Definition, Purpose, and Filing Requirements

Table of Contents

What Is SEC Form S-4?

SEC Form S-4 is filed by means of a publicly traded company with the Securities and Exchange Price (SEC). It is required to enroll any matter subject material wisdom related to a merger or acquisition. In addition to, the form could also be filed by means of companies provide procedure an industry offer, where securities are offered somewhat than cash.

Key Takeaways:

  • SEC Form S-4 is filed by means of a publicly traded company to enroll any matter subject material wisdom related to a merger or acquisition.
  • For adversarial takeovers, consumers think that stock prices will industry at a most sensible magnificence, and companies searching for a adversarial takeover of another company must file form S-4 throughout the interests of public disclosure.
  • The SEC requires that Form S-4 include wisdom regarding the words of the transaction, likelihood parts, ratios, pro-forma financial wisdom, and matter subject material contracts with the company being were given.

Working out SEC Form S-4

SEC Form S-4 is also known as the Registration Commentary beneath the Securities Exchange Act of 1933. (The Securities Exchange Act of 1933, frequently referred to as the “reality in securities” legislation, requires that the ones registration paperwork provide an important knowledge and are filed to reveal necessary wisdom upon registration of a company’s securities.)

Public or reporting companies must put up Form S-4 to the Securities and Exchange Price (SEC) relating to mergers, acquisitions, or stock industry supplies. Mergers happen when companies need to deplete, unite efforts, switch into some new segments, or succeed in higher revenues and source of revenue to maximize stakeholder value. Once a merger is done, the new shares are distributed to provide shareholders of every merging companies. An industry offer typically happens in bankruptcy cases, when an organization or financial entity exchanges securities for an similar ones at a lot much less rigid words.

Types of Merger that Require Form S-4

All mergers require SEC Form S-4 filing. For example, listed below are 5 usual forms of merger.

Conglomerate mergers. The ones mergers comprise two unrelated companies when it comes to business who join with the intention to make larger their provide markets.

Congeneric Mergers. In this type of merger, the firms occupy the identical market. The merger creates efficiencies or economies of scale given that companies may use the identical raw materials, era, & R&D processes.

Market Extension Mergers. Proper right here, the firms that are merging may have an similar products running in a lot of markets. The target for all occasions is to make larger into new markets.

Horizontal Mergers. The merging occasions are pageant inside the identical industry. The target of the merger is to make larger market share.

Vertical Mergers. Vertical mergers occur for supply chain reasons. One company is maximum ceaselessly a supplier to the other, and the merger reduces the costs of the total product.

Adverse Takeovers

If a merger or takeover is adversarial, consumers think that stock prices will industry at a most sensible magnificence. Because of this reality, throughout the interests of disclosure, companies searching for a adversarial takeover of another company must file form S-4 to provide public perceive.

For an M&A transaction, the SEC requires that Form S-4 include wisdom with regards to, inter alia, the words of the transaction, likelihood parts, ratio of source of revenue to fixed charges and other ratios, pro-forma financial wisdom, matter subject material contracts with the company being were given, additional information required for reoffering by means of folks and occasions deemed to be underwriters, and interests of named experts and recommend.

Exact World Example

On Dec. 22, 2015, Marriott World filed a Form S-4 describing its proposed combination with Starwood Hotel & Resorts World. The 192-page document, with the exception of appendices, contains whole details of the proposed transaction, which in spite of everything closed on Sept. 23, 2016. For consumers, at the side of the pro-forma figures and valuation numbers of the transaction, perhaps one of the vital eye-catching sections of the filing are the reasons given by means of each company for the combination and the timeline of the deal and the way in which and when the deal were given right here together.

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