Title 17—Commodity and Securities Exchanges--Volume 1
PART 210—FORM AND CONTENT OF AND REQUIREMENTS FOR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940, INVESTMENT ADVISERS ACT OF 1940, AND ENERGY POLICY AND CONSERVATION ACT OF 1975
§ 210.1-01   Application of Regulation S-X (17 CFR part 210).
(a) This part (together with the Financial Reporting Releases (part 211 of this chapter)) sets forth the form and content of and requirements for financial statements required to be filed as a part of:
(1) Registration statements under the Securities Act of 1933 (part 239 of this chapter), except as otherwise specifically provided in the forms which are to be used for registration under this Act;
(2) Registration statements under section 12 (subpart C of part 249 of this chapter), annual or other reports under sections 13 and 15(d) (subparts D and E of part 249 of this chapter), and proxy and information statements under section 14 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 except as otherwise specifically provided in the forms which are to be used for registration and reporting under these sections of this Act; and
(3) Registration statements and shareholder reports under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (part 274 of this chapter), except as otherwise specifically provided in the forms which are to be used for registration under this Act.
(b) The term financial statements as used in this part shall be deemed to include all notes to the statements and all related schedules.
(c) In addition to filings pursuant to the Federal securities laws, § 210.4-10 applies to the preparation of accounts by persons engaged, in whole or in part, in the production of crude oil or natural gas in the United States pursuant to section 503 of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (42 U.S.C. 6383) ( EPCA ) and section 1(c) of the Energy Supply and Environmental Coordination Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 796), as amended by section 505 of EPCA.
§ 210.1-02   Definitions of terms used in Regulation S-X (17 CFR part 210).
Unless the context otherwise requires, terms defined in the general rules and regulations or in the instructions to the applicable form, when used in Regulation S-X (this part 210), shall have the respective meanings given in such instructions or rules. In addition, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated in this section unless the context otherwise requires.
(a)(1) Accountant's report. The term accountant's report, when used in regard to financial statements, means a document in which an independent public or certified public accountant indicates the scope of the audit (or examination) which he has made and sets forth his opinion regarding the financial statements taken as a whole, or an assertion to the effect that an overall opinion cannot be expressed. When an overall opinion cannot be expressed, the reasons therefor shall be stated.
(2) Attestation report on internal control over financial reporting. The term attestation report on internal control over financial reporting means a report in which a registered public accounting firm expresses an opinion, either unqualified or adverse, as to whether the registrant maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting (as defined in § 240.13a-15(f) or § 240.15d-15(f) of this chapter), except in the rare circumstance of a scope limitation that cannot be overcome by the registrant or the registered public accounting firm which would result in the accounting firm disclaiming an opinion.
(3) Attestation report on assessment of compliance with servicing criteria for asset-backed securities. The term attestation report on assessment of compliance with servicing criteria for asset-backed securities means a report in which a registered public accounting firm, as required by § 240.13a-18(c) or § 240.15d-18(c) of this chapter, expresses an opinion, or states that an opinion cannot be expressed, concerning an asserting party's assessment of compliance with servicing criteria, as required by § 240.13a-18(b) or § 240.15d-18(b) of this chapter, in accordance with standards on attestation engagements. When an overall opinion cannot be expressed, the registered public accounting firm must state why it is unable to express such an opinion.
(4) Definitions of terms related to internal control over financial reporting.
Material weakness means a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting (as defined in § 240.13a-15(f) or § 240.15d-15(f) of this chapter) such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the registrant's annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.
Significant deficiency means a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting that is less severe than a material weakness, yet important enough to merit attention by those responsible for oversight of the registrant's financial reporting.
(b) Affiliate. An affiliate of, or a person affiliated with, a specific person is a person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, the person specified.
(c) Amount. The term amount, when used in regard to securities, means the principal amount if relating to evidences of indebtedness, the number of shares if relating to shares, and the number of units if relating to any other kind of security.
(d) Audit (or examination). The term audit (or examination ), when used in regard to financial statements of issuers as defined by section 2(a)(7) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, means an examination of the financial statements by an independent accountant in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) for the purpose of expressing an opinion thereon. See § 210.15-01(a) for definition of an audit when used in regard to financial statements of an entity that will combine with an entity that is a shell company (other than a business combination related shell company). When used in regard to financial statements of entities that are not issuers as defined by section 2(a)(7) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, other than in transactions where § 210.15-01(a) applies, the term means an examination of the financial statements by an independent accountant in accordance with either the standards of the PCAOB or U.S. generally accepted auditing standards (“U.S. GAAS”) as specified or permitted in this part and forms applicable to those entities for the purpose of expressing an opinion thereon. The standards of the PCAOB and U.S. GAAS may be modified or supplemented by the Commission.
(e) Bank holding company. The term bank holding company means a person which is engaged, either directly or indirectly, primarily in the business of owning securities of one or more banks for the purpose, and with the effect, of exercising control.
(f) Certified. The term certified, when used in regard to financial statements, means examined and reported upon with an opinion expressed by an independent public or certified public accountant.
(g) Control. The term control (including the terms controlling, controlled by and under common control with ) means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person, whether through the ownership of voting shares, by contract, or otherwise.
(h) Development stage company. A company shall be considered to be in the development stage if it is devoting substantially all of its efforts to establishing a new business and either of the following conditions exists: (1) Planned principal operations have not commenced. (2) Planned principal operations have commenced, but there has been no significant revenue therefrom.
(i) Equity security. The term equity security means any stock or similar security; or any security convertible, with or without consideration, into such a security, or carrying any warrant or right to subscribe to or purchase such a security; or any such warrant or right.
(j) Fifty-percent-owned person. The term 50-percent-owned person, in relation to a specified person, means a person approximately 50 percent of whose outstanding voting shares is owned by the specified person either directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries.
(k) Fiscal year. The term fiscal year means the annual accounting period or, if no closing date has been adopted, the calendar year ending on December 31.
(l) Foreign business. A business that is majority owned by persons who are not citizens or residents of the United States and is not organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof, and either:
(1) More than 50 percent of its assets are located outside the United States; or
(2) The majority of its executive officers and directors are not United States citizens or residents.
(m) Insurance holding company. The term insurance holding company means a person which is engaged, either directly or indirectly, primarily in the business of owning securities of one or more insurance companies for the purpose, and with the effect, of exercising control.
(n) Majority-owned subsidiary. The term majority-owned subsidiary means a subsidiary more than 50 percent of whose outstanding voting shares is owned by its parent and/or the parent's other majority-owned subsidiaries.
(o) Material. The term material, when used to qualify a requirement for the furnishing of information as to any subject, limits the information required to those matters about which an average prudent investor ought reasonably to be informed.
(p) Parent. A parent of a specified person is an affiliate controlling such person directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries.
(q) Person. The term person means an individual, a corporation, a partnership, an association, a joint-stock company, a business trust, or an unincorporated organization.
(r) Principal holder of equity securities. The term principal holder of equity securities, used in respect of a registrant or other person named in a particular statement or report, means a holder of record or a known beneficial owner of more than 10 percent of any class of equity securities of the registrant or other person, respectively, as of the date of the related balance sheet filed.
(s) Promoter. The term promoter includes:
(1) Any person who, acting alone or in conjunction with one or more other persons, directly or indirectly takes initiative in founding and organizing the business or enterprise of an issuer;
(2) Any person who, in connection with the founding and organizing of the business or enterprise of an issuer, directly or indirectly receives in consideration of services or property, or both services and property, 10 percent or more of any class of securities of the issuer or 10 percent or more of the proceeds from the sale of any class of securities. However, a person who receives such securities or proceeds either solely as underwriting commissions or solely in consideration of property shall not be deemed a promoter within the meaning of this paragraph if such person does not otherwise take part in founding and organizing the enterprise.
(t) Registrant. The term registrant means the issuer of the securities for which an application, a registration statement, or a report is filed.
(u) Related parties. The term related parties is used as that term is defined in the FASB ASC Master Glossary.
(v) Share. The term share means a share of stock in a corporation or unit of interest in an unincorporated person.
(w) Significant subsidiary. (1) The term significant subsidiary means a subsidiary, including its subsidiaries, which meets any of the conditions in paragraph (w)(1)(i), (ii), or (iii) of this section; however if the registrant is a registered investment company or a business development company, the tested subsidiary meets any of the conditions in paragraph (w)(2) of this section instead of any of the conditions in this paragraph (w)(1). In an acquisition by a predecessor to a shell company, use the predecessor's consolidated financial statements instead of those of the shell company registrant in applying the significance tests in paragraphs (w)(1)(i), (ii), and (iii) of this section. A registrant that files its financial statements in accordance with or provides a reconciliation to U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (U.S. GAAP) must use amounts determined under U.S. GAAP. A foreign private issuer that files its financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IFRS-IASB) must use amounts determined under IFRS-IASB.(
(i) Investment test. (A) For acquisitions, other than those described in paragraph (w)(1)(i)(B) of this section, and dispositions this test is met when the registrant's and its other subsidiaries' investments in and advances to the tested subsidiary exceed 10 percent of the aggregate worldwide market value of the registrant's voting and non-voting common equity, or if the registrant has no such aggregate worldwide market value the total assets of the registrant and its subsidiaries consolidated as of the end of the most recently completed fiscal year.
( 1 ) For acquisitions, the “investments in” the tested subsidiary is the consideration transferred, adjusted to exclude the registrant's and its other subsidiaries' proportionate interest in the carrying value of assets transferred by the registrant and its subsidiaries consolidated to the tested subsidiary that will remain with the combined entity after the acquisition. It must include the fair value of contingent consideration if required to be recognized at fair value by the registrant at the acquisition date under U.S. GAAP or IFRS-IASB, as applicable; however if recognition at fair value is not required, it must include all contingent consideration, except contingent consideration for which the likelihood of payment is remote.
( 2 ) For dispositions, the “investments in” the tested subsidiary is the fair value of the consideration, including contingent consideration, for the disposed subsidiary when comparing to the aggregate worldwide market value of the registrant's voting and non-voting common equity, or, when the registrant has no such aggregate worldwide market value, the carrying value of the disposed subsidiary when comparing to total assets of the registrant.
( 3 ) When determining the aggregate worldwide market value of the registrant's voting and non-voting common equity, use the average of such aggregate worldwide market value calculated daily for the last five trading days of the registrant's most recently completed month ending prior to the earlier of the registrant's announcement date or agreement date of the acquisition or disposition.
(B) For a combination between entities or businesses under common control, this test is met when either the net book value of the tested subsidiary exceeds 10 percent of the registrant's and its subsidiaries' consolidated total assets or the number of common shares exchanged or to be exchanged by the registrant exceeds 10 percent of its total common shares outstanding at the date the combination is initiated.
(C) In all other cases, this test is met when the registrant's and its other subsidiaries' investments in and advances to the tested subsidiary exceed 10 percent of the total assets of the registrant and its subsidiaries consolidated as of the end of the most recently completed fiscal year.
(ii) Asset test. This test is met when the registrant's and its other subsidiaries' proportionate share of the tested subsidiary's consolidated total assets (after intercompany eliminations) exceeds 10 percent of such total assets of the registrant and its subsidiaries consolidated as of the end of the most recently completed fiscal year.
(iii) Income test. (A) This test is met when:
( 1 ) The absolute value of the registrant's and its other subsidiaries' equity in the tested subsidiary's consolidated income or loss from continuing operations before income taxes (after intercompany eliminations) attributable to the controlling interests exceeds 10 percent of the absolute value of such income or loss of the registrant and its subsidiaries consolidated for the most recently completed fiscal year; and
( 2 ) The registrant's and its other subsidiaries' proportionate share of the tested subsidiary's consolidated total revenue from continuing operations (after intercompany eliminations) exceeds 10 percent of such total revenue of the registrant and its subsidiaries consolidated for the most recently completed fiscal year. This paragraph (w)(1)(iii)(A)( 2 ) does not apply if either the registrant and its subsidiaries consolidated or the tested subsidiary did not have material revenue in each of the two most recently completed fiscal years.
(B) When determining the income component in paragraph (w)(1)(iii)(A)( 1 ) of this section:
( 1 ) If a net loss from continuing operations before income taxes (after intercompany eliminations) attributable to the controlling interest has been incurred by either the registrant and its subsidiaries consolidated or the tested subsidiary, but not both, exclude the equity in the income or loss from continuing operations before income taxes (after intercompany eliminations) of the tested subsidiary attributable to the controlling interest from such income or loss of the registrant and its subsidiaries consolidated for purposes of the computation;
( 2 ) Compute the test using the average described in this paragraph (w)(1)(iii)(B)( 2 ) if the revenue component in paragraph (w)(1)(iii)(A)( 2 ) of this section does not apply and the absolute value of the registrant's and its subsidiaries' consolidated income or loss from continuing operations before income taxes (after intercompany eliminations) attributable to the controlling interests for the most recent fiscal year is at least 10 percent lower than the average of the absolute value of such amounts for each of its last five fiscal years; and
( 3 ) Entities reporting losses must not be aggregated with entities reporting income where the test involves combined entities, as in the case of determining whether summarized financial data must be presented or whether the aggregate impact specified in §§ 210.3-05(b)(2)(iv) and 210.3-14(b)(2)(i)(C) is met, except when determining whether related businesses meet this test for purposes of §§ 210.3-05 and 210.8-04.
(2) For a registrant that is a registered investment company or a business development company, the term significant subsidiary means a subsidiary, including its subsidiaries, which meets any of the following conditions using amounts determined under U.S. GAAP and, if applicable, section 2(a)(41) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-2(a)(41)):
(i) Investment test. The value of the registrant's and its other subsidiaries' investments in and advances to the tested subsidiary exceed 10 percent of the value of the total investments of the registrant and its subsidiaries consolidated as of the end of the most recently completed fiscal year; or
(ii) Income test. The absolute value of the sum of combined investment income from dividends, interest, and other income, the net realized gains and losses on investments, and the net change in unrealized gains and losses on investments from the tested subsidiary (except, for purposes of § 210.6-11, the absolute value of the change in net assets resulting from operations of the tested subsidiary), for the most recently completed fiscal year exceeds:
(A) 80 percent of the absolute value of the change in net assets resulting from operations of the registrant and its subsidiaries consolidated for the most recently completed fiscal year; or
(B) 10 percent of the absolute value of the change in net assets resulting from operations of the registrant and its subsidiaries consolidated for the most recently completed fiscal year and the investment test (paragraph (w)(2)(i) of this section) condition exceeds 5 percent. However, if the absolute value of the change in net assets resulting from operations of the registrant and its subsidiaries consolidated is at least 10 percent lower than the average of the absolute value of such amounts for each of its last five fiscal years, then the registrant may compute both conditions of the income test using the average of the absolute value of such amounts for the registrant and its subsidiaries consolidated for each of its last five fiscal years.
