Delisting: What It Means and How It Works for Stock Shares (2024)

What Is Delisting?

Delisting is the removal of a listed security from a stock exchange.The delisting of a security can be voluntary or involuntary and usually results when a company ceases operations, declares bankruptcy, merges, does not meet listing requirements, or seeks to become private.

Key Takeaways

  • Delisting occurs when a stock is removed from a stock exchange.
  • It can be either mandatory or voluntary.
  • Some companies opt to go private or get taken over by companies that want them out of the public eye.
  • Stocks that fail to meet the exchange’s requirements risk being kicked out and delisted.
  • The consequences of delisting are significant, and some companies strenuously avoid being delisted.

How Delisting Works

Companies must meet specific guidelines, called listing standards, before they can be listed on an exchange.Each exchange, such as the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), establishes its own set of rules and regulations for listings.Companies that fail to meet the minimum standards set by an exchange will be involuntarily delisted.

The most common standard is price. For example, a company with a share price under $1 per share for a period of months may find itself at risk of being delisted.

Alternatively, a company can voluntarily request to be delisted. Some companies choose to become privately traded when they identify, through a cost-benefit analysis, that the costs of being publicly listed exceed the benefits. Requests to delist often occur when companies are purchased by private equity firms and will be reorganized by new shareholders. These companies can apply for delisting to become privately traded. Also, when listed companies merge and trade as a new entity, the formerly separate companies voluntarily request delisting.

Companies usually delist because they want to go private, are taken over by private equity firms, or fail to meet the minimum standards set by their exchange.

Involuntary Delisting of a Company

The reasons for delisting include violating regulations and failing to meet minimum financial standards. Financial standards include the ability to maintaina minimum share price, financial ratios, and sales levels. When a company does not meet listing requirements, the listing exchange issues a warning of noncompliance. If noncompliance continues, the exchange deliststhe company’s stock.

To avoid being delisted, some companies will undergo a reverse split of their stock shares. This has the effect of combining several shares into one and multiplying the share price. For example, if a company executes a 1-for-10 reverse split, it could raise its share price from 50 cents per share to five dollars per share, in which case it would no longer be at risk of delisting.

One way for companies to get around minimum share price rules is by engaging in a reverse split.

The consequences of delisting can be significant since stock shares not traded on one of the major stock exchanges are more difficult for investors to research and harder to purchase. This means that the company is unable to issue new shares to the market to establish new financial initiatives.

Often, involuntary delistings are indicative of a company’s poor financial health or poor corporate governance. Warnings issued by an exchange should be takenseriously. For example, in April 2016, five months after receiving a notice from the NYSE, clothing retailer Aéropostale Inc. was delisted for noncompliance. In May 2016, the company filed for bankruptcy and began trading over the counter (OTC).

In the United States, delisted securities may be traded OTCexcept when they are delisted to become a private company or because of liquidation.

What Is the Process of Delisting?

When a company fails to comply with listing requirements, it will receive adequate warning. Delisting doesn’t happen overnight. Notifications are made and time is granted to the subject to get its affairs in order. If the noncompliance continues after these warnings are made, the company will then be removed from the exchange.

Voluntary delisting works differently. If a company decides it no longer wants to operate in the public eye, it must consult with its stakeholders first. A resolution has to be passed in a board meeting and put to shareholders.

Once enough shareholders are on board, the company needs to get the green light from the stock exchange that it wishes to delist from and put out a statement outlining its intent.An investment bank will be in charge of managing the delisting. One of its first jobs is making sure there is enough money to buy back the shares.

Investment banks don’t just assist companies to list their shares. They are also recruited to help with the delisting process.

To be able to delist, the company essentially needs to buy back a certain percentage of shares from the total outstanding. This threshold is decided by the exchange. To buy these shares, a bidding process occurs. A fair price is negotiated and announced to the public, and the company pays up within a specified deadline to see its delisting through. To convince investors, the company will usually have to pay them a premium to the current share price.

What Happens to My Shares After Delisting?

When a company delists voluntarily, shareholders will usually receive cash to buy them out or shares in the new, acquiring company. When it is forced to go, the outcome is usually different. No special offer comes. You either find a buyer on the exchange or are left holding a stake in a company that’s no longer listed.

