SEC Proposes Rule Amendments to Facilitate Access to Capital Markets
The Securities and Exchange Commission recently announced that it has proposed amendments to Rule 163 under the Securities Act to further facilitate the ability of certain large companies to communicate with broader groups of potential investors and gauge the level of interest in the market for their securities offerings.
The proposed amendments would apply to companies that are "well-known seasoned issuers" (WKSIs) and would allow them to authorize an underwriter or dealer to communicate with potential investors on their behalf about potential securities offerings prior to filing registration statements for such offerings. Under the current Rule 163, only WKSIs are permitted to communicate directly with potential investors before filing a registration statement.