(x) Subsidiary. A subsidiary of a specified person is an affiliate controlled by such person directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries.
(y) Totally held subsidiary. The term totally held subsidiary means a subsidiary (1) substantially all of whose outstanding equity securities are owned by its parent and/or the parent's other totally held subsidiaries, and (2) which is not indebted to any person other than its parent and/or the parent's other totally held subsidiaries, in an amount which is material in relation to the particular subsidiary, excepting indebtedness incurred in the ordinary course of business which is not overdue and which matures within 1 year from the date of its creation, whether evidenced by securities or not. Indebtedness of a subsidiary which is secured by its parent by guarantee, pledge, assignment, or otherwise is to be excluded for purposes of paragraph (x)(2) of this section.
(z) Voting shares. The term voting shares means the sum of all rights, other than as affected by events of default, to vote for election of directors and/or the sum of all interests in an unincorporated person.
(aa) Wholly owned subsidiary. The term wholly owned subsidiary means a subsidiary substantially all of whose outstanding voting shares are owned by its parent and/or the parent's other wholly owned subsidiaries.
(bb) Summarized financial information. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (bb)(2) of this section, summarized financial information referred to in this part shall mean the presentation of summarized information as to the assets, liabilities and results of operations of the entity for which the information is required. Summarized financial information shall include the following disclosures, which may be subject to appropriate variation to conform to the nature of the entity's business:
(i) Current assets, noncurrent assets, current liabilities, noncurrent liabilities, and, when applicable, redeemable preferred stocks (see § 210.5-02.27) and noncontrolling interests (for specialized industries in which classified balance sheets are normally not presented, information shall be provided as to the nature and amount of the majority components of assets and liabilities);
(ii) Net sales or gross revenues, gross profit (or, alternatively, costs and expenses applicable to net sales or gross revenues), income or loss from continuing operations, net income or loss, and net income or loss attributable to the entity (for specialized industries, other information may be substituted for sales and related costs and expenses if necessary for a more meaningful presentation); and
(2) Summarized financial information for unconsolidated subsidiaries and 50 percent or less owned persons referred to in and required by § 210.10-01(b) for interim periods shall include the information required by paragraph (bb)(1)(ii) of this section.
(cc) Statement(s) of comprehensive income. The term statement(s) of comprehensive income means a financial statement that includes all changes in equity during a period except those resulting from investments by owners and distributions to owners. Comprehensive income comprises all components of net income and all components of other comprehensive income. The statement of comprehensive income may be presented either in a single continuous financial statement or in two separate but consecutive financial statements. A statement(s) of operations or variations thereof may be used in place of a statement(s) of comprehensive income if there was no other comprehensive income during the period(s).
(dd) Restricted net assets. The term restricted net assets shall mean that amount of the registrant's proportionate share of net assets of consolidated subsidiaries (after intercompany eliminations) which as of the end of the most recent fiscal year may not be transferred to the parent company by subsidiaries in the form of loans, advances or cash dividends without the consent of a third party ( i.e., lender, regulatory agency, foreign government, etc.). Not all limitations on transferability of assets are considered to be restrictions for purposes of this rule, which considers only specific third party restrictions on the ability of subsidiaries to transfer funds outside of the entity. For example, the presence of subsidiary debt which is secured by certain of the subsidiary's assets does not constitute a restriction under this rule. However, if there are any loan provisions prohibiting dividend payments, loans or advances to the parent by a subsidiary, these are considered restrictions for purposes of computing restricted net assets. When a loan agreement requires that a subsidiary maintain certain working capital, net tangible asset, or net asset levels, or where formal compensating arrangements exist, there is considered to be a restriction under the rule because the lender's intent is normally to preclude the transfer by dividend or otherwise of funds to the parent company. Similarly, a provision which requires that a subsidiary reinvest all of its earnings is a restriction, since this precludes loans, advances or dividends in the amount of such undistributed earnings by the entity. Where restrictions on the amount of funds which may be loaned or advanced differ from the amount restricted as to transfer in the form of cash dividends, the amount least restrictive to the subsidiary shall be used. Redeemable preferred stocks (§ 210.5-02.27) and noncontrolling interests shall be deducted in computing net assets for purposes of this test.
§ 210.2-01   Qualifications of accountants.
Section 210.2-01 is designed to ensure that auditors are qualified and independent of their audit clients both in fact and in appearance. Accordingly, the rule sets forth restrictions on financial, employment, and business relationships between an accountant and an audit client and restrictions on an accountant providing certain non-audit services to an audit client. Section 210.2-01(b) sets forth the general standard of auditor independence. Paragraphs (c)(1) through (c)(5) of this section reflect the application of the general standard to particular circumstances. The rule does not purport to, and the Commission could not, consider all circumstances that raise independence concerns, and these are subject to the general standard in § 210.2-01(b). In considering this standard, the Commission looks in the first instance to whether a relationship or the provision of a service: Creates a mutual or conflicting interest between the accountant and the audit client; places the accountant in the position of auditing his or her own work; results in the accountant acting as management or an employee of the audit client; or places the accountant in a position of being an advocate for the audit client. These factors are general guidance only, and their application may depend on particular facts and circumstances. For that reason, § 210.2-01(b) provides that, in determining whether an accountant is independent, the Commission will consider all relevant facts and circumstances. For the same reason, registrants and accountants are encouraged to consult with the Commission's Office of the Chief Accountant before entering into relationships, including relationships involving the provision of services that are not explicitly described in the rule.
(a) The Commission will not recognize any person as a certified public accountant who is not duly registered and in good standing as such under the laws of the place of his residence or principal office. The Commission will not recognize any person as a public accountant who is not in good standing and entitled to practice as such under the laws of the place of his residence or principal office.
(b) The Commission will not recognize an accountant as independent, with respect to an audit client, if the accountant is not, or a reasonable investor with knowledge of all relevant facts and circumstances would conclude that the accountant is not, capable of exercising objective and impartial judgment on all issues encompassed within the accountant's engagement. In determining whether an accountant is independent, the Commission will consider all relevant circumstances, including all relationships between the accountant and the audit client, and not just those relating to reports filed with the Commission.
(c) This paragraph sets forth a non-exclusive specification of circumstances inconsistent with paragraph (b) of this section.
(1) Financial relationships. An accountant is not independent if, at any point during the audit and professional engagement period, the accountant has a direct financial interest or a material indirect financial interest in the accountant's audit client, such as:
(i) Investments in audit clients. An accountant is not independent when:
(A) The accounting firm, any covered person in the firm, or any of his or her immediate family members, has any direct investment in an audit client, such as stocks, bonds, notes, options, or other securities. The term direct investment includes an investment in an audit client through an intermediary if:
( 1 ) The accounting firm, covered person, or immediate family member, alone or together with other persons, supervises or participates in the intermediary's investment decisions or has control over the intermediary; or
( 2 ) The intermediary is not a diversified management investment company, as defined by section 5(b)(1) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, 15 U.S.C. 80a-5(b)(1), and has an investment in the audit client that amounts to 20% or more of the value of the intermediary's total investments.
(B) Any partner, principal, shareholder, or professional employee of the accounting firm, any of his or her immediate family members, any close family member of a covered person in the firm, or any group of the above persons has filed a Schedule 13D or 13G (17 CFR 240.13d-101 or 240.13d-102) with the Commission indicating beneficial ownership of more than five percent of an audit client's equity securities or controls an audit client, or a close family member of a partner, principal, or shareholder of the accounting firm controls an audit client.
(C) The accounting firm, any covered person in the firm, or any of his or her immediate family members, serves as voting trustee of a trust, or executor of an estate, containing the securities of an audit client, unless the accounting firm, covered person in the firm, or immediate family member has no authority to make investment decisions for the trust or estate.
(D) The accounting firm, any covered person in the firm, any of his or her immediate family members, or any group of the above persons has any material indirect investment in an audit client. For purposes of this paragraph, the term material indirect investment does not include ownership by any covered person in the firm, any of his or her immediate family members, or any group of the above persons of 5% or less of the outstanding shares of a diversified management investment company, as defined by section 5(b)(1) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, 15 U.S.C. 80a-5(b)(1), that invests in an audit client.
(E) The accounting firm, any covered person in the firm, or any of his or her immediate family members:
( 1 ) Has any direct or material indirect investment in an entity where:
( i ) An audit client has an investment in that entity that is material to the audit client and has the ability to exercise significant influence over that entity; or
( ii ) The entity has an investment in an audit client that is material to that entity and has the ability to exercise significant influence over that audit client;
( 2 ) Has any material investment in an entity over which an audit client has the ability to exercise significant influence; or
( 3 ) Has the ability to exercise significant influence over an entity that has the ability to exercise significant influence over an audit client.
(ii) Other financial interests in audit client. An accountant is not independent when the accounting firm, any covered person in the firm, or any of his or her immediate family members has:
(A) Loans/debtor-creditor relationship.
( 1 ) Any loan (including any margin loan) to or from an audit client, an audit client's officers or directors that have the ability to affect decision-making at the entity under audit, or beneficial owners (known through reasonable inquiry) of the audit client's equity securities where such beneficial owner has significant influence over the entity under audit. The following loans obtained from a financial institution under its normal lending procedures, terms, and requirements are excepted from this paragraph (c)(1)(ii)(A)( 1 ):
( i ) Automobile loans and leases collateralized by the automobile;
( ii ) Loans fully collateralized by the cash surrender value of an insurance policy;
( iii ) Loans fully collateralized by cash deposits at the same financial institution;
( iv ) Mortgage loans collateralized by the borrower's primary residence provided the loans were not obtained while the covered person in the firm was a covered person; and
( v ) Student loans provided the loans were not obtained while the covered person in the firm was a covered person.
( 2 ) For purposes of paragraph (c)(1)(ii)(A) of this section:
( i ) The term audit client for a fund under audit excludes any other fund that otherwise would be considered an affiliate of the audit client;
( ii ) The term fund means: An investment company or an entity that would be an investment company but for the exclusions provided by Section 3(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-3(c)); or a commodity pool as defined in Section 1a(10) of the U.S. Commodity Exchange Act, as amended [(7 U.S.C. 1-1a(10)], that is not an investment company or an entity that would be an investment company but for the exclusions provided by Section 3(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-3(c)).
(B) Savings and checking accounts. Any savings, checking, or similar account at a bank, savings and loan, or similar institution that is an audit client, if the account has a balance that exceeds the amount insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any similar insurer, except that an accounting firm account may have an uninsured balance provided that the likelihood of the bank, savings and loan, or similar institution experiencing financial difficulties is remote.
(C) Broker-dealer accounts. Brokerage or similar accounts maintained with a broker-dealer that is an audit client, if:
( 1 ) Any such account includes any asset other than cash or securities (within the meaning of “security” provided in the Securities Investor Protection Act of 1970 (“SIPA”) (15 U.S.C. 78aaa et seq. ));
( 2 ) The value of assets in the accounts exceeds the amount that is subject to a Securities Investor Protection Corporation advance, for those accounts, under Section 9 of SIPA (15 U.S.C. 78fff-3); or
( 3 ) With respect to non-U.S. accounts not subject to SIPA protection, the value of assets in the accounts exceeds the amount insured or protected by a program similar to SIPA.
(D) Futures commission merchant accounts. Any futures, commodity, or similar account maintained with a futures commission merchant that is an audit client.
(E) Consumer loans. Any aggregate outstanding consumer loan balance owed to a lender that is an audit client that is not reduced to $10,000 or less on a current basis taking into consideration the payment due date and any available grace period.
(F) Insurance products. Any individual policy issued by an insurer that is an audit client unless:
( 1 ) The policy was obtained at a time when the covered person in the firm was not a covered person in the firm; and
( 2 ) The likelihood of the insurer becoming insolvent is remote.
(G) Investment companies. Any financial interest in an entity that is part of an investment company complex that includes an audit client.
(iii) Exceptions. Notwithstanding paragraphs (c)(1)(i) and (c)(1)(ii) of this section, an accountant will not be deemed not independent if:
(A) Inheritance and gift. Any person acquires an unsolicited financial interest, such as through an unsolicited gift or inheritance, that would cause an accountant to be not independent under paragraph (c)(1)(i) or (c)(1)(ii) of this section, and the financial interest is disposed of as soon as practicable, but no later than 30 days after the person has knowledge of and the right to dispose of the financial interest.
(B) New audit engagement. Any person has a financial interest that would cause an accountant to be not independent under paragraph (c)(1)(i) or (c)(1)(ii) of this section, and:
( 1 ) The accountant did not audit the client's financial statements for the immediately preceding fiscal year; and
( 2 ) The accountant is independent under paragraph (c)(1)(i) and (c)(1)(ii) of this section before the earlier of:
( i ) Signing an initial engagement letter or other agreement to provide audit, review, or attest services to the audit client; or
( ii ) Commencing any audit, review, or attest procedures (including planning the audit of the client's financial statements).
(C) Employee compensation and benefit plans. An immediate family member of a person who is a covered person in the firm only by virtue of paragraphs (f)(11)(iii) or (f)(11)(iv) of this section has a financial interest that would cause an accountant to be not independent under paragraph (c)(1)(i) or (c)(1)(ii) of this section, and the acquisition of the financial interest was an unavoidable consequence of participation in his or her employer's employee compensation or benefits program, provided that the financial interest, other than unexercised employee stock options, is disposed of as soon as practicable, but no later than 30 days after the person has the right to dispose of the financial interest.
(iv) Audit clients' financial relationships. An accountant is not independent when:
(A) Investments by the audit client in the accounting firm. An audit client has, or has agreed to acquire, any direct investment in the accounting firm, such as stocks, bonds, notes, options, or other securities, or the audit client's officers or directors are record or beneficial owners of more than 5% of the equity securities of the accounting firm.
(B) Underwriting. An accounting firm engages an audit client to act as an underwriter, broker-dealer, market-maker, promoter, or analyst with respect to securities issued by the accounting firm.
(2) Employment relationships. An accountant is not independent if, at any point during the audit and professional engagement period, the accountant has an employment relationship with an audit client, such as:
(i) Employment at audit client of accountant. A current partner, principal, shareholder, or professional employee of the accounting firm is employed by the audit client or serves as a member of the board of directors or similar management or governing body of the audit client.
(ii) Employment at audit client of certain relatives of accountant. A close family member of a covered person in the firm is in an accounting role or financial reporting oversight role at an audit client, or was in such a role during any period covered by an audit for which the covered person in the firm is a covered person.