Holding delisted stocks generally isn’t very desirable. The shares don’t disappear but do become much more difficult to trade. Once off the exchange, they can trade OTC. These markets don’t offer the same accessibility and liquidity as the major exchanges. You’ll be faced with higher transaction costs and wider bid-ask spreads.

Another factor to consider is that there’s less regulation outside of the major exchanges. Requirements are more relaxed, including those relating to communications, leaving investors more in the dark and unaware of what is going on within the company in which they’re invested.

What Should I Do After Delisting?

If you still hold shares after they’ve been delisted, your next step depends a lot on what you’re invested in, how convinced you are about its prospects, and whether you have the stomach to deal with the murkier, less transparent alternative exchanges.

You can still sell the shares, but the conditions to do so will now be generally less favorable. Volume thins out when you leave a major exchange. With OTC transactions, there are fewer buyers and sellers, meaning wider bid-ask spreads and getting less than the going rate. In some cases, you may only be able to trade the shares by appointment.

In most cases, it’s best to sell stock before it delists.

Can I sell my shares after delisting?

If you still hold shares after they are delisted, you can sell them—just not on the exchange on which they traded before. Stock exchanges are very advantageous for buying and selling shares. When they delist and trade over the counter (OTC), selling shares and getting a reasonable price for them becomes much harder.

Can a delisted company get re-listed?

Yes, it is possible for a delisted company to get re-listed. A lot depends on the circ*mstances of being delisted. Those forced to leave often find it difficult to get their affairs back in order and bounce back, especially without the funding opportunities that the stock market provides. There are a few success stories, though.

Can delisting be good for the company?

Delisting isn’t always as bad as people make it out to be. Many household names have chosen to delist their shares and go private for good reason. And some, such as Dell, prospered from the benefits of being private.

The Bottom Line

A company is delisted when it is removed from a stock exchange. No longer selling shares to the public can be voluntary or involuntary. Companies may prefer to go private to avoid having to answer to the public and jump through regulatory hoops. Alternatively, they may be kicked out of the exchange for failing to meet its listing requirements or because they ran out of money and went bankrupt.

Investors holding shares after a delisting will only be able to sell them OTC.That generally means less liquidity, finding it harder to locate buyers at the price you want, and potentially being left in the dark about what the company is up to.

Delisting: What It Means and How It Works for Stock Shares (2024)

FAQs

Delisting: What It Means and How It Works for Stock Shares? ›

Delisting occurs when a stock is removed from a stock exchange. It can be either mandatory or voluntary. Some companies opt to go private or get taken over by companies that want them out of the public eye. Stocks that fail to meet the exchange's requirements risk being kicked out and delisted.

Do I lose my money if a stock is delisted? ›

Shareholders retain their legal rights and equity interest in a delisted stock even if they cannot sell their stake as readily as previously.

What happens to my shares if a stock is delisted? ›

If a company is delisted, you are still a shareholder, to the extent of a number of shares held. And yet, you cannot sell those shares on any exchange. However, you can sell it on the over-the-counter market. This means you can look for a buyer outside the stock exchange.

Do stocks go up after delisting? ›

If a company delists voluntarily, its share price can increase depending on the reasons for the privatisation. In this case, a trader can open a position to 'buy' (go long) if they think the share price will increase. If the company is forced to delist, it often spells bankruptcy or causes investors to lose confidence.

What are the rules for delisting? ›

A company's stock may be delisted as the result of failing to meet the exchange's laundry list of requirements. The listing criteria include maintaining trading price thresholds for certain time frames, minimum revenue standards, market capitalization thresholds, and shareholder percentage requirements.

How long can a stock stay under $1 before delisting? ›

With investors trying to exit their positions, sellers outweigh buyers, causing a stock's price to fall. If a stock's share price drops below $1.00 and remains below that level for 30 days, the exchange may notify the company that it is not in compliance with listing requirements and is at risk of being delisted.

How long can a stock be delisted? ›

Companies have 10 days on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to respond to a notification letter from the exchange. Failure to respond can result in delisting procedures which is on a case by case basis but can range from one to seven months.

