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Title:

Taiwan Stock Exchange Corporation Rules Governing Review of Securities Listings  CH

Amended Date: 2024.03.11 (Articles 4, 28-1, 40 amended,English version coming soon)
Current English version amended on 2023.09.05 
Categories: Primary Market > Review
   Chapter V Miscellaneous Provisions
      Section 1 The Listing of Stock
4    Where an issuing company applying for the listing of its stock meets the criteria listed below, the TWSE will agree to list its stock:
  1. Duration of corporate existence: It has been incorporated and registered under the Company Act for at least three years at the time of the application for listing; provided, this restriction shall not apply to public (state-owned) enterprises or to privatized public enterprises.
  2. Paid-in capital: At the time it applies for listing, its paid-in capital is NT$600 million or more and the number of shares of its publicly offered and issued common stock is 30 million shares or more.
  3. Profitability: The profit before tax in its financial reports meets either of the following criteria, and it does not have any accumulated deficit in the final accounting for the most recent fiscal year:
    1. The profit before tax for the most recent two fiscal years represents 6 percent or greater of the share capital stated on the financial report for the annual final accounts.
    2. The profit before tax for the most recent two fiscal years represents on average 6 percent or greater of the amount of paid-in capital in its final accounts and the profitability for the most recent fiscal year is greater than that for the immediately preceding fiscal year; or
    3. The profit before tax for the most recent five years represents 3 percent or greater of the share capital stated on the financial report for the annual final accounts.
  4. Dispersion of share ownership: The number of registered shareholders is 1,000 or more. Excluding company insiders and any juristic persons in which such insiders hold more than 50 percent of the shares, the number of registered shareholders is at least 500, and the total number of shares they hold is 20 percent or greater of the total issued shares, or at least 10 million.
  5. An issuer listed in the food industry or whose income from catering business occupies at least 50 percent of its total operating revenue in the last fiscal year shall comply with the following:
    1. Establish a laboratory to engage in self-inspection.
    2. Deliver the raw materials, semi-finished products and finished products whose inspection is outsourced, to a laboratory or inspection institution certified or accredited by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan Accreditation Foundation or an institution engaged by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, for inspection.
    3. Request a reasonable opinion from an independent specialist on its food safety monitoring plan, inspection cycle, items for inspection etc.
    Where an issuing company applying for the listing of its stock has a market value of NT$5 billion or more and meets the criteria listed below, the TWSE will agree to list its stock:
  1. The company meets the conditions set forth in subparagraphs 1, 2, 4 and 5 of the preceding paragraph.
  2. Its operating revenue in the most recent fiscal year exceeds NT$5 billion and is better than the previous fiscal year.
  3. Its cash flow from operating activities in the most recent fiscal year is positive.
  4. The net worth on the financial reports for the most recent quarter is not lower than two-thirds of the capital stock identified in the financial report.
    Where an issuing company applying for the listing of its stock has a market value of NT$6 billion or more and meets the criteria listed below, the TWSE will agree to list its stock:
  1. The company meets the conditions set forth in subparagraphs 1, 2, 4 and 5 of the first paragraph.
  2. Its operating revenue in the most recent fiscal year exceeds NT$3 billion and is better than the previous fiscal year.
  3. The net worth on the financial reports for the most recent quarter is not lower than two-thirds of the capital stock identified in the financial report.
    The TWSE will agree to list the stock of an issuing company applying for the listing of its stock in accordance with the second paragraph or the preceding paragraph only if the value of the number of the securities to be listed and available for trading multiplied by the offering price for the price at which the security opens on its first day in the initial public offering has met the minimum requirement on the market value applicable to its application, except where its stock is already listed and traded on the GreTai Securities Market.
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5    Where the central authority in charge of the enterprise concerned has issued an unequivocal opinion certifying that the issuing company applying for the listing of its stock is a technology-based enterprise or a cultural and creative enterprise with market potential, and the said issuing company meets the criteria listed below, the TWSE will agree to list its stock:
  1. At the time it applies for listing, its paid-in capital is NT$300 million or more and the number of shares of its publicly offered and issued common stock is 20 million shares or more.
  2. (deleted)
  3. It is recommended in writing by the securities underwriter.
  4. Its net worth on its financial reports for the most recent quarter represents two-thirds or greater of the share capital stated on the financial report.
