In their study and accompanying paper, “The Jobs Act Did Not Raise IPO Underpricing” Omri Even-Tov, Panos N. Patatoukas and Young S. Yoon, review the effects of the JOBS Act on emerging growth company (EGCs) IPOs. The JOBS Act was signed into law in 2012, now ten years ago, and, among other things
De-SPACing—Accounting and Securities Law Considerations
February 25, 2021 Webinar
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. EST
Register here.
A SPAC’s initial business combination is often referred to as a de-SPACing transaction. While this is generally a merger, this is not your typical public company merger. A target company’s management and advisors will need to plan ahead and prepare the disclosures…
A Deep Dive Into Capital Raising Alternatives: IFLR’s New Book and Free Webinars

In the International Financial Law Review’s latest publication, A Deep Dive Into Capital Raising Alternatives, Mayer Brown provides context on the changes in market structure and market dynamics that led to the enactment of the JOBS Act. Specifically, the trend for many private companies to remain private longer, defer or dispense with traditional…
SEC Small Entity Compliance Guide on Testing the Waters
The SEC’s amendment to the test-the-waters provisions, extending the ability to test-the-waters to issuers that are not emerging growth companies (“EGCs”), is now effective. The guide summarizes the provisions of new Rule 163B. Under the new rule, any issuer, or person authorized to act on behalf of the issuer (including an underwriter), may engage in…
EGC IPOs and IPO Registration Statement Trends in 2019
IPOs in 2019 have raised more capital across a smaller number of deals, as we have previously blogged. EY’s recent Trends in US IPO Registration Statements report notes that the US Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has prioritized increasing access to the public capital markets in an environment where more companies are staying private longer.…
Legal Update: Testing the Waters for All – New Rule 163B Expands TTW to All Issuers
On September 26, 2019, the US Securities and Exchange Commission extended the ability to test the waters to all issuers by adopting the highly anticipated new Rule 163B under the Securities Act of 1933 (the Securities Act). The new rule allows any issuer, or any person acting on the issuer’s behalf, to engage in test…
SEC’s Proposed Expansion of Testing-the-Waters Communications: First Analysis
In this Lexis Practice Advisor® Practice Note, we discuss the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) proposed rule that would expand the permitted use of “testing-the-waters” communications from emerging growth companies (EGCs) only to all issuers, regardless of size or reporting status. Proposed by the SEC on February 19, 2019, Rule 163B under the Securities…
Legal Update: Testing the Waters for All? Proposed New Rule Would Expand Accommodation to All Issuers
Since the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act was enacted in 2012, emerging growth companies (EGCs) have benefited from the opportunity to test the waters with investors and gauge interest in a potential offering. Title I of the JOBS Act amended Section 5 of the Securities Act of 1933 (the Securities Act) in order to…
SEC Proposes to Expand “Test the Waters” Modernization Reform to All Issuers
The Securities and Exchange Commission took the long-awaited step of proposing rules for comment that would extend the ability to test the waters beyond emerging growth companies, or EGCs. This topic, of extending the test the waters communications, had been the subject of proposed legislation in the last session of Congress and had made its…
SIFMA Insights: US Equity Capital Formation Primer
In November 2018, SIFMA published another primer in its recently introduced series on capital formation–this one titled “An exploration of the IPO process and listings exchanges”. The primer provides interesting statistics on IPO trends.
The primer notes the decline in the number of US listed companies. The number of listed companies peaked in 1996 at…

