15 U.S.C. § 78n
Proxies
Unless proxies, consents, or authorizations in respect of a security registered pursuant to section 78l of this title, or a security issued by an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a–1 et seq.], are solicited by or on behalf of the management of the issuer from the holders of record of such security in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed under subsection (a) of this section, prior to any annual or other meeting of the holders of such security, such issuer shall, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission, file with the Commission and transmit to all holders of record of such security information substantially equivalent to the information which would be required to be transmitted if a solicitation were made, but no information shall be required to be filed or transmitted pursuant to this subsection before
It shall be unlawful for any person to make any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading, or to engage in any fraudulent, deceptive, or manipulative acts or practices, in connection with any tender offer or request or invitation for tenders, or any solicitation of security holders in opposition to or in favor of any such offer, request, or invitation. The Commission shall, for the purposes of this subsection, by rules and regulations define, and prescribe means reasonably designed to prevent, such acts and practices as are fraudulent, deceptive, or manipulative.
If, pursuant to any arrangement or understanding with the person or persons acquiring securities in a transaction subject to subsection (d) of this section or subsection (d) of section 78m of this title, any persons are to be elected or designated as directors of the issuer, otherwise than at a meeting of security holders, and the persons so elected or designated will constitute a majority of the directors of the issuer, then, prior to the time any such person takes office as a director, and in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission, the issuer shall file with the Commission, and transmit to all holders of record of securities of the issuer who would be entitled to vote at a meeting for election of directors, information substantially equivalent to the information which would be required by subsection (a) or (c) of this section to be transmitted if such person or persons were nominees for election as directors at a meeting of such security holders.
The Commission may, consistent with the public interest, the protection of investors, and the purposes of this chapter, exempt by rule or order any security or class of securities, any transaction or class of transactions, or any person or class of persons, in whole or in part, conditionally or unconditionally, from the requirements imposed pursuant to paragraph (1) or from the definition contained in paragraph (4).
Nothing in this subsection limits the authority of the Commission under subsection (a) or (d) or any other provision of this chapter or precludes the Commission from imposing, under subsection (a) or (d) or any other provision of this chapter, a remedy or procedure required to be imposed under this subsection.
The Commission shall, by rule, require each issuer to disclose in any proxy or consent solicitation material for an annual meeting of the shareholders of the issuer a clear description of any compensation required to be disclosed by the issuer under section 229.402 of title 17, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor thereto), including, for any issuer other than an emerging growth company, information that shows the relationship between executive compensation actually paid and the financial performance of the issuer, taking into account any change in the value of the shares of stock and dividends of the issuer and any distributions. The disclosure under this subsection may include a graphic representation of the information required to be disclosed.
The Commission shall, by rule, adopt data standards for all information contained in any proxy or consent solicitation material prepared by an issuer for an annual meeting of the shareholders of the issuer, except that the Commission may exempt exhibits, signatures, and certifications from those data standards.
The data standards required under paragraph (1) shall incorporate, and ensure compatibility with (to the extent feasible), all applicable data standards established in the rules promulgated under section 5334 of title 12, including, to the extent practicable, by having the characteristics described in clauses (i) through (vi) of subsection (c)(1)(B) of such section 5334.
This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (b) and (h)(1)(A), (2), (3), was in the original “this title”. See References in Text note set out under section 78a of this title.
The Investment Company Act of 1940, referred to in subsecs. (b)(1), (c), (d)(1), and (g)(1)(A), is title I of act Aug. 22, 1940, ch. 686, 54 Stat. 789, which is classified generally to subchapter I (§ 80a–1 et seq.) of chapter 2D of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 80a–51 of this title and Tables.
The Securities Act of 1933, referred to in subsec. (h)(5)(C), is act May 27, 1933, ch. 38, title I, 48 Stat. 74, which is classified generally to subchapter I (§ 77a et seq.) of chapter 2A of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 77a of this title and Tables.
2022—Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 117–263 added subsec. (k).
2012—Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 112–106 inserted “, for any issuer other than an emerging growth company,” after “including”.
2010—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 111–203, § 971(a), designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).
Subsec. (g)(1)(A). Pub. L. 111–203, § 991(b)(3)(A), substituted “paragraph (4)” for “paragraphs (5) and (6)” in cls. (i) and (ii).
Subsec. (g)(3). Pub. L. 111–203, § 991(b)(3)(B), substituted “paragraph (4)” for “paragraphs (5) and (6)”.
Subsec. (g)(4) to (6). Pub. L. 111–203, § 991(b)(3)(C), (D), added pars. (4) to (6) and struck out former pars. (4) to (6) which related to deposit and crediting of fees as offsetting collections, annual adjustment of rates, and final rate adjustment, respectively.