  5. The number of registered shareholders is 1,000 or more. Excluding company insiders and any juristic persons in which such insiders hold more than 50 percent of the shares, the number of registered shareholders is at least 500.
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6    Where the issuing company applying for the listing of its stock is an important enterprise involved in national economic reconstruction projects which has been recognized and certified in writing by the authority in charge of the enterprise concerned and meets the following requirements, the TWSE will agree to list its stock:
  1. It is incorporated under the encouragement of the government, and 50 percent or greater of the total number of its issued shares as of the date of its application is held jointly by the Central Government or by the local autonomy organization(s) at the level of province (or municipality under direct jurisdiction of Executive Yuan) designated by the Central Government and the juristic person(s) with 50 percent or greater of its capital fund is contributed by the Central Government or the local autonomy organization(s) designated by the Central Government.
  2. Its paid-in capital is NT$1 billion or more at the time when it applies for listing.
  3. The dispersion of share ownership meets the criteria set forth in subparagraph 4, Article 4 of these Rules.
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6-1    Where the issuing company applying for the listing of its stock is a private enterprise participating in major national public construction projects under encouragement of the government, where it has acquired the concession agreement for investment, construction, and operation approved by the Central Government, municipality under direct jurisdiction of the Executive Yuan, and the local autonomy organization(s) or the juristic person(s) with 50 percent or greater of its capital fund contributed by the Central Government, municipality under direct jurisdiction of Executive Yuan, or the local autonomy organization(s) and the certification issued by the said agency(ies), and where it meets the following requirements, the TWSE will agree to list its stock:
  1. The company is newly established for procurement of the concession agreement and its business items have been approved by the central authority in charge of the enterprise concerned.
  2. Its paid in capital is NT$5 billion or more at the time when it applies for listing.
  3. The total cost expected to be injected in the construction project at the time when the concession agreement is procured is NT$20 billion or more.
  4. The remaining term of the concession agreement is 20 years or more at the time when it applies for listing.
  5. Its directors, shareholders holding 5 percent or more of its total issued shares, or its shareholders or operators who make equity investment in the form of technical know-how and hold 0.5 percent or more of its total issued shares or 100,000 shares or more shall have the technical capability, financial means, and other necessary abilities as required for the completion of the concession agreement, and a certification issued by the agency approving the concession agreement has been obtained.
  6. The dispersion of share ownership meets the criteria set forth in subparagraph 4, Article 4 of these Rules.
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7     A financial report as referred to in Chapter II of these Rules shall mean a consolidated financial report prepared pursuant to the applicable regulations governing the preparation of financial reports adopted by the competent authority for the relevant industry. However, if the issuing company does not have a subsidiary, individual financial reports shall be prepared. The aforementioned financial reports shall be duly audited and certified or reviewed by two or more certified public accountants (CPAs) of an accounting firm; provided that for a stated-owned enterprise, the financial reports for the most recent fiscal year shall be prepared pursuant to the applicable regulations governing the preparation of financial reports adopted by the competent authority for the relevant industry, and audited and attested by CPAs, and if in other years, the securities have not been publicly issued, the financial reports audited by the auditing agency may be used instead.
    The amount of capital referred to in Chapter II of these Rules shall be the amount shown on the certifying documents following registration (or amendment registration). However shares of privately placed securities that have not been publicly issued shall not be counted in the calculation of the aforesaid amount of capital.
     The net worth and profit before tax as referred to in Chapter II of these Rules shall mean, for consolidated reports, the amount attributable to owners of parent.
8    Where an issuing company merely applies with the TWSE for listing its common stock or any type(s) of preferred shares, the amount of paid-in capital required under Article 4, 5, 6, 6-1, 16 or 20-2 hereof shall be calculated on the basis of the total issue of all shares to be listed. In respect of the dispersion of share ownership, the number of registered shareholders and the ratio between the number of shares held by them and the total number of issued shares shall be computed and determined in accordance with the respective types of the stock to be listed.
    Where an issuing company applies for listing its common stock along with any type(s) of preferred shares, the total amount of issue of the common stock to be listed shall at least meet the paid-in capital as required by Article 4, 5, 6, 6-1, 16 or 20-2, and that of any type of preferred shares to be listed shall be NT$300 million or more with 30 million or more shares of such type issued. Each type of the stock to be listed shall meet the criteria governing the dispersion of share ownership.
