Tagged: coronavirus

Corporate / Tax

COVID-19 Delays EIN Process for Canadian Applicants

Current closures at the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) have caused significant delays in obtaining an Employer Identification Number (“EIN”) for some U.S. businesses formed by Canadians, including new U.S. subsidiaries formed by Canadian companies. An EIN is a nine-digit number that the IRS assigns to businesses, which is necessary for many essential tasks, including making U.S. federal tax filings, hiring employees, or opening and maintaining a U.S. bank account. Applicants with a “U.S. Responsible Party” (i.e., a CEO, CFO, or President with a U.S. Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) are generally able to obtain an EIN through the IRS’ online application portal, which remains open. Most applicants lacking a U.S....

Capital Markets / Securities

NASDAQ and NYSE Provide Temporary Relief from Certain Continued Listing Requirements

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, NASDAQ and NYSE are providing temporary relief from certain continued listing standards. As of now, NYSE American has not provided similar relief from its continued listing standards as a result of COVID-19. Specifically, NASDAQ is providing relief from the continued listing bid price ($1.00) and market value of publicly held shares listing requirements through June 30, 2020. While NASDAQ will continue to notify companies about new instances of non-compliance with bid price and market value of publicly held shares requirements during this period, compliance periods for any newly identified non-compliance will not begin until July 1, 2020. In addition, the compliance periods for any company previously notified...

Capital Markets / Securities

SEC Issues Guidance on COVID-19 Disclosures and Other Matters

On March 25, the SEC issued CF Disclosure Guidance Topic No. 9 that provides the Division of Corporation Finance’s current views regarding disclosure and other securities law obligations that companies should consider with respect to COVID-19 and related business and market disruptions. In the guidance, the SEC recognizes that it may be difficult to assess or predict with precision the broad effects of COVID-19 on industries or individual companies. Never the less, the guidance is clear that the SEC considers COVID-19 developments to be material and that public companies have an obligation to address these risks even as the business risks are evolving and impacts on a specific company are uncertain. As a...

Capital Markets / General / Securities

SEC Reminds Companies of Disclosure Obligations Relating to Coronavirus

In connection with the order issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 4 providing filing relief for companies that are affected by the coronavirus, the Commission reminded all companies to be vigilant regarding their disclosure obligations related to the evolving coronavirus scenario. A company’s assessment of, and plans for addressing, material risks to its business and operations resulting from the coronavirus can be material to investors, and companies are encouraged, to the fullest extent practicable, to keep investors and markets informed of material developments. As a reminder, under the federal securities laws: When a company has become aware of a risk related to the coronavirus that would be material to its...