 underestimate the EGC population.
                                             amendments to take effect on April 12,                    the Securities Act and the Exchange Act                  The inflation adjustment to the total
                                             2017.71                                                   by Title I of the JOBS Act. For the                   annual gross revenue threshold for EGCs
                                                If any of the provisions of these                      purposes of analyzing the economic                    is designed to maintain the scope of
                                             amendments, or the application thereof                    effects of these amendments, we use as                registrants that may qualify as an EGC,
                                             to any person or circumstance, is held                    a baseline the scaled disclosure                      preserving the economic effects
                                             to be invalid, such invalidity shall not                  requirements and other                                associated with the option to claim EGC
                                             affect other provisions or application of                 accommodations applicable to EGCs                     status. It does so by not allowing the
                                             such provisions to other persons or                       discussed in Section II. These                        level of revenue, in real terms, that
                                             circumstances that can be given effect                    amendments merely make conforming                     determines the eligibility for EGC status
                                             without the invalid provision or                          changes to our rules and forms to reflect             to be diminished by inflation. The
                                             application.                                              certain provisions of the JOBS Act. As                inflation adjustment amendment may
                                             V. Economic Analysis                                      a result, these amendments will not                   marginally expand the number of firms
                                                                                                       substantially alter the costs and benefits,           that may claim EGC status, thus
                                               We are mindful of the costs imposed                     relative to the baseline, associated with
                                             by, and the benefits to be obtained from,                                                                       extending the economic effects,
                                                                                                       complying with these rules and forms,                 including impacts on efficiency,
                                             our rules. Section 2(b) of the Securities                 and do not impose any substantive
                                             Act and Section 3(f) of the Exchange Act                                                                        competition, and capital formation,
                                                                                                       regulatory obligations on any person or               associated with the option to claim this
                                             require the Commission, whenever it                       otherwise. To the extent they have an
                                             engages in rulemaking and is required to                                                                        status to firms that fall between the
                                                                                                       economic effect, we expect the                        $1,000,000,000 gross revenue threshold
                                               69 5
                                                                                                       amendments will help to minimize                      that previously determined EGC
                                                    U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B).
                                               70 This  finding also satisfies the requirements of
                                                                                                       potential confusion concerning any                    eligibility and the $1,070,000,000 gross
                                             5 U.S.C. 808(2), allowing the amendments to               inconsistencies between the statutory                 revenue threshold that will define EGC
                                             become effective notwithstanding the requirement          provisions of the JOBS Act and our rules              eligibility under the amendment.
                                             of 5 U.S.C. 801 (if a federal agency finds that notice    and forms and could result in some
                                             and public comment are impractical, unnecessary
                                                                                                                                                             Assuming that the number of domestic
                                                                                                       marginal cost savings to the extent that              and foreign private issuers in calendar
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                                             or contrary to the public interest, a rule shall take
                                             effect at such time as the federal agency                 filers have fewer questions to research               years subsequent to adoption of the
                                             promulgating the rule determines). The                    when completing the form. Similarly,                  amendments is similar to that obtained
                                             amendments also do not require analysis under the         we do not anticipate any competitive
                                             Regulatory Flexibility Act. See 5 U.S.C. 604(a)
                                                                                                                                                             in calendar year 2016, the inflation
                                             (requiring a final regulatory flexibility analysis only                                                         adjustment of the EGC revenue
                                                                                                        72 See   15 U.S.C. 77b(b) and 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
                                             for rules required by the APA or other law to
                                             undergo notice and comment).                               73 See   15 U.S.C. 78w(a)(2).                          75 See Section II.A for a summary of scaled
                                                71 See 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3).                              74 Id.                                               disclosure requirements for EGCs.



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                                                               Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 69 / Wednesday, April 12, 2017 / Rules and Regulations                                           17551

                                             threshold would increase the percentage                 rules and forms is likely to be marginal,              PART 210—FORM AND CONTENT OF
                                             of domestic issuers that qualify as EGCs                we do not believe they will substantially              AND REQUIREMENTS FOR FINANCIAL
                                             from 13.2% to approximately 13.8%                       impact efficiency, competition, and                    STATEMENTS, SECURITIES ACT OF
                                             and foreign private issuers that qualify                capital formation.                                     1933, SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT
                                             as EGCs from 15.1% to approximately                                                                            OF 1934, PUBLIC UTILITY HOLDING
                                             16.3% on the basis of the distribution of               VI. Paperwork Reduction Act                            COMPANY ACT OF 1935, INVESTMENT
                                             revenues of filers in calendar year 2016,                                                                      COMPANY ACT OF 1940, INVESTMENT
                                                                                                        The amendments, including those to
                                             where data is available.76                                                                                     ADVISERS ACT OF 1940, AND
                                                For the purposes of analyzing the                    effect the statutory inflation
                                                                                                     adjustments, do not make any                           ENERGY POLICY AND
                                             economic effects of the amendments to                                                                          CONSERVATION ACT OF 1975
                                             Regulation Crowdfunding, we use as our                  substantive modifications to any
                                             baseline the regulatory framework                       existing collection of information                     ■  1. The authority citation for part 210
                                             established by Regulation                               requirements or impose any new                         is revised to read as follows:
                                             Crowdfunding as adopted in 2015.77                      substantive recordkeeping or
                                                                                                                                                              Authority: 15 U.S.C. 77f, 77g, 77h, 77j,
                                             The amendments to Regulation                            information collection requirements                    77s, 77z–2, 77z–3, 77aa(25), 77aa(26),
                                             Crowdfunding adjust the thresholds in                   within the meaning of the Paperwork                    77nn(25), 77nn(26), 78c, 78j–1, 78l, 78m,
                                             Rules 100 and 201(t) of Regulation                      Reduction Act of 1995 (‘‘PRA’’).80                     78n, 78o(d), 78q, 78u–5, 78w, 78ll, 78mm,
                                             Crowdfunding (§§ 227.100 and                            Accordingly, we are not revising any                   80a–8, 80a–20, 80a–29, 80a–30, 80a–31, 80a–
                                             227.201(t)) in accordance with inflation                burden and cost estimates in connection                37(a), 80b–3, 80b–11, 7202 and 7262, and
                                             as required by Section 4A(h) of the                     with these amendments.                                 sec. 102(c), Pub. L. 112–106, 126 Stat. 310
                                             Securities Act and are not expected to                                                                         (2012), unless otherwise noted.
                                             increase disclosure or compliance costs                 VII. Statutory Authority                               ■ 2. Amend § 210.2–02 by revising
                                             incurred by an issuer, to the extent that                                                                      paragraph (f)(1) to read as follows:
                                                                                                       The amendments contained in this
                                             the issuer remains subject to the same
                                                                                                     release are being adopted under the                    § 210.2–02 Accountants’ reports and
                                             financial statement requirements. The                                                                          attestation reports.
                                             adjustment may cause some issuers to                    authority set forth in in Sections 2,
                                             become subject to less extensive                        4(a)(6), 4A, 5, 6, 7, 10, and 19 of the                *      *     *     *     *
                                                                                                     Securities Act; Sections 3, 12, 13, 14,                   (f) Attestation report on internal
                                             financial statement requirements, and
                                                                                                     15(d), and 23(a) of the Exchange Act;                  control over financial reporting. (1)
                                             may lower disclosure or compliance
                                                                                                     and Sections 102, 103 and 107 of the                   Every registered public accounting firm
                                             costs for these issuers.78
                                                The inflation adjustment to the                      JOBS Act.                                              that issues or prepares an accountant’s
                                             thresholds in Rules 100 and 201(t) is                                                                          report for a registrant, other than a
                                                                                                     List of Subjects                                       registrant that is neither an accelerated
                                             intended to allow these thresholds to
                                             keep pace with inflation, preserving the                17 CFR Part 210                                        filer nor a large accelerated filer (as
                                             economic effects of Regulation                                                                                 defined in § 240.12b–2 of this chapter),
                                             Crowdfunding in real terms.79 For                         Accountants, Accounting, Reporting                   or is an emerging growth company, as
                                             example, the inflation adjustments to                   and recordkeeping requirements,                        defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act
                                             the financial statement thresholds                      Securities.                                            (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b–
                                             ensure that issuers can take advantage of                                                                      2 of the Exchange Act (§ 240.12b–2 of
                                                                                                     17 CFR Parts 227, 229, 230, 239, 240                   this chapter), or an investment company
                                             the inflation-adjusted offering amounts                 and 249
                                             without incurring a fixed cost of                                                                              registered under Section 8 of the
                                             complying with additional financial                                                                            Investment Company Act of 1940 (15
                                                                                                       Reporting and recordkeeping                          U.S.C. 80a–8), that is included in an
                                             statement requirements.                                 requirements, Securities.
                                                Substantively, the inflation                                                                                annual report required by section 13(a)
                                             adjustments to Rule 100 and Rule 201(t)                 Text of the Final Amendments                           or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act
                                             marginally affect the amount of capital                                                                        of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.)
                                             that issuers may raise in reliance on                      For the reasons set out in the                      containing an assessment by
                                             Regulation Crowdfunding, the number                     preamble, the Commission is amending                   management of the effectiveness of the
                                             of investors who may participate in                     title 17, chapter II of the Code of Federal            registrant’s internal control over
                                             crowdfunding offerings, and the                         Regulations as follows:                                financial reporting must include an
                                             amounts that investors may invest in                                                                           attestation report on internal control
                                             crowdfunding offerings.                                                                                        over financial reporting.
                                                                                                                                                            *      *     *     *     *
                                             C. Efficiency, Competition, and Capital
                                                                                                                                                            ■ 3. Amend § 210.3–02 by revising
                                             Formation                                                 80 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. The new check boxes

