Investment Company Act Rules

Rule 2a51-2

Definitions of Beneficial Owner for Certain Purposes Under Sections 2(a)(51) and 3(c)(7) and Determining Indirect Ownership Interests

(a) Beneficial ownership: General. Except as set forth in this section, for purposes of sections 2(a)(51)(C) and 3(c)(7)(B)(ii) of the Act [15 U.S.C. 80a-2(a)(51)(C) and -3(c)(7)(B)(ii)], the beneficial owners of securities of an excepted investment company (as defined in section 2(a)(51)(C) of the Act [15 U.S.C. 80a-2(a)(51)(C)]) shall be determined in accordance with section 3(c)(1) of the Act [15 U.S.C. 80a-3(c)(1)].

(b) Beneficial ownership: Grandfather provision. For purposes of section 3(c)(7)(B)(ii) of the Act [15 U.S.C. 80a-3(c)(7)(B)(ii)], securities of an issuer beneficially owned by a company (without giving effect to section 3(c)(1)(A) of the Act [15 U.S.C. 80a-3(c)(1)(A)]) (''owning company'') shall be deemed to be beneficially owned by one person unless:

(1) The owning company is an investment company or an excepted investment company;

(2) The owning company, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the issuer; and

(3) On October 11, 1996, under section 3(c)(1)(A) of the Act as then in effect, the voting securities of the issuer were deemed to be beneficially owned by the holders of the owning company's outstanding securities (other than short-term paper), in which case, such holders shall be deemed to be beneficial owners of the issuer's outstanding voting securities.

(c) Beneficial ownership: Consent provision. For purposes of section 2(a)(51)(C) of the Act [15 U.S.C. 80a-2(a)(51)(C)], securities of an excepted investment company beneficially owned by a company (without giving effect to section 3(c)(1)(A) of the Act [15 U.S.C. 80a-3(c)(1)(A)]) (''owning company'') shall be deemed to be beneficially owned by one person unless:

(1) The owning company is an excepted investment company;

(2) The owning company directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the excepted investment company or the company with respect to which the excepted investment company is, or will be, a qualified purchaser; and

(3) On April 30, 1996, under section 3(c)(1)(A) of the Act as then in effect, the voting securities of the excepted investment company were deemed to be beneficially owned by the holders of the owning company's outstanding securities (other than short-term paper), in which case the holders of such excepted company's securities shall be deemed to be beneficial owners of the excepted investment company's outstanding voting securities.

(d) Indirect ownership: Consent provision. For purposes of section 2(a)(51)(C) of the Act [15 U.S.C. 80a-2(a)(51)(C)], an excepted investment company shall not be deemed to indirectly own the securities of an excepted investment company seeking a consent to be treated as a qualified purchaser (''qualified purchaser company'') unless such excepted investment company, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the qualified purchaser company or a company with respect to which the qualified purchaser company is or will be a qualified purchaser.

(e) Required consent: Consent provision. For purposes of section 2(a)(51)(C) of the Act [15 U.S.C. 80a-2(a)(51)(C)], the consent of the beneficial owners of an excepted investment company (''owning company'') that beneficially owns securities of an excepted investment company that is seeking the consents required by section 2(a)(51)(C) (''consent company'') shall not be required unless the owning company directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the consent company or the company with respect to which the consent company is, or will be, a qualified purchaser.    Notes to Sec. 270.2a51-2:    1. On both April 30, 1996 and October 11, 1996, section 3(c)(1)(A) of the Act as then in effect provided that: (A) Beneficial ownership by a company shall be deemed to be beneficial ownership by one person, except that, if the company owns 10 per centum or more of the outstanding voting securities of the issuer, the beneficial ownership shall be deemed to be that of the holders of such company's outstanding securities (other than short-term paper) unless, as of the date of the most recent acquisition by such company of securities of that issuer, the value of all securities owned by such company of all issuers which are or would, but for the exception set forth in this subparagraph, be excluded from the definition of investment company solely by this paragraph, does not exceed 10 per centum of the value of the company's total assets. Such issuer nonetheless is deemed to be an investment company for purposes of section 12(d)(1).    2. Issuers seeking the consent required by section 2(a)(51)(C) of the Act should note that section 2(a)(51)(C) requires an issuer to obtain the consent of the beneficial owners of its securities and the beneficial owners of securities of any ''excepted investment company'' that directly or indirectly owns the securities of the issuer. Except as set forth in paragraphs (d) (with respect to indirect owners) and (e) (with respect to direct owners) of this section, nothing in this section is designed to limit this consent requirement.