Securities Lawyer's Deskbook                          published by The University of Cincinnati College of Law

Rule 481 -- Information Required in Prospectuses

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1. Facing page. Indicate the approximate date of the proposed sale of the securities to the public.
   
   
2. Outside front cover page. If applicable, include the following in plain English as required by Rule 421(d):
   
   
   1. Commission legend. Provide a legend that indicates that the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved of the securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of the disclosure in the prospectus and that any contrary representation is a criminal offense. The legend may be in one of the following or other clear and concise language:
      
      Example A: The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
      
      Example B: The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
      
      
   2. "Subject to Completion" legend.
      
      
      1. If a prospectus or Statement of Additional Information will be used before the effective date of the registration statement, include on the outside front cover page of the prospectus or Statement of Additional Information, a prominent statement that:
         
         
         1. The information in the prospectus or Statement of Additional Information will be amended or completed;
            
            
         2. A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission;
            
            
         3. The securities may not be sold until the registration statement becomes effective; and
            
            
         4. In a prospectus, that the prospectus is not an offer to sell the securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy the securities in any state where offers or sales are not permitted, or in a Statement of Additional Information, that the Statement of Additional Information is not a prospectus.
            
            
      2. The legend may be in the following language or other clear and understandable language:
         
         

         The information in this prospectus (or Statement of Additional Information) is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus (or Statement of Additional Information) is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

         
         
      3. In the case of a prospectus that omits pricing information under Rule 430A, provide the information and legend in paragraph (b)(2) of this section if the prospectus or Statement of Additional Information is used before the initial public offering price is determined.
         
         
3. Table of contents. Include on either the outside front, inside front, or outside back cover page of the prospectus, a reasonably detailed table of contents. It must show the page number of the various sections or subdivisions of the prospectus. Include this table of contents immediately following the cover page in any prospectus delivered electronically.
   
   
4. Stabilization and other transactions.
   
   
   1. Indicate on the front cover page of the prospectus if the underwriter has any arrangement with the issuer, such as an over-allotment option, under which the underwriter may purchase additional shares in connection with the offering, and state the amount of additional shares the underwriter may purchase under the arrangement. Provide disclosure in the prospectus that briefly describes any transaction that the underwriter intends to conduct during the offering that stabilizes, maintains, or otherwise affects the market price of the offered securities. Include information on stabilizing transactions, syndicate short covering transactions, penalty bids, or any other transactions that affect the offered security's price. Describe the nature of the transactions clearly and explain how the transactions affect the offered security's price. Identify the exchange or other market on which these transactions may occur. If true, disclose that the underwriter may discontinue these transactions at any time;
      
      
   2. If the stabilizing began before the effective date of the registration statement, disclose in the prospectus the amount of securities bought, the prices at which they were bought and the period within which they were bought. In the event that Rule 430A is used, the prospectus filed under Rule 497(h) or included in a post-effective amendment must contain information on the stabilizing transactions that took place before the determination of the public offering price shown in the prospectus; and
      
      
   3. If you are making a warrant or rights offering of securities to existing security holders and the securities not purchased by existing security holders are to be reoffered to the public, disclose in the prospectus used in connection with the reoffering:
      
      
      1. The amount of securities bought in stabilization activities during the offering period and the price or range of prices at which the securities were bought;
         
         
      2. The amount of the offered securities subscribed for during the offering period;
         
         
      3. The amount of the offered securities subscribed for by the underwriters during the offering period;
         
         
      4. The amount of the offered securities sold during the offering period by the underwriters and the price or range of prices at which the securities were sold; and
         
         
      5. The amount of the offered securities to be reoffered to the public and the public offering price.
         
         
5. Dealer prospectus delivery obligations. On the outside back cover page of the prospectus, advise dealers of their prospectus delivery obligation, including the expiration date specified by Section 4(3) of the Act and Rule 174. If the expiration date is not known on the effective date of the registration statement, include the expiration date in the copy of the prospectus filed under Rule 497. This information need not be included if dealers are not required to deliver a prospectus under Rule 174 or Section 24(d) of the Investment Company Act of 1940. Use the following or other clear, plain language:
   
   
   Dealer Prospectus Delivery Obligation
   

   Until (insert date), all dealers that effect transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers' obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.

   
   
   
6. Electronic distribution. Where a prospectus is distributed through an electronic medium, issuers may satisfy legibility requirements applicable to printed documents, such as paper size, type size and font, bold-face type, italics and red ink, by presenting all required information in a format readily communicated to investors, and where indicated, in a manner reasonably calculated to draw investor attention to specific information.

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