                                                                                                     that will appear on the cover page of affected
                                                                                                                                                            paragraph (a) to read as follows:
                                               Because we believe the substantive
                                                                                                     Exchange Act forms and Securities Act registration     § 210.3–02 Consolidated statements of
                                             impact of these amendments to our                       statements will result in an incremental paperwork     income and changes in financial positions.
                                                                                                     burden for EGCs; however, we believe that the
                                               76 The number of domestic filers and foreign
                                                                                                     incremental burden associated with checking one or        (a) There shall be filed, for the
                                             private issuers affected by the inflation adjustment    both of the new boxes will be so minimal that it       registrant and its subsidiaries
                                             of total annual gross revenues is estimated as the                                                             consolidated and for its predecessors,
                                                                                                     will not affect the overall burden estimates
                                             number of unique companies, identified by Central
                                                                                                     associated with these forms. Similarly, the            audited statements of income and cash
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                                             Index Key (CIK), that filed Form 10–K, Form 20–
                                             F, or Form 40–F with the Commission during the          amendments to reflect the statutory inflation          flows for each of the three fiscal years
                                             calendar year 2016. The number of filers that           adjustments to certain dollar amount thresholds in     preceding the date of the most recent
                                             identify themselves as EGCs is estimated by             Titles I and III of the JOBS Act will have only
                                                                                                                                                            audited balance sheet being filed or
                                             analyzing several types of filings filed with the       marginal effects on the application of these
                                             Commission during calendar year 2016.                   thresholds for eligibility and reporting purposes      such shorter period as the registrant
                                               77 See Crowdfunding supra note 64.                    and therefore are not expected to affect the overall   (including predecessors) has been in
                                               78 Id at 71497.                                       burden estimates for affected forms. See Section       existence. A registrant that is an
                                               79 Id at 71482.                                       VI.C above.                                            emerging growth company, as defined


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                                             17552            Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 69 / Wednesday, April 12, 2017 / Rules and Regulations

