250.40—Exemption of certain acquisitions from nonaffiliates.
(a)
Section 9(a) (49 Stat. 817; 15 U.S.C. 79i ), shall not apply to the acquisition, from a person other than an associate or affiliate of the acquiring company or an affiliate of an associate company, of any of the securities (excluding securities issued by the acquiring company) as specified below:
(1) Readily marketable securities.
Any bond or other evidence of indebtedness issued by any nonassociate company which qualifies as a legal investment for trust funds or for saving banks under the laws of New York, Pennsylvania or Massachusetts, if after giving effect to such acquisition the acquiring company, together with its associate companies, will not own more than 5 percent of the particular class of such securities.
(2) Commercial paper and similar securities.
Any prime commercial paper, trade acceptance or bank certificate of deposit maturing within 12 months from the date of issuance or payable in not more than 60 days after demand.
(3) Acquisitions resulting from previous ownership of securities.
Securities received as a dividend, or in renewal of an evidence of indebtedness, or pursuant to the exercise of preemptive right or conversion privilege, or as a result of any reclassification, general exchange offer or reorganization: Provided, That no exemption shall be available under this paragraph as to the acquisition of any voting securities or securities convertible into voting securities if after giving effect to such acquisition the acquiring company will, directly or indirectly, own, control, or hold 5 percent or more of the particular class of such securities.
(4) Securities acquired in connection with routine business transactions.
In the ordinary course of the acquiring company's business (other than the business of a holding company or investment company as such), any evidence of indebtedness executed by its customers in consideration of utility or other services by such company or executed in connection with the sale of goods or of real property other than utility assets. 3
Code of Federal Regulations
Footnote(s): 3 See, also, § 250.48 for exemption concerning the acquisition of appliance paper in connection with the sale of electric or gas appliances.
(5) Securities of local enterprises.
Any security issued by an industrial or other nonutility enterprise located in the service territory of the acquiring public-utility company or, if the acquiring company is not a public-utility company, in the service territory of the registered holding-company system: Provided,
(i)
The total cost of acquisitions by the acquiring company of securities of industrial development companies organized for the purpose of, and in accordance with a State law that specifically relates to, promoting the development of business and industry in such state does not exceed an annual aggregate amount of $5 million, and
(ii)
The total cost of acquisitions of securities of other local industrial or nonutility enterprises does not exceed an annual aggregate amount of $1 million. In no event, however, will the above exemption apply where, by reason of such acquisition, the acquiring company would become an affiliate of the issuer.
(6) Small minority interests.
Any security of any subsidiary company, if prior to such acquisition the acquiring company owns 95 percent or more of the outstanding securities of the class acquired.
(b)
Section 9(a) (49 Stat. 817; 15 U.S.C. 79i) shall not apply to the acquisition of any securities of a mutual or subsidiary service company: Provided, That such acquisition is in accordance with a program as to ownership of securities of such service company which the Commission has found to meet the requirements of section 13 (49 Stat. 825; 15 U.S.C. 79m) of the Act.
(c)
Section 9(a)(1) shall not apply to the acquisition of securities of a company whose principal business is the ownership and/or licensing of trade names, trade-marks and service marks used by public-utility companies in the ordinary course of their business and the preparation, distribution and/or sale of material and services related wholly to such names and marks.
(d)
Section 9(a)(2) shall not apply to the acquisition by a person who is neither a registered holding company, nor a subsidiary company thereof, of securities owned by a registered holding company, or subsidiary thereof, which are the subject of a divestment order under section 11(b), where such securities constitute all the vendor's interest in a company which does not operate any utility assets and which is a public-utility company only by reason of the ownership of a reversionary interest in utility assets: Provided, That such utility assets are operated under lease by a company which is not an affiliate of either the vendor or of the vendee, and the Commission finds that by reason of the duration of the lease, the ownership by the lessee of securities of the lessor and similar matters, there is no substantial probability of the lessor resuming operation of said utility assets. Such finding of the Commission may be made in connection with an application by the vendor company with respect to such sale.