    With respect to the criteria governing the dispersion of share ownership for the listing of any type(s) of preferred shares under the preceding two paragraphs, the requirement of 500 or more registered shareholders shall be met, and the combined total number of shares held by all the registered shareholders, excluding company insiders and any juristic persons in which such insiders hold more than 50 percent of the shares, shall account for 20 percent or more of the total issued shares of each type of preferred stock or be at least 10 million shares.
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9    Notwithstanding the fact that an issuing company applying for the listing of its stock meets the listing criteria set forth in these Rules, the TWSE may disagree to its listing if the issuing company has any of the events listed below, except for any of those in subparagraphs 8, 9, or 10 under which the TWSE shall disagree to its listing, and is deemed by the TWSE to be inappropriate for listing:
  1. It has any of the events set forth in Article 156, paragraph 1, subparagraphs 1 and 2 of the Securities and Exchange Act, or has made misrepresentation or false statement or conducted unlawful activities that may affect the price of its securities after listing thereof, and will cause fear that the market order may be affected or the public interests may be harmed.
  2. Its financial or business affairs are not independent from other person(s).
  3. It has had any material labor dispute or environmental pollution sufficient to affect its normal financial and business operations, and has not made improvement.
  4. It has been discovered any material non-arms-length transaction and has not made improvement.
  5. After the capital increase through a new share issue which has been effected or is being effected in the year in which it applies for listing is included in the amount of paid-in capital in its final account for the respective year, it does not meet the listing criteria.
  6. It has failed to effectively implement its written accounting system, internal control system, or internal audit system, or has failed to prepare financial reports in accordance with relevant laws and regulations and generally accepted accounting principles, and the event of this failure is considered as material.
  7. There has been serious deterioration in its business operation.
  8. Where the applicant company conducted any activities in violation of the principle of good faith in the most recent five years, or where its directors, general manager or de facto responsible person violated the same principle in the most recent three years.
  9. If an applicant company has less than five directors or same-sex directors on its board of directors, or its independent directors number less than three persons or less than one-third of the number of directors; or if any of its board of directors are unable to independently exercise their functions; or if it has not appointed the remuneration committee pursuant to Article 14-6 of the Securities and Exchange Act and related provisions. Additionally, among the elected independent directors, at least one of them must be a professional in accounting or finance.
  10. Where the applicant company has been registered for trading as an emerging stock on the TPEx in the fiscal year of the listing application and the most recent fiscal year thereto, and there has been, from the TPEx registration date onward, any trading of stock issued by the applicant company by any incumbent director, or shareholder holding 10 percent or greater of its total issued shares other than on the emerging stock market; provided, this restriction shall not apply where such trading is for purposes of underwriting under Article 11 of these Rules or for other legitimate reason.
  11. Where the shares of the applicant company are held by a TWSE (or TPEx) listed company and TPExmeet any of the following conditions, and any equity transfer conducted by the TWSE (or TPEx) listed company during the most recent three years for purposes of reducing its shareholding ratio in the applicant company has not been conducted in a manner giving pre-emptive subscription rights to the existing shareholders, or in other manner not detrimental to the rights and interests of the shareholders of the TWSE (or TPEx) listed company:
    1. The applicant company is the existing or newly established company being transferred business or assets due to a demerger of the TWSE (or TPEx) listed company.
    2. The applicant company is a subsidiary of the TWSE (or TPEx) listed company, and during the three-year period before the application for TWSE listing, the TWSE (or TPEx) listed company has cumulatively reduced its direct or indirect shareholding in the applicant company by 20 percent or more.
  12. Where the listing is considered by the TWSE as inappropriate due to its scope of business, nature or special circumstances.
    Subparagraph 2 of the immediately preceding paragraph shall not apply to companies applying for listing which are government-owned enterprises.
    The ending date of the applicable periods referred to in various subparagraphs of paragraph 1 of this Article shall be the day immediately before the date on which the Agreement for Listing takes effect.