                                             in Rule 405 of the Securities Act                       78m, 78n, 78n–1, 78o, 78u–5, 78w, 78ll, 78            year comparisons or any other formats
                                             (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b–                mm, 80a–8, 80a–9, 80a–20, 80a–29, 80a–30,             that in the registrant’s judgment
                                             2 of the Exchange Act (§ 240.12b–2 of                   80a–31(c), 80a–37, 80a–38(a), 80a–39, 80b–11          enhance a reader’s understanding. An
                                             this chapter), may, in a Securities Act                 and 7201 et seq.; 18 U.S.C. 1350; sec. 953(b),        emerging growth company, as defined
                                                                                                     Pub. L. 111–203, 124 Stat. 1904 (2010); and
                                             registration statement for the initial                  sec. 102(c), Pub. L. 112–106, 126 Stat. 310
                                                                                                                                                           in Rule 405 of the Securities Act
                                             public offering of the emerging growth                  (2012).                                               (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b–
                                             company’s equity securities, provide                                                                          2 of the Exchange Act (§ 240.12b–2 of
                                                                                                     ■  8. Amend § 229.301 by adding
                                             audited statements of income and cash                                                                         this chapter), may provide the
                                                                                                     paragraph (d) before the Instructions to
                                             flows for each of the two fiscal years                                                                        discussion required in paragraph (a) of
                                                                                                     Item 301 to read as follows:
                                             preceding the date of the most recent                                                                         this Item for its two most recent fiscal
                                             audited balance sheet (or such shorter                  § 229.301    (Item 301) Selected financial            years if, pursuant to Section 7(a) of the
                                             period as the registrant has been in                    data.                                                 Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C 77g(a)),
                                             existence).                                             *      *    *      *     *                            it provides audited financial statements
                                             *     *     *     *    *                                   (d) Emerging growth company. An                    for two years in a Securities Act
                                                                                                     emerging growth company, as defined                   registration statement for the initial
                                             PART 227—REGULATION                                     in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933             public offering of the emerging growth
                                             CROWDFUNDING, GENERAL RULES                             (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b–              company’s common equity securities.
                                             AND REGULATIONS                                         2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934              *      *    *      *    *
                                                                                                     (§ 240.12b–2 of this chapter), that is                ■ 10. Amend § 229.308 by revising
                                             ■ 4. The authority citation for part 227                providing the information called for by
                                             continues to read as follows:                                                                                 paragraph (b) to read as follows:
                                                                                                     this Item in:
                                               Authority: 15 U.S.C. 77d, 77d–1, 77s, 78c,               (1) A Securities Act registration                  § 229.308 (Item 308) Internal control over
                                             78o, 78q, 78w, 78mm, and Pub. L. 112–106,               statement, need not present selected                  financial reporting.
                                             secs. 301–305, 126 Stat. 306 (2012).                    financial data for any period prior to the            *      *     *    *     *
                                             § 227.100   [Amended]                                   earliest audited financial statements                    (b) Attestation report of the registered
                                                                                                     presented in connection with the                      public accounting firm. If the registrant,
                                             ■  5. Amend § 227.100 by:                               registrant’s initial public offering of its           other than a registrant that is an
                                             ■  a. In paragraph (a)(1), removing                     common equity securities; or                          emerging growth company, as defined
                                             reference to ‘‘$1,000,000’’ and adding in                  (2) A registration statement, periodic             in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933
                                             its place ‘‘$1,070,000’’;                               report, or other report filed under the               (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b–
                                             ■ b. In paragraph (a)(2)(i), removing                                                                         2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                                                                                                     Exchange Act, need not present selected
                                             reference to ‘‘$2,000’’ and adding in its               financial data for any period prior to the            (§ 240.12b–2 of this chapter), is an
                                             place ‘‘$2,200’’; and removing                          earliest audited financial statements                 accelerated filer or a large accelerated
                                             ‘‘$100,000’’ and adding in its place                    presented in connection with its first                filer (as defined in § 240.12b–2 of this
                                             ‘‘$107,000’’;                                           registration statement that became                    chapter), provide the registered public
                                             ■ c. In paragraph (a)(2)(ii), removing the                                                                    accounting firm’s attestation report on
                                                                                                     effective under the Exchange Act or the
                                             two references to ‘‘$100,000’’ and                      Securities Act.                                       the registrant’s internal control over
                                             adding in their place ‘‘$107,000.’’                                                                           financial reporting in the registrant’s
                                                                                                     *      *    *      *     *
                                             § 227.201   [Amended]                                                                                         annual report containing the disclosure
                                                                                                     ■ 9. Amend § 229.303 by revising
                                                                                                                                                           required by this Item.
                                             ■  6. Amend § 227.201 by:                               instruction 1 of the Instructions to
                                                                                                     Paragraph 303(a) to read as follows:                  *      *     *    *     *
                                             ■  a. In paragraph (t)(1), removing
                                             reference to ‘‘$100,000’’ and adding in                                                                       ■ 11. Amend § 229.402 by revising
                                                                                                     § 229.303 (Item 303) Management’s                     paragraph (l) and the introductory text
                                             its place ‘‘$107,000’’;                                 discussion and analysis of financial
                                             ■ b. In paragraph (t)(2), removing                                                                            to paragraph (t)(1) to read as follows:
                                                                                                     condition and results of operations.
                                             reference to ‘‘$100,000’’ and adding in                                                                       § 229.402 (Item 402) Executive
                                                                                                     *     *     *     *     *
                                             its place ‘‘$107,000’’; and removing                                                                          compensation.
                                                                                                        Instructions to paragraph 303(a): 1.
                                             reference to ‘‘$500,000’’ and adding in                                                                       *     *     *     *      *
                                                                                                     The registrant’s discussion and analysis
                                             its place ‘‘$535,000’’;                                                                                         (l) Smaller reporting companies and
                                             ■ c. In paragraph (t)(3), removing the
                                                                                                     shall be of the financial statements and
                                                                                                     other statistical data that the registrant            emerging growth companies. A
                                             two references to ‘‘$500,000’’ and                                                                            registrant that qualifies as a ‘‘smaller
                                             adding in their place ‘‘$535,000’’; and                 believes will enhance a reader’s
                                                                                                     understanding of its financial condition,             reporting company,’’ as defined by Item
                                             removing reference to ‘‘$1,000,000’’ and                                                                      10(f) (§ 229.10(f)(1)), or is an ‘‘emerging
                                             adding in its place ‘‘$1,070,000.’’                     changes in financial condition and
                                                                                                     results of operations. Generally, the                 growth company,’’ as defined in Rule
                                             PART 229—STANDARD                                       discussion shall cover the three-year                 405 of the Securities Act (§ 230.405 of
                                             INSTRUCTIONS FOR FILING FORMS                           period covered by the financial                       this chapter) or Rule 12b–2 of the
                                             UNDER SECURITIES ACT OF 1933,                           statements and shall use year-to-year                 Exchange Act (§ 240.12b–2 of this
                                             SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934                         comparisons or any other formats that in              chapter), may provide the scaled
                                             AND ENERGY POLICY AND                                   the registrant’s judgment enhance a                   disclosure in paragraphs (m) through (r)
                                             CONSERVATION ACT OF 1975—                               reader’s understanding. However, where                instead of paragraphs (a) through (k), (s),
                                             REGULATION S–K                                          trend information is relevant, reference              and (u) of this Item.
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                                                                                                     to the five-year selected financial data              *     *     *     *      *
                                             ■  7. The authority citation for part 229               appearing pursuant to Item 301 of                       (t) Golden parachute compensation.
                                             is revised to read as follows:                          Regulation S–K (§ 229.301) may be                     (1) In connection with any proxy or
                                               Authority: 15 U.S.C. 77e, 77f, 77g, 77h,              necessary. A smaller reporting                        consent solicitation material providing
                                             77j, 77k, 77s, 77z–2, 77z–3, 77aa(25),                  company’s discussion shall cover the                  the disclosure required by section
                                             77aa(26), 77ddd, 77eee, 77ggg, 77hhh, 77iii,            two-year period required in Article 8 of              14A(b)(1) of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C.
                                             77jjj, 77nnn, 77sss, 78c, 78i, 78j, 78j–3, 78l,         Regulation S–X and shall use year-to-                 78n–1(b)(1)) or any proxy or consent


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                                                              Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 69 / Wednesday, April 12, 2017 / Rules and Regulations                                          17553

