[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 214 (Monday, November 5, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55965-55966]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-27711]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Upon Written Request Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange 
Commission, Office of Filings and Information Services, Washington, 
DC 20549.

Extensions:
    Rule 425, Schedule TO--OMB Control No. 3235-0521, SEC File No. 
270-462; OMB Control No. 3235-0515, SEC File No. 270-456

    Notice is hereby given that pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.,) the Securities and Exchange 
Commission (``Commission'') is soliciting comments on the collections 
of information summarized below. The Commission plans to submit these 
existing collections of information to the Office of Management and 
Budget for extension and approval.
    Rule 425 requires the filing of certain prospectuses and 
communications under Rule 135 in connection with business combinations. 
The purpose of the rule was to relax existing restrictions on oral and 
written communications with shareholders about tender offers, mergers 
and other business combination transactions by permitting the 
dissemination of more information on a timely basis as long as the 
written communications are filed on the date of first use. 
Approximately 5,739 issuers file communications under Rule 425 for a 
total of 1,435 annual burden hours.
    Schedule TO must be filed by a reporting company that makes a 
tender

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offer for its own securities. Also, persons other than the reporting 
company making a tender offer for equity securities registered under 
section 12 of the Exchange Act (which offer, if consummated, would 
cause that person to own over 5 percent of that class of the 
securities) must file Schedule TO. The purpose Schedule TO is to 
improve communications between public companies and investors before 
companies file registration statements involving tender offer 
statements. Approximately 3,038 issuers annually file Schedule TO and 
it takes 43.5 hours to prepare for a total of 132,153 annual burden 
hours. It is estimated that 50% of the 132,153 total burden hours 
(66,077 burden hours) is prepared by the company.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid control number.
    Written comments are invited on: (a) Whether these collections of 
information are necessary for the proper performance of the functions 
of the agency, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
collections of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, 
and clarity of the information collected; and (d) ways to minimize the 
burden of the collection of information on respondents, including 
through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology. Consideration will be given to comments and 
suggestions submitted in writing within 60 days of this publication.
    Pease direct your written comments to Michael E. Bartell, Associate 
Executive Director, Office of Information Technology, Securities and 
Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth Street, NW., Wshington, DC 20549.

    Dated: October 25, 2001.
Margaret H. McFarland,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-27711 Filed 11-2-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-M