Division announces change to procedures relating to granted applications for confidential treatment

SEC© Press Release

Companies that file disclosure documents with the SEC© can apply for confidential treatment of certain information required to be included in those documents.

The Division of Corporation Finance has delegated authority to grant or deny those applications. Since May 2008, the Division has posted orders granting or denying confidential treatment on the Commission’s web site through EDGAR.

In some cases, we provide comments on applications before deciding to grant or deny them.  Consistent with our current practice, we will continue to provide oral and written comments on selected applications.  In other cases, we grant the applications without providing comments and we generally have informed applicants of the disposition of their applications in writing or via telephone in connection with issuing orders granting or denying their applications.

As of today, in cases where we have determined to grant a request for confidential treatment without providing comments, we will no longer separately notify the applicant in connection with issuing an order.  We will continue to post the orders through EDGAR.  An applicant can determine if we have granted its application and issued an order without providing comments by reviewing the company’s filing history on EDGAR© at www.sec.gov.  Please click here for access to the press release.