This chapter discusses the obligations imposed on companies and their officers to provide information about the company, other than accounts. Information about a company’s constitution, membership, officers and finances must be provided to Companies House, which makes the information available for inspection by anyone at its website. Much of that information must also be made available for inspection at the company’s registered office or an alternative inspection place. Some other information, including directors’ service contracts, must be kept available for inspection by the company’s members at its registered office or inspection place. Any company must identify itself by its registered name at its registered office, inspection place, and places of business. Further identifying information, including its registered number, must be given on business letters, order forms and websites. The chapter discusses the general rules on disclosure and how they are enforced.
Chapter
Transparency
Chapter
18. Public offers of shares
This chapter studies the sources of securities regulation, the rules relating to offering shares to the public, the various UK stock exchanges, and the process by which securities are listed. There are several types of public offer, including offers for subscription, offers for sale, placings, and rights issues. The London Stock Exchange is the principal UK stock exchange, and its two principal markets are the Main Market and the Alternative Investment Market. The principal domestic rules relating to public offers of shares are found in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, the Listing Rules, the Prospectus Rules, and the Disclosure and Transparency Rules. Companies that offer securities to the public or seek to admit securities to a UK regulated market must first publish a prospectus. Meanwhile, listed companies must comply with a range of continuing obligations for as long as their securities remain listed.
Chapter
C. Marketable loans
This chapter deals with arrangements by which a company borrows a large sum of money long term. The money is put up by a number of investors who are entitled to receive interest payments (usually twice a year) and, at the end of the term of the loan, repayment of principal. Sale of all or part of an investor’s entitlements is possible and arrangements are usually made for trading on a stock exchange. Marketable loans were once issued to the general public in the same way as shares, but nowadays they are usually held in large quantities by financial institutions and specialist investors. They are described as ‘wholesale’ rather than ‘retail’ investments. Interests in marketable loans are called ‘debt securities’, ‘bonds’ or ‘debentures’.
Chapter
1. Introduction
This introductory chapter provides an overview of the aims of company law and governance. Company law should hold companies and directors to account, be flexible enough to respond to novel and evolving practices, provide certainty, promote transparency, help to avoid misalignment of interests, promote corporate efficiency, and help avoid corporate disaster. The chapter then looks at other key important business structures. Other than companies, the principal business structures are the sole proprietorship, the partnership, and the limited liability partnership. A sole proprietorship is a sole individual carrying on some form of business activity on their own account. Meanwhile, two or more persons who wish to engage in business together can form an ordinary partnership. Finally, limited liability partnerships were created to provide suitable business structures for large, professional firms. In many respects, limited liability partnerships resemble companies.
Chapter
Accounts and reports
This chapter discusses the obligations imposed on directors of companies to maintain proper accounting records, prepare annual financial statements and reports on the company’s business and disclose this information to members and the public. Requirements for companies to report their financial position to their members and to the public vary according to whether the company is a micro-entity, or is small, medium-sized or large. A company is subject to additional requirements if it is a quoted company. The definitions of these categories are set out and the rules applying to each category are summarised. The chapter discusses the form and contents of annual accounts and the contents of the strategic report and directors’ report.
Chapter
3. Registration
This chapter discusses the process of registration for the incorporation of companies under the Companies Act 2006. It considers the distinction between private and public companies, the meaning of limited liability and the significant characteristics of the company created by the registration procedure at Companies House, such as a company’s separate corporate personality (which is highly artificial), its members, shareholding, directors, secretary, name, constitution and its registered office and domicile. To deter misuse of companies, the registration process involves disclosing much information about a company which is then available for public inspection. This process of public disclosure continues throughout a company’s existence.