(iii) Employment at audit client of former employee of accounting firm. (A) A former partner, principal, shareholder, or professional employee of an accounting firm is in an accounting role or financial reporting oversight role at an audit client, unless the individual:
( 1 ) Does not influence the accounting firm's operations or financial policies;
( 2 ) Has no capital balances in the accounting firm; and
( 3 ) Has no financial arrangement with the accounting firm other than one providing for regular payment of a fixed dollar amount (which is not dependent on the revenues, profits, or earnings of the accounting firm):
( i ) Pursuant to a fully funded retirement plan, rabbi trust, or, in jurisdictions in which a rabbi trust does not exist, a similar vehicle; or
( ii ) In the case of a former professional employee who was not a partner, principal, or shareholder of the accounting firm and who has been disassociated from the accounting firm for more than five years, that is immaterial to the former professional employee; and
(B) A former partner, principal, shareholder, or professional employee of an accounting firm is in a financial reporting oversight role at an issuer (as defined in section 10A(f) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78j-1(f)), except an issuer that is an investment company registered under section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-8), unless the individual:
( 1 ) Employed by the issuer was not a member of the audit engagement team of the issuer during the one year period preceding the date that audit procedures commenced for the fiscal period that included the date of initial employment of the audit engagement team member by the issuer;
( 2 ) For purposes of paragraph (c)(2)(iii)(B)( 1 ) of this section, the following individuals are not considered to be members of the audit engagement team:
( i ) Persons, other than the lead partner and the Engagement Quality Reviewer, who provided 10 or fewer hours of audit, review, or attest services during the period covered by paragraph (c)(2)(iii)(B)( 1 ) of this section;
( ii ) Individuals employed by the issuer as a result of a business combination between an issuer that is an audit client and the employing entity, provided employment was not in contemplation of the business combination and the audit committee of the successor issuer is aware of the prior employment relationship; and
( iii ) Individuals that are employed by the issuer due to an emergency or other unusual situation provided that the audit committee determines that the relationship is in the interest of investors;
( 3 ) For purposes of paragraph (c)(2)(iii)(B)( 1 ) of this section, audit procedures are deemed to have commenced for a fiscal period the day following the filing of the issuer's periodic annual report with the Commission covering the previous fiscal period; or
(C) A former partner, principal, shareholder, or professional employee of an accounting firm is in a financial reporting oversight role with respect to an investment company registered under section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-8), if:
( 1 ) The former partner, principal, shareholder, or professional employee of an accounting firm is employed in a financial reporting oversight role related to the operations and financial reporting of the registered investment company at an entity in the investment company complex, as defined in (f)(14) of this section, that includes the registered investment company; and
( 2 ) The former partner, principal, shareholder, or professional employee of an accounting firm employed by the registered investment company or any entity in the investment company complex was a member of the audit engagement team of the registered investment company or any other registered investment company in the investment company complex during the one year period preceding the date that audit procedures commenced that included the date of initial employment of the audit engagement team member by the registered investment company or any entity in the investment company complex.
( 3 ) For purposes of paragraph (c)(2)(iii)(C)( 2 ) of this section, the following individuals are not considered to be members of the audit engagement team:
( i ) Persons, other than the lead partner and the Engagement Quality Reviewer, who provided 10 or fewer hours of audit, review, or attest services during the period covered by paragraph (c)(2)(iii)(C)( 2 ) of this section;
( ii ) Individuals employed by the registered investment company or any entity in the investment company complex as a result of a business combination between a registered investment company or any entity in the investment company complex that is an audit client and the employing entity, provided employment was not in contemplation of the business combination and the audit committee of the registered investment company is aware of the prior employment relationship; and
( iii ) Individuals that are employed by the registered investment company or any entity in the investment company complex due to an emergency or other unusual situation provided that the audit committee determines that the relationship is in the interest of investors.
( 4 ) For purposes of paragraph (c)(2)(iii)(C)( 2 ) of this section, audit procedures are deemed to have commenced the day following the filing of the registered investment company's periodic annual report with the Commission.
(iv) Employment at accounting firm of former employee of audit client. A former officer, director, or employee of an audit client becomes a partner, principal, shareholder, or professional employee of the accounting firm, unless the individual does not participate in, and is not in a position to influence, the audit of the financial statements of the audit client covering any period during which he or she was employed by or associated with that audit client.
(3) Business relationships. An accountant is not independent if, at any point during the audit and professional engagement period, the accounting firm or any covered person in the firm has any direct or material indirect business relationship with an audit client, or with persons associated with the audit client in a decision-making capacity, such as an audit client's officers or directors that have the ability to affect decision-making at the entity under audit or beneficial owners (known through reasonable inquiry) of the audit client's equity securities where such beneficial owner has significant influence over the entity under audit. The relationships described in this paragraph (c)(3) do not include a relationship in which the accounting firm or covered person in the firm provides professional services to an audit client or is a consumer in the ordinary course of business.
(4) Non-audit services. An accountant is not independent if, at any point during the audit and professional engagement period, the accountant provides the following non-audit services to an audit client:
(i) Bookkeeping or other services related to the accounting records or financial statements of the audit client. Any service, unless it is reasonable to conclude that the results of these services will not be subject to audit procedures during an audit of the audit client's financial statements, including:
(A) Maintaining or preparing the audit client's accounting records;
(B) Preparing the audit client's financial statements that are filed with the Commission or that form the basis of financial statements filed with the Commission; or
(C) Preparing or originating source data underlying the audit client's financial statements.
(ii) Financial information systems design and implementation. Any service, unless it is reasonable to conclude that the results of these services will not be subject to audit procedures during an audit of the audit client's financial statements, including:
(A) Directly or indirectly operating, or supervising the operation of, the audit client's information system or managing the audit client's local area network; or
(B) Designing or implementing a hardware or software system that aggregates source data underlying the financial statements or generates information that is significant to the audit client's financial statements or other financial information systems taken as a whole.
(iii) Appraisal or valuation services, fairness opinions, or contribution-in-kind reports. Any appraisal service, valuation service, or any service involving a fairness opinion or contribution-in-kind report for an audit client, unless it is reasonable to conclude that the results of these services will not be subject to audit procedures during an audit of the audit client's financial statements.
(iv) Actuarial services. Any actuarially-oriented advisory service involving the determination of amounts recorded in the financial statements and related accounts for the audit client other than assisting a client in understanding the methods, models, assumptions, and inputs used in computing an amount, unless it is reasonable to conclude that the results of these services will not be subject to audit procedures during an audit of the audit client's financial statements.
(v) Internal audit outsourcing services. Any internal audit service that has been outsourced by the audit client that relates to the audit client's internal accounting controls, financial systems, or financial statements, for an audit client unless it is reasonable to conclude that the results of these services will not be subject to audit procedures during an audit of the audit client's financial statements.
(vi) Management functions. Acting, temporarily or permanently, as a director, officer, or employee of an audit client, or performing any decision-making, supervisory, or ongoing monitoring function for the audit client.
(vii) Human resources. (A) Searching for or seeking out prospective candidates for managerial, executive, or director positions;
(B) Engaging in psychological testing, or other formal testing or evaluation programs;
(C) Undertaking reference checks of prospective candidates for an executive or director position;
(D) Acting as a negotiator on the audit client's behalf, such as determining position, status or title, compensation, fringe benefits, or other conditions of employment; or
(E) Recommending, or advising the audit client to hire, a specific candidate for a specific job (except that an accounting firm may, upon request by the audit client, interview candidates and advise the audit client on the candidate's competence for financial accounting, administrative, or control positions).
(viii) Broker-dealer, investment adviser, or investment banking services. Acting as a broker-dealer (registered or unregistered), promoter, or underwriter, on behalf of an audit client, making investment decisions on behalf of the audit client or otherwise having discretionary authority over an audit client's investments, executing a transaction to buy or sell an audit client's investment, or having custody of assets of the audit client, such as taking temporary possession of securities purchased by the audit client.
(ix) Legal services. Providing any service to an audit client that, under circumstances in which the service is provided, could be provided only by someone licensed, admitted, or otherwise qualified to practice law in the jurisdiction in which the service is provided.
(x) Expert services unrelated to the audit. Providing an expert opinion or other expert service for an audit client, or an audit client's legal representative, for the purpose of advocating an audit client's interests in litigation or in a regulatory or administrative proceeding or investigation. In any litigation or regulatory or administrative proceeding or investigation, an accountant's independence shall not be deemed to be impaired if the accountant provides factual accounts, including in testimony, of work performed or explains the positions taken or conclusions reached during the performance of any service provided by the accountant for the audit client.
(5) Contingent fees. An accountant is not independent if, at any point during the audit and professional engagement period, the accountant provides any service or product to an audit client for a contingent fee or a commission, or receives a contingent fee or commission from an audit client.
(6) Partner rotation. (i) Except as provided in paragraph (c)(6)(ii) of this section, an accountant is not independent of an audit client when:
(A) Any audit partner as defined in paragraph (f)(7)(ii) of this section performs:
( 1 ) The services of a lead partner, as defined in paragraph (f)(7)(ii)(A) of this section, or Engagement Quality Reviewer, as defined in paragraph (f)(7)(ii)(B) of this section; for more than five consecutive years; or
( 2 ) One or more of the services defined in paragraphs (f)(7)(ii)(C) and (D) of this section for more than seven consecutive years;
(B) Any audit partner:
( 1 ) Within the five consecutive year period following the performance of services for the maximum period permitted under paragraph (c)(6)(i)(A)( 1 ) of this section, performs for that audit client the services of a lead partner, as defined in paragraph (f)(7)(ii)(A) of this section, or Engagement Quality Reviewer, as defined in paragraph (f)(7)(ii)(B) of this section, or a combination of those services; or
( 2 ) Within the two consecutive year period following the performance of services for the maximum period permitted under paragraph (c)(6)(i)(A)( 2 ) of this section, performs one or more of the services defined in paragraph (f)(7)(ii) of this section.
(ii) Any accounting firm with less than five audit clients that are issuers (as defined in section 10A(f) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78j-1(f))) and less than ten partners shall be exempt from paragraph (c)(6)(i) of this section provided the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board conducts a review at least once every three years of each of the audit client engagements that would result in a lack of auditor independence under this paragraph.
(iii) For purposes of paragraph (c)(6)(i) of this section, an audit client that is an investment company registered under section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-8), does not include an affiliate of the audit client that is an entity in the same investment company complex, as defined in paragraph (f)(14) of this section, except for another registered investment company in the same investment company complex. For purposes of calculating consecutive years of service under paragraph (c)(6)(i) of this section with respect to investment companies in an investment company complex, audits of registered investment companies with different fiscal year-ends that are performed in a continuous 12-month period count as a single consecutive year.
(7) Audit committee administration of the engagement. An accountant is not independent of an issuer (as defined in section 10A(f) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78j-1(f))), other than an issuer that is an Asset-Backed Issuer as defined in § 229.1101 of this chapter, or an investment company registered under section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-8), other than a unit investment trust as defined by section 4(2) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-4(2)), unless:
(i) In accordance with Section 10A(i) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78j-1(i)) either:
(A) Before the accountant is engaged by the issuer or its subsidiaries, or the registered investment company or its subsidiaries, to render audit or non-audit services, the engagement is approved by the issuer's or registered investment company's audit committee; or
(B) The engagement to render the service is entered into pursuant to pre-approval policies and procedures established by the audit committee of the issuer or registered investment company, provided the policies and procedures are detailed as to the particular service and the audit committee is informed of each service and such policies and procedures do not include delegation of the audit committees responsibilities under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to management; or
(C) With respect to the provision of services other than audit, review or attest services the pre-approval requirement is waived if:
( 1 ) The aggregate amount of all such services provided constitutes no more than five percent of the total amount of revenues paid by the audit client to its accountant during the fiscal year in which the services are provided;
( 2 ) Such services were not recognized by the issuer or registered investment company at the time of the engagement to be non-audit services; and
( 3 ) Such services are promptly brought to the attention of the audit committee of the issuer or registered investment company and approved prior to the completion of the audit by the audit committee or by one or more members of the audit committee who are members of the board of directors to whom authority to grant such approvals has been delegated by the audit committee.
(ii) A registered investment company's audit committee also must pre-approve its accountant's engagements for non-audit services with the registered investment company's investment adviser (not including a sub-adviser whose role is primarily portfolio management and is sub-contracted or overseen by another investment adviser) and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the investment adviser that provides ongoing services to the registered investment company in accordance with paragraph (c)(7)(i) of this section, if the engagement relates directly to the operations and financial reporting of the registered investment company, except that with respect to the waiver of the pre-approval requirement under paragraph (c)(7)(i)(C) of this section, the aggregate amount of all services provided constitutes no more than five percent of the total amount of revenues paid to the registered investment company's accountant by the registered investment company, its investment adviser and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the investment adviser that provides ongoing services to the registered investment company during the fiscal year in which the services are provided that would have to be pre-approved by the registered investment company's audit committee pursuant to this section.
(8) Compensation. An accountant is not independent of an audit client if, at any point during the audit and professional engagement period, any audit partner earns or receives compensation based on the audit partner procuring engagements with that audit client to provide any products or services other than audit, review or attest services. Any accounting firm with fewer than ten partners and fewer than five audit clients that are issuers (as defined in section 10A(f) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78j-1(f))) shall be exempt from the requirement stated in the previous sentence.
(d) Quality controls. An accounting firm's independence will not be impaired solely because a covered person in the firm is not independent of an audit client provided:
(1) The covered person did not know of the circumstances giving rise to the lack of independence;
(2) The covered person's lack of independence was corrected as promptly as possible under the relevant circumstances after the covered person or accounting firm became aware of it; and
(3) The accounting firm has a quality control system in place that provides reasonable assurance, taking into account the size and nature of the accounting firm's practice, that the accounting firm and its employees do not lack independence, and that covers at least all employees and associated entities of the accounting firm participating in the engagement, including employees and associated entities located outside of the United States.
(4) For an accounting firm that annually provides audit, review, or attest services to more than 500 companies with a class of securities registered with the Commission under section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78 l ), a quality control system will not provide such reasonable assurance unless it has at least the following features:
(i) Written independence policies and procedures;
(ii) With respect to partners and managerial employees, an automated system to identify their investments in securities that might impair the accountant's independence;
(iii) With respect to all professionals, a system that provides timely information about entities from which the accountant is required to maintain independence;
(iv) An annual or on-going firm-wide training program about auditor independence;
(v) An annual internal inspection and testing program to monitor adherence to independence requirements;
(vi) Notification to all accounting firm members, officers, directors, and employees of the name and title of the member of senior management responsible for compliance with auditor independence requirements;
(vii) Written policies and procedures requiring all partners and covered persons to report promptly to the accounting firm when they are engaged in employment negotiations with an audit client, and requiring the firm to remove immediately any such professional from that audit client's engagement and to review promptly all work the professional performed related to that audit client's engagement; and
(viii) A disciplinary mechanism to ensure compliance with this section.
