Tom Field: What Are The Advantages Of Private Placement?

The private placement definition is the process of raising capital directly from institutional investors. A company that does not have access to or does not wish to make use of public capital markets can issue stocks, bonds, or other financial instruments directly to institutional investors. Private placement occurs when a company makes an offering of securities to an individual or a small group of investors. Since such an offering does not qualify as a public sale of securities, it does not need to be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and is exempt from the usual reporting requirements. Private placements are generally considered a cost-effective way for small businesses to raise capital without going public through an initial public offering (IPO). Institutional investors include the following:

• Mutual funds,
• Pension funds
• Insurance companies
• Large banks
You do not have to register private placement issuances with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In addition, you do not have to provide a detailed prospectus. The issuing company and the purchasing investors negotiates the terms and conditions are negotiated. You cannot trade private placement securities on public markets, but they can be traded privately among institutional investors after they have been issued by the issuing company. A private placement is in contrast to a public offering, which is issued in public capital markets, requires a detailed prospectus, must be registered with the SEC, and can be traded by the investing public in the secondary markets.

Advantages of Private Placement

Many business owners like the idea of raising cash via an initial public offering, but the expense and complexity of going public usually make it impractical for most small businesses. A simpler, less expensive alternative to raise capital and still maintain a high degree of control over the distribution of shares is a private placement. A private placement is similar to an IPO except that rather than being sold to the general public, ownership shares are sold to a small group of private investors, usually large banks, mutual funds, insurance companies, and pension funds. Also known as nonpublic offerings, most private placements do not have to be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

In addition, businesses do not typically need to disclose detailed financial information, and the need for a prospectus is often waived. For these and other reasons, private placements are usually significantly less complicated and expensive than public offerings. Private placements offer small businesses a number of advantages over IPOs. Since private placements do not require the assistance of brokers or underwriters, they are considerably less expensive and time-consuming. In addition, private placements may be the only source of capital available to risky ventures or start-up firms. A private placement may also enable a small business owner to hand-pick investors with compatible goals and interests. Since the investors are likely to be sophisticated business people, it may be possible for the company to structure more complex and confidential transactions. If the investors are themselves entrepreneurs, they may be able to offer valuable assistance to the company’s management. Finally, unlike public stock offerings, private placements enable small businesses to maintain their private status.

The primary advantage of the private placement is that it bypasses the stringent regulatory requirements of a public offering. You have to conduct public offerings in accordance with SEC regulations; however, investors and the issuing company privately negotiate the private placements. Furthermore, they do not have to register with the SEC, do not require the issuing company to publicly disclose its financial statements, and ultimately avoid the scrutiny of the SEC. Another advantage of private placement is the reduced time of issuance and the reduced costs of issuance. Issuing securities publicly can be time-consuming and may require certain expenses. It forgoes the time and costs that come with a public offering. Also, because the investors and the issuing company privately negotiate private placements, they can be tailored to meet the financing needs of the company and the investing needs of the investor. This gives both parties a degree of flexibility. Small businesses face the constant challenge of raising affordable capital to fund business operations. Equity financing comes in a wide range of forms, including venture capital, an initial public offering, business loans, and private placement. Established companies may choose the route of an initial public offering to raise capital through selling shares of company stock. However, this strategy can be complex and costly, and it may not be suitable for smaller, less-established businesses. As an alternative to an initial public offering, businesses that want to offer shares to investors can complete a private placement investment. This strategy allows a company to sell shares of company stock to a select group of investors privately instead of the public. Private placement has advantages over other equity financing methods, including less burdensome regulatory requirements, reduced cost and time, and the ability to remain a private company.

Advantages Of Using Private Placements

There are several advantages to using private placements to raise finance for your business. They:

• allow you to choose your own investors – this increases the chances of having investors with similar objectives to you and means they may be able to provide business advice and assistance, as well as funding
• allow you to remain a private company, rather than having to go public to raise finance
• provide flexibility in the amount and type of funding – eg allowing a combination of bonds and equity capital, with amounts ranging from less than £100,000 to several million pounds
• allow you to make a return on the investment over a longer time period – as private placement investors will be prepared to be more patient than other investors, such as venture capitalists
• require less investment of both money and time than public share flotations
• provide a faster turnaround on raising finance than the venture capital markets or public placements

As a result, private placements are sometimes the only source of raising substantial capital for more risky ventures or new businesses.

Disadvantages Of Using Private Placements

There are also some disadvantages of using private placements to raise business finance. For example, there will be:

• a reduced market for the bonds or shares in your business, which may have a long-term effect on the value of the business as a whole
• a limited number of potential investors, who may not want to invest substantial amounts individually
• the need to place the bonds or shares at a substantial discount to compensate investors for their greater risk and longer-term returns
Additionally, although it isn’t a mandatory requirement, having a credit rating can be an advantage. However, this is time consuming and will be an added cost to the process.

