Tap any paragraph to write a margin note. Your notes collect in the Desk below the text and file under cases with @. The side-by-side margin rail opens on a larger screen.

Code · REGISTER · 2005-09-07 · SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION · Notices

Notices. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

4,312 words·~20 min read·/register/2005/09/07/05-17707

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

BILLING CODE 7590-01-M SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 35-28024] Filings Under the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as Amended (“Act”) August 31, 2005. Notice is hereby given that the following filing(s) has/have been made with the Commission pursuant to provisions of the Act and rules promulgated under the Act. All interested persons are referred to the application(s) and/or declaration(s) for complete statements of the proposed transaction(s) summarized below.
The application(s) and/or declaration(s) and any amendment(s) is/are available for public inspection through the Commission's Branch of Public Reference. Interested persons wishing to comment or request a hearing on the application(s) and/or declaration(s) should submit their views in writing by September 26, 2005, to the Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549-9303, and serve a copy on the relevant applicant(s) and/or declarant(s) at the address(es) specified below.
Proof of service (by affidavit or, in the case of an attorney at law, by certificate) should be filed with the request. Any request for hearing should identify specifically the issues of facts or law that are disputed. A person who so requests will be notified of any hearing, if ordered, and will receive a copy of any notice or order issued in the matter. After September 26, 2005, the application(s) and/or declaration(s), as filed or as amended, may be granted and/or permitted to become effective.
American Electric Power Company, Inc., et al. (70-10313) American Electric Power Company, Inc. (“AEP”), a registered holding company, and its wholly owned indirect nonutility subsidiary AEP Credit, Inc. (“AEP Credit”), both at 1 Riverside Plaza, Columbus, Ohio 43215, have filed an application with the Commission under sections 9(a) and 10 of the Act and rule 54 under the Act. I. Background By order dated June 14, 2000 (Holding Company Act Release No. 27186), the Commission authorized AEP to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common stock of Central and South West Corporation (“CSW”), a registered holding company, and all of its subsidiaries, including CSW Credit, Inc.
(“CSW Credit”). On August 21, 2000, CSW Credit was renamed AEP Credit, and continued to operate under various grants of authority, some of which are described below. A. Prior Orders By order dated July 19, 1985 (Holding Company Act Release No. 23767, “Original Order”), the Commission authorized AEP Utilities, Inc. (“AEP Utilities”), formerly known as Central and South West Corporation, to organize a special-purpose entity, CSW Credit, to factor the accounts receivable of AEP's public-utility company subsidiaries.
The Commission also authorized CSW Credit to issue debt securities to finance its accounts receivable purchases and AEP Utilities to make equity investments in CSW Credit. *See* Original Order. By order dated July 31, 1986, (Holding Company Act Release No. 24157, “1986 Order”), the Commission authorized, among other things, CSW Credit to expand the scope of the activities to include the factoring receivables of non-associate utilities. As a condition of the 1986 Order, CSW Credit was required to limit its acquisition of utility receivables from non-associate utilities (“Non-Associate Limit”).
Later, as a condition of granting CSW Credit temporary relief from the Non-Associate Limit, the Commission imposed upon the company a quarterly reporting requirement (“Rule 24 Reporting Requirement”). *See* Holding Co. Act Release No. 26684 (March 11, 1997). The Commission required that CSW Credit maintain the percentage of its debt to equity at not less than 5% debt and 95% equity (“Debt-Equity Requirement”). *See* Holding Company Act Release No. 25138 (August 30, 1990). Most recently, the Commission authorized AEP Credit to continue to factor the accounts receivable of associate and non-associate utility companies, subject to certain conditions, through September 30, 2005.
B. AEP Credit's Current Operations AEP Credit has entered into agreements to purchase accounts receivable from the following public-utility company subsidiaries of AEP: Appalachian Power Company, Columbus Southern Power Company, Indiana Michigan Power Company, Kentucky Power Company, Kingsport Power Company, Ohio Power Company, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, Southwestern Electric Company, and Wheeling Power Company (collectively, “Operating Companies”). AEP Credit no longer purchases accounts receivable from non-associate public-utility companies.
