Tim Hanson over at the Motley Fool reported that the American Stock Exchange (AMEX) recently announced plans to try and become the exchange for micro-cap stocks. Unfortunately, I can’t find any reference to this on the AMEX site or via search engine. If anybody can provide me with the source, that would be appreciated. I have no doubt TMF is reporting correctly on the matter, it would just be great to read a press release or any other kind of announcement on the matter.
How does Hanson feel about it? He sure doesn’t pull any punches:
“Forgive me if I run screaming from the building. Why? Well, the AMEX is the least reputable of our major U.S. exchanges. It lists more than its share of questionable companies and has a long history of not delisting companies when it should.”
Nonetheless, it probably makes good business sense for the AMEX to go this route. They don’t have any hopes of competing with the NYSE or Nasdaq, especially when you consider the amount of consolidation going on amongst stock exchanges right now. It is so rampant that the Financial Times has dedicated a complete section to the matter on FT.com .
As such, it makes sense to switch focus to more than 10,000 companies listed/quoted on junior exchanges/quotation systems throughout North America. Make no mistake about it, this is a lofty goal but they are going in the right direction.
Regards,
George
I couldn’t understand some parts of this article Does AMEX Plan To Become The Exchange For Micro-Cap Stocks?, but I guess I just need to check some more resources regarding this, because it sounds interesting.
Well I believe some companies list on the AMEX for just the reasons that Tim Hanson complains about. No company wants to spend the money to get listed on the NASDAQ, then fall under hard times and get delisted. The AMEX is a much more “forgiving” exchange.
Look at gold mining companies. How many of them list on the NASDAQ? I can name only one DRD Gold and they are on the NASDAQ Capital Market and DRD Gold last month had to do a 1:10 reverse split just to meet the NASDAQ share price requirement. The NASDAQ requirements are just to tough for mining companies to deal with.
The majority of the mining companies that have major US listings, list their stock on the NYSE or AMEX with the exploration companies going the AMEX route. It just makes more financial sense for them to do that.