(e) Transition provisions for mergers and acquisitions involving audit clients. An accounting firm's independence will not be impaired because an audit client engages in a merger or acquisition that gives rise to a relationship or service that is inconsistent with this rule, provided that:
(1) The accounting firm is in compliance with the applicable independence standards related to such services or relationships when the services or relationships originated and throughout the period in which the applicable independence standards apply;
(2) The accounting firm has or will address such services or relationships promptly under relevant circumstances as a result of the occurrence of the merger or acquisition;
(3) The accounting firm has in place a quality control system as described in paragraph (d)(3) of this section that has the following features:
(i) Procedures and controls that monitor the audit client's merger and acquisition activity to provide timely notice of a merger or acquisition; and
(ii) Procedures and controls that allow for prompt identification of such services or relationships after initial notification of a potential merger or acquisition that may trigger independence violations, but before the effective date of the transaction.
(f) Definitions of terms. For purposes of this section:
(1) Accountant, as used in paragraphs (b) through (e) of this section, means a registered public accounting firm, certified public accountant or public accountant performing services in connection with an engagement for which independence is required. References to the accountant include any accounting firm with which the certified public accountant or public accountant is affiliated.
(2) Accounting firm means an organization (whether it is a sole proprietorship, incorporated association, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, or other legal entity) that is engaged in the practice of public accounting and furnishes reports or other documents filed with the Commission or otherwise prepared under the securities laws, and all of the organization's departments, divisions, parents, subsidiaries, and associated entities, including those located outside of the United States. Accounting firm also includes the organization's pension, retirement, investment, or similar plans.
(3)(i) Accounting role means a role in which a person is in a position to or does exercise more than minimal influence over the contents of the accounting records or anyone who prepares them.
(ii) Financial reporting oversight role means a role in which a person is in a position to or does exercise influence over the contents of the financial statements or anyone who prepares them, such as when the person is a member of the board of directors or similar management or governing body, chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, chief operating officer, general counsel, chief accounting officer, controller, director of internal audit, director of financial reporting, treasurer, or any equivalent position.
(4) Affiliate of the audit client means:
(i) An entity that has control over the entity under audit, or over which the entity under audit has control, including the entity under audit's parents and subsidiaries;
(ii) An entity that is under common control with the entity under audit, including the entity under audit's parents and subsidiaries, when the entity and the entity under audit are each material to the controlling entity;
(iii) An entity over which the audit client has significant influence, unless the entity is not material to the audit client;
(iv) An entity that has significant influence over the audit client, unless the audit client is not material to the entity; or
(v) Each entity in the investment company complex as determined in paragraph (f)(14) of this section when the entity under audit is an investment company or investment adviser or sponsor, as those terms are defined in paragraphs (f)(14)(ii), (iii), and (iv) of this section.
(5) Audit and professional engagement period includes both:
(i) The period covered by any financial statements being audited or reviewed (the “audit period”); and
(ii) The period of the engagement to audit or review the audit client's financial statements or to prepare a report filed with the Commission (the “professional engagement period”):
(A) The professional engagement period begins when the accountant either signs an initial engagement letter (or other agreement to review or audit a client's financial statements) or begins audit, review, or attest procedures, whichever is earlier; and
(B) The professional engagement period ends when the audit client or the accountant notifies the Commission that the client is no longer that accountant's audit client.
(iii) The “audit and professional engagement period” does not include periods ended prior to the first day of the last fiscal year before the issuer first filed, or was required to file, a registration statement or report with the Commission, provided there has been full compliance with applicable independence standards in all prior periods covered by any registration statement or report filed with the Commission.
(6) Audit client means the entity whose financial statements or other information is being audited, reviewed, or attested to and any affiliates of the audit client, other than, for purposes of paragraph (c)(1)(i) of this section, entities that are affiliates of the audit client only by virtue of paragraphs (f)(4)(iii), (f)(4)(iv), or (f)(14)(i)(E) of this section.
(7)(i) Audit engagement team means all partners, principals, shareholders and professional employees participating in an audit, review, or attestation engagement of an audit client, including audit partners and all persons who consult with others on the audit engagement team during the audit, review, or attestation engagement regarding technical or industry-specific issues, transactions, or events.
(ii) Audit partner means a partner or persons in an equivalent position, other than a partner who consults with others on the audit engagement team during the audit, review, or attestation engagement regarding technical or industry-specific issues, transactions, or events, who is a member of the audit engagement team who has responsibility for decision-making on significant auditing, accounting, and reporting matters that affect the financial statements, or who maintains regular contact with management and the audit committee and includes the following:
(A) The lead or coordinating audit partner having primary responsibility for the audit or review (the “lead partner”);
(B) The partner conducting a quality review under applicable professional standards and any applicable rules of the Commission to evaluate the significant judgments and the related conclusions reached in forming the overall conclusion on the audit or review engagement (“Engagement Quality Reviewer” or “Engagement Quality Control Reviewer”);
(C) Other audit engagement team partners who provide more than ten hours of audit, review, or attest services in connection with the annual or interim consolidated financial statements of the issuer or an investment company registered under section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-8); and
(D) Other audit engagement team partners who serve as the “lead partner” in connection with any audit or review related to the annual or interim financial statements of a subsidiary of the issuer whose assets or revenues constitute 20% or more of the assets or revenues of the issuer's respective consolidated assets or revenues.
(8) Chain of command means all persons who:
(i) Supervise or have direct management responsibility for the audit, including at all successively senior levels through the accounting firm's chief executive;
(ii) Evaluate the performance or recommend the compensation of the audit engagement partner; or
(iii) Provide quality control or other oversight of the audit.
(9) Close family members means a person's spouse, spousal equivalent, parent, dependent, nondependent child, and sibling.
(10) Contingent fee means, except as stated in the next sentence, any fee established for the sale of a product or the performance of any service pursuant to an arrangement in which no fee will be charged unless a specified finding or result is attained, or in which the amount of the fee is otherwise dependent upon the finding or result of such product or service. Solely for the purposes of this section, a fee is not a “contingent fee” if it is fixed by courts or other public authorities, or, in tax matters, if determined based on the results of judicial proceedings or the findings of governmental agencies. Fees may vary depending, for example, on the complexity of services rendered.
(11) Covered persons in the firm means the following partners, principals, shareholders, and employees of an accounting firm:
(i) The “audit engagement team”;
(ii) The “chain of command”;
(iii) Any other partner, principal, shareholder, or managerial employee of the accounting firm who has provided ten or more hours of non-audit services to the audit client for the period beginning on the date such services are provided and ending on the date the accounting firm signs the report on the financial statements for the fiscal year during which those services are provided, or who expects to provide ten or more hours of non-audit services to the audit client on a recurring basis; and
(iv) Any other partner, principal, or shareholder from an “office” of the accounting firm in which the lead audit engagement partner primarily practices in connection with the audit.
(12) Group means two or more persons who act together for the purposes of acquiring, holding, voting, or disposing of securities of a registrant.
(13) Immediate family members means a person's spouse, spousal equivalent, and dependents.
(14) Investment company complex. (i) “Investment company complex” includes:
(A) An entity under audit that is an:
( 1 ) Investment company; or
( 2 ) Investment adviser or sponsor;
(B) The investment adviser or sponsor of any investment company identified in paragraph (f)(14)(i)(A)( 1 ) of this section;
(C) Any entity controlled by or controlling:
(1) An entity under audit identified by paragraph (f)(14)(i)(A) of this section, or
(2) An investment adviser or sponsor identified by paragraph (f)(14)(i)(B) of this section. When the entity is controlled by an investment adviser or sponsor identified by paragraph (f)(14)(i)(B), such entity is included within the investment company complex if:
(i) The entity and the entity under audit are each material to the investment adviser or sponsor identified by paragraph (f)(14)(i)(B) of this section; or
(ii) The entity is engaged in the business of providing administrative, custodial, underwriting, or transfer agent services to any entity identified by paragraphs (f)(14)(i)(A) or (B) of this section;
(D) Any entity under common control with an entity under audit identified by paragraph (f)(14)(i)(A) of this section, any investment adviser or sponsor identified by paragraph (f)(14)(i)(B) of this section, or any entity identified by paragraph (f)(14)(i)(C) of this section; if the entity:
(1) Is an investment company or an investment adviser or sponsor, when the entity and the entity under audit identified by paragraph (f)(14)(i)(A) of this section are each material to the controlling entity; or
(2) Is engaged in the business of providing administrative, custodian, underwriting, or transfer agent services to any entity identified by paragraphs (f)(14)(i)(A) and (f)(14)(i)(B) of this section;
(E) Any entity over which an entity under audit identified by paragraph (f)(14)(i)(A) of this section has significant influence, unless the entity is not material to the entity under audit identified by paragraph (f)(14)(i)(A) of this section, or any entity that has significant influence over an entity under audit identified by paragraph (f)(14)(i)(A) of this section, unless the entity under audit identified by paragraph (f)(14)(i)(A) of this section is not material to the entity that has significant influence over it; and
(F) Any investment company that has an investment adviser or sponsor included in this definition by paragraphs (f)(14)(i)(A) through (f)(14)(i)(D) of this section.
(ii) An investment company, for purposes of paragraph (f)(14) of this section, means any investment company or an entity that would be an investment company but for the exclusions provided by Section 3(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-3(c)).
(iii) An investment adviser, for purposes of this definition, does not include a subadviser whose role is primarily portfolio management and is subcontracted with or overseen by another investment adviser.
(iv) Sponsor, for purposes of this definition, is an entity that establishes a unit investment trust.
(15) Office means a distinct sub-group within an accounting firm, whether distinguished along geographic or practice lines.
(16) Rabbi trust means an irrevocable trust whose assets are not accessible to the accounting firm until all benefit obligations have been met, but are subject to the claims of creditors in bankruptcy or insolvency.
(17) Audit committee means a committee (or equivalent body) as defined in section 3(a)(58) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(58)).
§ 210.2-02   Accountants' reports and attestation reports.
(a) Technical requirements for accountants' reports. The accountant's report:
(1) Shall be dated;
(2) Shall be signed manually;
(3) Shall indicate the city and State where issued; and
(4) Shall identify without detailed enumeration the financial statements covered by the report.
(b) Representations as to the audit included in accountants' reports. The accountant's report:
(1) Shall state the applicable professional standards under which the audit was conducted; and
(2) Shall designate any auditing procedures deemed necessary by the accountant under the circumstances of the particular case, which have been omitted, and the reasons for their omission. Nothing in this rule shall be construed to imply authority for the omission of any procedure which independent accountants would ordinarily employ in the course of an audit made for the purpose of expressing the opinions required by paragraph (c) of this section.
(c) Opinions to be expressed in accountants' reports. The accountant's report shall state clearly:
(1) The opinion of the accountant in respect of the financial statements covered by the report and the accounting principles and practices reflected therein; and
(2) the opinion of the accountant as to the consistency of the application of the accounting principles, or as to any changes in such principles which have a material effect on the financial statements.
(d) Exceptions identified in accountants' reports. Any matters to which the accountant takes exception shall be clearly identified, the exception thereto specifically and clearly stated, and, to the extent practicable, the effect of each such exception on the related financial statements given. (See section 101 of the Codification of Financial Reporting Policies.)
(e) Paragraph (e) of this section applies only to registrants that are providing financial statements in a filing for a period with respect to which Arthur Andersen LLP or a foreign affiliate of Arthur Andersen LLP (“Andersen”) issued an accountants' report. Notwithstanding any other Commission rule or regulation, a registrant that cannot obtain an accountants' report that meets the technical requirements of paragraph (a) of this section after reasonable efforts may include in the document a copy of the latest signed and dated accountants' report issued by Andersen for such period in satisfaction of that requirement, if prominent disclosure that the report is a copy of the previously issued Andersen accountants' report and that the report has not been reissued by Andersen is set forth on such copy.
(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 § 240.12b-2 of this chapter), or is an emerging growth company, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act (§ 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.
(2) If an attestation report on internal control over financial reporting 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. ), it shall clearly state the opinion of the accountant, either unqualified or adverse, as to whether the registrant maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting, except in the rare circumstance of a scope limitation that cannot be overcome by the registrant or the registered public accounting firm which would result in the accounting firm disclaiming an opinion. The attestation report on internal control over financial reporting shall be dated, signed manually, identify the period covered by the report and indicate that the accountant has audited the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting. The attestation report on internal control over financial reporting may be separate from the accountant's report.
(g) Attestation report on assessment of compliance with servicing criteria for asset-backed securities. The attestation report on assessment of compliance with servicing criteria for asset-backed securities, as required by § 240.13a-18(c) or § 240.15d-18(c) of this chapter, shall be dated, signed manually, identify the period covered by the report and clearly state the opinion of the registered public accounting firm as to whether the asserting party's assessment of compliance with the servicing criteria is fairly stated in all material respects, or must include an opinion to the effect that an overall opinion cannot be expressed. If an overall opinion cannot be expressed, explain why.
§ 210.2-03   Examination of financial statements by foreign government auditors.
Notwithstanding any requirements as to examination by independent accountants, the financial statements of any foreign governmental agency may be examined by the regular and customary auditing staff of the respective government if public financial statements of such governmental agency are customarily examined by such auditing staff.
§ 210.2-04   Examination of financial statements of persons other than the registrant.
If a registrant is required to file financial statements of any other person, such statements need not be examined if examination of such statements would not be required if such person were itself a registrant.
§ 210.2-05   Examination of financial statements by more than one accountant.
If, with respect to the examination of the financial statements, part of the examination is made by an independent accountant other than the principal accountant and the principal accountant elects to place reliance on the work of the other accountant and makes reference to that effect in his report, the separate report of the other accountant shall be filed. However, notwithstanding the provisions of this section, reports of other accountants which may otherwise be required in filings need not be presented in annual reports to security holders furnished pursuant to the proxy and information statement rules under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 [§§ 240.14a-3 and 240.14c-3].
§ 210.2-06   Retention of audit and review records.
(a) For a period of seven years after an accountant concludes an audit or review of an issuer's financial statements to which section 10A(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78j-1(a)) applies, or of the financial statements of any investment company registered under section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-8), the accountant shall retain records relevant to the audit or review, including workpapers and other documents that form the basis of the audit or review, and memoranda, correspondence, communications, other documents, and records (including electronic records), which:
(1) Are created, sent or received in connection with the audit or review, and
(2) Contain conclusions, opinions, analyses, or financial data related to the audit or review.
(b) For the purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, workpapers means documentation of auditing or review procedures applied, evidence obtained, and conclusions reached by the accountant in the audit or review engagement, as required by standards established or adopted by the Commission or by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.
(c) Memoranda, correspondence, communications, other documents, and records (including electronic records) described in paragraph (a) of this section shall be retained whether they support the auditor's final conclusions regarding the audit or review, or contain information or data, relating to a significant matter, that is inconsistent with the auditor's final conclusions regarding that matter or the audit or review. Significance of a matter shall be determined based on an objective analysis of the facts and circumstances. Such documents and records include, but are not limited to, those documenting a consultation on or resolution of differences in professional judgment.
(d) For the purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, the term issuer means an issuer as defined in section 10A(f) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78j-1(f)).
§ 210.2-07   Communication with audit committees.