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10    An application for initial listing of stock filed by an issuing company shall not be approved unless and until shares representing all of the number of shares held by each of the following persons of the issuing company specified in the application for listing (with the total number of such shares being not less than the ratio specified in paragraph 2 of this Article), less those offered for public sale, have been placed in central custody with a central securities depository enterprise incorporated with the approval of the Competent Authority; provided however, that if the number of shares represented by shares placed in central custody pursuant to the above is less than the ratio specifies in paragraph 2 of this Article, the shortage shall be made up by other shareholders:
  1. Where the application for listing is filed in accordance with the provisions of Article 4, 6, 16, or Article 20, paragraph 1, Article 20-1, or Article 20-2 of these Rules, its directors, and the shareholders holding 10 percent or greater of the total number of issued shares of the issuing company.
  2. Where the application for listing is filed in accordance with the provisions of Article 5 or Article 20, paragraph 3 of these Rules or where the applicant is an information software enterprise, its personnel who shall handle central custody of the stock are as listed in the items below. However, this restriction shall not apply where shareholding of a recommending securities firm during the period of registration as emerging stock exceeds 5 percent of the total issued shares of said issuing company as a result of subscription or trading of operating securities during the emerging stock trading period.
    1. Where the applicant is a creative enterprise or information software enterprise, its directors, shareholders holding 5 percent or greater of the total number of issued shares, and/or shareholders whose equity investment is made in the form of patent rights or technical know-how, and who are working for the issuing company and hold 0.5 percent or greater of the total number of shares or 100,000 or more shares as of the date on which the application for listing is filed.
    2. Where the applicant is a technology enterprise, its president, research and development supervisor, and personnel mentioned in the preceding item.
    The total number of shares with respect to the shares to be placed in central custody by the issuing company under the preceding paragraph refers to the aggregate sum of common shares that have already been publicly offered and issued, as stated on the listing application documents,; the total ratio of shares to be placed in central custody by the issuing company shall be calculated as set forth below:
  1. Where the total number of shares is 30 million or less, shares representing 25 percent thereof shall be placed in central custody.
  2. Where the total number of shares is more than 30 million but 100 million or less, shares representing 20 percent of the portion of shares in excess of 30 million shares shall be placed in central custody in addition to those required under the preceding item.
  3. Where the total number of shares is more than 100 million but 200 million or less, shares representing 10 percent of the portion of shares in excess of 100 million shall be placed in central custody in addition to those required under the preceding item.
  4. Where the total number of shares is more than 200 million, shares representing 5 percent of the portion of shares in excess of 200 million shall be placed in central custody in addition to those required under the preceding item.
    The remaining shares after deducting those required for the public offering, as referred to in paragraph 1, include the following:
  1. From the date of application for initial listing to the listing date, all new shares obtained through capital increase for which amendment registration has been completed with the Ministry of Economic Affairs, as well as any shares that have come to be held for any other reason; for any shares that have not yet been obtained by the listing date, an undertaking shall be made to place the shares in central custody after obtaining them.
  2. From among the old shares provided by directors and shareholders of the issuer for an overallotment (greenshoe) option for the securities underwriter, any shares that were not actually sold in exercise of the overallotment option and that have been returned by the securities underwriter.
    One-half of the shares placed in central custody by directors and shareholders pursuant to the provisions of paragraph 1 of this Article may be withdrawn only after the end of a 6-month period starting from the listing date thereof; all the shares may be withdrawn in full only after the end of a one-year period starting from the listing date thereof. However, a company applying for listing pursuant to Article 4, paragraphs 2 and 4, or a technology enterprise applying for listing pursuant to Article 5, and to Article 20, paragraph 3, may withdraw one-fourth of the shares only after the end of a 6-month period starting from the listing date thereof, and may further withdraw one-fourth of the shares every 6 months afterwards. All the shares in full only after the end of a two-year period starting from the listing date thereof.
    For an issuing company that applies for listing under the provisions of Article 4, where the total number of its shares required to be placed in central custody is assessed to exceed 50 percent of the issued shares of the issuing company, and the issuing company has paid-in capital of at least NT$30 billion, if the portion of the number of shares required to be placed in central custody exceeding the above-stated 50 percent of issued shares has been pledged to a financial institution by the director or shareholder of the issuing company who holds the shares for purposes of guaranteeing financing for the company or for him/herself, evidentiary documents furnished by the financial institution may be substituted for shares required to be placed in central custody; provided, if the pledge is released during the custody period, the director or major shareholder shall deposit the same amount of shares into central custody; or, if the subject of the pledge is disposed by the financial institution, the issuing company shall contact other directors or major shareholders to deposit the same amount of shares into central custody.