                                             solicitation that includes disclosure                     Sections 230.400 to 230.499 issued under            UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND
                                             under Item 14 of Schedule 14A                           15 U.S.C. 77f, 77h, 77j, 77s, unless otherwise        EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                                             (§ 240.14a–101 of this chapter) pursuant                noted.
                                                                                                       Section 230.502 is also issued under 15
                                                                                                                                                           Washington, DC 20549
                                             to Note A of Schedule 14A (excluding
                                             any proxy or consent solicitation of an                 U.S.C. 80a–8, 80a–29, 80a–30.                         FORM S–1
                                             ‘‘emerging growth company,’’ as defined                 ■ 14. Amend § 230.405 by adding the                   REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
                                             in Rule 405 of the Securities Act                       definition ‘‘Emerging growth company’’                THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                                             (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b–                in alphabetical order to read as follows:
                                             2 of the Exchange Act (§ 240.12b–2 of                                                                         *      *    *      *      *
                                             this chapter)), with respect to each                                                                             Indicate by check mark whether the
                                                                                                     § 230.405    Definitions of terms.
                                             named executive officer of the acquiring                                                                      registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
                                                                                                     *       *    *     *     *                            accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer,
                                             company and the target company,
                                             provide the information specified in                       Emerging growth company. (1) The                   smaller reporting company, or an
                                             paragraphs (t)(2) and (3) of this section               term emerging growth company means                    emerging growth company. See the
                                             regarding any agreement or                              an issuer that had total annual gross                 definitions of ‘‘large accelerated filer,’’
                                             understanding, whether written or                       revenues of less than $1,070,000,000                  ‘‘accelerated filer,’’ ‘‘smaller reporting
                                             unwritten, between such named                           during its most recently completed                    company,’’ and ‘‘emerging growth
                                             executive officer and the acquiring                     fiscal year.                                          company’’ in Rule 12b–2 of the
                                             company or target company, concerning                      (2) An issuer that is an emerging                  Exchange Act.
                                             any type of compensation, whether                                                                                Large accelerated filer b
                                                                                                     growth company as of the first day of
                                                                                                                                                              Accelerated filer b
                                             present, deferred or contingent, that is                that fiscal year shall continue to be
                                                                                                                                                              Non-accelerated filer b (Do not
                                             based on or otherwise relates to an                     deemed an emerging growth company
                                                                                                                                                           check if a smaller reporting company)
                                             acquisition, merger, consolidation, sale                until the earliest of:
                                                                                                                                                              Smaller reporting company b
                                             or other disposition of all or                             (i) The last day of the fiscal year of the            Emerging growth company b
                                             substantially all assets of the issuer, as              issuer during which it had total annual                  If an emerging growth company,
                                             follows:                                                gross revenues of $1,070,000,000 or                   indicate by check mark if the registrant
                                             *     *     *     *     *                               more;                                                 has elected not to use the extended
                                             ■ 12. Amend § 229.1011 by revising                                                                            transition period for complying with
                                                                                                        (ii) The last day of the fiscal year of
                                             instruction 1 of the Instructions to Item               the issuer following the fifth                        any new or revised financial accounting
                                             1011(b) to read as follows:                             anniversary of the date of the first sale             standards provided pursuant to Section
                                             § 229.1011 (Item 1011) Additional                       of common equity securities of the                    7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. b
                                             information.                                            issuer pursuant to an effective                       *      *    *      *      *
                                             *      *     *       *      *                           registration statement under the                      ■ 17. Amend Form S–3 (referenced in
                                                                                                     Securities Act of 1933;                               § 239.13) by revising the text and check
                                             Instructions to Item 1011(b).                                                                                 boxes on the cover page immediately
                                                                                                        (iii) The date on which such issuer
                                                1. The obligation to provide the                     has, during the previous three year                   before the ‘‘Calculation of Registration
                                             information in paragraph (b) of this                    period, issued more than $1,000,000,000               Fee’’ table to read as follows:
                                             section shall not apply where the issuer                in non-convertible debt; or                             Note: The text of Form S–3 does not, and
                                             whose securities are the subject of the                                                                       this amendment will not, appear in the Code
                                             Rule 13e–3 transaction or tender offer is                  (iv) The date on which such issuer is              of Federal Regulations.
                                             a foreign private issuer, as defined in                 deemed to be a large accelerated filer, as
                                             § 240.3b–4 of this chapter, or an                       defined in Rule 12b–2 of the Exchange                 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND
                                             emerging growth company, as defined                     Act (§ 240.12b–2 of this chapter).                    EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                                             in Rule 405 of the Securities Act                       *       *    *     *     *                            Washington, DC 20549
                                             (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b–
                                             2 of the Exchange Act (§ 240.12b–2 of                   PART 239—FORMS PRESCRIBED                             FORM S–3
                                             this chapter).                                          UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933                      REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
                                             *      *    *     *     *                                                                                     THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                                                                                                     ■  15. The authority citation for part 239
                                             PART 230—GENERAL RULES AND                                                                                    *      *    *      *      *
                                                                                                     is revised to read in part as follows:
                                                                                                                                                              Indicate by check mark whether the
                                             REGULATIONS, SECURITIES ACT OF                            Authority: 15 U.S.C. 77c, 77f, 77g, 77h, 77j,       registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
                                             1933                                                    77s, 77z–2, 77z–3, 77sss, 78c, 78l, 78m,78n,          accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer,
                                             ■ 13. The authority citation for part 230               78o(d), 78o–7 note, 78u–5, 78w(a), 78ll,              smaller reporting company, or an
                                             continues to read as follows:                           78mm, 80a–2(a), 80a–3, 80a–8, 80a–9, 80a–             emerging growth company. See the
                                                                                                     10, 80a–13, 80a–24, 80a–26, 80a–29, 80a–30,           definitions of ‘‘large accelerated filer,’’
                                               Authority: 15 U.S.C. 77b, 77b note, 77c,              and 80a–37; and sec. 107, Pub. L. 112–106,
                                             77d, 77f, 77g, 77h, 77j, 77r, 77s, 77z–3, 77sss,                                                              ‘‘accelerated filer,’’ ‘‘smaller reporting
                                                                                                     126 Stat. 312, unless otherwise noted.                company,’’ and ‘‘emerging growth
                                             78c, 78d, 78j, 78l, 78m, 78n, 78o, 78o–7 note,
                                             78t, 78w, 78ll(d), 78mm, 80a–8, 80a–24, 80a–            *       *     *       *      *                        company’’ in Rule 12b–2 of the
                                             28, 80a–29, 80a–30, and 80a–37, and Public                                                                    Exchange Act.
                                             Law 112–106, sec. 201(a), sec. 401, 126 Stat.           ■ 16. Amend Form S–1 (referenced in                      Large accelerated filer b
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                                             313 (2012), unless otherwise noted.                     § 239.11) by revising the text and check                 Accelerated filer b
                                               Section 230.151 is also issued under 15               boxes on the cover page immediately                      Non-accelerated filer b (Do not
                                             U.S.C. 77s(a).                                          before the ‘‘Calculation of Registration
                                               Section 230.160 is also issued under
                                                                                                                                                           check if a smaller reporting company)
                                                                                                     Fee’’ table to read as follows:                          Smaller reporting company b
                                             Section 104(d) of the Electronic Signatures
                                             Act.                                                      Note: The text of Form S–1 does not, and               Emerging growth company b
                                               Section 230.193 is also issued under sec.             this amendment will not, appear in the Code              If an emerging growth company,
                                             943, Public Law 111–203, 124 Stat. 1376.                of Federal Regulations.                               indicate by check mark if the registrant


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                                             17554            Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 69 / Wednesday, April 12, 2017 / Rules and Regulations