Purchases of accounts receivable are at a discount, based on AEP Credit's cost of funds and collection history. 1 AEP Credit then sells the accounts receivable to third party financial institutions. Applicants state that transactions between AEP Credit and the Operating Companies comply with the “at cost” rules under the Act and, consequently, there is no cross-subsidization. 1 Currently, there are two components of the discount calculation:
(1)A financing cost component; and
(2)a bad debt component. The financing cost component (“Carrying Charge”) is based on AEP Credit's actual weighted average cost of funds. It includes the actual cost of amounts borrowed from the external markets (currently bank conduits), a return on equity contribution from Credit's parent and actual costs of any amounts borrowed through the subordinated loan from AEP. Credit's actual cost of equity is the State authorized return on common equity of each individual Operating Company. AEP Credit's interest charges to the Operating Companies used in the Carrying Charge have always been and are anticipated to be less than the “prime rate of interest,” as that term is normally used. The bad debt component is based on AEP Credit's actual bad debt charge-offs for the receivable pool. It is calculated as a rolling average of the actual historical charge-off statistics for the receivable pools of each Operating Company. AEP Credit has entered into agency agreements with each of the Operating Companies. Those agreements provide that the Operating Companies act as a collection agent for the receipt of customer payments and collection and remit these payments to AEP Credit. The amount of the receivables bought by AEP Credit varies from month to month, based on the electric usage by the Operating Company's customers. These sales are on a non-recourse basis to the Operating Companies. The Operating Companies are not required to sell their accounts receivable to AEP Credit for any specified period of time; an Operating Company may terminate its relationship with AEP Credit on 30 days notice. AEP Credit funds its purchases of the receivables using funds it obtains under a receivables purchase agreement (“RPA”). Under the RPA, AEP Credit sells a certain undivided ownership interest in the accounts receivable on a revolving basis to a group of financial institutions, mentioned above. The RPA also provides that American Electric Power Service Corporation (“AEP Service”), a service company subsidiary of AEP, administers the collections received by AEP Credit and reports information regarding the receivables and collections to the agent of the financial institutions. AEP Service is reimbursed for all costs and expenses it incurs in connection with the services it provides under the agreement. In addition to the funds obtained under the RPA, AEP Credit obtains funds to purchase receivables through equity contributions by AEP and a subordinated revolving loan by AEP. Sales of the accounts receivable by the Operating Companies qualify for treatment as true sales of assets under Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement No. 140 (rather than as a loan secured by the receivables). AEP Credit is intended to be bankruptcy remote to isolate the receivables from the creditors of the Operating Companies. Applicants state that the factoring program allows the Operating Companies to reduce their working capital needs by accelerating the receipt of cash from the collection of customer accounts receivable thereby reducing the dependence of the Operating Companies upon more costly sources of working capital. Credit, as a special-purpose financing entity, can borrow money more cheaply than the Operating Companies can individually. Through the use of Credit, the Operating Companies are able to consolidate their accounts receivable into a larger pool and eliminate duplicate administrative costs in administering the program. II. Requested Authority Applicants request
(1)authority for AEP to retain AEP Credit, whose business consists solely of factoring the accounts receivable of associate public-utility companies;
(2)request that the Commission eliminate the Rule 24 Reporting Requirement; and
(3)that the Commission eliminate the Debt-Equity Requirement. For the Commission by the Division of Investment Management, pursuant to delegated authority. Jonathan G. Katz, Secretary. [FR Doc. E5-4850 Filed 9-6-05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8010-01-P SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-52360; File No. SR-Amex-2004-76] Self-Regulatory Organizations; American Stock Exchange LLC; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change and Amendment Nos. 1 and 2 Relating to Contingency Trading Procedures August 30, 2005. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”), 1 and Rule 19b-4 thereunder, 2 notice is hereby given that on September 10, 2004, the American Stock Exchange LLC (“Amex” or “Exchange”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II, and III below, which Items have been prepared by the Exchange. On August 26, 2005, the Exchange submitted Amendment No. 1 to the proposal. 3 On August 29, 2005, the Exchange submitted Amendment No. 2 to the proposal. 4 The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change, as amended, from interested persons. 1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1). 2 17 CFR 240.19b-4. 3 In Amendment No. 1, the Exchange substantially revised the proposed rule text and corresponding description of the proposal in its Form 19b-4. Amendment No. 1 replaced Amex's original filing in its entirety. 4 In Amendment No. 2, the Exchange made minor corrections to the rule text. I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change The Exchange proposes to adopt Amex Rule 119A regarding contingency trading procedures. The text of the proposed rule change, as amended, is set forth below. Proposed new language is in *italics.* Contingency Trading Procedures—Alternative Trading Facility *Rule 119A.