(a) Each registered public accounting firm that performs for an audit client that is an issuer (as defined in section 10A(f) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78j-1(f))), other than an issuer that is an Asset-Backed Issuer as defined in § 229.1101 of this chapter, or an investment company registered under section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-8), other than a unit investment trust as defined by section 4(2) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-4(2)), any audit required under the securities laws shall report, prior to the filing of such audit report with the Commission (or in the case of a registered investment company, annually, and if the annual communication is not within 90 days prior to the filing, provide an update, in the 90 day period prior to the filing, of any changes to the previously reported information), to the audit committee of the issuer or registered investment company:
(1) All critical accounting policies and practices to be used;
(2) All alternative treatments within Generally Accepted Accounting Principles for policies and practices related to material items that have been discussed with management of the issuer or registered investment company, including:
(i) Ramifications of the use of such alternative disclosures and treatments; and
(ii) The treatment preferred by the registered public accounting firm;
(3) Other material written communications between the registered public accounting firm and the management of the issuer or registered investment company, such as any management letter or schedule of unadjusted differences;
(4) If the audit client is an investment company, all non-audit services provided to any entity in an investment company complex, as defined in § 210.2-01 (f)(14), that were not pre-approved by the registered investment company's audit committee pursuant to § 210.2-01 (c)(7).
(b) [Reserved]
§ 210.3-01   Consolidated balance sheets.
(a) There must be filed, for the registrant and its subsidiaries consolidated and for its predecessors, audited balance sheets as of the end of each of the two most recent fiscal years. If the registrant has been in existence for less than one fiscal year, there must be filed an audited balance sheet as of a date within 135 days of the date of filing the registration statement.
(b) If the filing, other than a filing on Form 10-K or Form 10, is made within 45 days after the end of the registrant's fiscal year and audited financial statements for the most recent fiscal year are not available, the balance sheets may be as of the end of the two preceding fiscal years and the filing shall include an additional balance sheet as of an interim date at least as current as the end of the registrant's third fiscal quarter of the most recently completed fiscal year.
(c) The instruction in paragraph (b) of this section is also applicable to filings, other than on Form 10-K or Form 10, made after 45 days but within the number of days of the end of the registrant's fiscal year specified in paragraph (i) of this section: Provided, that the following conditions are met:
(1) The registrant files annual, quarterly and other reports pursuant to section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and all reports due have been filed;
(2) For the most recent fiscal year for which audited financial statements are not yet available the registrant reasonably and in good faith expects to report income attributable to the registrant, after taxes; and
(3) For at least one of the two fiscal years immediately preceding the most recent fiscal year the registrant reported income attributable to the registrant, after taxes.
(d) For filings made after 45 days but within the number of days of the end of the registrant's fiscal year specified in paragraph (i) of this section where the conditions set forth in paragraph (c) of this section are not met, the filing must include the audited balance sheets required by paragraph (a) of this section.
(e) For filings made after the number of days specified in paragraph (i)(2) of this section, the filing shall also include a balance sheet as of an interim date within the following number of days of the date of filing:
(1) 130 days for large accelerated filers and accelerated filers (as defined in § 240.12b-2 of this chapter); and
(2) 135 days for all other registrants.
(f) Any interim balance sheet provided in accordance with the requirements of this section may be unaudited and need not be presented in greater detail than is required by § 210.10-01. Notwithstanding the requirements of this section, the most recent interim balance sheet included in a filing shall be at least as current as the most recent balance sheet filed with the Commission on Form 10-Q.
(g) For filings by registered management investment companies, the requirements of § 210.3-18 shall apply in lieu of the requirements of this section.
(h) Any foreign private issuer, other than a registered management investment company or an employee plan, may file the financial statements required by Item 8.A of Form 20-F (§ 249.220 of this chapter) in lieu of the financial statements specified in this rule.
(i)(1) For purposes of paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section, the number of days shall be:
(i) 60 days (75 days for fiscal years ending before December 15, 2006) for large accelerated filers (as defined in § 240.12b-2 of this chapter);
(ii) 75 days for accelerated filers (as defined in § 240.12b-2 of this chapter); and
(iii) 90 days for all other registrants.
(2) For purposes of paragraph (e) of this section, the number of days shall be:
(i) 129 days subsequent to the end of the registrant's most recent fiscal year for large accelerated filers and accelerated filers (as defined in § 240.12b-2 of this chapter); and
(ii) 134 days subsequent to the end of the registrant's most recent fiscal year for all other registrants.
§ 210.3-02   Consolidated statements of comprehensive income and cash flows.
(a) There shall be filed, for the registrant and its subsidiaries consolidated and for its predecessors, audited statements of comprehensive 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 in § 230.405 of this chapter (Rule 405 of the Securities Act) or § 240.12b-2 of this chapter (Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act), may, in a Securities Act registration statement for the initial public offering of the emerging growth company's equity securities, provide audited statements of comprehensive 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).
(b) In addition, for any interim period between the latest audited balance sheet and the date of the most recent interim balance sheet being filed, and for the corresponding period of the preceding fiscal year, statements of comprehensive income and cash flows shall be provided. Such interim financial statements may be unaudited and need not be presented in greater detail than is required by § 210.10-01.
(c) For filings by registered management investment companies, the requirements of § 210.3-18 shall apply in lieu of the requirements of this section.
(d) Any foreign private issuer, other than a registered management investment company or an employee plan, may file the financial statements required by Item 8.A of Form 20-F (§ 249.220 of this chapter) in lieu of the financial statements specified in this rule.
§ 210.3-03   Instructions to statement of comprehensive income requirements.
(a) The statements required shall be prepared in compliance with the applicable requirements of this regulation.
(b) If the registrant is engaged primarily—
(1) In the generation, transmission or distribution of electricity, the manufacture, mixing, transmission or distribution of gas, the supplying or distribution of water, or the furnishing of telephone or telegraph service; or
(2) In holding securities of companies engaged in such businesses, it may at its option include statements of comprehensive income and cash flows (which may be unaudited) for the twelve-month period ending on the date of the most recent balance sheet being filed, in lieu of the statements of comprehensive income and cash flows for the interim periods specified.
(c) If a period or periods reported on include operations of a business prior to the date of acquisition, or for other reasons differ from reports previously issued for any period, the statements shall be reconciled as to sales or revenues and net income in the statement or in a note thereto with the amounts previously reported: Provided, however, That such reconciliations need not be made (1) if they have been made in filings with the Commission in prior years or (2) the financial statements which are being retroactively adjusted have not previously been filed with the Commission or otherwise made public.
(d) Any unaudited interim financial statements furnished shall reflect all adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary to a fair statement of the results for the interim periods presented. A statement to that effect shall be included. If all such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature, a statement to that effect shall be made; otherwise, there shall be furnished information describing in appropriate detail the nature and amount of any adjustments other than normal recurring adjustments entering into the determination of the results shown.
§ 210.3-04   Changes in stockholders' equity and noncontrolling interests.
An analysis of the changes in each caption of stockholders' equity and noncontrolling interests presented in the balance sheets shall be given in a note or separate statement. This analysis shall be presented in the form of a reconciliation of the beginning balance to the ending balance for each period for which a statement of comprehensive income is required to be filed with all significant reconciling items described by appropriate captions with contributions from and distributions to owners shown separately. Also, state separately the adjustments to the balance at the beginning of the earliest period presented for items which were retroactively applied to periods prior to that period. With respect to any dividends, state the amount per share and in the aggregate for each class of shares. Provide a separate schedule in the notes to the financial statements that shows the effects of any changes in the registrant's ownership interest in a subsidiary on the equity attributable to the registrant.
§ 210.3-05   Financial statements of businesses acquired or to be acquired.
(a) Financial statements required. (1) Financial statements (except the related schedules specified in § 210.12) prepared and audited in accordance with Regulation S-X (including the independence standards in § 210.2-01 or, alternatively if the business is not a registrant, the applicable independence standards) must be filed for the periods specified in paragraph (b) of this section if any of the following conditions exist:
(i) During the most recent fiscal year or subsequent interim period for which a balance sheet is required by § 210.3-01, a business acquisition has occurred; or
(ii) After the date of the most recent balance sheet filed pursuant to § 210.3-01, consummation of a business acquisition has occurred or is probable.
(2) For purposes of determining whether the provisions of this section apply:
(i) The determination of whether a business has been acquired should be made in accordance with the guidance set forth in § 210.11-01(d); and
(ii) The acquisition of a business encompasses the acquisition of an interest in a business accounted for by the registrant under the equity method or, in lieu of the equity method, the fair value option.
(3) Acquisitions of a group of related businesses that are probable or that have occurred subsequent to the latest fiscal year-end for which audited financial statements of the registrant have been filed must be treated under this section as if they are a single business acquisition. The required financial statements of related businesses may be presented on a combined basis for any periods they are under common control or management. For purposes of this section, businesses will be deemed to be related if:
(i) They are under common control or management;
(ii) The acquisition of one business is conditional on the acquisition of each other business; or
(iii) Each acquisition is conditioned on a single common event.
(4) This section does not apply to a real estate operation subject to § 210.3-14 or a business which is totally held by the registrant prior to consummation of the transaction.
(b) Periods to be presented. (1) If registering an offering of securities to the security holders of the business to be acquired, then the financial statements specified in §§ 210.3-01 and 210.3-02 must be filed for the business to be acquired, except as provided otherwise for filings on Form N-14, S-4, or F-4 (§ 239.23, § 239.25, or § 239.34 of this chapter). The financial statements covering fiscal years must be audited except as provided in Item 14 of Schedule 14A (§ 240.14a-101 of this chapter) with respect to certain proxy statements or in registration statements filed on Forms N-14, S-4, or F-4 (§ 239.23, § 239.25, or § 239.34 of this chapter).
(2) In all cases not specified in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, financial statements of the business acquired or to be acquired must be filed for the periods specified in this paragraph (b)(2) or such shorter period as the business has been in existence. Determine the periods for which such financial statements are to be filed using the conditions specified in the definition of significant subsidiary in § 210.1-02(w), using the lower of the total revenue component or income or loss from continuing operations component for evaluating the income test condition, as follows:
(i) If none of the conditions exceeds 20 percent, financial statements are not required.
(ii) If any of the conditions exceeds 20 percent, but none exceed 40 percent, financial statements must be filed for at least the most recent fiscal year and the most recent interim period specified in §§ 210.3-01 and 210.3-02.
(iii) If any of the conditions exceeds 40 percent, financial statements must be filed for at least the two most recent fiscal years and any interim periods specified in §§ 210.3-01 and 210.3-02.
(iv) If the aggregate impact of businesses acquired or to be acquired since the date of the most recent audited balance sheet filed for the registrant, for which financial statements are either not required by paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section or are not yet required based on paragraph (b)(4)(i) of this section, exceeds 50 percent for any condition, the registrant must provide the disclosure specified in paragraphs (b)(2)(iv)(A) and (B) of this section, however in determining the aggregate impact of the investment test condition also include the aggregate impact calculated in accordance with § 210.3-14(b)(2)(ii) of any acquired or to be acquired real estate operations specified in § 210.3-14(b)(2)(i)(C). In determining whether the income test condition ( i.e. both the revenue component and the income or loss from continuing operations component) exceeds 50 percent, the businesses specified in this paragraph (b)(2)(iv) reporting losses must be aggregated separately from those reporting income. If either group exceeds 50 percent, paragraphs (b)(2)(iv)(A) and (B) of this section will apply to all of the businesses specified in this paragraph (b)(2)(iv) and will not be limited to either the businesses with losses or those with income.
(A) Pro forma financial information pursuant to §§ 210.11-01 through 210.11-02 that depicts the aggregate impact of these acquired or to be acquired businesses and real estate operations, in all material respects; and
(B) Financial statements covering at least the most recent fiscal year and the most recent interim period specified in §§ 210.3-01 and 210.3-02 for any acquired or to be acquired business or real estate operation for which financial statements are not yet required based on paragraph (b)(4)(i) of this section or § 210.3-14(b)(3)(i).
(3) The determination must be made using § 210.11-01(b)(3) and (4).
(4) Financial statements required for the periods specified in paragraph (b)(2) of this section may be omitted to the extent specified as follows:
(i) Registration statements not subject to the provisions of § 230.419 of this chapter and proxy statements need not include separate financial statements of an acquired or to be acquired business if neither the business nor the aggregate impact specified in paragraph (b)(2)(iv) of this section exceeds any of the conditions of significance in the definition of significant subsidiary in § 210.1-02 at the 50 percent level computed in accordance with paragraph (b)(3) of this section, and either:
(A) The consummation of the acquisition has not yet occurred; or
(B) The date of the final prospectus or prospectus supplement relating to an offering as filed with the Commission pursuant to § 230.424(b) of this chapter, or mailing date in the case of a proxy statement, is no more than 74 days after consummation of the business acquisition, and the financial statements have not previously been filed by the registrant.
(ii) A registrant, other than a foreign private issuer required to file reports on Form 6-K (§ 249.306 of this chapter) or a shell company (other than a business combination related shell company), that omits from its initial registration statement financial statements of a recently consummated business acquisition pursuant to paragraph (b)(4)(i) of this section must file those financial statements and any pro forma information specified by §§ 210.11-01 through 210.11-03 (Article 11) under cover of Form 8-K (§ 249.308 of this chapter) no later than 75 days after consummation of the acquisition. When a predecessor to a shell company (other than a business combination related shell company) acquires a business and the financial statements of that recently consummated business are omitted from a registration statement or proxy statement pursuant to paragraph (b)(4)(i) of this section, refer to § 210.15-01(d)(2).
(iii) Separate financial statements of the acquired business specified in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section need not be presented once the operating results of the acquired business have been reflected in the audited consolidated financial statements of the registrant for at least nine months. Separate financial statements of the acquired business specified in paragraph (b)(2)(iii) of this section need not be presented once the operating results of the acquired business have been reflected in the audited consolidated financial statements of the registrant for a complete fiscal year.
(iv) A separate audited balance sheet of the acquired business is not required when the registrant's most recent audited balance sheet required by § 210.3-01 is for a date after the date the acquisition was consummated.
(c) Financial statements of a foreign business. Financial statements of an acquired or to be acquired foreign business (as defined in § 210.1-02(l)) meeting the requirements of Item 17 of Form 20-F (§ 249.220f of this chapter) will satisfy this section. Such financial statements may be reconciled to U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (U.S. GAAP) or International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IFRS-IASB) if the registrant is a foreign private issuer that prepares its financial statements in accordance with IFRS-IASB. This reconciliation must generally follow the form and content requirements in Item 17(c) of Form 20-F; however, accommodations in Item 17(c)(2) of Form 20-F that would be inconsistent with IFRS-IASB may not be applied, and IFRS 1, First-time Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards, may be applied.
