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HomeAn Open Letter to the Board of FINRA Regarding Auction-Rate Securities
Posted by Larry Doyle on July 27th, 2009 3:17 PM |
To: The Board of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA);
FINRA Investment Committee;
FINRA Audit Committee
From: Larry Doyle, Sense on Cents
Re: Auction-Rate Securities
I am a longstanding Wall Street veteran, a private investor, an avid supporter of free and fair markets, and a financial blogger at my site, Sense on Cents.
I launched my website/blog earlier this year specifically to help people more fully understand the economy and the markets during these challenging times.
In my opinion, the greatest challenge facing our markets and our country at this time is the question of confidence and integrity in the system. Little surprise why the topic of financial regulatory reform is receiving so much attention.
Against that backdrop, I am heartened by recent increased legal action taken primarily by selected attorneys general in pursuing entities involved in the fraudulent marketing and distribution of Auction-Rate Securities. We could debate at length why and how the ARS market failed, but there is no doubt these securities, sold as cash surrogates, were distributed in a fraudulent fashion. Thousands of investors and approximately $165 billion in ARS remain frozen.
I view the ARS market as having three legs — issuers, investors, and distributors (both primary Wall Street banks/brokers and downstream entities). Who was situated at the epicenter of this debacle charged with protecting investors? The SEC and FINRA.
FINRA specifically occupied a position not only as a regulator but also as an ARS investor. Whether FINRA representatives want to believe it or not, any semblance of rational and prudent thought would determine that FINRA was conflicted as a result.
Having written extensively on this topic and engaged FINRA spokesperson Herb Perone on this issue, I call upon you, the members of FINRA’s Board, Investment Committee, and Audit Committee, to release all pertinent details involved with FINRA’s liquidation of their ARS position in 2007.
Why is this necessary? Very simply, in order to regain total confidence in the markets it is of paramount importance that there be complete transparency and integrity on behalf of the regulators. To that end, for the benefit of all issuers, investors, and distributors of ARS, I believe it is incumbent on you to release the following information regarding FINRA’s liquidation of ARS:
1. Date of sale
2. To whom or through whom did the liquidation occur?
3. At what price did FINRA sell their ARS?
4. Why did FINRA decide to liquidate the entire $647 million ARS at that time?
5. Did FINRA possess material non-public information at the time of liquidation and act upon it?
6. Given that FINRA is charged with protecting investors, and given its position in the financial industry, how and why did they not post an investor warning about the freezing and subsequent failure of the ARS market prior to its complete failure in early 2008? How many investors and how many dollars could have been protected in the process?
I issue this letter publicly hoping that others may also be able to utilize the information contained herein and generate the release of this information.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I have never owned an Auction-Rate Security. I write merely as a private individual interested in helping the thousands of investors looking for a timely return of their capital.
I thank you.
Respectfully,
Larry Doyle
http://www.senseoncents.com/about/
FINRA 2008 Annual Report: A Special Type of Hubris
Posted by Larry Doyle on June 29th, 2009 3:14 PM |
At first blush, I viewed the text of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s (FINRA’s) 2008 Annual Report as nothing more than standard corporate fare. With the benefit of a few days to ponder FINRA’s delivery, I am actually amazed, although never surprised, by the gall of this regulatory organization. In fact, I can only describe FINRA as displaying a special type of hubris in addressing the fraud encompassing Auction-Rate Securities.
I personally believe it is very important for a financial self-regulatory organization, such as FINRA, to be totally transparent in every regard. Why? Very simply, transparency promotes confidence and FINRA’s position as a financial regulator should begin and end with that goal.
Against that backdrop, FINRA should not directly manage any of their own funds. To do so is an open invitation for conflicts of interest. FINRA’s own investment portfolio, managed by an Investment Committee, generated a negative 26% return in 2008. In April 2009, the FINRA portfolio shifted to a lower volatility approach but in 2008 it continued to have exposure to hedge funds, fund of funds, and private equity. As much as I believe this is a very big deal, it pales in comparison to the major issue I, and others, have with FINRA: their involvement with Auction-Rate Securities. Let’s dive into this part of the report and comment as appropriate.
FINRA sets the table:
Throughout the financial crisis, FINRA has worked closely with other regulators, particularly the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Reserve, to examine firm activities for compliance with FINRA rules and federal securities laws, investigate wrongdoing and, when rules were broken, enforcing those rules.
As well they should. However, Finra obviously did not work too closely with the SEC to detect the fraud ongoing with Bernie Madoff. In fact, Finra’s only reference to the Madoff situation is one sentence highlighting the fact that the current financial regulatory structure does not overlap the efforts overseeing broker-dealers with those of investment advisors.
FINRA continues to make their case in stating:
The instability in the markets, and at a number of financial institutions, heightened investor fears. FINRA helped to allay those fears, and foster confidence, by working to ensure the protection of customer assets at troubled institutions.
How can they make this statement with a straight face knowing that thousands of investors and tens of billions of dollars remain frozen in Auction-Rate Securities? A number of Wall Street institutions continue to collect fees from these securities. Hubris? You think?
FINRA continues:
Vigorous enforcement of rules and regulations is a cornerstone of FINRA’s work to protect investors. In 2008, FINRA focused its efforts in several areas of investor harm—including excessive commissions, unsuitable mutual fund share class recommendations and sales, penny stock sales and auction rate securities recommendations and sales.
The hubris grows.
Let’s move forward. FINRA boldly and specifically addresses the Auction-Rate Securities market. I would have thought FINRA may have ducked this topic given the fact that they had sold $647 million ARS in 2007. The fact that they have willingly ‘opened this can of worms’ leaves them subject to fair and open questions. FINRA puts forth: (more…)