                                             has elected not to use the extended                     smaller reporting company, or an                        Note: The text of Form F–1 does not, and
                                             transition period for complying with                    emerging growth company. See the                      this amendment will not, appear in the Code
                                             any new or revised financial accounting                 definitions of ‘‘large accelerated filer,’’           of Federal Regulations.
                                             standards provided pursuant to Section                  ‘‘accelerated filer,’’ ‘‘smaller reporting
                                             7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. b                     company,’’ and ‘‘emerging growth                      UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND
                                                                                                     company’’ in Rule 12b–2 of the                        EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                                             *     *     *     *     *
                                             ■ 18. Amend Form S–8 (referenced in                     Exchange Act.                                         Washington, DC 20549
                                             § 239.16b) by revising the text and check                  Large accelerated filer b                          FORM F–1
                                             boxes on the cover page immediately                        Accelerated filer b
                                             before the ‘‘Calculation of Registration                   Non-accelerated filer b (Do not                    REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
                                                                                                     check if a smaller reporting company)                 THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                                             Fee’’ table to read as follows:
                                                                                                        Smaller reporting company b                        *     *     *     *     *
                                               Note: The text of Form S–8 does not, and                 Emerging growth company b
                                             this amendment will not, appear in the Code                                                                     Indicate by check mark whether the
                                                                                                        If an emerging growth company,                     registrant is an emerging growth
                                             of Federal Regulations.
                                                                                                     indicate by check mark if the registrant              company as defined in Rule 405 of the
                                             UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND                            has elected not to use the extended                   Securities Act of 1933.
                                             EXCHANGE COMMISSION                                     transition period for complying with                    Emerging growth company b
                                                                                                     any new or revised financial accounting                 If an emerging growth company that
                                             Washington, DC 20549                                    standards provided pursuant to Section                prepares its financial statements in
                                             FORM S–8                                                7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. b                   accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by
                                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER                            *      *    *      *      *                           check mark if the registrant has elected
                                             THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933                              ■ 20. Amend Form S–4 (referenced in                   not to use the extended transition
                                                                                                     § 239.25) by revising the text and check              period for complying with any new or
                                             *      *    *      *      *                             boxes on the cover page immediately                   revised financial accounting standards †
                                                Indicate by check mark whether the                   before the ‘‘Calculation of Registration              provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B)
                                             registrant is a large accelerated filer, an             Fee’’ table to read as follows:                       of the Securities Act. b
                                             accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer,                                                                     † The term ‘‘new or revised financial
                                             smaller reporting company, or an                          Note: The text of Form S–4 does not, and
                                                                                                     this amendment will not, appear in the Code           accounting standard’’ refers to any
                                             emerging growth company. See the                                                                              update issued by the Financial
                                                                                                     of Federal Regulations.
                                             definitions of ‘‘large accelerated filer,’’                                                                   Accounting Standards Board to its
                                             ‘‘accelerated filer,’’ ‘‘smaller reporting              UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND                          Accounting Standards Codification after
                                             company,’’ and ‘‘emerging growth                        EXCHANGE COMMISSION                                   April 5, 2012.
                                             company’’ in Rule 12b–2 of the
                                             Exchange Act.                                           Washington, DC 20549                                  *     *     *     *     *
                                                Large accelerated filer b                            FORM S–4
                                                                                                                                                           ■ 22. Amend Form F–3 (referenced in
                                                Accelerated filer b                                                                                        § 239.33) by adding text and two check
                                                Non-accelerated filer b (Do not                      REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER                          boxes to the cover page immediately
                                             check if a smaller reporting company)                   THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933                            before the ‘‘Calculation of Registration
                                                Smaller reporting company b                          *      *    *      *      *                           Fee’’ table to read as follows:
                                                Emerging growth company b                               Indicate by check mark whether the                   Note: The text of Form F–3 does not, and
                                                If an emerging growth company,
                                                                                                     registrant is a large accelerated filer, an           this amendment will not, appear in the Code
                                             indicate by check mark if the registrant                                                                      of Federal Regulations.
                                                                                                     accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer,
                                             has elected not to use the extended
                                                                                                     smaller reporting company, or an
                                             transition period for complying with                                                                          UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND
                                                                                                     emerging growth company. See the
                                             any new or revised financial accounting                                                                       EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                                                                                                     definitions of ‘‘large accelerated filer,’’
                                             standards provided pursuant to Section
                                                                                                     ‘‘accelerated filer,’’ ‘‘smaller reporting            Washington, DC 20549
                                             7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. b
                                                                                                     company,’’ and ‘‘emerging growth
                                             *      *    *      *      *                                                                                   FORM F–3
                                                                                                     company’’ in Rule 12b–2 of the
                                             ■ 19. Amend Form S–11 (referenced in                    Exchange Act.                                         REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
                                             § 239.18) by revising the text and check                   Large accelerated filer b                          THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                                             boxes on the cover page immediately                        Accelerated filer b                                *     *     *     *    *
                                             before the ‘‘Calculation of Registration                   Non-accelerated filer b (Do not                      Indicate by check mark whether the
                                             Fee’’ table to read as follows:                         check if a smaller reporting company)                 registrant is an emerging growth
                                               Note: The text of Form S–11 does not, and                Smaller reporting company b                        company as defined in Rule 405 of the
                                             this amendment will not, appear in the Code                Emerging growth company b                          Securities Act of 1933.
                                             of Federal Regulations.                                    If an emerging growth company,                       Emerging growth company b
                                                                                                     indicate by check mark if the registrant                If an emerging growth company that
                                             UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND                            has elected not to use the extended                   prepares its financial statements in
                                             EXCHANGE COMMISSION                                     transition period for complying with                  accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by
                                             Washington, DC 20549                                    any new or revised financial accounting               check mark if the registrant has elected
                                                                                                     standards provided pursuant to Section                not to use the extended transition
                                             FORM S–11
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                                                                                                     7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. b                   period for complying with any new or
                                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER                            *      *    *      *      *                           revised financial accounting standards †
                                             THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933                              ■ 21. Amend Form F–1 (referenced in                   provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B)
                                             *     *     *      *    *                               § 239.31) by adding text and two check                of the Securities Act. b
                                               Indicate by check mark whether the                    boxes to the cover page immediately                     † The term ‘‘new or revised financial
                                             registrant is a large accelerated filer, an             before the ‘‘Calculation of Registration              accounting standard’’ refers to any
                                             accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer,             Fee’’ table to read as follows:                       update issued by the Financial


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                                                              Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 69 / Wednesday, April 12, 2017 / Rules and Regulations                                              17555