(a)Definitions:* *The term “Alternative Trading Facility” (“ATF”) for purposes of this Rule, shall mean the remote facility established by the Exchange for trading securities admitted to dealings in the event that the Exchange's primary trading facility at 86 Trinity Place is wholly or partially unusable.* *(b) Except to the extent that the provisions of Rule 119A govern, or unless the context otherwise requires, the provisions of the Constitution and Rules of the Exchange are applicable to trading conducted on the ATF.* *(c) The Executive Vice President for Market Operations and Trading Floor Systems or his or her designee(s) shall have authority to designate the individuals who will be allowed to conduct a securities business on the ATF from among those members, member organizations and persons associated with members and member organization who are entitled to trade and support trading at the Exchange's facility at 86 Trinity Place. One or more individuals from each broker and specialist unit shall be allowed to conduct business on the ATF. Registered Option Traders will be allowed to conduct business on the ATF to the extent that there is space in the ATF to accommodate them based upon their volume of trading.* *(d) If a Registered Option Trader is not allowed to trade on the ATF, the Registered Option Trader may initiate opening trades for his or her market maker account from off the ATF without reference to in-person requirements or the requirement that off-floor orders be effected only for hedging, reducing risk, rebalancing or liquidating positions. (See Commentary .01 to Rules 958 and 958-ANTE)* *(e) A member may use a personal cellular telephone to conduct business in the ATF subject to the following conditions:* *(i) The member must maintain his or her cellular telephone records, including logs of calls placed, for a period of not less than one year. The Exchange reserves the right to inspect and/or examine such telephone records.* *(ii) If a Floor broker receives an incoming call on a cellular telephone, and the caller wishes to give the broker an order for a security traded at the post where the broker is standing, the broker must step-out of the crowd prior to accepting the order. In contrast, if a broker receives an incoming call on a cellular telephone, and the caller wishes to give the broker an order for a security traded at some other location on the Floor, the broker does not have to leave the crowd where he or she is standing in order to receive the order. A Floor broker also may initiate an outgoing call on a cellular telephone and
(1)accept an order for a security traded at the post where the broker is standing without leaving the trading crowd, or
(2)accept an order for a security traded at some other location on the Floor.* *(iii) Except as provided in this Rule 119A, all other requirements applicable to the use of an Exchange provided telephone by a member shall apply to the use by a member of a personal cellular telephone. (See Rule 220)* *(f) In the event that a Floor Official's ruling is appealed to a three Senior Floor Official panel and there is an insufficient number of Senior Floor Officials to serve on the Panel, qualified Exchange Officials may serve on the Panel without reference to their order of seniority.* II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change In its filing with the Commission, the Exchange included statements concerning the purpose of and basis for the proposed rule change and discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The text of these statements may be examined at the places specified in Item IV below. The Exchange has prepared summaries, set forth in sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant aspects of such statements. A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and the Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change 1. Purpose Proposed Amex Rule 119A sets forth the Exchange's contingency trading with respect to the use of the Exchange's “Alternative Trading Facility” (“ATF”), which is a remote facility established by the Exchange for trading securities admitted to dealings in the event that the Exchange's primary trading facility at 86 Trinity Place is wholly or partially unusable. Under proposed Amex Rule 119A(b) the provisions of the Constitution and Rules of the Exchange are applicable to trading conducted on the ATF, except to the extent that the provisions of Amex Rule 119A govern, or unless the context otherwise requires. Paragraph
(c)of proposed Amex Rule 119A provides that the Exchange's Executive Vice President for Market Operations and Trading Floor Systems or his or her designee(s) shall have authority to designate the individuals who will be allowed to conduct a securities business on the ATF from among those members, member organizations, and persons associated with those members and member organizations who are entitled to trade and support trading at the Exchange's facility at 86 Trinity Place. Not all persons who generally conduct business at the Exchange's regular facility will be able to use the ATF due to occupancy restrictions at the facility. One or more individuals from each broker and specialist unit will be allowed to conduct business on the ATF. Registered Option Traders (“ROTs”) will be allowed to conduct business on the ATF to the extent that there is space in the ATF to accommodate them based upon their volume of trading. Paragraph
