Private Company Transfer Agent Services
There are a growing number of privately held companies that are considering using the services of a professional stock transfer agent. A&P Stock Transfer and Trust Services AG has developed a unique private company platform that provides significant cost savings compared to fees charged by attorneys and “big-bank” firms for similar services.
Here are some benefits of using A&P Stock Transfer and Trust Services AG for your private company’s stock transfer agent services:
• Cost Savings: Our private company services provide an a la carte option which allows our clients to only pay for services actually received- there are not hidden fees.
• Electronic Certificates: Our system allows us to issue paperless stock certificates through our book-entry electronic system. This system allows the elimination of lost certificates, shipping fees, and storage.
• Legal Expertise: Whether it be the IRS cost basis or standard Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) stock transfer rules, our team can guide you and handle your transactions with the proficiency required.
• Professional Transfer Agent: A&P has been in business for nearly 30 years and has worked with hundreds of private companies along the way. Utilize A&P’s legal expertise and network to broaden and ensure regulatory compliance and a smooth transition to taking your company public or to maintain your private company’s records.
• Working towards an Initial Public Offering (IPO)? Contact us to learn how we can help.
In a private company, the shareholder recordkeeping responsibility generally falls to an employee or an outside law-firm. In either case, the job may fall on someone poorly trained, or to a law firm which is unnecessarily expensive. Shareholders may be negatively impacted through having to deal with physical stock certificates, inexperienced staff, or a general lack of knowledge of transfer agent rules.
Shareholders who receive a “paper” stock certificate from time to time must safeguard this negotiable instrument. If a public offering takes place, the shareholder must physically surrender the security, risking the loss of the certificate and subsequently having to replace it with an expensive insurance bond.
These problems under certain circumstances can be magnified. For example, if a growing number of employee shareholders exist under an employee ownership plan, the task becomes more complex and difficult to handle as stock transfer activity increases. Additionally, if the company is on track to go public, the accuracy of the records is extremely important. A stock transfer agent that can handle your most important transactions with the required know-how will be beneficial to you not only in the short-term as a private company, but also when you make that next step towards becoming public.
