16 CFR § 803.5 - Affidavits required.

§ 803.5 Affidavits required.

(a)

(1) Section 801.30 acquisitions. For acquisitions to which § 801.30 applies, the notification required by the Act from each acquiring person shall contain an affidavit, attached to the front of the notification, or with the DVD submission, attesting that the issuer or unincorporated entity whose voting securities or non-corporate interests are to be acquired has received written notice delivered to an officer (or a person exercising similar functions in the case of an entity without officers) by email, certified or registered mail, wire, or hand delivery, at its principal executive offices, of:

(i) The identity of the acquiring person;

(ii) The fact that the acquiring person intends to acquire voting securities or non-corporate interests of the issuer or unincorporated entity;

(iii) The specific classes of voting securities or non-corporate interests of the issuer or unincorporated entity sought to be acquired; and if known, the number of voting securities or non-corporate interests of each such class that would be held by the acquiring person as a result of the acquisition or, if the number of voting securities is not known in the case of an issuer, the specific notification threshold that the acquiring person intends to meet or exceed; and, if designated by the acquiring person, a higher threshold for additional voting securities it may hold in the year following the expiration of the waiting period;

(iv) The fact that the acquisition may be subject to the act, and that the acquiring person will file notification under the act with the Federal Trade Commission and Assistant Attorney General;

(v) The anticipated date of receipt of such notification under § 803.10(c); and

(vi) The fact that the person within which the issuer or unincorporated entity is included may be required to file notification under the act.

Example to paragraph (a)(1)(vi):
1. Company A intends to acquire voting securities of Company B. “A” sends, via email, a notice letter to a general email account, information@CompanyB.com. “A” has not provided sufficient notice. Alternatively, “A” sends, via email, a notice letter to “B's” President, Jane Doe, at Jane.Doe@CompanyB.com. “A” has provided email notice to a specific officer of “B.”

(2) The affidavit required by this paragraph must also state the good faith intention of the person filing notification to make the acquisition, and, in the case of a tender offer, that the intention to make the tender offer has been publicly announced.

Examples to paragraph (a)(2)
1. This paragraph permits the tender offeror to file notification at any time after the intention to make the tender offer has been publicly announced.

In examples 2–5 assume that one percent of B's shares are valued at $15 million.

2. “A” holds 100,000 shares of the voting securities of Company B. “A” has a good faith intention to acquire an additional 900,000 shares of Company B's voting securities. “A” states in its notice to B, inter alia, that as a result of the acquisition it will hold 1,000,000 shares. If 1,000,000 shares of Company B represent 20 percent of Company B's outstanding voting securities, the statement will be deemed by the enforcement agencies a notification for the $100 million threshold (as adjusted).

3. Company A intends to acquire voting securities of Company B. “A” does not know exactly how many shares it will acquire, but it knows it will definitely acquire in excess of $50 million (as adjusted) worth and may acquire 50 percent of Company B's shares. “A”'s notice to the acquired person would meet the requirements of Sec. 803.5(a)(1)(iii) if it states, inter alia, either: “Company A has a present good faith intention to acquire in excess of $50 million (as adjusted) of the outstanding voting securities of Company B, and depending on market conditions, may acquire more of the voting securities of Company B and thus designates the 50 percent threshold,” or “Company A has a present good faith intention to acquire in excess of $50 million (as adjusted) of the outstanding voting securities of Company B, and depending on market conditions may acquire 50 percent or more of the voting securities of Company B.” The Commission would deem either of these statements as intending to give notice for the 50 percent threshold.

4. “A” states, inter alia, that, “depending on market conditions, it may acquire 100 percent of the shares of B.” “A”'s notice does not comply with § 803.5 because it does not state an intent to meet or exceed any notification threshold. “A” 's filing will be considered deficient within the meaning of § 803.10(c)(2).

5. “A” states, inter alia, that it has commenced a tender offer for “up to 55 percent of the outstanding voting securities of Company B.” “A” 's notice does not comply with § 803.5 because use of the term “up to” does not state an intent to meet or exceed any notification threshold. The filing will therefore be considered deficient within the meaning of § 803.10 (c)(2).

(3) The affidavit required by this paragraph must have attached to it a copy of the written notice received by the acquired person pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of this section. For DVD filings, the written notice (in a form specified in the instructions) must be included on the DVD.

(b) Non-section 801.30 acquisitions. For acquisitions to which § 801.30 does not apply, the notification required by the act shall contain an affidavit, attached to the front of the notification, or with the DVD submission, attesting that a contract, agreement in principle or letter of intent to merge or acquire has been executed, and further attesting to the good faith intention of the person filing notification to complete the transaction.

[43 FR 33548, July 31, 1978, as amended at 48 FR 34439, July 29, 1983; 52 FR 7082, Mar. 6, 1987; 66 FR 8695, Feb. 1, 2001; 70 FR 4996, Jan. 31, 2005; 71 FR 35998, June 23, 2006; 76 FR 42483, July 19, 2011; 81 FR 60259, Sept. 1, 2016; 83 FR 32771, July 16, 2018]