(d)to proposed Amex Rule 119A provides that if a ROT is not allowed to trade on the ATF, the ROT may initiate opening trades for his or her market maker account from off the ATF without reference to in-person requirements or the requirement that off-floor orders be effected only for hedging, reducing risk, rebalancing or liquidating positions. Although the Exchange has installed tethered telephones at the ATF, it has not replicated its wireless telephone system at this facility. As a result, the Exchange is proposing to allow members to use personal cellular telephones to conduct business on the ATF subject to the same conditions that were applicable to the use of personal cellular telephones on the Amex following September 11, 2001. The conditions applicable to the use of personal cellular telephones on the ATF are set forth in paragraph
(e)to the proposed rule. Paragraph
(f)provides that Exchange Officials may substitute for Senior Floor Officials without reference to their seniority in the event that a Floor Official's ruling is appealed to a three Senior Floor Official panel and there is an insufficient number of available Senior Floor Officials to consider the appeal. 5 5 The Exchange has a proposal pending with the Commission that would modify Amex Rule 22 to establish a three-level review process in which Floor Official decisions, as needed, may be appealed to a three Senior Floor Official Panel. *See* Securities Exchange Act Release No. 52325 (August 23, 2005), 70 FR 51392 (August 30, 2005) (SR-AMEX-2005-052). 2. Statutory Basis The proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b) of the Act 6 in general and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5) 7 in particular in that it is designed to foster cooperation and coordination with persons engaged in regulating, clearing, settling and processing information with respect to, and facilitating transactions in securities. 6 15 U.S.C. 78f(b). 7 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5). B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition The proposed rule change will impose no burden on competition not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants or Others No written comments were solicited or received by the Exchange on this proposal. III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for Commission Action Within 35 days of the date of publication of this notice in the **Federal Register** or within such longer period
(i)as the Commission may designate up to 90 days of such date if it finds such longer period to be appropriate and publishes its reasons for so finding or
(ii)as to which the self-regulatory organization consents, the Commission will:
(A)By order approve such proposed rule change, or
(B)Institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule change should be disapproved. IV. Solicitation of Comments Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule change, as amended, is consistent with the Act. Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods: Electronic Comments • Use the Commission's Internet comment form ( *http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml* ); or • Send an e-mail to *rule-comments@sec.gov.* Please include File Number SR-Amex-2004-76 on the subject line. Paper Comments • Send paper comments in triplicate to Jonathan G. Katz, Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549-9303. All submissions should refer to File Number SR-Amex-2004-76. This file number should be included on the subject line if e-mail is used. To help the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently, please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on the Commission's Internet Web site ( *http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml* ). Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all written statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are filed with the Commission, and all written communications relating to the proposed rule change between the Commission and any person, other than those that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for inspection and copying in the Commission's Public Reference Room. Copies of such filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of the Amex. All comments received will be posted without change; the Commission does not edit personal identifying information from submissions. You should submit only information that you wish to make available publicly. All submissions should refer to File Number SR-Amex-2004-76 and should be submitted on or before September 28, 2005. For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated authority. 8 8 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12). Jonathan G. Katz, Secretary. [FR Doc. E5-4854 Filed 9-6-05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8010-01-P SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Docket No. 34-52345; File No. SR-PCX-2005-61] Self-Regulatory Organizations; Pacific Exchange, Inc.; Order Approving Proposed Rule Change, and Amendment No. 1 Thereto Establishing a De Minimis Exception to the 80/20 Test August 26, 2005. I. Introduction On April 26, 2005, the Pacific Exchange, Inc. (“PCX” or “Exchange”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”), pursuant to section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1954 (“Act”) 1 and Rule 19b-4 thereunder, 2 a proposed rule change seeking to modify the 80/20 Test in determining limitations on Principal Order 3 access under the rules imposed by the Plan for the Purpose of Creating and Operating an Intermarket Option Linkage (“Linkage Plan”) 4 and related rules. On July 29, 2005, the Exchange submitted Amendment No. 1 to the proposed rule change. The proposed rule change, as amended, was noticed for comment in the **Federal Register** on July 27, 2005. 5 The Commission received no comments on the proposed rule change. This order approves the proposed rule change, as amended. 1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1). 2 17 CFR 240.19b-4. 3 The Exchange defines a Principal Order as an order for a principal account of an eligible Market Maker that does not relate to a customer order the Market Maker is holding. *See* PCX Rule 6.92(a)(12)(ii). 