The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) have launched a public consultation on potential changes to the regulations regarding the listing of companies on public exchanges (see link below). This is in response to concerns about the fall in the number of companies listing (the number listed is down by 40% since 2008). There is particular concern that the UK regime is tougher than other international markets and particularly deters certain types of companies from listing.
You only have to read the consultation document to understand how complex the rules on main market listing are and they are surely due for simplification. Over complex rules not just deter companies from listing but add to the costs of doing so and those costs fall on investors.
A survey by PWC in 2018 indicated that regulatory burdens and costs are the main reasons for not listing as opposed to raising finance by other means. A fall in the number of listed companies particularly affects private investors who want to invest directly in companies and wish to have a direct connection with where their money is invested.
Other factors are also involved such as the low cost of debt at present and the ability of private equity firms to act quickly and provide a less onerous corporate governance regime. But it would certainly be a retrograde step if public stock markets fell substantially in size.
Among the proposals to make listing more attractive in the UK are 1) allowing dual class structures where some shareholders can have disproportionate voting rights; and 2) relaxing free float levels required. But there is also a proposal to increase the minimum market capitalisation substantially from the present level, which surely would not help.
There are also proposals to alter the primary segment qualifications or remove segments altogether which I favour.
I support the relaxation of free float levels but am opposed to dual class structures. Dual class structures enable founders to retain control but that is not necessarily a good thing. In practice there are other ways that founders can retain substantial influence – for example by retaining significant shareholdings and board seats. I do not see that permitting dual class structures (DCSS) is necessary to make listing in the UK more attractive.
What will make listing more attractive is a simplification of the listing rules and a reduction in cost plus a reduction in the regulations such as onerous corporate governance regulations (such as the recently proposed climate disclosure regulations I commented negatively upon).
You can read my detailed responses to the FCA consultation here:
https://www.roliscon.com/Primary-Markets-Effectiveness-Review-Response.pdf
The FCA Consultation is here: https://www.fca.org.uk/publications/consultation-papers/cp21-21-primary-markets-effectiveness-review
Roger Lawson (Twitter: https://twitter.com/RogerWLawson )
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