
- A stock is delisted when a public company is removed from a stock exchange
- Stock delistings happen either voluntarily or when stock exchanges force companies to delist
- Shareholders still own the shares but can only sell them OTC when the stock is delisted
Will I Lose my shares if a company is delisted?
Shareholders can still trade the stock, though it is likely that the market will be less liquid. Shareholders should carefully evaluate delisted stocks, as moving to the OTC could mean that the company is in financial trouble and may be facing bankruptcy soon. In bankruptcy, investors could lose everything.
What are the reasons for delisting a stock?
Key Takeaways
- Delisting occurs when a stock is removed from a stock exchange
- Delisting usually means that a stock has failed to meet the requirements of the exchange.
- A price below $1 per share for an extended period is not preferred for major indexes and is a reason for delisting.
What can I do if my stock is delisted?
- Constellation Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Newater Technology, Inc. Luminex Corp. Lighting Science Group Corp. ...
- Chinacache International Holdings Ltd. Superior Energy Services, Inc. Advent Technologies Holdings, Inc. Mikros Systems Corp. ...
- Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. Norbord, Inc. Dime Community Bancshares, Inc. Acorn International, Inc. ...
What happens to stock when a company is delisted?
When a company is delisted, its shares are no longer eligible for trading on the stock exchange. As a shareholder and if you continue to hold on to the shares post-delisting, you will continue to have legal and beneficial ownership and rights over the shares that you hold in the company.

What happens to my money if a stock is delisted?
The Impact of Delisting on Investors Once a stock is delisted, stockholders still own the stock. However, a delisted stock often experiences significant or total devaluation. Therefore, even though a stockholder may still technically own the stock, they will likely experience a significant reduction in ownership.
Do you still own stock if its delisted?
If a company has been delisted, it is no longer trading on a major exchange, but the stockholders are not stripped of their status as owners. The stock still exists, and they still own the shares; however, delisting often results in a significant or total devaluing of a company's share value.
Can a stock come back after being delisted?
Well, yes. A delisted stock can be relisted only if SEBI permits it. The market regulator lays out different guidelines for relisting such shares. Relisting of voluntarily delisted stocks: Such shares will have to wait five years from their delisting date to get relisted again.
Are delisted stocks worthless?
When a security gets delisted, it ceases to trade on a major exchange. That said, technically, the holding of an investor is intact, and he can still trade in the security, provided there are willing buyers. However, in reality, the ownership right to the security becomes worthless.
What is the process of delisting?
Delisting is a term describing the process of a company becoming removed from the exchange it trades on. A company's stock may be delisted as the result of failing to meet the exchange's laundry list of requirements.
What happens if Robinhood stock is delisted?
If a stock that you own delists, you'll be able to sell it in the market, but you won't be able to purchase additional shares. Once a stock delists, the in-app market data will no longer reflect the current trading price.
How do I claim a loss on a delisted stock?
The delisting of shares results in the impossible selling of shares until the company goes through the exit route. It is effectively irrecoverable and is a loss to the taxpayer. Once the company goes through liquidation or is referred to NCLT under IBC, NCLT declares the company to drop the shares and claim the loss.
How many stocks get delisted?
Delisted stocks are often stocks that do not get a lot of attention unless they are big names and popular stocks. In 2020, more than 70 stocks were delisted from the major U.S. stock exchanges, according to StockAnalysis.
Do I have to sell my shares if a company goes private?
The Bottom Line You have the right to accept or reject the offer—as long as you know what the consequences are. Most people don't own enough shares to viably reject an offer, and therefore, won't have a big effect on how the company's management will react. In the end, you may even be forced to sell your shares.
Will Alibaba be delisted?
According to the HFCAA, there will be "an initial trading prohibition on a registrant as soon as practicable after it is conclusively identified as a Commission-Identified Issuer for three consecutive years." Alibaba's shares fell by -8% from $100.93 as of March 9, 2022 to $92.92 as of March 10, 2022.
Will Chinese stocks be delisted?
How soon could Chinese companies be delisted? Nothing is going to happen this year or even in 2023, which explains why markets initially took the possibility in their stride. Under the HFCAA, a company would be delisted only after three consecutive years of non-compliance with audit inspections.
How long can a stock be under a dollar Nasdaq?
If a company trades for 30 consecutive business days below the $1.00 minimum closing bid price requirement, Nasdaq will send a deficiency notice to the company, advising that it has been afforded a "compliance period" of 180 calendar days to regain compliance with the applicable requirements.
Learn more about the delisting process
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When does a stock get delisted?
There a number of reasons that can cause a stock to be delisted. The Nasdaq has three primary requirements to stay in compliance:
Can a delisted stock be relisted?
A delisted stock can theoretically be relisted on a major exchange, but it's rare. The delisted company would have to avoid bankruptcy, solve the issue that forced the delisting, and again become compliant with the exchange's standards.
How to sell a delisted stock
If you are aware of the possibility that a company may be delisted, choosing to sell your stock is probably a wise move. Involuntary delisting and the events leading up to it lower a company's value, and, if bankruptcy occurs, there's a good chance of losing your entire investment.
Examples of delisted stocks
Tickers for companies that have gone bankrupt, many of which are delisted, are identified with a "Q" at the end. Sears Holdings declared bankruptcy in 2018 and now trades under the ticker ( NASDAQ:SHLDQ). Sears was delisted from the Nasdaq on Oct. 24, 2018, but the stock has continued to trade over the counter.