Regulatory Requirements for Private Placement

When a company decides to issue shares of an initial public offering, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission requires the company to meet a lengthy list of requirements. Detailed financial reporting is necessary once an initial public offering is issued, and any shareholder must be able to access the company’s financial statements at any time. This information should provide enough disclosure to investors so they can make informed investment decisions. Private placements are offered to a small group of select investors instead of the public. So, companies employing this type of financing do not need to comply with the same reporting and disclosure regulations. Instead, private placement financing deals are exempt from SEC regulations under Regulation D. There is less concern from the SEC regarding participating investors’ level of investment knowledge because more sophisticated investors (such as pension funds, mutual fund companies, and insurance companies) purchase the majority of private placement shares.

Saved Cost and Time

Equity financing deals such as initial public offerings and venture capital often take time to configure and finalize. There are extensive vetting processes in place from the SEC and venture capitalist firms with which companies seeking this type of capital must comply before receiving funds. Completing all the necessary requirements can take up to a year, and the costs associated with doing so can be a burden to the business. The nature of a private placement makes the funding process much less time-consuming and far less costly for the receiving company. Because no securities registration is necessary, fewer legal fees are associated with this strategy compared to other financing options. Additionally, the smaller number of investors in the deal results in less negotiation before the company receives funding.

Private Means Private

The greatest benefit to a private placement is the company’s ability to remain a private company. The exemption under Regulation D allows companies to raise capital while keeping financial records private instead of disclosing information each quarter to the buying public. A business obtaining investment through private placement is also not required to give up a seat on the board of directors or a management position to the group of investors. Instead, control over business operations and financial management remains with the owner, unlike a venture capital deal.

Restrictions Affecting Private Placement

The SEC formerly placed many restrictions on private placement transactions. For example, such offerings could only be made to a limited number of investors, and the company was required to establish strict criteria for each investor to meet. Furthermore, the SEC required private placement of securities to be made only to “sophisticated” investors—those capable of evaluating the merits and understanding the risks associated with the investment. Finally, stock sold through private offerings could not be advertised to the public and could only be resold under certain circumstances. In 1992, however, the SEC eliminated many of these restrictions in order to make it easier for small companies to raise capital through private placements of securities. The rules now allow companies to promote their private placement offerings more broadly and to sell the stock to a greater number of buyers. It is also easier for investors to resell such securities. Although the SEC restrictions on private placements were relaxed, it is nonetheless important for small business owners to understand the various federal and state laws affecting such transactions and to take the appropriate procedural steps. It may be helpful to assemble a team of qualified legal and accounting professionals before attempting to undertake a private placement.

Many of the rules affecting private placements are covered under Section 4(2) of the federal securities law. This section provides an exemption for companies wishing to sell up to $5 million in securities to a small number of accredited investors. Companies conducting an offering under Section 4(2) cannot solicit investors publicly, and the majority of investors are expected to be either insiders (company management) or sophisticated outsiders with a preexisting relationship with the company (professionals, suppliers, customers, etc.). At a minimum, the companies are expected to provide potential investors with recent financial statements, a list of risk factors associated with the investment, and an invitation to inspect their facilities. In most respects, the preparation and disclosure requirements for offerings under Section 4(2) are similar to Regulation D filings. Regulation D—which was adopted in 1982 and has been revised several times since—consists of a set of rules numbered 501 through 508.

Rules 504, 505, and 506 describe three different types of exempt offerings and set forth guidelines covering the amount of stock that can be sold and the number and type of investors that are allowed under each one. Rule 504 covers the Small Corporate Offering Registration, or SCOR. SCOR gives an exemption to private companies that raise no more than $1 million in any 12-month period through the sale of stock. There are no restrictions on the number or types of investors, and the stock may be freely traded. The SCOR process is easy enough for a small business owner to complete with the assistance of a knowledgeable accountant and attorney. It is available in all states except Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, and Nebraska.

Rule 505 enables a small business to sell up to $5 million in stock during a 12-month period to an unlimited number of investors, provided that no more than 35 of them are non-accredited. To be accredited, an investor must have sufficient assets or income to make such an investment. According to the SEC rules, individual investors must have either $1 million in assets (other than their home and car) or $200,000 in net annual personal income, while institutions must hold $5 million in assets. Finally, Rule 506 allows a company to sell unlimited securities to an unlimited number of investors, provided that no more than 35 of them are non-accredited. Under Rule 506, investors must be sophisticated. In both of these options, the securities cannot be freely traded.