NASD Reminds Members of Obligations When Selling Non-Conventional Investments

INFORMATIONAL

Non-Conventional Investments

Executive Summary

In the aftermath of the recent downturn in the equity markets, NASD reviewed the services and products offered by members and observed that retail investors were being offered an array of different investments as alternatives to conventional equity and fixed-income investments. These alternative investments do not fall under a common category; the staff review indicates that brokers and retail investors have shown increased interest in products such as asset-backed securities, distressed debt, and derivative products (for ease of reference these products are collectively refered to as non-conventional investments or "NCIs"). NCIs often have complex terms and features that are not easily understood. NASD staff reminds members that the fact that an investment is an NCI does not in any way diminish a member's responsibility to ensure that such a product is offered and sold in a manner consistent with the member's general sales conduct obligations. This Notice to Members reminds members offering NCIs of their obligations to: (1) conduct adequate due diligence to understand the features of the product; (2) perform a reasonable-basis suitability analysis; (3) perform customer-specific suitability analysis in connection with any recommended transactions; (4) provide a balanced disclosure of both the risks and rewards associated with the particular product, especially when selling to retail investors; (5) implement appropriate internal controls; and (6) train registered persons regarding the features, risks, and suitability of these products.

Questions/Further Information

Questions regarding this Notice may be directed to Gary L. Goldsholle, Associate General Counsel, Regulatory Policy and Oversight, NASD, at (202) 728-8104; or Janene Marasciullo, Senior Attorney, Regulatory Policy and Oversight, NASD, at (202) 974-2978.

Background and Discussion

As a result of the recent downturn in the equity markets and historically low interest rates, brokers and retail investors have been turning to alternative investment vehicles in search of a better return or yield on investments. A review of members indicated that there is an increased interest in a variety of NCIs that have a wide array of terms, conditions, risks, and rewards.¹ Some of these NCIs are marketed as offering greater security or a "guaranteed" return on investments. Other products seek to maximize the potential return on investments. Some of these products have unique features relating to risk and reward that may not be readily understood, especially by retail investors.

For example, certain asset-backed securities and corporate bonds are secured by a range of collateral such as mobile homes, future royalty payments on popular music, payments from consumer credit cards or other consumer goods. The credit risks associated with these myriad forms of collateral are varied and for many noninstitutional parties may be difficult to understand and assess. Other NCIs, such as distressed corporate bonds and certain derivative contracts, may be offered to retail investors in an attempt to maximize the return on investment, but they correspondingly may involve greater degrees of risk. These products also tend to have less market liquidity, less transparency as to their pricing and value and may entail significant credit risks that are difficult to understand and assess.

In sum, recent trends indicate that brokers and investors may be turning to NCIs in search of increased yield or return. Although these products may have attractive qualities, it is crucial that members understand the distinct features, and risks and rewards, of any product they sell. Thus, whenever members recommend NCIs to investors, they must take special care to ensure that all registered persons understand the features of the product in order to be in a position to perform the required suitability analysis before executing a transaction. Likewise, members have an obligation to ensure that all marketing materials used by the member provide an accurate and balanced description of the risks and rewards.

NASD is issuing this Notice to Members to remind members of their sales conduct obligations.² Given the complex nature of NCIs and the potential for customer harm or confusion, members are cautioned to ensure that their sales conduct procedures fully and accurately address any of the special circumstances presented by the sale of NCIs. Additionally, NASD is concerned that investors, particularly retail investors, may not fully understand the risks associated with these products. Accordingly, NASD reminds members that the sale of NCIs, like more traditional investments, requires them to: (1) conduct appropriate due diligence with respect to these products; (2) perform a reasonable-basis suitability analysis; (3) perform customer-specific suitability analysis for recommended transactions; (4) ensure that promotional materials used by the member are fair, accurate, and balanced; (5) implement appropriate internal controls; and (6) provide appropriate training to registered representatives that sell these products. Given the complex and, at times, difficult-to-understand nature of NCIs, members should take particular care to assure that they are fulfilling these obligations.

Due Diligence/Reasonable-Basis Suitability

As NASD noted most recently in Notice to Members 03-07 (pertaining to hedge fund sales to customers), performing appropriate due diligence is crucial to a member's obligation to undertake the required reasonable-basis suitability analysis.³ A reasonable-basis suitability determination is necessary to ensure that an investment is suitable for some investors (as opposed to a customer-specific suitability determination, discussed below, which is undertaken on a customer-by-customer basis). Thus, the reasonable-basis suitability analysis can only be undertaken when a member understands the investment products it sells. Accordingly, a member must perform appropriate due diligence to ensure that it understands the nature of the product, as well as the potential risks and rewards associated with the product. Moreover, the fact that a member intends to offer an NCI only to institutional investors does not relieve the member of its responsibility to conduct due diligence and a reasonable-basis suitability analysis.

The type of due diligence investigation that is appropriate will vary from product to product. However, there are some common features that members must understand about products before registered representatives can perform the appropriate suitability analysis. These features include, but are not limited to:

• The liquidity of the product



 
• The existence of a secondary market and the prospective transparency of pricing in any secondary market transactions



 
• The creditworthiness of the issuer



 
• The creditworthiness and value of any underlying collateral



 
• Where applicable, the creditworthiness of the counterparties



 
• Principal, return, and/or interest rate risks and the factors that determine those risks



 
• The tax consequences of the product



 
• The costs and fees associated with purchasing and selling the product

Members should examine these and other appropriate factors when conducting due diligence. A member may in good faith rely on representations concerning an NCI contained in a prospectus or disclosure document. However, reliance on such materials alone may not be sufficient for a member to satisfy its due diligence requirements where the content of the prospectus or disclosure document does not provide the member with sufficient information to fully evaluate the risk of the product or to educate and train its registered persons for sales purposes. In such case, the member must seek additional information about the NCI or conclude that the product is not appropriate for sale to the public. In addition, members should ensure that the persons responsible for conducting due diligence have appropriate training and skill to evaluate the terms of the investment as well as the potential risks and benefits.