    Directors and shareholders shall not rescind the custodial agreement during the custody period. Shares and certificates in central custody shall not be transferred or pledged. The validity of central custody shall not be affected by a change of the identity of the holders of shares in central custody
    The provisions of paragraph 1 of this Article shall not apply to directors and shareholders of government authorities, government-owned enterprises, or which have obtained an approval from the authority in charge of the enterprise concerned for the sale of the shares held by them and have been determined to be inappropriate to place such shares in central custody.
    The total ratio of shares to be placed in central custody as specified in paragraph 2 of this Article shall not apply to government-owned enterprises.
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10-1    An application for initial listing of stock filed by an issuing company in accordance with Article 6-1 shall not be approved unless and until its directors, shareholders holding 3 percent or more of the total issued shares, and the shareholders whose equity investment is made in the form of technical know-how and who hold 0.5 percent or more of the total number of issued shares or 100,000 shares or more have placed all of their shares specified in the application for listing and in total not less than the ratio of shares as required in paragraph 2 of this Article, minus the shares required for public offering, with a central securities depository enterprise incorporated with the approval of the Competent Authority; provided however, that if the total number of shares held by directors is less than the total number of shares held by them at the time when they were elected as directors and supervisors, then the total number of shares at the time when they were elected shall be the basis for counting the number of shares under this Article. If the number of shares represented by shares placed in custody pursuant to the above is less than the total ratio of shares required under paragraph 2, the shortage shall be made up by other shareholders.
     The total of shares that the issuing company shall place in central custody with the central securities depository, as required under the preceding paragraph, shall mean the total ratio calculated by the method enumerated below based on the total number of issued common shares specified in the application for listing, and the shares placed in central custody shall be the offered and issued common shares only.
  1. If the total number of shares is one billion shares or less, 50 percent of the total number of shares shall be placed in custody.
  2. If the total number of shares exceeds one billion shares but not three billion shares, in addition to complying with the preceding subparagraph, 40 percent of the total number of shares shall be placed in custody for the portion exceeding one billion shares.
  3. If the total number of shares exceeds three billion shares but not five billion shares, in addition to complying with the preceding subparagraph, 30 percent of the total number of shares shall be placed in custody for the portion exceeding three billion shares.
  4. If the total number of shares exceeds five billion shares but not seven billion shares, in addition to complying with the preceding subparagraph, 20 percent of the total number of shares shall be placed in custody for the portion exceeding five billion shares.
  5. If the total number of shares exceeds seven billion shares, in addition to complying with the preceding subparagraph, 10 percent of the total number of shares shall be placed in custody for the portion exceeding seven billion shares.

    Among the shares placed in custody under paragraph 1, one-sixth of the portion thereof may be withdrawn only after the end of 3 full years from the listing date thereof; thereafter, one-sixth thereof may be withdrawn once every 6 months. If after the end of the said period, the project constructed by the company has not been fully completed and the operation has not commenced, the custody period may be extended until the project is fully completed and the operation commences; provided, however, that if partial operation has commenced before the project is fully completed, the custody period shall be extended until the company's annual financial report shows an net operating income and profit before tax. The custody agreement shall not be terminated during the custody period. Shares and certificates in custody shall not be transferred or pledged. The validity of custody shall not be affected by any change of the identity of the holders of shares in custody.
    At the time of applying for listing, the issuer shall undertake that, during the period of central custody of the stock, a shareholder that has already placed stock in central custody in accordance with paragraph 1 shall also carry out central custody placement for any shares of common stock that the shareholder may subsequently obtain through subscription or conversion of preferred shares or corporate bonds, according to the total ratio required to be placed in custody as calculated under paragraph 1 at the time of the listing application. The provisions of paragraph 3 shall apply mutatis mutandis to the time periods for custody and withdrawal thereof.    The provisions of paragraph 1 shall not apply where, during the period in which an issuing company applying for initial listing of its stock is registered as an emerging stock company, shareholding of its recommending securities firm exceeds 3 percent of the total issued shares of said issuing company as a result of subscription or trading of operating securities during the emerging stock trading period.