(d) Financial statements of an acquired or to be acquired business that would be a foreign private issuer if it were a registrant. Financial statements of an acquired or to be acquired business that is not a foreign business (as defined in § 210.1-02(l)), but would qualify as a foreign private issuer (as defined in §§ 230.405 and 240.3b-4 of this chapter) if it were a registrant may be prepared in accordance with IFRS-IASB without reconciliation to U.S. GAAP or, if the registrant is a foreign private issuer that prepares its financial statements in accordance with IFRS-IASB, may be prepared according to a comprehensive basis of accounting principles other than U.S. GAAP or IFRS-IASB and must be reconciled to IFRS-IASB or to U.S. GAAP. This reconciliation must generally follow the form and content requirements in Item 17(c) of Form 20-F; however, accommodations in Item 17(c)(2) of Form 20-F that would be inconsistent with IFRS-IASB may not be applied, and IFRS 1, First-time Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards, may be applied.
(e) Financial statements for net assets that constitute a business. For an acquisition of net assets that constitutes a business ( e.g., an acquired or to be acquired product line), the financial statements prepared and audited in accordance with Regulation S-X may be abbreviated financial statements prepared in accordance with paragraph (e)(2) of this section if the business meets all of the qualifying conditions in paragraph (e)(1) of this section.
(1) Qualifying conditions. (i) The total assets and total revenues (both after intercompany eliminations) of the acquired or to be acquired business constitute 20 percent or less of such corresponding amounts of the seller and its subsidiaries consolidated as of and for the most recently completed fiscal year.
(ii) Separate financial statements for the business have not previously been prepared;
(iii) The acquired business was not a separate entity, subsidiary, operating segment (as defined in U.S. GAAP or IFRS-IASB, as applicable) or division during the periods for which the acquired business financial statements would be required; and
(iv) The seller has not maintained the distinct and separate accounts necessary to present financial statements that, absent this paragraph (e), would satisfy the requirements of this section and it is impracticable to prepare such financial statements.
(2) Presentation requirements. (i) The balance sheet may be a statement of assets acquired and liabilities assumed;
(ii) The statement of comprehensive income must include expenses incurred by or on behalf of the acquired business during the pre-acquisition financial statement periods to be presented including, but not limited to, costs of sales or services, selling, distribution, marketing, general and administrative, depreciation and amortization, and research and development, but may otherwise omit corporate overhead expense, interest expense for debt that will not be assumed by the registrant or its subsidiaries consolidated, and income tax expense. The title of the statement of comprehensive income must be appropriately modified to indicate it omits certain expenses; and
(iii) The notes to the financial statements must include:
(A) A description of the type of omitted expenses and the reason(s) why they are excluded from the financial statements.
(B) An explanation of the impracticability of preparing financial statements that include the omitted expenses.
(C) A description of how the financial statements presented are not indicative of the financial condition or results of operations of the acquired business going forward because of the omitted expenses.
(D) Information about the business's operating, investing and financing cash flows, to the extent available.
(f) Financial statements of a business that includes oil and gas producing activities. (1) Disclosures about oil and gas producing activities must be provided for each full year of operations presented for an acquired or to be acquired business that includes significant oil- and gas-producing activities (as defined in the FASB ASC Master Glossary). The financial statements may present the disclosures in FASB ASC Topic 932 Extractive Activities—Oil and Gas, 932-235-50-3 through 50-11 and 932-235-50-29 through 50-36 as unaudited supplemental information. If prior year reserve studies were not made, they may be computed using only production and new discovery quantities and valuation, in which case there will be no “revision of prior estimates” amounts. Registrants may develop these disclosures based on a reserve study for the most recent year, computing the changes backward. The method of computation must be disclosed in a footnote.
(2) The financial statements prepared and audited in accordance with Regulation S-X may consist of only statements of revenues and expenses that exclude expenses not comparable to the proposed future operations such as depreciation, depletion and amortization, corporate overhead, income taxes, and interest for debt that will not be assumed by the registrant or its subsidiaries consolidated if:
(i) The acquisition generates substantially all of its revenues from oil and gas producing activities (as defined in § 210.4-10(a)(16)); and
(ii) The qualifying conditions specified in paragraph (e)(1) of this section are met.
(3) If the financial statements are presented in accordance with paragraph (f)(2) of this section, the disclosures specified in paragraph (e)(2)(iii) of this section must be provided.
§ 210.3-06   Financial statements covering a period of nine to twelve months.
(a) Except with respect to registered investment companies, the filing of financial statements covering a period of 9 to 12 months will be deemed to satisfy a requirement for filing financial statements for a period of 1 year where:
(1) The issuer has changed its fiscal year;
(2) The issuer has made a significant business acquisition for which financial statements are required under § 210.3-05, § 210.3-14, § 210.8-04, or § 210.8-06 and the financial statements covering the interim period pertain to the business being acquired; or
(3) The Commission so permits pursuant to § 210.3-13 or § 210.8-01(e).
(b) Where there is a requirement for filing financial statements for a time period exceeding one year but not exceeding three consecutive years (with not more than 12 months included in any period reported upon), the filing of financial statements covering a period of 9 to 12 months will satisfy a filing requirement of financial statements for one year of that time period only if the conditions described in paragraph (a)(1), (2), or (3) of this section exist and financial statements are filed that cover the full fiscal year or years for all other years in the time period.
§§ 210.3-07--210.3-08   [Reserved]
§ 210.3-09   Separate financial statements of subsidiaries not consolidated and 50 percent or less owned persons.
(a) If any of the conditions set forth in § 210.1-02(w), substituting 20 percent for 10 percent in the tests used therein to determine a significant subsidiary, are met for a majority-owned subsidiary not consolidated by the registrant or by a subsidiary of the registrant, separate financial statements of such subsidiary must be filed. Similarly, if either the first or third condition set forth in § 210.1-02(w)(1), substituting 20 percent for 10 percent, is met by a 50 percent or less owned person accounted for by the equity method either by the registrant or a subsidiary of the registrant, separate financial statements of such 50 percent or less owned person must be filed.
(b) Insofar as practicable, the separate financial statements required by this section shall be as of the same dates and for the same periods as the audited consolidated financial statements required by §§ 210.3-01 and 3-02. However, these separate financial statements are required to be audited only for those fiscal years in which either the first or third condition set forth in § 210.1-02(w), substituting 20 percent for 10 percent, is met. For purposes of a filing on Form 10-K (§ 249.310 of this chapter):
(1) If the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in § 240.12b-2 of this chapter) but the 50 percent or less owned person is not an accelerated filer, the required financial statements may be filed as an amendment to the report within 90 days, or within six months if the 50 percent or less owned person is a foreign business, after the end of the registrant's fiscal year.
(2) If the fiscal year of any 50 percent or less owned person ends within the registrant's number of filing days before the date of the filing, or if the fiscal year ends after the date of the filing, the required financial statements may be filed as an amendment to the report within the subsidiary's number of filing days, or within six months if the 50 percent or less owned person is a foreign business, after the end of such subsidiary's or person's fiscal year.
(3) The term registrant's number of filing days means:
(i) 60 days (75 days for fiscal years ending before December 15, 2006) if the registrant is a large accelerated filer;
(ii) 75 days if the registrant is an accelerated filer; and
(iii) 90 days for all other registrants.
(4) The term subsidiary's number of filing days means:
(i) 60 days (75 days for fiscal years ending before December 15, 2006) if the 50 percent or less owned person is a large accelerated filer;
(ii) 75 days if the 50 percent or less owned person is an accelerated filer; and
(iii) 90 days for all other 50 percent or less owned persons.
(c) Notwithstanding the requirements for separate financial statements in paragraph (a) of this section, where financial statements of two or more majority-owned subsidiaries not consolidated are required, combined or consolidated statements of such subsidiaries may be filed subject to principles of inclusion and exclusion which clearly exhibit the financial position, cash flows and results of operations of the combined or consolidated group. Similarly, where financial statements of two or more 50 percent or less owned persons are required, combined or consolidated statements of such persons may be filed subject to the same principles of inclusion or exclusion referred to above.
(d) If the 50 percent or less owned person is a foreign business, financial statements of the business meeting the requirements of Item 17 of Form 20-F (§ 249.220f of this chapter) will satisfy this section.
§ 210.3-10   Financial statements of guarantors and issuers of guaranteed securities registered or being registered.
(a) If an issuer or guarantor of a guaranteed security that is registered or being registered is required to file financial statements required by Regulation S-X with respect to the guarantee or guaranteed security, such financial statements may be omitted if the issuer or guarantor is a consolidated subsidiary of the parent company, the parent company's consolidated financial statements have been filed, and the conditions in paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section have been met:
(1) The guaranteed security is debt or debt-like; and
(i) The parent company issues the security or co-issues the security, jointly and severally, with one or more of its consolidated subsidiaries; or
(ii) A consolidated subsidiary issues the security or co-issues the security with one or more other consolidated subsidiaries of the parent company, and the security is guaranteed fully and unconditionally by the parent company; and
(2) The parent company provides the disclosures specified in § 210.13-01.
(b) For the purposes of this section and § 210.13-01:
(1) The “parent company” is the entity that:
(i) Is an issuer or guarantor of the guaranteed security;
(ii) Is, or as a result of the subject Securities Act registration statement will be, an Exchange Act reporting company; and
(iii) Consolidates each subsidiary issuer and/or subsidiary guarantor of the guaranteed security in its consolidated financial statements.
(2) A security is “debt or debt-like” if it has the following characteristics:
(i) The issuer has a contractual obligation to pay a fixed sum at a fixed time; and
(ii) Where the obligation to make such payments is cumulative, a set amount of interest must be paid.
Note 1 to paragraph (b)(2). Neither the form of the security nor its title will determine whether a security is debt or debt-like. Instead, the substance of the obligation created by the security will be determinative.
Note 2 to paragraph (b)(2). The phrase “set amount of interest” is not intended to mean “fixed amount of interest.” Floating and adjustable rate securities, as well as indexed securities, may meet the criteria specified in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section as long as the payment obligation is set in the debt instrument and can be determined from objective indices or other factors that are outside the discretion of the obligor.
(3) A guarantee is “full and unconditional,” if, when an issuer of a guaranteed security has failed to make a scheduled payment, the guarantor is obligated to make the scheduled payment immediately and, if it does not, any holder of the guaranteed security may immediately bring suit directly against the guarantor for payment of all amounts due and payable.
§ 210.3-11   Financial statements of an inactive registrant.
If a registrant is an inactive entity as defined below, the financial statements required by this regulation for purposes of reports pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 may be unaudited. An inactive entity is one meeting all of the following conditions:
(a) Gross receipts from all sources for the fiscal year are not in excess of $100,000;
(b) The registrant has not purchased or sold any of its own stock, granted options therefor, or levied assessments upon outstanding stock,
(c) Expenditures for all purposes for the fiscal year are not in excess of $100,000;
(d) No material change in the business has occurred during the fiscal year, including any bankruptcy, reorganization, readjustment or succession or any material acquisition or disposition of plants, mines, mining equipment, mine rights or leases; and
(e) No exchange upon which the shares are listed, or governmental authority having jurisdiction, requires the furnishing to it or the publication of audited financial statements.
§ 210.3-12   Age of financial statements at effective date of registration statement or at mailing date of proxy statement.
(a) If the financial statements in a filing are as of a date the number of days specified in paragraph (g) of this section or more before the date the filing is expected to become effective, or proposed mailing date in the case of a proxy statement, the financial statements shall be updated, except as specified in the following paragraphs, with a balance sheet as of an interim date within the number of days specified in paragraph (g) of this section and with statements of comprehensive income and cash flows for the interim period between the end of the most recent fiscal year and the date of the interim balance sheet provided and for the corresponding period of the preceding fiscal year. Such interim financial statements may be unaudited and need not be presented in greater detail than is required by § 210.10-01. Notwithstanding the above requirements, the most recent interim financial statements shall be at least as current as the most recent financial statements filed with the Commission on Form 10-Q.
(b) Where the anticipated effective date of a filing, or in the case of a proxy statement the proposed mailing date, falls within the number of days subsequent to the end of the fiscal year specified in paragraph (g) of this section, the filing need not include financial statements more current than as of the end of the third fiscal quarter of the most recently completed fiscal year unless the audited financial statements for such fiscal year are available or unless the anticipated effective date or proposed mailing date falls after 45 days subsequent to the end of the fiscal year and the registrant does not meet the conditions prescribed under paragraph (c) of § 210.3-01. If the anticipated effective date or proposed mailing date falls after 45 days subsequent to the end of the fiscal year and the registrant does not meet the conditions prescribed under paragraph (c) of § 210.3-01, the filing must include audited financial statements for the most recently completed fiscal year.
(c) Where a filing is made near the end of a fiscal year and audited financial statements for that fiscal year are not included in the filing, the filing shall be updated with such audited financial statements if they become available prior to the anticipated effective date, or proposed mailing date in the case of a proxy statement.
(d) The age of the registrant's most recent audited financial statements included in a registration statement filed under the Securities Act of 1933 or filed on Form 10 (17 CFR 249.210) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 shall not be more than one year and 45 days old at the date the registration statement becomes effective if the registration statement relates to the security of an issuer that was not subject, immediately before the time of filing the registration statement, to the reporting requirements of section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
(e) For filings by registered management investment companies, the requirements of § 210.3-18 shall apply in lieu of the requirements of this section.
(f) Any foreign private issuer may file financial statements whose age is specified in Item 8.A of Form 20-F (§ 249.220f of this chapter). Financial statements of a foreign business which are furnished pursuant to § 210.3-05 or § 210.3-09 because it is an acquired business or a 50 percent or less owned person may be of the age specified in Item 8.A of Form 20-F.
(g)(1) For purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, the number of days shall be:
(i) 130 days for large accelerated filers and accelerated filers (as defined in § 240.12b-2 of this chapter); and
(ii) 135 days for all other registrants.
(2) For purposes of paragraph (b) of this section, the number of days shall be:
(i) 60 days (75 days for fiscal years ending before December 15, 2006) for large accelerated filers (as defined in § 240.12b-2 of this chapter);
(ii) 75 days for accelerated filers (as defined in § 240.12b-2 of this chapter); and
(iii) 90 days for all other registrants.
§ 210.3-13   Filing of other financial statements in certain cases.
The Commission may, upon the informal written request of the registrant, and where consistent with the protection of investors, permit the omission of one or more of the financial statements herein required or the filing in substitution therefor of appropriate statements of comparable character. The Commission may also by informal written notice require the filing of other financial statements in addition to, or in substitution for, the statements herein required in any case where such statements are necessary or appropriate for an adequate presentation of the financial condition of any person whose financial statements are required, or whose statements are otherwise necessary for the protection of investors.
§ 210.3-14   Special instructions for financial statements of real estate operations acquired or to be acquired.