Why Would a Stock Be Delisted?
A voluntary delisting is when a company decides to pull itself from the market. That may be because the company is involved in a merger or buyout or is going private.
What Happens If a Stock Is Delisted?
Any company in the process of delisting, whether voluntary or involuntary, must make a public announcement.
Will You Lose Your Shares If a Company Gets Delisted?
It depends. Most often, you won’t lose your shares — but they could be worth less.
Examples of Delisted Stocks
This world leader in language-learning software was once a staple on the NYSE.
What Should You Do if You Own a Delisted Stock?
Discovering you own a delisted stock or a stock that’s in the process of being delisted can be a scary thing for a trader if you’re not prepared…
Trading After a Delisting: Key Points You Should Consider
Can you still trade a stock after a delisting? Yep, but you need to be smart about it. Here are some tips…
What Happens to a Stock When a Company Goes Bankrupt?
When a public company announces it’s declared bankruptcy, it’s usually time to start reconsidering your trading position. Bankruptcy could sink a company’s stock price.
Delisted Stocks Explained
Joshua Kennon is an expert on investing, assets and markets, and retirement planning. He is the managing director and co-founder of Kennon-Green & Co., an asset management firm.
Definition and Example of a Delisted Stock
Stocks can be removed from an exchange's list of tradeable stocks. The removal of a stock from an exchange is known as "delisting." The procedure happens when a stock doesn't meet the exchange's requirements, or a company chooses not to be publicly traded anymore.
How Does Delisting a Stock Work?
Stock exchanges have rules and standards that companies must meet to be listed. These are called listing standards. 1 Some exchanges have "initial listing standards" that apply to new stocks, and "continued listing standards" stocks must meet to stay on the exchange. Continued listing standards might be higher or lower than the initial standards.
Types of Delistings
There are two types of delistings: exchange-initiated, sometimes called "involuntary delisting," and issuer-initiated, sometimes called "voluntary delisting."
What It Means for Individual Investors
Delisted stocks are removed from the exchanges they used to trade on. They're then traded "over the counter" (OTC). OTC stocks are traded through what is called a " market maker. " Pricing details are provided by either the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board (OTCBB) or Over-the-Counter Link LLC. 6
What Is Delisting?
Delisting is the removal of a listed security from a stock exchange . The delisting of a security can be voluntary or involuntary and usually results when a company ceases operations, declares bankruptcy, merges, does not meet listing requirements, or seeks to become private.
How Delisting Works
Companies must meet specific guidelines, called " listing standards ," before they can be listed on an exchange. Each exchange, such as the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), establishes its own set of rules and regulations for listings. Companies that fail to meet the minimum standards set by an exchange will be involuntarily delisted.
Involuntary Delisting of a Company
The reasons for delisting include violating regulations and failing to meet minimum financial standards. Financial standards include the ability to maintain a minimum share price, financial ratios, and sales levels. When a company does not meet listing requirements, the listing exchange issues a warning of noncompliance.
What Are Some Listing Requirements?
To list a stock on an exchange, a company must satisfy the following items:
What Happens to Delisted Stocks?
If a stock is delisted, the company may still trade over two different platforms, namely: the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board (OTCBB) or the pink sheets system. Although both are significantly less regulated than the major exchanges, OTCBB is by far the stricter of the two.
How Does This Affect Share Ownership?
When a company delists from a major exchange, shareholders still legally own their shares, even if they're worthless in value. Generally speaking, delisting is regarded as a precursor to the act of declaring bankruptcy .

How to Stay Listed
What Happens to Non-Compliant Companies
- A company that fails to maintain the terms imposed by the exchange on which it lists its stock receives a perfunctory non-compliance notification letter. But a company's stock is not immediately evicted from the exchange at that time. Rather, the letter serves as an invitation for the offending corporation to reply with a description of the actions it plans to take toward addre…
Tracking Delisted Companies
- Investors may track non-compliant companies by following the lists of delinquent securities regularly published by the exchanges. Wall Street watchers can likewise directly identify non-compliant companies by checking out their stock ticker symbols. If a ticker has the initials "BC" attached to the end of it, the stock is designated as non-complian...
Definition and Example of A Delisted Stock
- Stocks can be removed from an exchange's list of tradeable stocks. The removal of a stock from an exchange is known as "delisting." The procedure happens when a stock doesn't meet the exchange's requirements, or a company chooses not to be publicly traded anymore. A stock would be delisted if the issuing company were to fail to meet the minimum sta...
How Does Delisting A Stock Work?
- Stock exchanges have rules and standards that companies must meet to be listed. These are called listing standards.1Some exchanges have "initial listing standards" that apply to new stocks, and "continued listing standards" stocks must meet to stay on the exchange. Continued listing standards might be higher or lower than the initial standards. Others might only require that the …
Types of Delistings
- There are two types of delistings: exchange-initiated, sometimes called "involuntary delisting," and issuer-initiated, sometimes called "voluntary delisting."
What It Means For Individual Investors
- Delisted stocks are removed from the exchanges they used to trade on. They're then traded "over the counter" (OTC). OTC stocks are traded through what is called a "market maker." Pricing details are provided by either the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board (OTCBB) or Over-the-Counter Link LLC.6 If the stock's price has dipped below the level required by listing standards, the company could u…