                                             Accounting Standards Board to its                          Authority: 15 U.S.C. 77c, 77d, 77g, 77j,           require executive compensation
                                             Accounting Standards Codification after                 77s, 77z–2, 77z–3, 77eee, 77ggg, 77nnn,               disclosure pursuant to Item 402 of
                                             April 5, 2012.                                          77sss, 77ttt, 78c, 78c–3, 78c–5, 78d, 78e, 78f,       Regulation S–K (§ 229.402 of this
                                                                                                     78g, 78i, 78j, 78j–1, 78k, 78k–1, 78l, 78m,           chapter)’’;
                                             *     *     *      *     *                              78n, 78n–1, 78o, 78o–4, 78o–10, 78p, 78q,
                                                                                                                                                           ■ b. In paragraph (c), removing ‘‘If a
                                             ■ 23. Amend Form F–4 (referenced in                     78q–1, 78s, 78u–5, 78w, 78x, 78ll, 78mm,
                                                                                                     80a–20, 80a–23, 80a–29, 80a–37, 80b–3, 80b–           solicitation is made by a registrant for a
                                             § 239.34) by adding text and two check
                                                                                                     4, 80b–11, 7201 et seq.; and 8302; 7 U.S.C.           meeting of shareholders at which
                                             boxes to the cover page immediately
                                                                                                     2(c)(2)(E); 12 U.S.C. 5221(e)(3); 18 U.S.C.           shareholders are asked to approve an
                                             before the ‘‘Calculation of Registration
                                                                                                     1350; and Pub. L. 111–203, 939A, 124 Stat.            acquisition, merger, consolidation or
                                             Fee:’’ table to read as follows:                        1887 (2010); and secs. 503 and 602, Pub. L.           proposed sale or other disposition of all
                                               Note: The text of Form F–4 does not, and              112–106, 126 Stat. 326 (2012), unless                 or substantially all the assets of the
                                             this amendment will not, appear in the Code             otherwise noted.                                      registrant, the registrant shall include a
                                             of Federal Regulations.                                 *     *     *    *     *                              separate resolution subject to
                                                                                                     ■ 26. Amend § 240.12b–2 by adding the                 shareholder advisory vote to approve
                                             UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND
                                                                                                     definition ‘‘Emerging growth company’’                any agreements or understandings and
                                             EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                                                                                                     in alphabetical order to read as follows:             compensation disclosed pursuant to
                                             Washington, DC 20549                                                                                          Item 402(t) of Regulation S–K
                                                                                                     § 240.12b–2       Definitions.                        (§ 229.402(t) of this chapter)’’ and
                                             FORM F–4
                                                                                                     *       *     *     *    *                            adding in its place ‘‘If a solicitation is
                                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER                               Emerging growth company. (1) The                   made by a registrant, other than an
                                             THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933                              term emerging growth company means                    emerging growth company as defined in
                                             *      *    *     *    *                                an issuer that had total annual gross                 Rule 12b–2 (§ 240.12b–2), for a meeting
                                                Indicate by check mark whether the                   revenues of less than $1,070,000,000                  of shareholders at which shareholders
                                             registrant is an emerging growth                        during its most recently completed                    are asked to approve an acquisition,
                                             company as defined in Rule 405 of the                   fiscal year.                                          merger, consolidation or proposed sale
                                             Securities Act of 1933.                                    (2) An issuer that is an emerging                  or other disposition of all or
                                                Emerging growth company b                            growth company as of the first day of                 substantially all the assets of the
                                                If an emerging growth company that                   that fiscal year shall continue to be                 registrant, the registrant shall include a
                                             prepares its financial statements in                    deemed an emerging growth company                     separate resolution subject to
                                             accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by                  until the earliest of:                                shareholder advisory vote to approve
                                             check mark if the registrant has elected                   (i) The last day of the fiscal year of the         any agreements or understandings and
                                             not to use the extended transition                      issuer during which it had total annual               compensation disclosed pursuant to
                                             period for complying with any new or                    gross revenues of $1,070,000,000 or                   Item 402(t) of Regulation S–K
                                             revised financial accounting standards †                more;                                                 (§ 229.402(t) of this chapter)’’; and
                                             provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B)                    (ii) The last day of the fiscal year of            ■ c. Add item 4 to the Instructions to
                                             of the Securities Act. b                                the issuer following the fifth                        § 240.14a–21.
                                                                                                     anniversary of the date of the first sale                The addition reads as follows:
                                                † The term ‘‘new or revised financial
                                                                                                     of common equity securities of the
                                             accounting standard’’ refers to any                                                                           § 240.14a–21 Shareholder approval of
                                                                                                     issuer pursuant to an effective
                                             update issued by the Financial                                                                                executive compensation, frequency of
                                                                                                     registration statement under the
                                             Accounting Standards Board to its                                                                             votes for approval of executive
                                                                                                     Securities Act of 1933;
                                             Accounting Standards Codification after                                                                       compensation and shareholder approval of
                                                                                                        (iii) The date on which such issuer                golden parachute compensation.
                                             April 5, 2012.
                                                                                                     has, during the previous three year
                                             *      *    *     *    *                                period, issued more than $1,000,000,000               *      *     *     *     *
                                             ■ 24. Amend Form C (referenced in                       in non-convertible debt; or                              Instructions to § 240.14a–21: * * *
                                             § 239.900) by revising the dollar                          (iv) The date on which such issuer is                 4. A registrant that has ceased being
                                             amounts in Question 29 of the                           deemed to be a large accelerated filer, as            an emerging growth company shall
                                             ‘‘OPTIONAL QUESTION & ANSWER                            defined in Rule 12b–2 (§ 240.12b–2 of                 include the first separate resolution
                                             FORMAT FOR AN OFFERING                                  this chapter).                                        described under § 240.14a–21(a) not
                                             STATEMENT’’ as follows:                                                                                       later than the end of (i) in the case of
                                                                                                     *       *     *     *    *                            a registrant that was an emerging growth
                                               Note: The text of Form C does not, and this           ■ 27. Amend § 240.14a–21 by:                          company for less than two years after
                                             amendment will not, appear in the Code of               ■ a. In paragraphs (a) and (b), removing              the date of first sale of common equity
                                             Federal Regulations.                                    ‘‘If a solicitation is made by a registrant           securities of the registrant pursuant to
                                             ■  a. Removing all references to                        and the solicitation relates to an annual             an effective registration statement under
                                             ‘‘$100,000’’ and adding in their place                  or other meeting of shareholders at                   the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C 77a
                                             ‘‘$107,000’’;                                           which directors will be elected and for               et seq.), the three-year period beginning
                                             ■ b. Removing all references to                         which the rules of the Commission                     on such date; and (ii) in the case of any
                                             ‘‘$500,000’’ and adding in their place                  require executive compensation                        other registrant, the one-year period
                                             ‘‘$535,000’’; and                                       disclosure pursuant to Item 402 of                    beginning on the date the registrant is
                                             ■ c. Removing reference to ‘‘$1,000,000’’               Regulation S–K (§ 229.402 of this                     no longer an emerging growth company.
                                             and adding in its place ‘‘$1,070,000.’’                 chapter)’’ and adding in its place ‘‘If a
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                                                                                                     solicitation is made by a registrant,                 PART 249—FORMS, SECURITIES
                                             PART 240—GENERAL RULES AND                              other than an emerging growth company                 EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
                                             REGULATIONS, SECURITIES                                 as defined in Rule 12b–2 (§ 240.12b–2),
                                             EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934                                    and the solicitation relates to an annual             ■ 28. The authority citation for part 249
                                                                                                     or other meeting of shareholders at                   continues to read in part as follows:
                                             ■ 25. The general authority citation for                which directors will be elected and for                  Authority: 15 U.S.C. 78a et seq. and 7201
                                             part 240 is revised to read as follows:                 which the rules of the Commission                     et seq.; 12 U.S.C. 5461 et seq.; 18 U.S.C. 1350;



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                                             17556            Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 69 / Wednesday, April 12, 2017 / Rules and Regulations

