A filing with an exchange regulatory (e.g., Securities and Exchange Commission) for registration of a public offering, where an issuer has no intention to embark on an immediate sale of all the securities being registered. The offering is said to be a “shelf offering“: the securities will be kept on the shelf, until the time the issuer decides to offer them (in which case, these securities will be taken off the shelf).
A shelf registration statement allows an issuer to register multiple shelf offerings (based on the same registration). And securities are registered for sale either on a continuous or delayed basis, although a specific part of the issuance may be offered to the public without delay.
By a shelf registration, an issuer can sell new securities (primary offering) or resell already issued securities (outstanding securities, or secondary offerings), or both (a combination of primary and secondary offerings).
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