Other Regulatory Requirements Flashcards
Who is the regulator for listed companies?
The UK Listed Authority which is the FCA
What are the two lists on the LSE?
The Official List and Alternative Investment Market
What is the alternative for the Official List and AIM?
AQSE - Aquis Stock Exchange
Do all public companies issue shares?
No. Some companies are publicly listed but do not trade on the stock exchange
How is floatation achieved? (3)
- A company must first be floated - issue shares
- For admission to the Official List/AIM, applications are made to the UKLA, a division of the FCA
- To trade, applications are made to the LSE
What are the Disclosure and Transparency Rules?
- Helps to prevent market abuse and insider dealing
Once a company is listed on the LSE, what regulations are they bound by? (3)
- FCA and UKLA rules
- The Companies Act
- The LSE’s own rules for members
What are the advantages of floatation? (3)
- Access to wider capital base
- Acquisition currency through M+A
- Public profile and prestige e.g. press coverage, financial results
What are the disadvantages of floatation? (3)
- Exposure to market conditions e.g. volatility, geopolitical
- More accountable to regulators e.g. more disclosures, reporting
- Principal agent problem between shareholders and founders
What is cross listing? (4)
- A firm lists its shares on one of more stock exchanges in addition to its domestic exchange
- Make shares more accessible for global investors
- Increase liquidity
- Decrease cost of capital
What is a UKLA prospectus? (2)
- Contains all the relevant information required by a potential investor to make informed decision about buying company shares
- UKLA requires a prospectus or listing particulars to be completed by a company seeking a listing
What is the Prospectus Directive?
Harmonises the rules on the creation of prospectuses
What are the 3 main types of listing?
- Premium
- Standard
- High growth segment
What are the conditions for a premium listing? (7)
- Is a public limited company (PLC)
- 3 year trading record (financial statements and audited)
- 12 months working capital
- £30m in equities and £200,000 in debt
- Management complies with Model Code
- Appointment of sponsor (typically an authorised firm expert in administering listing)
- 10% free float (shares on the LSE
What are the conditions for a standard listing? (4)
- PLC
- £30m in equities, £200,000 in debt
- Management must comply with Model Code
- 10% free float
What are the conditions for a high growth segment listing? (4)
- Incorporation in the EEA
- Commercial company issuing equity only
- 10% free float
- CAGR of 20% over 3 years
What is the AIM market? (6)
- Separate to the Official List
- A market for small, young and growing companies
- Is considered a MTF
- LSE decides who is admitted to AIM not UKLA
- Quoted companies not listed companies
What are the key roles for companies seeking AIM status? (2)
- Nominated advisor (NOMAD) - advises the company to comply with AIM rules, companies must appoint a NOMAD, must confirm in writing to the LSE that the company is appropriate, must be accepted onto the register of NOMADs held by the LSE
- Nominated broker - an LSE member firm who matches buyers and sellers in the company’s shares/market maker when orders cannot be matched, provides market information which cannot be accessed by SETS
Broker and advisor can be from the same firm and must be retained even after admission to AIM
What are the conditions for entry for an AIM company? (4)
- Must be a PLC
- Produce an admission document
- Publish accounts in accordance with international accounting standards
- Issue freely transferable shares
What are the main differences between AIM and the Official List? (4)
AIM companies do not need:
- Minimum free float
- Minimum trading record
- Shareholder approval
- Minimum market cap
What is the AQSE? (2)
- Aquis Stock Exchange
- Is in direct competition with the LSE and is another RIE
How many markets does AQSE have and what are they? (2)
- Main board - eligibility criteria is similar to the Official List with a premium or standard listing
- Growth market - similar to the AIM market