Customer-Specific Suitability

Members and their associated persons must reasonably believe that the product is a suitable investment prior to making a recommendation to a particular customer. To ensure that a particular investment is suitable for a specific customer, members and their registered persons must examine: (1) the customer's financial status; (2) the customer's tax status; (3) the customer's investment objectives; and (4) such other information used or considered to be reasonable by such member or registered representative in making recommendations to the customer.⁴

NASD cautions members against relying too heavily upon a customer's financial status as the basis for recommending NCIs. A customer's net worth alone is not necessarily determinative of whether a particular product is suitable for that investor. Given the unique nature of NCIs, these products may present challenges when it comes to a member's duty to dispense its suitability obligation; however, the difficulty in meeting such challenges cannot be considered as a mitigating factor in determining whether members have met their suitability obligations. NCIs with particular risks may be suitable for recommendation to only a very narrow band of investors capable of evaluating and being financially able to bear those risks.

Promotional Materials

Sales materials and oral presentations regarding NCIs must present a fair and balanced picture regarding both the risks and benefits of investing in these products. For example, members may not claim that certain NCI products, such as asset-backed securities, distressed debt, derivative contracts, or other products, offer protection against declining markets or protection of invested capital unless these statements are fair and accurate. Moreover, when promoting the advantages of NCIs, it is critical that members balance their promotional materials with disclosures of the corresponding risks and limitations of the product discussed above in the "Due Diligence/Reasonable Basis Suitability" section of this Notice.

Additionally, if applicable, members should provide investors with any prospectus and other disclosure material provided by the issuer or the sponsor. NASD reminds members, however, that simply providing a prospectus or offering memoranda does not cure unfair or unbalanced sales or promotional materials, whether prepared by the member, sponsor, or issuer.⁵

Internal Controls

Members must establish sufficient internal controls, including supervision and training requirements, that are reasonably designed to ensure that sales of NCIs comply with all applicable NASD and SEC rules. Members must ensure that their written procedures for supervisory and compliance personnel require that (1) the appropriate due diligence/reasonable-basis suitability is completed before products are offered for sale; (2) associated persons perform appropriate customer-specific suitability analysis; (3) all promotional materials are accurate and balanced; and (4) all NASD and SEC rules are followed. In addition to establishing written procedures, members also must document the steps they have taken to ensure adherence to these procedures.

Training

Members must train registered persons about the characteristics, risks, and rewards of each product before they allow registered persons to sell that product to investors. Likewise, members should train registered persons about the factors that would make such products either suitable or unsuitable for certain investors. Members' focus on training should not be limited to representatives selling such products; members also should provide appropriate training to supervisors of registered persons selling NCIs.

For a variety of reasons, the need for adequate training is heightened when registered persons sell NCIs. First, due to the unique nature of these products, many investors, especially retail investors, may not understand the features of the product, and may not fully appreciate the associated risks of investing in them. Moreover, in light of the fact that investors may be turning to these products as an alternative to traditional equity and fixed income investments, it is crucial for registered persons to provide a full and balanced disclosure regarding both the risks and the rewards of these products.

Educational brochures, videos, lectures, explanatory memoranda, and Web-based seminars are all appropriate ways of delivering training. The particular training methods will vary based upon the products themselves, as well as the size and customer base of the firm. NASD encourages firms that offer NCIs to offer training about these products as part of the Firm Element of their Continuing Education Program.

Conclusion

NCIs can be unusual and complex investment vehicles that may appear increasingly attractive to investors during periods in which traditional equity and fixed income investments come into disfavor. However, the unique and complex features of some NCIs may be difficult to understand and may obscure the risks. Accordingly, members must conduct appropriate due diligence/reasonable-basis suitability before offering any product to the public. Likewise, members must conduct a customer-specific suitability analysis prior to making any recommendations to a customer. Members also must ensure that all promotional materials are fair, accurate, and balanced. Finally, in connection with the recommendation and sale of NCIs, members must ensure that they implement appropriate supervisory internal control and appropriate training to all registered persons who sell such products to customers.

¹ Approximately 35% of the firms reviewed sold NCIs in denominations that raise the possibility of sales to retail investors. The list of NCIs being offered is broad and includes asset-backed securities, index-linked notes, non-traded REITS, equity-linked notes, multi-callable step up notes, redeemable secured notes, auction rate preferred securities, principal protected indexlinked CDs, distressed debt, derivative products, and emerging market debt securities.

² Members also are reminded of the application of IM-2310-2(e) (Fair Dealing with Customers with Regard to Derivative Products or New Financial Products), which emphasizes members' obligations for fair dealing with customers when making recommendations or accepting orders for new financial products.

³ NASD's use of the term "due diligence" is not intended to equate the responsibilities of a member for its sales conduct obligations with the requirements of an underwriter under Section 11 of the Securities Act of 1933 and Securities Act Rule 176.

⁴ NASD Conduct Rule 2310(b).

⁵ See NASD Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, Altegris Invs., Inc., and Robert Amedeo, No. CAF030015 (April 15, 2003).