NASD Notice to Members 05-40 - June 2005

NASD Requests Comment on Proposal to Prohibit All Product-Specific Sales Contests and to Apply Non-Cash Compensation Rules to Sales of All Securities; Comment Period Expired August 5, 2005

Executive Summary

NASD currently restricts the payment and acceptance of non-cash compensation in connection with the sale of direct participation programs (DPPs), variable insurance contracts, investment company securities, and public offerings of real estate investment trusts (REITs) and other securities. NASD also prohibits internal non-cash sales contests in connection with the sale of variable insurance contracts or investment company securities unless they meet certain criteria, including that such contests are based on principles of total production and equal weighting. NASD proposes to expand the prohibitions of non-cash compensation to the sale and distribution of any security or type of security, rather than just those enumerated above. NASD also proposes to prohibit all product-specific cash and non-cash "sales contests" as defined by the proposed rule.

 

Questions concerning this Notice may be directed to Thomas M. Selman, Senior Vice President, Investment Companies/Corporate Financing, at (240) 386-4533; Joseph P. Savage, Associate Vice President, Investment Companies Regulation, at (240) 386-4534; or Philip A. Shaikun, Associate General Counsel, Office of General Counsel, Regulatory Policy and Oversight, at (202) 728-8451.

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