4 On July 28, 2000, the Commission approved a national market system plan for the purpose of creating and operating an intermarket options market linkage (“Linkage”) proposed by the American Stock Exchange, LLC, Chicago Board Options Exchange, Inc., and the International Stock Exchange, Inc. *See* Securities Exchange Act Release No. 43086 (July 28, 2000), 65 FR 48023 (August 4, 2000). Subsequently, the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Inc., the PCX and the Boston Stock Exchanges, Inc. joined the Linkage Plan. *See* Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 43573 (November 16, 2000), 65 FR 70851 (November 28, 2000); 43574 (November 16, 2000), 65 FR 70850 (November 28, 2000); and 49198 (February 5, 2004), 69 FR 7029 (February 12, 2004). 5 *See* Securities Exchange Act Release No. 52070 (July 20, 2005), 70 FR 43490 (July 27, 2005). II. Description The purpose of this proposed rule change, as amended, is to implement proposed Joint Amendment No. 17 to the Linkage Plan. Joint Amendment No. 17, together with this proposed rule change, would modify the “80/20 Test” set forth in section 8(b)(iii) of the Linkage Plan and PCX Rule 6.96. PCX Rule 6.96 stats that Market Makers should send Principal Orders through Linkage on a limited basis and not as a primary aspect of their business. The 80/20 Test implements this general principle by prohibiting a Market Maker from sending Principal Orders in an eligible option class if, in the last calendar quarter, the Market Maker's Principal Order contract volume is disproportionate to the Market Maker's contract volume executed against customer orders in its own market. The Exchange believes that applying the 80/20 Test has resulted in anomalies for Market Makers with limited volume in an eligible option class. Specifically, if a Market Maker has very little overall trading volume in an option, the execution of one or two Principal Orders during a calendar quarter could result in the Market Maker failing to meet the Test. This would bar the Market Maker from using the Linkage to send Principal Orders in that option class for the following calendar quarter. The Exchange contends that it was not its intention to bar Market Makers with limited volume from sending Principal Order through the Linkage in these circumstances since such trading was not “a primary aspect of their business.” Thus, the proposed rule would create a *de minimis* exemption from the 80/20 Test for Market Makers that have total contract volume of less than 1,000 contracts in an option class for a calendar quarter. III. Discussion After careful review, the Commission finds that the proposed rule change is consistent with the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder applicable to a national securities exchange. 6 In particular, the Commission finds that the proposed rule change is consistent with the requirements of section 6(b)(5) of the Act 7 which requires, among other things, that the rules of an exchange be designed to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market, and to protect investors and the public interest. The Commission believes that the proposed rule change will increase the availability of Linkage to members of the Participants by limiting the applicability of the 80/20 Test in situations where market makers have minimal trading volume in a particular options class. 6 In approving this proposed rule change, the Commission has considered the proposed rule's impact on efficiency, completion, and capital formation. 15 U.S.C. 78c(f). 7 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5). The Commission recognizes that the Exchange does not believe that it is necessary to bar market makers with limited volume from sending Principal Orders through the Linkage, as such trading does not raise concerns that a member is sending such orders as “a primary aspect of their business.” The Commission believes that the *de minimus* exemption from the 80/20 Test proposed by the Exchange for market makers that have a total contract volume of less than 1,000 contracts in an options class for a calendar quarter should ensure that members with relatively low volume in a particular options class can send a reasonable number of Principal Orders without being barred from using the Linkage by application of the 80/20 Test in the following calendar quarter. IV. Conclusion For the foregoing reasons, the Commission finds that the proposed rule change is consistent with the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. *It is therefore ordered,* pursuant to section 19(b)(2) of the Act, 8 that the proposed rule change (SR-PCX-2005-61), as amended, is approved. 8 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2). For the Commission by the Division of Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated authority. 9 9 17 CFR 200.3(a)(12). Jonathan G. Katz, Secretary. [FR Doc. 05-17707 Filed 9-6-05; 8:45 am]
Connectionstraces to 5
★   the supreme law of the land   ★
Don't Tread on Me
E Pluribus Unum — out of many, one

"If you don't know your rights, you don't have any."

Marginalia · a citizen's law index
A research desk, not legal advice. Always read the cited source before relying on a summary.
Questions or an issue? support@self-law.org
disclaimerMarginalia is a research index, not a law firm. Nothing on this site is legal, tax, or financial advice and no attorney–client relationship is formed by using it. Statutes, regulations, and case law change; summaries, search results, AI output, and member posts may be incomplete, out of date, or wrong. Any interpretation drawn from material on this site should be validated by a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before you act on it.