How do I claim a delisted stock? ›

The delisting of shares results in the impossible selling of shares until the company goes through the exit route. It is effectively irrecoverable and is a loss to the taxpayer. Once the company goes through liquidation or is referred to NCLT under IBC, NCLT declares the company to drop the shares and claim the loss.

Can a delisted stock be sold? ›

Can I sell my shares after delisting? If you still hold shares after they are delisted, you can sell them—just not on the exchange on which they traded before. Stock exchanges are very advantageous for buying and selling shares.

Do I lose my money if a stock is delisted on Robinhood? ›

Stocks delisted from the NYSE and Nasdaq disappear from Robinhood. You don't automatically lose money as an investor, but being delisted carries a stigma and is generally a sign that a company is bankrupt, near-bankrupt, or can't meet the exchange's minimum financial requirements for other reasons.

What happens if I don t sell my shares when a company goes private? ›

But what if I refuse to sell my shares when a company is privatized? In most exchanges, the investor that held on to the shares post-delisting would continue to enjoy legal and beneficial ownership and rights. Provided the shares are not kept in a custodian account & no “force sale” clause in the shareholder agreement.

Can I sell my delisted stock on Robinhood? ›

If a stock that you own delists, you'll be able to sell it in the market, but you won't be able to purchase additional shares. Once a stock delists, the in-app market data will no longer reflect the current trading price.

How many stocks have been delisted? ›

According to data acquired by Finbold, a total of 179 companies have been delisted from the major United States exchanges between 2020 and 2021. In 2021, the number of companies on Nasdaq and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) stands at 6,000, dropping 2.89% from last year's figure of 6,179.

What are the two types of delisting? ›

There are essentially two types of delisting – voluntary and involuntary.

What happens to put if company gets delisted? ›

When a company delists voluntarily, stockholders will receive a cash buyout or shares in the new, acquiring company.

What is delisting time period? ›

According to Regulation 4 of the Delisting Regulations, stock exchanges cannot permit the delisting of equity shares of a company in the following scenarios: A period of 3 years has not expired from the listing of that class of equity shares on any recognized stock exchange.

How long do you have to keep a stock to sell it? ›

There's no minimum amount of time when an investor needs to hold on to stock. But, investments that are sold at a gain are taxed at a capital gains tax rate. This rate changes, depending on whether the investor held onto the stock for more or less than one year.

Can a stock come back from zero? ›

Stocks are able to lose all their value in the market, and have done so before, especially in the case of a bankruptcy. Even if a company does go bankrupt, in reality shareholders often do receive some residual payment back, but this is usually just pennies on the dollar.

What happens if a stock goes to zero? ›

Unfortunately, when a stock's price falls to zero, a shareholder's holdings become worthless. Yet, even before a stock reaches the bottom, major stock exchanges create thresholds that delist shares once they fall below specific price values.

Should I sell stocks at a loss for tax purposes? ›

You want to reduce your taxable income

If you don't have investment gains to offset, or if you realize more losses than gains, you can use up to $3,000 in losses to reduce your ordinary income this year—and every year thereafter—until the entire loss is accounted for.

How much stock loss can you write off? ›

If your net losses in your taxable investment accounts exceed your net gains for the year, you will have no reportable income from your security sales. You may then write off up to $3,000 worth of net losses against other forms of income such as wages or taxable dividends and interest for the year.

What happens to shareholders when a company is sold? ›

When a company is sold, shareholder agreement may be cashed out at the time of sale, or they may continue to own shares in the new company. In either case, they may see a return on their investment. If the new company is successful, shareholders may see the value of their shares increase.

Why can't i sell my Robinhood stock? ›

You may receive this message if you have an outstanding pending order for the shares of stock you'd like to sell. You'll need to cancel any outstanding orders before you can sell the shares. To view your pending orders in your mobile app: Tap the Account icon in the bottom right corner of your home screen.

Do I own my stocks on Robinhood? ›

Debunking misinformation: Yes, you own the shares you buy through Robinhood.

Do shorts have to cover before delisting? ›

If you short a stock and it then rises in price to the point where the losses exceed the liquidation value of your trading account, you will receive a margin call. At this point, you must deposit more collateral to cover the position. If you don't, the position will be closed and your balance wiped out.