(a) Financial statements required. (1) Financial statements (except the related schedules specified in § 210.12) prepared and audited in accordance with Regulation S-X (including the independence standards in § 210.2-01 or, alternatively if the real estate operation is not a registrant, the applicable independence standards) for the periods specified in paragraph (b) of this section and the supplemental information specified in paragraph (f) of this section must be filed if any of the following conditions exist:
(i) During the most recent fiscal year or subsequent interim period for which a balance sheet is required by § 210.3-01, an acquisition of a real estate operation has occurred; or
(ii) After the date of the most recent balance sheet filed pursuant to § 210.3-01, consummation of an acquisition of a real estate operation has occurred or is probable.
(2) For purposes of determining whether the provisions of this section apply:
(i) The term real estate operation means a business (as set forth in § 210.11-01(d)) that generates substantially all of its revenues through the leasing of real property.
(ii) The acquisition of a real estate operation encompasses the acquisition of an interest in a real estate operation accounted for by the registrant under the equity method or, in lieu of the equity method, the fair value option.
(3) Acquisitions of a group of related real estate operations that are probable or that have occurred subsequent to the latest fiscal year-end for which audited financial statements of the registrant have been filed will be treated under this section as if they are a single acquisition. The required financial statements may be presented on a combined basis for any periods they are under common control or management. For purposes of this section, acquisitions will be deemed to be related if:
(i) They are under common control or management;
(ii) A registrant, other than a foreign private issuer required to file reports on Form 6-K (§ 249.306 of this chapter) or shell company (other than a business combination related shell company), that omits from its initial registration statement financial statements of a recently consummated acquisition of a real estate operation pursuant to paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this section must file those financial statements and any pro forma information specified by §§ 210.11-01 through 210.11-03 (Article 11) under cover of Form 8-K (§ 249.308 of this chapter) no later than 75 days after consummation of the acquisition. When a predecessor to a shell company (other than a business combination related shell company) acquires a real estate operation and the financial statements of that recently consummated acquisition of a real estate operation are omitted from a registration statement or proxy statement pursuant to paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this section, refer to § 210.15-01(d)(2).
(iii) Each acquisition is conditioned on a single common event.
(4) This section does not apply to a real estate operation that is totally held by the registrant prior to consummation of the transaction.
(b) Periods to be presented. (1) If registering an offering of securities to the security holders of the real estate operation to be acquired, then the financial statements specified in paragraph (c) of this section and the supplemental information specified in paragraph (f) of this section must be filed for the real estate operation to be acquired for the periods specified in §§ 210.3-01 and 210.3-02, except as provided otherwise for filings on Form S-4 or F-4 (§ 239.25 or § 239.34 of this chapter). The financial statements covering fiscal years must be audited except as provided in Item 14 of Schedule 14A (§ 240.14a-101 of this chapter) with respect to certain proxy statements or in registration statements filed on Form S-4 or F-4 (§ 239.25 or § 239.34 of this chapter).
(2) In all cases not specified in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, financial statements of the real estate operation acquired or to be acquired must be filed for the periods specified in this paragraph (b)(2) or such shorter period as the real estate operation has been in existence. The periods for which such financial statements are to be filed must be determined using the investment test condition specified in the definition of significant subsidiary in § 210.1-02(w)(1)(i) modified as follows:
(i)(A) If the condition does not exceed 20 percent, financial statements are not required.
(B) If the condition exceeds 20 percent, financial statements of the real estate operation for at least the most recent fiscal year and the most recent interim period specified in §§ 210.3-01 and 210.3-02 must be filed.
(C) If the aggregate impact of acquired or to be acquired real estate operations since the date of the most recent audited balance sheet filed for the registrant, for which financial statements are either not required by paragraph (b)(2)(i)(A) of this section or are not yet required based on paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this section, exceeds 50 percent, the registrant must provide the disclosures specified in paragraphs (b)(2)(i)(C)( 1 ) and (b)(2)(i)(C)( 2 ) of this section. If there are also businesses acquired or to be acquired as described in § 210.3-05(b)(2)(iv), the requirements in § 210.3-05(b)(2)(iv) will apply instead.
( 1 ) Pro forma financial information pursuant to §§ 210.11-01 through 210.11-02 that depicts the aggregate impact of these acquired or to be acquired real estate operations in all material respects; and
( 2 ) Financial statements covering at least the most recent fiscal year and the most recent interim period specified in §§ 210.3-01 and 210.3-02 for any acquired or to be acquired real estate operation for which financial statements are not yet required based on paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this section.
(ii) When the investment test is based on the total assets of the registrant and its subsidiaries consolidated, include any assumed debt secured by the real properties in the “investments in” the tested real estate operation.
(iii) The determination must be made using § 210.11-01(b)(3) and (4).
(3) Financial statements required for the periods specified in paragraph (b)(2) of this section may be omitted to the extent specified as follows:
(i) Registration statements not subject to the provisions of § 230.419 of this chapter and proxy statements need not include separate financial statements of the acquired or to be acquired real estate operation if neither the real estate operation nor the aggregate impact specified in paragraph (b)(2)(i)(C) of this section exceeds the condition of significance in the definition of significant subsidiary in § 210.1-02(w)(1)(i), as modified by paragraphs (b)(2)(ii) and (iii) of this section, at the 50 percent level computed in accordance with paragraph (b)(2) of this section, and either:
(A) The consummation of the acquisition has not yet occurred; or
(B) The date of the final prospectus or prospectus supplement relating to an offering as filed with the Commission pursuant to § 230.424(b) of this chapter, or mailing date in the case of a proxy statement, is no more than 74 days after consummation of the acquisition of the real estate operation, and the financial statements have not previously been filed by the registrant.
(ii) A registrant, other than a foreign private issuer required to file reports on Form 6-K (§ 249.306 of this chapter), that omits from its initial registration statement financial statements of a recently consummated acquisition of a real estate operation pursuant to paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this section must file those financial statements and any pro forma information specified by §§ 210.11-01 through 210.11-03 (Article 11) under cover of Form 8-K (§ 249.308 of this chapter) no later than 75 days after consummation of the acquisition.
(iii) Separate financial statements of the acquired real estate operation specified in paragraph (b)(2)(i)(B) of this section need not be presented once the operating results of the acquired real estate operation have been reflected in the audited consolidated financial statements of the registrant for at least nine months.
(c) Presentation of the financial statements. (1) The financial statements prepared and audited in accordance with Regulation S-X may be only statements of revenues and expenses excluding expenses not comparable to the proposed future operations such as mortgage interest, leasehold rental, depreciation, amortization, corporate overhead and income taxes.
(2) The notes to the financial statements must include the following disclosures:
(i) The type of omitted expenses and the reason(s) why they are excluded from the financial statements;
(ii) A description of how the financial statements presented are not indicative of the results of operations of the acquired real estate operation going forward because of the omitted expenses; and
(iii) Information about the real estate operation's operating, investing and financing cash flows, to the extent available.
(d) Financial statements of a foreign real estate operation. Financial statements of an acquired or to be acquired foreign business (as defined in § 210.1-02(l)) that is a real estate operation, specified in paragraph (c) of this section and meeting the requirements of Item 17 of Form 20-F (§ 249.220f of this chapter), will satisfy this section. Such financial statements may be reconciled to U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (U.S. GAAP) or International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IFRS-IASB) if the registrant is a foreign private issuer that prepares its financial statements in accordance with IFRS-IASB. This reconciliation must generally follow the form and content requirements in Item 17(c) of Form 20-F; however, accommodations in Item 17(c)(2) of Form 20-F that would be inconsistent with IFRS-IASB may not be applied, and IFRS 1, First-time Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards, may be applied.
(e) Financial statements of an acquired or to be acquired real estate operation that would be a foreign private issuer if it were a registrant. Financial statements of an acquired or to be acquired real estate operation that is not a foreign business (as defined in § 210.1-02(l)), but would qualify as a foreign private issuer (as defined in §§ 230.405 and 240.3b-4 of this chapter) if it were a registrant, may be prepared in accordance with IFRS-IASB without reconciliation to U.S. GAAP or, if the registrant is a foreign private issuer that prepares its financial statements in accordance with IFRS-IASB, may be prepared according to a comprehensive basis of accounting principles other than U.S. GAAP or IFRS-IASB and must be reconciled to IFRS-IASB or to U.S. GAAP. This reconciliation must generally follow the form and content requirements in Item 17(c) of Form 20-F; however, accommodations in Item 17(c)(2) of Form 20-F that would be inconsistent with IFRS-IASB may not be applied, and IFRS 1, First-time Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards, may be applied.
(f) Supplemental information. For each real estate operation for which financial statements are required to be filed by paragraphs (b)(2)(i)(B) and (b)(2)(i)(C)( 2 ) of this section, material factors considered by the registrant in assessing the real estate operation must be described with specificity in the filing, including sources of revenue (including, but not limited to, competition in the rental market, comparative rents, and occupancy rates) and expense (including, but not limited to, utility rates, property tax rates, maintenance expenses, and capital improvements anticipated). The disclosure must also indicate that the registrant is not aware of any other material factors relating to the specific real estate operation that would cause the reported financial statements not to be indicative of future operating results.
Instruction 1 to paragraph (f): When the financial statements are presented in Form S-11 (§ 239.18 of this chapter), the discussion of material factors considered should supplement the disclosures required by Item 15 of Form S-11.
§ 210.3-15   Special provisions as to real estate investment trusts.
(a)-(b) [Reserved]
(c) The tax status of distributions per unit shall be stated (e.g., ordinary income, capital gain, return of capital).
§ 210.3-16   Financial statements of affiliates whose securities collateralize an issue registered or being registered.
The requirements of this section shall apply to each registered security issued and outstanding before January 4, 2021, unless the requirements of § 210.13-02 apply.
(a) For each of the registrant's affiliates whose securities constitute a substantial portion of the collateral for any class of securities registered or being registered, there shall be filed the financial statements that would be required if the affiliate were a registrant and required to file financial statements. However, financial statements need not be filed pursuant to this section for any person whose statements are otherwise separately included in the filing on an individual basis or on a basis consolidated with its subsidiaries.
(b) For the purposes of this section, securities of a person shall be deemed to constitute a substantial portion of collateral if the aggregate principal amount, par value, or book value of the securities as carried by the registrant, or the market value of such securities, whichever is the greatest, equals 20 percent or more of the principal amount of the secured class of securities.
§ 210.3-17   Financial statements of natural persons.
(a) In lieu of the financial statements otherwise required, a natural person may file an unaudited balance sheet as of a date within 90 days of date of filing and unaudited statements of comprehensive income for each of the three most recent fiscal years.
(b) Financial statements conforming with the instructions as to financial statements of subsidiaries not consolidated and 50 percent or less owned persons under § 210.3-09(a) shall be separately presented for: (1) Each business owned as a sole proprietor, (2) each partnership, business trust, unincorporated association, or similar business organization of which the person holds a controlling interest and (3) each corporation of which the person, directly or indirectly, owns securities representing more than 50 percent of the voting power.
(c) Separate financial statements may be omitted, however, for each corporation, business trust, unincorporated association, or similar business organization if the person's total investment in such entity does not exceed 5 percent of his total assets and the person's total income from such entity does not exceed 5 percent of his gross income; Provided, that the person's aggregate investment in and income from all such omitted entities shall not exceed 15 percent of his total assets and gross income, respectively.
§ 210.3-18   Special provisions as to registered management investment companies and companies required to be registered as management investment companies.
(a) For filings by registered management investment companies, the following financial statements shall be filed:
(1) An audited balance sheet or statement of assets and liabilities as of the end of the most recent fiscal year;
(2) An audited statement of operations for the most recent fiscal year conforming to the requirements of § 210.6-07.
(3) An audited statement of cash flows for the most recent fiscal year if necessary to comply with generally accepted accounting principles. (Further references in this rule to the requirement for such statement are likewise applicable only to the extent that they are consistent with the requirements of generally accepted accounting principles.)
(4) Audited statements of changes in net assets conforming to the requirements of § 210.6-09 for the two most recent fiscal years.
(b) If the filing is made within 60 days after the end of the registrant's fiscal year and audited financial statements for the most recent fiscal year are not available, the balance sheet or statement of assets and liabilities may be as of the end of the preceding fiscal year and the filing shall include an additional balance sheet or statement of assets and liabilities as of an interim date within 245 days of the date of filing. In addition, the statements of operations and cash flows (if required by generally accepted accounting principles) shall be provided for the preceding fiscal year and the statement of changes in net assets shall be provided for the two preceding fiscal years and each of the statements shall be provided for the interim period between the end of the preceding fiscal year and the date of the most recent balance sheet or statement of assets and liabilities being filed. Financial statements for the corresponding period of the preceding fiscal year need not be provided.
(c) If the most current balance sheet or statement of assets and liabilities in a filing is as of a date 245 days or more prior to the date the filing is expected to become effective, the financial statements shall be updated with a balance sheet or statement of assets and liabilities as of an interim date within 245 days. In addition, the statements of operations, cash flows, and changes in net assets shall be provided for the interim period between the end of the most recent fiscal year for which a balance sheet or statement of assets and liabilities is presented and the date of the most recent interim balance sheet or statement of assets and liabilities filed.
(d) Interim financial statements provided in accordance with these requirements may be unaudited but shall be presented in the same detail as required by §§ 210.6-01 through 210.6-11

. When unaudited financial statements are presented in a registration statement, they shall include the statement required by § 210.3-03(d).
§ 210.3-19   [Reserved]
§ 210.3-20   Currency for financial statements.
(a)(1) A foreign private issuer, as defined in § 230.405 of this chapter, shall state amounts in its primary financial statements in the currency which it deems appropriate.
(2) An issuer that is not a foreign private issuer shall present its financial statements in U.S. dollars.
(b)(1) The currency in which amounts in the financial statements are stated shall be disclosed prominently on the face of the financial statements. If dividends on publicly-held equity securities will be declared in a currency other than the reporting currency, a note to the financial statements shall identify that currency. If there are material exchange restrictions or controls relating to the issuer's reporting currency, the currency of the issuer's domicile, or the currency in which the issuer will pay dividends, prominent disclosure of this fact shall be made in the financial statements. If the reporting currency is not the U.S. dollar, dollar-equivalent financial statements or convenience translations shall not be presented, except a translation may be presented of the most recent fiscal year and any subsequent interim period presented using the exchange rate as of the most recent balance sheet included in the filing, except that a rate as of the most recent practicable date shall be used if materially different.
(2) If there are material exchange restrictions or controls relating to the currency of a subsidiary's domicile, the currency held by a subsidiary, or the currency in which a subsidiary will pay dividends or transfer funds to the issuer or other subsidiaries, prominent disclosure of this fact shall be made in the financial statements.
(c) If the financial statements of a foreign private issuer are stated in a currency of a country that has experienced cumulative inflationary effects exceeding a total of 100 percent over the most recent three year period, and have not been recast or otherwise supplemented to include information on a historical cost/constant currency or current cost basis prescribed or permitted by appropriate authoritative standards, the issuer shall present supplementary information to quantify the effects of changing prices upon its financial position and results of operations.
