Ch 1: Registration and Licensing Flashcards
What is The Act
The Uniform Securities Act of 1956
The Uniform Securities Act
- Defines the persons and securities to be registered with the State
- Defines activities that are prohibited by the State
- Details the enforcement powers of the State
NASAA
North American Securities Administrators Association
NSMIA
The National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996
Who does the Act require to be registered in the state?
Broker-dealers, agents, investment advisers, and investment adviser representatives
The National Securities Markets Improvement Act
Enacted to eliminate duplicate regulations that required registration at both Federal and State level
NSMIA - Mandate
States can only require registration if it is not required at the Federal level
NSMIA - Federal Law vs State Law
If any State law impedes the Federal legislation, Federal law prevails
NSMIA - Laws
Federal Law Supersedes State Law for:
* Net capital rules
* Custody rules
* Margin rules
* Financial responsibility rules
* Recordkeeping rules
(all set by the SEC or FRB)
Person
A human or non human who can issue securities or can trade securities
Persons are defined as
- Individuals (human beings)
- Corporations (non-human persons)
- Partnerships (including general partners who can contractually bind the partnership)
- Business Trusts
- Estates
- Trusts (where the interest of the beneficiaries of the Trust are evidenced by a a security
- Associations
- Joint Stock Companies or Joint Ventures
- Governments and Political Subdivisions of Governments (ex: a township)
- Unincorporated Organizations, and any other legal or commercial entity
Issuer
Any person who issues or proposes to issue a security
Issuer for Trusts
The person performing the functions of manager or depositor under the Trust agreement
* The structure is such that there is no BOD, including:
* Collateral Trust Certificates
* Voting Trust Certificates
* Certificates of Deposit for a Security
* Unit Investment Trusts
Issuer for Equipment Trusts
The person to whom the equipment is to be leased or conditionally sold
Equipment Trust Trustee
Holds the title and “leases” the equipment to the issuer (corporation) until repaid
Issuer for Fractional Interest in Oil and GAs Programs
There is no issuer - the Act makes this distinction to force anyone who wants to register these securities to in the state to use Registration by Qualification (the most difficult method)
Issuer Transaction
When and issuer sells or redeems securities
Primary Transaction
An issuer transaction that involves a sale of securities
Non-Issuer
A person who is not defined as an issuer under the Act
Non-Issuer Transaction
A transaction not directly or indirectly for the benefit of the issuer.
* (the proceeds from the sale of the securities go to someone other than the issuer)
Secondary Transaction
Another name for non-issuer transactions, since they take place in the secondary or trading market
Institutional Buyers Include
- Banks
- Savings and Loans
- Trust Companies
- Insurance Companies
- Investment Companies
- Pension and Profit Sharing Plans
- Other financial institutions
- Anyone Else so Designated by the State Administrator
Firms Not Required to Register
Broker-Dealers or Investment Advisers MUST:
* Not have a physical office in the State
* Only institutional buyers are solicited in the State
Broker-Dealer
A person who either:
* Engages in the business of effecting securities transactions for the account of others, OR
* Engages in the business of trading for his own account
Proprietary Trading
The business of trading for your own account
Agency Capacity
- A firm is acting in an “agency” capacity when it effects trades for the account of others (it is a middleman)
- The firm is considered to be as acting as a broker
Principal Capacity
- A firm is acting in a “principal” capacity when it trades out of its own account
- The firm is considered to be acting as a dealer
Broker-Dealer Registration
These firms are required under the Act to register in any state in which they solicit or conduct business
M&A Advisers, Finders
- Mergers and Acquisitions advisers and Finders can be defined as being in the business of engaging in securities transactions, IF
- One company buys the securities of the other in the deal, and compensation is paid based on closing the deal
Persons NOT Considered to be Broker-Dealers
- Agents
- Depository Institutions (Banks, Trust Companies, and Savings Institutions)
- Issuers who only effect transactions with respect to its own securities
BD Customer on Vacation
- Most states say that if an individual spends more than 30 days in that state they are a resident
- The Act does not specify a time frame for when a vacation becomes a temporary residence
Canadian BD EXEMPTION
- When existing Canadian customers are temporarily residing in the US for 1/2 year or less, and intends to return to Canada
BD De Minimis EXEMPTION
- When a BD has no office in a state and only a “few” clients in that state (only doing “minimal business”)
- Only some states have it
Agent Definition
- An individual who effects trades for a BD or Issuer
- Also known as Sales Representatives for a BD
Federal Covered Securities
Securities registered with the SEC that cannot be required to be registered with the State
* The State can require a “notice” filing
* Essentially exchange and Nasdaq listed issues
Federal Covered Advisers
Investment advisers registered with the SEC, EXCLUDED from the IA definition for the State (the State can require a “notice filing” and State filing fee)
* Investment advisers to registered investment companies, OR
* Advisers with $100,000,000 or more of assets under management
* OR any person NOT an IA under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940
State Registration Rights
- To require notice filings
- To require registration of BD and their agents
- To require registration of advisers with less than $100,000,000 of assets under management
- To require registration of All investment adviser representatives
State Enforcement Rights
State is empowered to investigate and bring enforcement actions with respect to fraud or deceit; or any unlawful conduct by a broker or dealer or investment adviser; in connection with securities or securities transactions.
Non-Person
- Anyone who cannot issue or trade a security, including:
- Minors - no legal capacity
- Administrator - the State securities commissioner who enforces the Uniform Securities Act
- Trusts - where the interests of the beneficiaries of the trust are not evidenced by a security
Statutory Broker-Dealer
An An agent who effects securities trades that the BD does not know about and are not recorded by the BD
Non-Broker-Dealer
Persons who have NO place of business in the State AND only transact business with:
* Issuers of the involved securities involved in the transaction
* Other broker-dealers
* Banks, Trust Companies, Savings Institutions
* Insurance Companies
*Investment Companies
* Institutional Buyers
* Pension or Profit Sharing Trusts, OR
* Other Financial Institutions
Agent as a Broker-Dealer
Any person who offers or sells securities for a commission or fee in a State
Merger and Acquisition (M&A)
All of the equity securities of one company are being “purchased” by another company
M&A Firm
A firm that assist in mergers and acquisitions, as long as compensation is being paid
Finders
Individuals or firms that are paid to “find” companies for sale that could be acquired.
* If they receive a retainer fee or flat compensation they are NOT BDs.
* If they receive transaction-based compensation (ex: contingent upon closing a deal) they can be considered statutory BDs
Bank Loophole
- When a bank offers securities on its premises it is a BD under State law
- Therefore, banks only offer securities in a designated area of the office that is registered as its own BD in the State, and only the relevant employees will be registered as agents in the State
BD Vacation EXCLUSION
A firm is EXEMPT from registering in the State IF the firm offers and sells a security to a person who is an Existing customer, AND the firm’s does NOT have an office in the State (customer is on vacation, or traveling through another state)
BD and IA Entity
A BD can set up an investment adviser entity (or vice-versa_ and each must be separately registered in the State