On September 30, 2014, the SEC published an NYSE amendment, effective as of such publication, to adopt a new initial listing standard, and to eliminate all but one of the current NYSE initial listing standards, for US operating companies.

The amendment provides for a global market capitalization test to serve as a new initial listing standard for US operating companies. The global market capitalization test requires that a listing operating company have a minimum total global market capitalization of $200 million at the time of initial listing. A company that is already publicly traded at the time it applies to list on the NYSE must meet the $200 million global market capitalization requirement for at least 90 consecutive trading days immediately preceding the date on which it receives clearance to submit an application to list on the NYSE.

The amendment also eliminates four of the NYSE’s five current initial listing standards for US operating companies: (1) the valuation/revenue with cash flow test, (2) the pure valuation/revenue test, (3) the affiliated company test, and (4) the assets and equity test.

Despite the proposed global market capitalization test, companies listing must also meet both the existing distribution requirements of Section 102.01A, and the stock price and market value of publicly-held shares requirements of Section 102.01B, of the Listed Company Manual. In addition, companies listing under the proposed global market capitalization test must comply with all other applicable NYSE listing rules.

The notes relating to the amendment highlight that Nasdaq and Nasdaq Global Market have a competitive advantage over the NYSE under existing listing standards, particularly with respect to pre-revenue research and development companies. The amendment, and the implementation of the global market capitalization test, is the NYSE’s attempt to level the playing field.