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10-2    Where a company is applying for listing and its stock is already listed and traded on the GreTai Securities Market in accordance with Article 3 of the GreTai Securities Market Rules Governing Review of Securities Traded on the TPEx, central custody of shares shall be made as set forth below, except that the provision of paragraph 2 of Article 10 in relation to the total ratio of shares does not apply:
  1. If the company makes the listing application before the end of the central custody period provided in Article 3 of the Provisions Relating to Article 3, paragraph 1, subparagraph 4 of the GreTai Securities Market Rules Governing Review of Securities Traded on the TPEx, personnel of the company that fall within the scope of Article 10 or Article 10-1 hereof at the time of the listing application shall place their shares in central custody in accordance with the provisions of those articles, except that those personnel who have placed their shares in central custody at the time when the company applied for TPEx listing shall keep their shares in central custody until the end of the original central custody period required for the TPEx listing.
  2. If the company makes the listing application after the end of the central custody period provided in Article 3 of the Provisions Relating to Article 3, paragraph 1, subparagraph 4 of the GreTai Securities Market Rules Governing Review of Securities Traded on the TPEx; unless the TWSE deems necessary, personnel that meet the requirements of Article 10 or Article 10-1 of these Rules at the time of its application for listing may be exempt from the requirement to place their shares in centralized custody.
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11    Where an issuing company applies for initial listing of its common stock or any type(s) of preferred shares it shall allocate a percentage, as specified by the TWSE, of the total number of shares as stated in its listing application documents and after deducting the number of shares to be retained for subscription by employees as specified by laws and regulations in connection with the Company Act, retain a securities underwriter to offer the balance of such allocated shares in full for sale to the public before the shares are listed, by means of a cash capital increase through a new share issue in accordance with the provisions of Article 71, paragraph 1, of the Securities and Exchange Act concerning underwriting of securities on a firm commitment basis. Provided, that a state-owned enterprise or an applicant under Article 6 or Article 6-1 may carry out underwriting with stock already publicly offered and issued by the company.
    The total number of shares to be allocated by the issuing company for public sale under the preceding paragraph shall be calculated by the method specified in Article 10, paragraph 2, and shares added during the period from the listing application date until the listing date shall be included in the calculation; provided, shares allocated for public sale shall be confined to shares of publicly offered and issued common stock.
    The requirements of paragraph 1 regarding a percentage of shares to be allocated shall not apply to a company applying for TWSE listing if the company's shares are already listed for trading on the TPEx in accordance with Article 3 of the GreTai Securities Market Rules Governing Review of Securities Traded on the TPEx and the company, because of non-compliance with the share ownership dispersion standards in these Rules, must retain a securities underwriter to conduct a pre-listing public sale of shares to deal with the amount of the shortfall in share ownership dispersion. However, if the amount of the shortfall is less than 2 million shares or 1 percent of paid-in capital, the company may be exempted from the public sale requirement, as long as it achieves compliance with share ownership dispersion standards before its shares are listed on the central exchange for trading.
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12    An issuing company applying for the listing of its stock shall, after its Agreement for Listing has taken effect, offer its stock to the public in accordance with the provisions of the preceding article. In case the stock applied for listing have not been listed within 3 months after the date of the aforesaid notice given by the TWSE, the TWSE shall after cancel the said Agreement for Listing, and report to the Competent Authority for recordation. However, if an application for extension is filed by the issuing company with adequate cause, the said deadline may be extended for 3 additional months after such application has been approved by the TWSE, provided that such extension shall be limited to one only, and the extension shall be reported to the Competent Authority for Recordation.
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12-1    An issuing company that privately places securities may not apply for initial listing of such privately placed securities during the period of restriction of transfer as set forth in Article 43-8 of the Securities and Exchange Act. If, once the period of restriction of transfer has elapsed, the company intends to apply for listed trading of the securities, it may file such application only after first completing public issuance examination and approval procedures with the Competent Authority.
    Securities that are privately placed by a listed company and securities subsequently distributed, converted, or subscribed may not be listed during the period of restriction of transfer as set forth in Article 43-8 of the Securities and Exchange Act. Once the period of restriction of transfer has elapsed, the company may file a listing application only after first applying to the TWSE for a letter of approval and, on the basis of that letter, completing issuance examination and approval procedures with the Competent Authority. However, it may be exempted from the requirement of carrying out public offering prior to listing under Article 11.
    When applying to the TWSE for a letter of approval under the preceding paragraph, a listed company shall meet the standards in each of the following subparagraphs:
  1. The financial reports for the most recent period and the most recent fiscal year show an absence of accumulated deficit.
