BNS Holding changes the rules in mid-stream

Here is the text of a complaint I just filed with the SEC:

BNS announced a 1-for-200 reverse split that was intended to result in fewer then 300 shareholders of record. This would allow the company to "go private". Shareholders of fewer than 200 shares would receive $13.62 in exchange for surrendering their shares.

According to the proxy statement (DEF 14A), the company would not be required by law to cash out holders of shares in street name. But the company did promise to instruct brokers to treat those shareholders in the same manner as shareholders of record:

"If your shares are held in street name, under Delaware law the proposed Reverse/Forward Stock Split would not impact your shares. However, we plan to work with brokers and nominees to offer to treat shareholders holding shares in street name in substantially the same manner as shareholders whose shares are registered in their names. To determine the transaction's effect on any shares you hold in street name, you should contact your broker, bank or other nominee."

According to the press release dated a week after the proposal passed a shareholder vote, stockholders holding their shares in street name would NOT be cashed out after all. The relevant passage is:

"MIDDLETOWN, R.I., July 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- BNS Holding, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: BNSIA - News; the "Company") confirms that the Company has elected to require banks, brokers or other nominee to aggregate any fractional shares within the Depository Trust Company totals upon the consummation of the Company's proposed 200-for-1 reverse stock split immediately followed by a 1-for-200 forward stock split (the "Reverse/Forward Stock Split") scheduled to take effect on August 2, 2007. As a result, the Company need not provide for cash payout to any stockholders holding shares of Common Stock in street name (such as a bank, broker or other nominee). In addition, stockholders holding their shares in street name would retain the same number of shares they held immediately prior to the Reverse/Forward Stock Split. Following the consummation of the Reverse/Forward Stock Split, the Company intends to cease the listing and trading of the Company's Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value per share and Preferred Stock Purchase Rights on the Boston Stock Exchange and cease to be a reporting company pursuant to Sections 12(b) and 12(g) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended."

As a result, investors who bought shares in street name with the intention of being cashed out in the reverse split acted using false information from the company.

Meanwhile, shareholders who wished to remain shareholders may have performed unneeded transactions. Here is the advice from the company's proxy:

" If you would otherwise be a Cashed Out Shareholder as a result of your owning fewer than 200 shares of Common Stock, but you would rather continue to hold Common Stock after the Reverse/Forward Stock Split and not be cashed out, you may do so by taking either of the following actions:

o Purchase a sufficient number of additional shares of Common Stock on the open market and have them registered in your name and consolidated with your current record account, if you are a record holder, or have them entered in your account with a nominee (such as your broker or bank) in which you hold your current shares so that you hold at least 200 shares of Common Stock in your record account immediately before the Effective Date of the Reverse/Forward Stock Split; or

o If applicable, consolidate your accounts so that together you hold at least 200 shares of Common Stock in one record account immediately before the Effective Date of the Reverse/Forward Stock Split.

You will have to act far enough in advance so that the purchase of any Common Stock and/or consolidation of your accounts containing Common Stock is completed by the close of business prior to the Effective Date of the Reverse/Forward Stock Split. The Effective Date is the date upon which the Certificates of Amendment to our Certificate of Incorporation become effective and may not be prior to the date of the Annual Meeting."

If BNS intended for shares held in street name to not be cashed out, the company ought to have stated that in the proxy. Many companies follow that procedure and I don't see anything wrong with that. But there something wrong with announcing one procedure before a shareholder vote and announcing another after the proposal has already passed. It is a form of bait and switch.

I believe that BNS should be required to honor the earlier statement and work with brokers to cash out all shareholders of fewer than 200 shares whether those shares are registered in street name or not.

Thank you,
Jon

My next step is to talk to my broker about what is likely to happen to my shares. I don't believe it will be possible to register them in my name.

Update:

The company has more information about the shareholder meeting at their website. Besides recording the results of the vote, the only thing I've found pertaining to this issue is the following:

It is the Company’s intent that following the reverse/forward split that the Company will initiate the steps necessary to terminate the registration of our shares of Common Stock under Section 12(b) of the Securities and Exchange Act as last amended. As such, our obligations to file Form 10-K, and Form 10-Q, and the like will be immediately suspended within 10 days of the consummation of the reverse/forward split. This will be an advantage to the Company for a variety of reasons, inclusive of controlling the dissemination of certain business information, elimination of costs associated with the requirements of the Exchange Act, and elimination of the initial and continuing costs of compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley and related regulations. The Company intends that future financial information will be made available to our stockholders regularly and on a timely basis via our websites www.collinsindustries.com and www.bnsholding.com.

The second website isn't currently live.

Update #2:

I just sent a fax to the company's investor relations that included the text of my SEC complaint and the following:

I don't know if the SEC will be able to take action on my complaint between now and August 2, but there is still time to correct this unfair procedure, or to cancel or delay the Reverse/Forward Stock Split. As can be seen in today's trading (share price is down by over 10%), this mornings press release has had an averse effect on the market value of this company. Further, the procedure revealed this morning may permanently harm the rights of minority owners without proper compensation.

According to Hoover's, the fax number is 401-848-6444. Depending on what my broker recommends, I may also try calling the phone number that is listed (401-848-6300).