REGULATION FD -

Beginning in 1999 and continuing into 2000, media reports about selective disclosure of material nonpublic information by issuers raised concerns that select market professionals who were privy to this information profited at the expense of others. A consensus began to emerge that selective disclosure (1) adversely affects market integrity (to a similar extent as insider trading does) and (2) allows issuers to use nonpublic information unfairly to gain favor with analysts or investors.

In response to the perceived threat presented by selective disclosure of material nonpublic information, by issuers, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted Regulation Fair Disclosure (“Regulation FD”) in 2000. Regulation FD requires an issuer that discloses material nonpublic information to certain individuals (generally holders of the issuer’s securities and securities market professionals) to also make the information publicly available. The required timing of the public disclosure depends on whether the issuer selectively disclosed the information intentionally or not. For an intentional selective disclosure, the issuer must simultaneously present the material to the public. If the issuer made the selective disclosure unintentionally, it must promptly disclose the information to the public.