  2. The profit before tax in the financial reports meets one of the following standards:
    1. The profit before tax for each of the most recent two fiscal years represents 4 percent or greater of the share capital stated on the financial report for the annual final accounts.
    2. The average profit before tax for the most recent two fiscal years represents 4 percent or greater of the share capital stated on the financial report for the annual final accounts, and the profitability for the most recent fiscal year is greater than that for the immediately preceding fiscal year.
  3. A CPA has audited the financial reports for the most recent two fiscal years and has signed and issued an audit report containing an unqualified opinion. If an audit report containing other than an unqualified opinion is issued, it does not affect the fairness of presentation of the financial reports.
  4. None of the events set out in Article 9, paragraph 1, subparagraphs 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, or 12 is present.
  5. The total amount of registered shares held by the directors and supervisors as a whole is higher than the share ownership ratio prescribed by the Rules and Review Procedures for Director and Supervisor Share Ownership Ratios at Public Companies.
  6. The fund utilization plan has been completely executed for the funds obtained from the private placement of securities, and has yielded reasonable benefits; provided, this restriction shall not apply if there is legitimate reason.
  7. For an applicant company that had profit after tax and no accumulated deficit for the fiscal year before the shareholders meeting resolved on the private placement of securities, if any of the circumstances listed below exists, then in addition to meeting the profitability requirements of subparagraph 2, the ratio of profit before tax to the share capital stated on the financial report for the annual final accounts for the most recent fiscal year shall be better than that for the fiscal year before the shareholders meeting resolved on the private placement of securities, provided such restriction on profitability does not apply where the average of the three fiscal years prior to the application is, due to a change in the business cycle of the industry concerned, better than that of the fiscal year or three fiscal years before the shareholders meeting resolved on the private placement of securities and reaches 4 percent or above:
    1. The private placement solely introduced strategic investors, and at the time the company applies for the letter of approval, the privately placed shares have not been transferred, or have been transferred to the holding of any non-insider(s) or non related party(ies) of the applicant company.
    2. There is a likelihood of an event under Article 7 or 8 of the Regulations Governing the Offering and Issuance of Securities by Securities Issuers, but the applicant company for a legitimate reason is unable to reasonably correct the situation and unable to conduct the public offering, and is urgently in need of capital, and is granted permission for the private placement by the TWSE, and at the time the company applies for the letter of approval for listing of the privately placed securities, the securities have not been transferred, or have been transferred to the holding of any non-insider(s) or non related party(ies) of the applicant company.
  8. For an applicant company that had profit after tax and no accumulated deficit for the fiscal year before the shareholders meeting resolved on the private placement of securities, if any of the circumstances listed below exists, then in addition to meeting the profitability requirements of subparagraph 2, the ratio of profit before tax to the share capital stated on the financial report for the annual final accounts for the most recent fiscal year may not be lower than 200 percent of that for the fiscal year before the shareholders meeting resolved on private placement of securities, provided such restriction on profitability does not apply where the average of the three fiscal years prior to the application is, due to a change in the business cycle of the industry concerned, not lower than 200 percent of that of the fiscal year or three fiscal years before the shareholders meeting resolved on the private placement of securities and reaches 4 percent or above:
    1. The private placement solely introduced strategic investors, and at the time the company applies for the letter of approval, part or all of the privately placed shares have been transferred to the holding of any insider(s) or related party(ies) of the applicant company.
    2. The private placement did not introduce strategic investors.
    3. There is a likelihood of an event under Article 7 or 8 of the Regulations Governing the Offering and Issuance of Securities by Securities Issuers, but the applicant company for a legitimate reason is unable to reasonably correct the situation and unable to conduct the public offering, and is urgently in need of capital, and is granted permission for the private placement by the TWSE, and at the time the company applies for the letter of approval for listing of the privately placed securities, part or all of the securities have been transferred to the holding of any insider(s) or related party(ies) of the applicant company.
    4. The conducting of the private placement of securities was not done in accordance with the Directions for Public Companies Conducting Private Placements of Securities ("the Directions for Private Placements"), where the circumstances were serious.
