Advertising for private-placement securities offerings has been given the green light to move forward following approval by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) last week.
In a 4-1 vote, the SEC’s action opens the door for private-equity funds, hedge funds and brokers selling unregistered securities to market the investments to the general public.
Sales will be limited to accredited investors, who are defined as individuals with a net worth of at least $1 million, excluding the value of their home, or earn at least $200,000 annually. Nearly 9 million U.S. households meet the net-wealth criteria to be accredited investors.
As reported July 14 by Investment News, as the general public is introduced to private-securities offerings through advertising, investment advisers are likely to see more demand from clients who want to take advantage of such opportunities. That then puts the onus on advisers to evaluate these often-risky and complex investments and decide whether their clients have the sophistication to thoroughly understand the risks they are taking on.
“It does put more onus on an adviser to make sure someone is an appropriate investor,” said Jennifer Openshaw, president of Finect, a compliant social-media network for the financial industry, in the Investment News story.
“Today, it’s easy to meet the $1 million threshold as an accredited investor,” she added. “But that doesn’t mean they’re sophisticated.”
The SEC’s ruling implements a provision of a law that was enacted in April 2012 – the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act. The measure eases securities regulations for small companies.
Supporters of the law say it will help entrepreneurs raise capital. Critics, however, contend that the SEC is lifting the advertising ban without including sufficient measures to protect investors. In response to those concerns, SEC Chairman Mary Jo White recently offered a separate regulatory proposal designed to tighten the rules surrounding private-placement solicitation.
The one dissenter of the SEC who voted against dropping the 80-year-old ban on advertising is skeptical about the potential investor safeguards.
“Any protections from today’s proposal will come too late – if they ever come at all – for investors,” said SEC member Luis A. Aguilar. Aguilar added that the SEC is moving “recklessly” and is “allowing fraudsters to cast a wider net” through private-placement advertising.
A. Heath Abshure, Arkansas’ securities commissioner and president of the North American Securities Administrators Association, echoes those sentiments.
“The decision to lift the ban without simultaneous adoption of appropriate limits, guidance and investor protections for the most common product leading to enforcement actions by state securities regulators underscores the prospect that investors and issuers alike will be exposed to an indeterminate gap in protection,” Abshure said in a statement.