Subsec. (g)(8) to (11). Pub. L. 111–203, § 991(b)(3)(E), (F), redesignated par. (11) as (8) and struck out former pars. (8) to (10) which related to review and effective date of adjusted rate, collection of fees upon lapse of appropriation, and publication of rate, respectively.
Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 111–203, § 953(a), added subsec. (i).
Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 111–203, § 955, added subsec. (j).
2002—Subsec. (g)(1)(A)(i), (ii), (3). Pub. L. 107–123, § 6(1), substituted “a fee at a rate that, subject to paragraphs (5) and (6), is equal to $92 per $1,000,000 of” for “a fee of 1⁄50 of 1 per centum of”.
Subsec. (g)(4) to (11). Pub. L. 107–123, § 6(2), (3), added pars. (4) to (10) and redesignated former par. (4) as (11).
1998—Subsec. (g)(4). Pub. L. 105–353 substituted “consolidation, sale,” for “consolidation sale,”.
1993—Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 103–202 added subsec. (h).
1990—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 101–550, § 302(a), substituted “section 78l of this title, or any security issued by an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940,” for “section 78l of this title” and “authorization, or information statement” for “or authorization”.
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–550, § 302(b), substituted “title, or a security issued by an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940,” for “title”.
1985—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 99–222 designated existing provision as par. (1), inserted “or any bank, association, or other entity that exercises fiduciary powers,” after “under this chapter,”, and added par. (2).
1983—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 98–38 added subsec. (g).
1970—Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 91–567, § 3, included equity securities of an insurance company which would have been required to be registered except for the exemption contained in section 78l(g)(2)(G) of this title, and substituted “5 per centum” for “10 per centum”.
Subsec. (d)(8). Pub. L. 91–567, § 4, struck out cl. (A) which excluded offers for, or invitations for tenders of, securities proposed to be made by means of a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, and redesignated cls. (B) to (D) as (A) to (C), respectively.
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 91–567, § 5, inserted provisions requiring the Commission, for the purposes of the subsection, by rules and regulations to define, and prescribe means reasonably designed to prevent, such acts and practices as are fraudulent, deceptive, or manipulative.
1968—Subsecs. (d) to (f). Pub. L. 90–439 added subsecs. (d) to (f).
1964—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 88–467, § 5(a), substituted provisions which make it unlawful for any person, in contravention of the Commission’s rules and regulations, to solicit, or to permit the use of his name to solicit, proxies in respect of any security registered pursuant to section 78l of this title for former provisions which limited the Commission’s rulemaking authority to proxies relating to securities listed and registered on a national securities exchange.
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 88–467, § 5(b), substituted provisions which make it unlawful for members of a national securities exchange and brokers and dealers registered under this chapter, in contravention of such rules as may be prescribed by the Commission, to give, or to refrain from giving proxies, consents, and other authorizations in respect of any security registered under section 78l of this title carried for the account of customers for former provisions which limited the Commission’s rulemaking authority only to the giving of proxies in respect to listed securities carried for the account of customers by members of the national securities exchanges and by brokers or dealers who conduct business through the medium of an exchange member, and deleted the reference to brokers and dealers who transacted business through the medium of an exchange member as being now covered by brokers and dealers registered under this chapter.
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 88–467, § 5(c), added subsec. (c).
Amendment by sections 953(a), 955, and 971(a) of Pub. L. 111–203 effective 1 day after
Amendment by section 991(b)(3) of Pub. L. 111–203 effective
Amendment by Pub. L. 107–123 effective
Pub. L. 101–550, title III, § 303,
Pub. L. 99–222, § 3,
Amendment by Pub. L. 88–467 effective
Pub. L. 111–203, title IX, § 971(b), (c),
[For definitions of terms used in section 971(b), (c) of Pub. L. 111–203, set out above, see section 5301 of Title 12, Banks and Banking.]
Pub. L. 103–202, title III, § 302(b),
Amendment by Pub. L. 117–263 not to be construed to require certain additional information to be collected or disclosed, see section 5826 of Pub. L. 117–263, set out as a note under section 77g of this title.
Amendment by Pub. L. 103–202 not to limit authority of Securities and Exchange Commission, a registered securities association, or a national securities exchange under any provision of this chapter or preclude the Commission or such association or exchange from imposing a remedy or procedure required to be imposed under such amendment, see section 304(b) of Pub. L. 103–202, set out in an Effective Date of 1993 Amendment note under section 78f of this title.
Pub. L. 104–290, title V, § 510(b),
Pub. L. 103–202, title III, § 302(c),
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For transfer of functions of Securities and Exchange Commission, with certain exceptions, to Chairman of such Commission, see Reorg. Plan No. 10 of 1950, §§ 1, 2, eff.