  9. For an applicant company that had net loss after tax or accumulated deficit for the fiscal year before the shareholders meeting resolved on the private placement of securities, if any of the circumstances listed below exists, then in addition to meeting the profitability requirements of subparagraph 2, the ratio of profit before tax to the share capital stated on the financial report for the annual final accounts for the most recent fiscal year shall be 6 percent or higher:
    1. Any insider or related party of the company participates in the private placement, and the subscription price does not comply with the percentage requirements set out by the Competent Authority.
    2. The private placement of securities is not carried out in accordance with the Directions for Private Placements, and the circumstances are serious.
  10. Others consistent with the provisions of the Competent Authority.
    A company applying for listing in accordance with Article 4, paragraph 2 or 3, and Article 5, Article 6, or Article 6-1 may waive the application of subparagraph 2 of the preceding paragraph if the company, which has never obtained a letter of approval from the TWSE in accordance with the preceding paragraph, applies for said letter in accordance with paragraph 2 upon the adoption of a special resolution in a shareholders’ meeting on the registration of the retroactive handling of public issuance procedures of privately placed securities, subject to compliance with the following subparagraphs:
  1. No assignment is conducted within six years from the date of delivery of the privately placed securities, except transfers taking effect in accordance with the law.
  2. The price of the privately placed securities is not lower than 80 percent of the reference price or theoretical price.
  3. No placee of the privately placed securities is an insider or related party of the company.
  4. In the last three years, the sum of the number of privately placed securities in respect of which an application for a letter of approval is made in accordance with this paragraph and the number of securities with equity characteristics that may exercise or be converted into common shares has not exceeded 20 percent of the total number of listed shares at the time of the application, except where, in the event of excess shares, the holder has undertaken through coordination that such shares would all be placed in central custody before listing. The withdrawal period and withdrawn number of shares placed in central custody are governed by the proviso in paragraph 4 of Article 10 mutatis mutandis.
  5. No material change in the scope of business as in Article 50, paragraph 1, subparagraph 14 of the Operating Rules of the TWSE has occurred since the listing date, except as caused by the special characteristics of the industry or other reasonable causes.
    Prior to the listing, all privately placed shares held by non-strategic investors, insiders, and related parties as referred to in paragraph 3, subparagraph 8 or 9 shall be placed in central custody with a central securities depository enterprise incorporated with the approval of the Competent Authority. One half of the shares placed in central custody may be withdrawn only after the end of a 6-month period starting from the date of commencement of listed trading; the remaining shares may be withdrawn in full only after the end of a 1-year period starting from the date of commencement of listed trading. The custodial agreement may not be rescinded during the custody period, and the shares in central custody may not be transferred or pledged. The validity of central custody shall not be affected by a change of the identity of the holders of shares in central custody.
    Where the Competent Authority has restricted the listed trading of securities issued by a listed company, privately placed securities of the company may not be listed until such restriction has been lifted, even if the period of restriction of transfer of the privately placed shares has elapsed.
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13    In case an issuing company whose stock has been de-listed and is traded on the over-the-counter market as a managed stock files an application again for the listing of its stock, it will be handled in accordance with the conditions for listing as set out in these Rules.
14    Where a listed company issues new shares that are of the same type of stocks as those which has already been listed and applies for listing the new shares, such new shares may be listed in accordance with the provisions of Article 139, paragraph 2 of the Securities and Exchange Act, and any certificates carrying right to convert bonds into stock issued by the listed company may also be listed on the TWSE in accordance with the said provisions of the Securities and Exchange Act.
    Where a listed company issues new shares that are not of the same type of stocks as those which have already been listed and applies for listing of the new shares, the TWSE may agree to list the new shares if the following conditions are met:
  1. the total issue amount of the shares under application for listing is NT$300 million or more, with 30 million or more shares issued.
  2. the company offers the shares for sale to the public before listing in accordance with Article 11, paragraph 1.
  3. the share ownership dispersion standards in Article 8, paragraph 3 are met.
    A listed company applying for listing of shares issued by it that are not of the same type of stock as those already listed and that are redeemable for cash upon maturity shall comply with the provisions of the preceding paragraph; however, the share ownership dispersion standards in Article 8, paragraph 3 of these Rules shall not apply.
    A listed company shall promptly report on the Internet information reporting system designated by the TWSE any common shares created through the exercise of conversion rights or subscription rights under any preferred shares with warrants, convertible preferred shares, corporate bonds with warrants, convertible corporate bonds, and detached company warrants offered and issued by it, and may be exempted from the requirement of public offering under Article 11.
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