                                             Sec. 953(b) Pub. L. 111–203, 124 Stat. 1904;            FORM 20–F                                             registration statement for an initial
                                             Sec. 102(a)(3) Pub. L. 112–106, 126 Stat. 309                                                                 public offering of your common equity
                                             (2012), Sec. 107 Pub. L. 112–106, 126 Stat.             *      *      *     *     *
                                                                                                        Indicate by check mark whether the                 securities.
                                             313 (2012), and Sec. 72001 Pub. L. 114–94,
                                             129 Stat. 1312 (2015), unless otherwise                 registrant is a large accelerated filer, an           *     *     *     *    *
                                             noted.                                                  accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer,           Item 15. Controls and Procedures
                                             *     *     *      *    *                               or an emerging growth company. See
                                                                                                     the definitions of ‘‘large accelerated                *      *      *    *      *
                                             ■ 29. Amend Form 10 (referenced in
                                                                                                     filer,’’ ‘‘accelerated filer,’’ and                      (4) If an issuer is an accelerated filer
                                             § 249.210) by revising the text and check                                                                     or a large accelerated filer (as defined in
                                             boxes on the cover page immediately                     ‘‘emerging growth company’’ in Rule
                                                                                                     12b–2 of the Exchange Act.                            § 240.12b–2 of this chapter), other than
                                             before the text ‘‘Information Required in                                                                     an emerging growth company (as
                                             the Registration Statement’’ to read as                    Large accelerated filer b
                                                                                                        Accelerated filer b                                defined in § 240.12b–2 of this chapter),
                                             follows:                                                   Non-accelerated filer b                            or otherwise includes in its annual
                                               Note: The text of Form 10 does not, and                  Emerging growth company b                          report a registered public accounting
                                             this amendment will not, appear in the Code                If an emerging growth company that                 firm’s attestation report on internal
                                             of Federal Regulations.                                 prepares its financial statements in                  control over financial reporting, a
                                                                                                     accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by                statement that the registered public
                                             UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND                            check mark if the registrant has elected              accounting firm that audited the
                                             EXCHANGE COMMISSION                                     not to use the extended transition                    financial statements included in the
                                             Washington, DC 20549                                    period for complying with any new or                  annual report containing the disclosure
                                                                                                     revised financial accounting standards †              required by this Item has issued an
                                             FORM 10
                                                                                                     provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of                 attestation report on management’s
                                             GENERAL FORM FOR                                        the Exchange Act. b                                   assessment of the issuer’s internal
                                             REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES                                 † The term ‘‘new or revised financial              control over financial reporting.
                                             Pursuant to Section 12(b) or (g) of the                 accounting standard’’ refers to any                      (c) Attestation report of the registered
                                             Securities Exchange Act of 1934                         update issued by the Financial                        public accounting firm. If an issuer is an
                                                                                                     Accounting Standards Board to its                     accelerated filer or a large accelerated
                                             *      *     *     *      *                             Accounting Standards Codification after               filer (as defined in § 240.12b–2 of this
                                                Indicate by check mark whether the                   April 5, 2012.                                        chapter), other than an emerging growth
                                             registrant is a large accelerated filer, an                                                                   company (as defined in § 240.12b–2 of
                                                                                                     *      *      *     *     *
                                             accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer,                                                                   this chapter), and where the Form is
                                             smaller reporting company, or an                        Item 3. Key Information                               being used as an annual report filed
                                             emerging growth company. See the                        *      *     *     *    *                             under Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
                                             definitions of ‘‘large accelerated filer,’’                Instructions to Item 3A:                           Exchange Act, provide the registered
                                             ‘‘accelerated filer,’’ ‘‘smaller reporting                                                                    public accounting firm’s attestation
                                                                                                     *      *     *     *    *
                                             company,’’ and ‘‘emerging growth                                                                              report on management’s assessment of
                                                                                                        3. If you are an emerging growth
                                             company’’ in Rule 12b–2 of the                                                                                the issuer’s internal control over
                                                                                                     company, as defined in Rule 12b–2 of
                                             Exchange Act.                                                                                                 financial reporting in the issuer’s annual
                                                                                                     the Exchange Act (§ 240.12b–2 of this
                                                Large accelerated filer b                                                                                  report containing the disclosure
                                                Accelerated filer b                                  chapter), that is providing the
                                                Non-accelerated filer b (Do not                      information called for by Item 3.A.1 in:              required by this Item.
                                             check if a smaller reporting company)                   (1) A Securities Act registration                     *      *      *    *      *
                                                Smaller reporting company b                          statement, you do not need to present                 ■ 31. Amend Form 40–F (referenced in
                                                Emerging growth company b                            selected financial data for any period                § 249.240f) by:
                                                If an emerging growth company,                       prior to the earliest audited financial               ■ a. Adding text and two check boxes to
                                             indicate by check mark if the registrant                statements presented in connection with               the cover page immediately before the
                                             has elected not to use the extended                     the initial public offering of your                   General Instructions;
                                             transition period for complying with                    common equity securities; or (2) a                    ■ b. Revising paragraph (6)(c)(4) and (d)
                                             any new or revised financial accounting                 registration statement, periodic report,              to General Instruction B.
                                             standards provided pursuant to Section                  or other report filed under the Exchange                 The additions and revisions read as
                                             13(a) of the Exchange Act. b                            Act, you do not need to present selected              follows.
                                             *      *     *     *      *                             financial data in accordance with this                  Note: The text of Form 40–F does not, and
                                             ■ 30. Amend Form 20–F (referenced in
                                                                                                     Item for any period prior to the earliest             this amendment will not, appear in the Code
                                             § 249.220f) by:                                         audited financial statements presented                of Federal Regulations.
                                             ■ a. Revising the text and check boxes                  in connection with your first
                                             on the cover page immediately before                    registration statement that became                    FORM 40–F
                                             the text ‘‘Indicate by check mark which                 effective under the Exchange Act or the               *     *     *     *    *
                                             basis of accounting the registrant has                  Securities Act.                                         Indicate by check mark whether the
                                             used to prepare the financial statements                *      *     *     *    *                             registrant is an emerging growth
                                             included in this filing’’;                              Item 8. Financial Information                         company as defined in Rule 12b–2 of
                                             ■ b. Adding new Instruction 3 to ‘‘Item                                                                       the Exchange Act.
                                             3.A’’;                                                  *      *     *     *    *                               Emerging growth company b
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                                             ■ c. Adding new Instruction 4 to ‘‘Item                    Instructions to Item 8.A.2:                          If an emerging growth company that
                                             8.A.2’’; and                                            *      *     *     *    *                             prepares its financial statements in
                                                The additions and revisions read as                     4. If you are an emerging growth                   accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by
                                             follows.                                                company, as defined in Rule 12b–2                     check mark if the registrant has elected
                                               Note: The text of Form 20–F does not, and             (§ 240.12b–2 of this chapter), you do not             not to use the extended transition
                                             this amendment will not, appear in the Code             need to present more than two years of                period for complying with any new or
                                             of Federal Regulations.                                 audited financial statements in your                  revised financial accounting standards †


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                                                              Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 69 / Wednesday, April 12, 2017 / Rules and Regulations                                               17557

