(a) A statement within the coverage of paragraph (b) below which is made by or on behalf of an issuer or by an outside reviewer retained by the issuer shall be deemed not to be a fraudulent statement (as defined in paragraph (d) of this section), unless it is shown that such statement was made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or was disclosed other than in good faith.

(b) This rule applies to the following statements:

(1) A forward-looking statement (as defined in paragraph (c) of this section) made in a document filed with the Commission, in Part I of a quarterly report on Form 10-Q, §249.308a of this chapter, or in an annual report to security holders meeting the requirements of Rules 14a-3(b) and (c) or 14c-3(a) and (b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.14a-3(b) and (c) or §240.14c-3(a) and (b) of this chapter), a statement reaffirming such forward-looking statement after the date the document was filed or the annual report was made publicly available, or a forward-looking statement made before the date the document was filed or the date the annual report was made publicly available if such statement is reaffirmed in a filed document, in Part I of a quarterly report on Form 10-Q, or in an annual report made publicly available within a reasonable time after the making of such forward-looking statement; Provided, that:

(i) At the time such statements are made or reaffirmed, either the issuer is subject to the reporting requirements of section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and has complied with the requirements of Rule 13a-1 or 15d-1 (§240.13a-1 or §240.15d-1 of this chapter) thereunder, if applicable, to file its most recent annual report on Form 10-K, Form 20-F, or Form 40-F; or if the issuer is not subject to the reporting requirements of section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the statements are made in a registration statement filed under the Securities Act of 1933 or pursuant to section 12(b) or (g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

(ii) The statements are not made by or on behalf of an issuer that is an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940; and

(2) Information relating to the effects of changing prices on the business enterprise presented voluntarily or pursuant to Item 303 of Regulation S-K (§229.303 of this chapter), Item 5 of Form 20-F (§249.220f of this chapter), “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects,” Item 302 of Regulation S-K (§229.302 of this chapter), “Supplementary Financial Information,” or Rule 3-20(c) of Regulation S-X (§210.3-20(c) of this chapter), and disclosed in a document filed with the Commission, in Part I of a quarterly report on Form 10-Q, or in an annual report to shareholders meeting the requirements of Rules 14a-3(b) and (c) or 14c-3(a) and (b) (§240.14a-3(b) and (c) or §240.14c-3(a) and (b)) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

(c) For the purpose of this rule, the term forward-looking statement shall mean and shall be limited to:

(1) A statement containing a projection of revenues, income (loss), earnings (loss) per share, capital expenditures, dividends, capital structure or other financial items;

(2) A statement of management's plans and objectives for future operations;

(3) A statement of future economic performance contained in management's discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations included pursuant to Item 303 of Regulation S-K (§229.303 of this chapter) or Item 5 of Form 20-F; or

(4) Disclosed statements of the assumptions underlying or relating to any of the statements described in paragraphs (c) (1), (2), or (3) of this section.

(d) For the purpose of this rule the term fraudulent statement shall mean a statement which is an untrue statement of a material fact, a statement false or misleading with respect to any material fact, an omission to state a material fact necessary to make a statement not misleading, or which constitutes the employment of a manipulative, deceptive, or fraudulent device, contrivance, scheme, transaction, act, practice, course of business, or an artifice to defraud, as those terms are used in the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and other acts referred to in section 323(b) thereof or the rules or regulations promulgated thereunder.

[46 FR 19458, Mar. 31, 1981, as amended at 47 FR 54790, Dec. 26, 1982; 56 FR 30077, July 1, 1991; 64 FR 53925, Oct. 5, 1999; 73 FR 982, Jan. 4, 2008]