Understanding the registration statement for your IPO

This section typically includes a summary of the information included in greater detail elsewhere in the registration statement. It usually provides a brief description of the company and its business, the securities being offered, selected summarized financial information and a listing and discussion of the major risk factors involved with an investment in your company. These risk factors should be company-specific and include industry or other general risk factors.

The anticipated use of the IPO net proceeds must be disclosed, including a description of the temporary use, if any. You are required to use the proceeds substantially as described in the prospectus. If not, the SEC might proceed against you for having filed a registration statement that included an untrue statement of a material fact. If the registration statement is your company’s first filing under the 1933 Act, you will be required to report the actual use of proceeds in periodic reports filed with the SEC.

This is, perhaps, the most important section in the prospectus. The company must discuss, in narrative form, major changes in operations and financial conditions during the last three fiscal years and between any interim periods presented. However, if a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company presents only two years of financial statements, it only is required to provide two years of analysis, plus an analysis of any interim periods presented. The company also must discuss the company’s liquidity and capital resource requirements and off-balance sheet arrangements. This section is referred to as “management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations” (MD&A). Further, these disclosures must include any significant or unusual matters or uncertainties, trends, commitments or known transactions or events of which a prospective investor should be aware before making an investment decision. The impact of inflation on the company’s operations or financial condition also must be discussed, if significant.

The registration statement must disclose detailed information, in narrative form, about the company, including its principal products or services, competition, marketing and distribution methods, research and development activities, plant facilities (including owned and leased locations), sources of raw materials and their availability, seasonal aspects of the business, backlog, dependence on key customers, and material legal proceedings. If a company operates in more than one industry, industry segment information must be disclosed, including operating profit by segment.

Currently, companies are required to make detailed disclosures concerning the compensation, including bonuses, stock options, awards and other perks, of certain executive officers. Once your company is publicly owned, certain disclosures likely will be required for long-term incentive compensation plans and pension benefits expected to be paid, together with information comparing your company’s executive compensation and company performance with the performance of other industry members.

All material related-party transactions, including related-party sales, loans, rental arrangements and similar transactions must be described.

A table of the shares owned by existing shareholders and their families must be disclosed. In addition, disclosure of the company’s board of directors and officers is required, including their occupations for the last five years.

The prospectus must include audited financial statements, including balance sheets as of the end of the two most recent fiscal years; statements of comprehensive income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the three most recent fiscal years; and related footnotes. Smaller reporting companies and emerging growth companies must include audited balance sheets as of the end of the two most recent fiscal years; statements of comprehensive income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the two most recent fiscal years; and related footnotes. The balance sheet date in an initial registration statement should not be more than 134 days old, except that third-quarter data is timely through the 45th day after the most recent fiscal year-end. After the 45th day, audited financial statements for that fiscal year must be included in the registration statement. The financial information in an initial registration statement for a smaller reporting company may be up to 90 days after year-end if the issuer expects to report income in the current year and has reported income in at least one of the two previous years.

Any interim financial statements are usually as of the end of the company’s most recent fiscal quarter. The interim financial statements are usually unaudited. However, in some cases, underwriters might require audited financial statements for at least the latest stub period. Statements of comprehensive income and cash flows for the corresponding interim period of the preceding fiscal year are, however, normally unaudited.

Pro forma financial information is required if a significant business combination has occurred in the latest fiscal year or subsequent interim period, or is probable. This includes any transaction or event that results in the company obtaining control over another entity. For example, if the company files a registration statement that includes financial statements that do not yet reflect a business combination to be accounted for as reorganization of entities under common control, pro forma income statements typically are required for each fiscal year for which the company’s historical financial statements are provided and the subsequent interim period. Pro forma presentation is not required if the transaction already is fully reflected in historical statements as a reorganization.

In addition to the various disclosures required in a registration statement, you also will be required to file with the SEC all material documents or agreements to which your company is a party. These might include corporate articles of incorporation; bylaws; lease agreements; compensation agreements; purchase, sales or marketing agreements; and other documents considered to be of significance to the investing public. All of these documents and the complete registration statement are available to the public, including your competitors, customers, vendors, employees and friends.