Can I force a company to buy my shares? ›

Absent breach of a contract or the law, a shareholder can't typically force another shareholder to sell. But a shareholder can seek to enforce the terms of a buy-sell agreement, a shareholder agreement, or another valid contract.

Can I keep my shares if a company goes private? ›

What Happens to Shareholders When a Company Goes Private? Shareholders agree to accept the offer to be bought out by investors. They give up ownership in the company in exchange for a premium price for each share that they own. They can no longer buy shares in the company through a broker.

Can I take profit without selling shares? ›

Using the demat value of the shares as margin for trading

This is the simplest method of monetizing your shares without actually selling them. Typically, your broker will allow you to take a margin trading position in the equity or even the F&O segment based on the value of your demat holdings.

What happens to my money if stock is delisted on Webull? ›

If a stock you have purchased gets delisted from a major exchange, you should still be able to close the position through the Webull app. However, you may not be able to repurchase the security anymore. Webull only supports trading in some OTC securities.

Is delisted the same as sold? ›

A delisted house, then, has been taken off the market— it doesn't show up on the MLS anymore, and it's officially no longer “for sale.” There are a number of reasons you might want to delist your home; maybe you want to remove the listing due to low interest, or maybe you decided not to sell after all.

Which companies are recently delisted? ›

Delisted Companies
Company NameBSE CodeNSE Code
Abee Info-Consumables Ltd.530833NA
ABN Intercorp Ltd.NAABNINT
Accurate Exports Ltd.531905NA
ACE Stone Craft Ltd.515133NA
7 more rows

What is an example of delisting? ›

Bankruptcy. When a publicly traded company declares bankruptcy, it's never a good sign. News of bankruptcy is likely to cause a stock plunge, and traders could sell in a panic. After a company files for bankruptcy, its stock will be delisted.

What is the minimum stock price in the NYSE? ›

Initial Minimum Bid Price for Stock: The stock must have a minimum initial bid price of $5.00, and must later remain at or above $1.00. This requirement serves as a safeguard against certain market activities associated with low-priced securities, and protects the credibility of the NASDAQ market.

What happens to my money if a stock is delisted on Robinhood? ›

If a stock that you own delists, you'll be able to sell it in the market, but you won't be able to purchase additional shares. Once a stock delists, the in-app market data will no longer reflect the current trading price.

How do you liquidate unlisted shares? ›

The Selling Procedure

The investor must send the unlisted shares they wish to sell, together with the corresponding amounts, to the DEMAT account of the purchasers or broker. Payment is made on the same day the dealer receives the unlisted shares in his DEMAT Account.

Do delisted stocks pay dividends? ›

Yes. There are thousands of corporations in the United States which pay dividends and which are not listed on any stock exchange.

Which broker is best for unlisted shares? ›

Arms Securities

A flagship company of Parasram Group, Arms Securities is one of the most popular unlisted shares brokers dealing with delisted, unquoted, and illiquid shares in India. With over 30 years of experience, the platform boasts of providing safe and risk-free trade opportunities to investors.

Can I sell my shares to anyone? ›

You can normally sell your shares to pretty much any eligible buyer, from friends and family, to someone else entirely. You can even transfer them, rather than selling.

How do I sell old shares? ›

Sell your stock with a broker with whom you do not have an account. You can contact any stock broker and request that they sell your stock certificate for you. However, if you do not already have an account with that broker, they will likely charge you a hefty fee.

Can you cash out shares in a private company? ›

You can only sell your private company shares if you exercise your stock options and purchase those shares first. Depending on the strike price, though, you may not have enough cash to exercise your options, especially if your company requires you to hold onto stock for a certain period of time before selling.

Is delisting of shares taxable? ›

In case of delisting of shares within a year of their purchase, a 15% short-term capital gains tax is applicable . If delisting happens after one year of share purchase, a capital gains tax of 10% is payable if gains exceed Rs. 1 lakh and if gains are under Rs.

What are the different types of delisting? ›

There are essentially two types of delisting – voluntary and involuntary.

How do investors make money off of stocks that don t pay dividends? ›

Thus, investors who buy stocks that do not pay dividends prefer to see these companies reinvest their earnings to fund other projects. They hope these internal investments will yield higher returns via a rising stock price. Smaller companies are more likely to pursue these strategies.

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