(d) Notwithstanding the currency used for reporting purposes, the issuer shall measure separately its own transactions, and those of each of its material operations (e.g., branches, divisions, subsidiaries, joint ventures, and similar entities) that is included in the issuer's consolidated financial statements and not located in a hyperinflationary environment, using the particular currency of the primary economic environment in which the issuer or the operation conducts its business. Assets and liabilities so determined shall be translated into the reporting currency at the exchange rate at the balance sheet date; all revenues, expenses, gains, and losses shall be translated at the exchange rate existing at the time of the transaction or, if appropriate, a weighted average of the exchange rates during the period; and all translation effects of exchange rate changes shall be included as a separate component (“cumulative translation adjustment”) of shareholder's equity. For purposes of this paragraph, the currency of an operation's primary economic environment is normally the currency in which cash is primarily generated and expended; a hyperinflationary environment is one that has cumulative inflation of approximately 100% or more over the most recent three year period. Departures from the methodology presented in this paragraph shall be quantified pursuant to Item 17(c)(2) of Form 20-F (§ 249.220f of this chapter).
(e) The issuer shall state its primary financial statements in the same currency for all periods for which financial information is presented. If the financial statements are stated in a currency that is different from that used in financial statements previously filed with the Commission, the issuer shall recast its financial statements as if the newly adopted currency had been used since at least the earliest period presented in the filing. The decision to change and the reason for the change in the reporting currency shall be disclosed in a note to the financial statements in the period in which the change occurs.
§ 210.3A-01   [Reserved]
§ 210.3A-02   Consolidated financial statements of the registrant and its subsidiaries.
In deciding upon consolidation policy, the registrant must consider what financial presentation is most meaningful in the circumstances and should follow in the consolidated financial statements principles of inclusion or exclusion which will clearly exhibit the financial position and results of operations of the registrant. There is a presumption that consolidated financial statements are more meaningful than separate financial statements and that they are usually necessary for a fair presentation when one entity directly or indirectly has a controlling financial interest in another entity. Other particular facts and circumstances may require combined financial statements, an equity method of accounting, or valuation allowances in order to achieve a fair presentation.
(a) Majority ownership: Among the factors that the registrant should consider in determining the most meaningful presentation is majority ownership. Generally, registrants shall consolidate entities that are majority owned and shall not consolidate entities that are not majority owned. The determination of majority ownership requires a careful analysis of the facts and circumstances of a particular relationship among entities. In rare situations, consolidation of a majority owned subsidiary may not result in a fair presentation, because the registrant, in substance, does not have a controlling financial interest (for example, when the subsidiary is in legal reorganization or in bankruptcy). In other situations, consolidation of an entity, notwithstanding the lack of technical majority ownership, is necessary to present fairly the financial position and results of operations of the registrant, because of the existence of a parent-subsidiary relationship by means other than record ownership of voting stock.
(b) [Reserved].
§ 210.3A-03   Statement as to principles of consolidation or combination followed.
(a) [Reserved]
(b) As to each consolidated financial statement and as to each combined financial statement, if there has been a change in the persons included or excluded in the corresponding statement for the preceding fiscal period filed with the Commission that has a material effect on the financial statements, the persons included and the persons excluded shall be disclosed.
§ 210.3A-04   [Reserved]
§ 210.4-01   Form, order, and terminology.
(a) Financial statements should be filed in such form and order, and should use such generally accepted terminology, as will best indicate their significance and character in the light of the provisions applicable thereto. The information required with respect to any statement shall be furnished as a minimum requirement to which shall be added such further material information as is necessary to make the required statements, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading.
(1) Financial statements filed with the Commission which are not prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles will be presumed to be misleading or inaccurate, despite footnote or other disclosures, unless the Commission has otherwise provided. This article and other articles of Regulation S-X provide clarification of certain disclosures which must be included in any event, in financial statements filed with the Commission.
(2) In all filings of foreign private issuers (see § 230.405 of this chapter), except as stated otherwise in the applicable form, the financial statements may be prepared according to a comprehensive set of accounting principles, other than those generally accepted in the United States or International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, if a reconciliation to U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and the provisions of Regulation S-X of the type specified in Item 18 of Form 20-F (§ 249.220f of this chapter) is also filed as part of the financial statements. Alternatively, the financial statements may be prepared according to U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles or International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board.
(b) All money amounts required to be shown in financial statements may be expressed in whole dollars or multiples thereof, as appropriate: Provided, That, when stated in other than whole dollars, an indication to that effect is inserted immediately beneath the caption of the statement or schedule, at the top of the money columns, or at an appropriate point in narrative material.
(c) Negative amounts (red figures) shall be shown in a manner which clearly distinguishes the negative attribute. When determining methods of display, consideration should be given to the limitations of reproduction and microfilming processes.
§ 210.4-02   Items not material.
If the amount which would otherwise be required to be shown with respect to any item is not material, it need not be separately set forth. The combination of insignificant amounts is permitted.
§ 210.4-03   Inapplicable captions and omission of unrequired or inapplicable financial statements.
(a) No caption should be shown in any financial statement as to which the items and conditions are not present.
(b) Financial statements not required or inapplicable because the required matter is not present need not be filed.
(c) The reasons for the omission of any required financial statements shall be indicated.
§ 210.4-04   Omission of substantially identical notes.
If a note covering substantially the same subject matter is required with respect to two or more financial statements relating to the same or affiliated persons, for which separate sets of notes are presented, the required information may be shown in a note to only one of such statements: Provided, That a clear and specific reference thereto is made in each of the other statements with respect to which the note is required.
§§ 210.4-05--210.4-06   [Reserved]
§ 210.4-07   Discount on shares.
Discount on shares, or any unamortized balance thereof, shall be shown separately as a deduction from the applicable account(s) as circumstances require.
§ 210.4-08   General notes to financial statements.
If applicable to the person for which the financial statements are filed, the following shall be set forth on the face of the appropriate statement or in appropriately captioned notes. The information shall be provided for each statement required to be filed, except that the information required by paragraphs (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f) of this section shall be provided as of the most recent audited balance sheet being filed and for paragraph (j) of this section as specified therein. When specific statements are presented separately, the pertinent notes shall accompany such statements unless cross-referencing is appropriate.
(a) [Reserved]
(b) Assets subject to lien. Assets mortgaged, pledged, or otherwise subject to lien, and the approximate amounts thereof, shall be designated and the obligations collateralized briefly identified.
(c) Defaults. The facts and amounts concerning any default in principal, interest, sinking fund, or redemption provisions with respect to any issue of securities or credit agreements, or any breach of covenant of a related indenture or agreement, which default or breach existed at the date of the most recent balance sheet being filed and which has not been subsequently cured, shall be stated in the notes to the financial statements. If a default or breach exists but acceleration of the obligation has been waived for a stated period of time beyond the date of the most recent balance sheet being filed, state the amount of the obligation and the period of the waiver.
(d) Preferred shares. Aggregate preferences on involuntary liquidation, if other than par or stated value, shall be shown parenthetically in the equity section of the balance sheet.
(e) Restrictions which limit the payment of dividends by the registrant. (1) Describe the most significant restrictions on the payment of dividends by the registrant, indicating their sources, their pertinent provisions, and the amount of retained earnings or net income restricted or free of restrictions.
(2) Disclose the amount of consolidated retained earnings which represents undistributed earnings of 50 percent or less owned persons accounted for by the equity method.
(3) The disclosures in paragraphs (e)(3)(i) and (ii) of this section shall be provided when material.
(i) Describe the nature of any restrictions on the ability of consolidated subsidiaries and unconsolidated subsidiaries to transfer funds to the registrant in the form of cash dividends, loans or advances ( i.e. , borrowing arrangements, regulatory restraints, foreign government, etc.).
(ii) Disclose separately the amounts of such restricted net assets for unconsolidated subsidiaries and consolidated subsidiaries as of the end of the most recently completed fiscal year.
(f) Significant changes in bonds, mortgages and similar debt. Any significant changes in the authorized amounts of bonds, mortgages and similar debt since the date of the latest balance sheet being filed for a particular person or group shall be stated.
(g) Summarized financial information of subsidiaries not consolidated and 50 percent or less owned persons. (1) The summarized information as to assets, liabilities and results of operations as detailed in § 210.1-02(bb) shall be presented in notes to the financial statements on an individual or group basis for:
(i) Subsidiaries not consolidated; or
(ii) For 50 percent or less owned persons accounted for by the equity method by the registrant or by a subsidiary of the registrant, if the criteria in § 210.1-02(w) for a significant subsidiary are met:
(A) Individually by any subsidiary not consolidated or any 50% or less owned person; or
(B) On an aggregated basis by any combination of such subsidiaries and persons.
(2) Summarized financial information shall be presented insofar as is practicable as of the same dates and for the same periods as the audited consolidated financial statements provided and shall include the disclosures prescribed by § 210.1-02(bb). Summarized information of subsidiaries not consolidated shall not be combined for disclosure purposes with the summarized information of 50 percent or less owned persons.
(h) Income tax expense. (1) Disclosure shall be made in the statement of comprehensive income, or a note thereto, of the components of income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit) as either domestic or foreign.
Amounts applicable to United States Federal income taxes, to foreign income taxes and the other income taxes shall be stated separately for each major component. Amounts applicable to foreign income (loss) and amounts applicable to foreign or other income taxes which are less than five percent of the total of income before taxes or the component of tax expense, respectively, need not be separately disclosed. For purposes of this note, foreign income (loss) is defined as income (loss) generated from a registrant's foreign operations, i.e., operations that are located outside of the registrant's home country.
(2) In the reconciliation between the amount of reported total income tax expense (benefit) and the amount computed by multiplying the income (loss) before tax by the applicable statutory Federal income tax rate, if no individual reconciling item amounts to more than five percent of the amount computed by multiplying the income before tax by the applicable statutory Federal income tax rate, and the total difference to be reconciled is less than five percent of such computed amount, no reconciliation need be provided unless it would be significant in appraising the trend of earnings. Reconciling items that are individually less than five percent of the computed amount may be aggregated in the reconciliation. Where the reporting person is a foreign entity, the income tax rate in that person's country of domicile should normally be used in making the above computation, but different rates should not be used for subsidiaries or other segments of a reporting entity. When the rate used by a reporting person is other than the United States Federal corporate income tax rate, the rate used and the basis for using such rate shall be disclosed.
(3) [Reserved]
(4) Price at which warrant or right is exercisable.
(i)-(j) [Reserved]
(k) Related party transactions that affect the financial statements. (1) Amounts of related party transactions should be stated on the face of the balance sheet, statement of comprehensive income, or statement of cash flows.
(2) In cases where separate financial statements are presented for the registrant, certain investees, or subsidiaries, any intercompany profits or losses resulting from transactions with related parties and the effects thereof shall be disclosed.
(l) [Reserved]
(m) Repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements —(1) Repurchase agreements (assets sold under agreements to repurchase). (i) If, as of the most recent balance sheet date, the carrying amount (or market value, if higher than the carrying amount or if there is no carrying amount) of the securities or other assets sold under agreements to repurchase ( repurchase agreements ) exceeds 10% of total assets, disclose separately in the balance sheet the aggregate amount of liabilities incurred pursuant to repurchase agreements including accrued interest payable thereon.
(ii)(A) If, as of the most recent balance sheet date, the carrying amount (or market value, if higher than the carrying amount) of securities or other assets sold under repurchase agreements, other than securities or assets specified in paragraph (m)(1)(ii)(B) of this section, exceeds 10% of total assets, disclose in an appropriately captioned footnote containing a tabular presentation, segregated as to type of such securities or assets sold under agreements to repurchase (e.g., U.S. Treasury obligations, U.S. Government agency obligations and loans), the following information as of the balance sheet date for each such agreement or group of agreements (other than agreements involving securities or assets specified in paragraph (m)(1)(ii)(B) of this section) maturing ( 1 ) overnight; ( 2 ) term up to 30 days; ( 3 ) term of 30 to 90 days; ( 4 ) term over 90 days and ( 5 ) demand:
( i ) The carrying amount and market value of the assets sold under agreement to repurchase, including accrued interest plus any cash or other assets on deposit under the repurchase agreements; and
( ii ) The repurchase liability associated with such transaction or group of transactions and the interest rate(s) thereon.
(B) For purposes of paragraph (m)(1)(ii)(A) of this section only, do not include securities or other assets for which unrealized changes in market value are reported in current income or which have been obtained under reverse repurchase agreements.
(iii) If, as of the most recent balance sheet date, the amount at risk under repurchase agreements with any individual counterparty or group of related counterparties exceeds 10% of stockholders' equity (or in the case of investment companies, net asset value), disclose the name of each such counterparty or group of related counterparties, the amount at risk with each, and the weighted average maturity of the repurchase agreements with each. The amount at risk under repurchase agreements is defined as the excess of carrying amount (or market value, if higher than the carrying amount or if there is no carrying amount) of the securities or other assets sold under agreement to repurchase, including accrued interest plus any cash or other assets on deposit to secure the repurchase obligation, over the amount of the repurchase liability (adjusted for accrued interest). (Cash deposits in connection with repurchase agreements shall not be reported as unrestricted cash pursuant to rule 5-02.1.)
(2) Reverse repurchase agreements (assets purchased under agreements to resell). (i) If, as of the most recent balance sheet date, the aggregate carrying amount of “reverse repurchase agreements” (securities or other assets purchased under agreements to resell) exceeds 10% of total assets:
(A) Disclose separately such amount in the balance sheet; and
(B) Disclose in an appropriately captioned footnote:
( 1 ) The registrant's policy with regard to taking possession of securities or other assets purchased under agreements to resell; and
( 2 ) Whether or not there are any provisions to ensure that the market value of the underlying assets remains sufficient to protect the registrant in the event of default by the counterparty and if so, the nature of those provisions.
(ii) If, as of the most recent balance sheet date, the amount at risk under reverse repurchase agreements with any individual counterparty or group of related counterparties exceeds 10% of stockholders' equity (or in the case of investment companies, net asset value), disclose the name of each such counterparty or group of related counterparties, the amount at risk with each, and the weighted average maturity of the reverse repurchase agreements with each. The amount at risk under reverse repurchase agreements is defined as the excess of the carrying amount of the reverse repurchase agreements over the market value of assets delivered pursuant to the agreements by the counterparty to the registrant (or to a third party agent that has affirmatively agreed to act on behalf of the registrant) and not returned to the counterparty, except in exchange for their approximate market value in a separate transaction.
(n) Accounting policies for certain derivative instruments. Disclosures regarding accounting policies shall include, to the extent material, where in the statement of cash flows derivative financial instruments, and their related gains and losses, as defined by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, are reported.
§ 210.4-9   [Reserved]