                                             provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of                      Emerging growth company b                             Indicate by check mark whether the
                                             the Exchange Act. b                                        If an emerging growth company,                     registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
                                               † The term ‘‘new or revised financial                 indicate by check mark if the registrant              accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer,
                                             accounting standard’’ refers to any                     has elected not to use the extended                   smaller reporting company, or an
                                             update issued by the Financial                          transition period for complying with                  emerging growth company. See the
                                             Accounting Standards Board to its                       any new or revised financial accounting               definitions of ‘‘large accelerated filer,’’
                                             Accounting Standards Codification after                 standards provided pursuant to Section                ‘‘accelerated filer,’’ ‘‘smaller reporting
                                             April 5, 2012.                                          13(a) of the Exchange Act. b                          company,’’ and ‘‘emerging growth
                                             *    *     *     *    *                                 *      *    *    *     *                              company’’ in Rule 12b–2 of the
                                                                                                     ■ 33. Amend Form 10–Q (referenced in                  Exchange Act.
                                             B. Information To Be Filed on This                                                                               Large accelerated filer b
                                                                                                     § 249.308a) by revising the text and
                                             Form                                                                                                             Accelerated filer b
                                                                                                     check boxes on the cover page
                                             *      *      *    *     *                              immediately before the text ‘‘Indicate by                Non-accelerated filer b (Do not
                                                (6) * * *                                            check mark whether the registrant is a                check if a smaller reporting company)
                                                (c) Management’s annual report on                    shell company (as defined in Rule 12b–                   Smaller reporting company b
                                             internal control over financial reporting.              2 of the Exchange Act).’’ to read as                     Emerging growth company b
                                             * * *                                                   follows:                                                 If an emerging growth company,
                                                (4) If an issuer, other than an                                                                            indicate by check mark if the registrant
                                                                                                       Note: The text of Form 10–Q does not, and           has elected not to use the extended
                                             emerging growth company, as defined                     this amendment will not, appear in the Code
                                             in Rule 12b–2 of the Exchange Act, a                    of Federal Regulations.
                                                                                                                                                           transition period for complying with
                                             statement that the registered public                                                                          any new or revised financial accounting
                                             accounting firm that audited the                        UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND                          standards provided pursuant to Section
                                             financial statements included in the                    EXCHANGE COMMISSION                                   13(a) of the Exchange Act. b
                                             annual report containing the disclosure                                                                       *      *    *      *      *
                                                                                                     Washington, DC 20549
                                             required by this Item has issued an                                                                             By the Commission.
                                             attestation report on management’s                      FORM 10–Q
                                                                                                                                                             Dated: March 31, 2017.
                                             assessment of the issuer’s internal                     *      *    *      *      *                           Brent J. Fields,
                                             control over financial reporting.                          Indicate by check mark whether the                 Secretary.
                                                (d) Attestation report of the registered             registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
                                             public accounting firm. Where the Form                                                                        [FR Doc. 2017–06797 Filed 4–11–17; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                     accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer,
                                             is being used as an annual report filed                 smaller reporting company, or an                      BILLING CODE 8011–01–P

                                             under Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the                     emerging growth company. See the
                                             Exchange Act, the issuer, other than an                 definitions of ‘‘large accelerated filer,’’
                                             emerging growth company, as defined                     ‘‘accelerated filer,’’ ‘‘smaller reporting            DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
                                             in Rule 12b–2 of the Exchange Act, must                 company,’’ and ‘‘emerging growth                      SECURITY
                                             provide the registered public accounting                company’’ in Rule 12b–2 of the
                                             firm’s attestation report on                                                                                  Coast Guard
                                                                                                     Exchange Act.
                                             management’s assessment of internal                        Large accelerated filer b
                                             control over financial reporting in the                    Accelerated filer b                                33 CFR Part 100
                                             annual report containing the disclosure                    Non-accelerated filer b (Do not                    [Docket Number USCG–2016–1086]
                                             required by this Item.                                  check if a smaller reporting company)
                                                                                                        Smaller reporting company b                        RIN 1625–AA08
                                             *      *      *    *     *
                                                                                                        Emerging growth company b
                                             ■ 32. Amend Form 8–K (referenced in                        If an emerging growth company,                     Special Local Regulation; Chesapeake
                                             § 249.308) by adding text and two check                 indicate by check mark if the registrant              Bay, Between Sandy Point and Kent
                                             boxes to the cover page immediately                     has elected not to use the extended                   Island, MD
                                             before the General Instructions to read                 transition period for complying with                  AGENCY:    Coast Guard, DHS.
                                             as follows:                                             any new or revised financial accounting               ACTION:   Temporary final rule.
                                               Note: The text of Form 8–K does not, and              standards provided pursuant to Section
                                             this amendment will not, appear in the Code             13(a) of the Exchange Act. b                          SUMMARY:   The Coast Guard is
                                             of Federal Regulations.                                                                                       establishing special local regulations for
                                                                                                     *      *    *      *      *
                                                                                                     ■ 34. Amend Form 10–K (referenced in                  certain waters of the Chesapeake Bay.
                                             UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND                                                                                  This action is necessary to provide for
                                             EXCHANGE COMMISSION                                     § 249.310) by revising the text and check
                                                                                                     boxes on the cover page immediately                   the safety of life on the navigable waters
                                             Washington, DC 20549                                    before the text ‘‘Indicate by check mark              located between Sandy Point, Anne
                                             FORM 8–K                                                whether the registrant is a shell                     Arundel County, MD and Kent Island,
                                                                                                     company (as defined in Rule 12b–2 of                  Queen Anne’s County, MD, during a
                                             CURRENT REPORT                                          the Exchange Act).’’ to read as follows:              paddling event on April 29, 2017. This
                                                Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the                                                                     rulemaking will prohibit persons and
                                                                                                       Note: The text of Form 10–K does not, and
                                             Securities Exchange Act of 1934                         this amendment will not, appear in the Code
                                                                                                                                                           vessels from entering the regulated area
                                             *     *     *     *    *                                of Federal Regulations.                               unless authorized by the Captain of the
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                                                Indicate by check mark whether the                                                                         Port Maryland-National Capital Region
                                             registrant is an emerging growth                        UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND                          or Coast Guard Patrol Commander.
                                             company as defined in as defined in                     EXCHANGE COMMISSION                                   DATES: This rule is effective from 7 a.m.
                                             Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933                  Washington, DC 20549                                  on April 29, 2017 through 1 p.m. on
                                             (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b–                                                                      April 30, 2017.
                                             2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934                FORM 10–K                                             ADDRESSES: To view documents
                                             (§ 240.12b–2 of this chapter).                          *       *     *       *      *                        mentioned in this preamble as being


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Document Created: 2017-04-12 00:23:33
Document Modified: 2017-04-12 00:23:33
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionRules and Regulations
ActionFinal rule; technical amendments; interpretation.
DatesEffective April 12, 2017.
ContactWith regard to the amendments to Regulation Crowdfunding, Julie Davis at (202) 551-3460, in the Office of Small Business Policy, Division of Corporation Finance, and with regard to the other amendments, N. Sean Harrison at (202) 551-3430, in the Office of Rulemaking, Division of Corporation Finance, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549.
FR Citation82 FR 17545 
RIN Number3235-AL38
CFR Citation17 CFR 210
17 CFR 227
17 CFR 229
17 CFR 230
17 CFR 239
17 CFR 240
17 CFR 249
CFR AssociatedAccountants; Accounting; Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements and Securities

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