
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. In some cases, stockholders can lose everything.
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.

Can I sell a stock that is delisted?
If a company is delisted, you are still a shareholder, to the extent of a number of shares held. And yet, you cannot sell those shares on any exchange. However, you can sell it on the over-the-counter market. This means you can look for a buyer outside the stock exchange.
What does delisting mean for shareholders?
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.
Do I get my money back if a stock is delisted?
Shareholders retain their legal rights and equity interest in a delisted stock even if they cannot sell their stake as readily as previously.
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.
What happens if I don't sell my shares when a company goes private?
Unless you own a substantial block of shares, you will have no influence on management. Because they are offering a premium over current price, it's likely that a majority of shares will be tendered, resulting in a thin market with low liquidity.
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.
Why would a company delist?
Causes for delisting may include failure to file timely financial reports, lower-than-required stock price, or insufficient market capitalization. In the end, companies can have a clear bottom-line incentive for delisting their stock from public exchanges — it's not necessarily a bad thing!
What happens to delisted stocks Robinhood?
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 can I sell delisted shares in Zerodha?
How to apply for buybacks, takeovers, delistings and OFS at...Visit console.zerodha.com/dashboard.Click on Portfolio and then Corporate actions.Hover on the stock, select Options and click on Place Order.Enter the number for tender and click on Submit.More items...
Why is my stock delisted?
A stock might be delisted as a result of a merger or a financial restructuring. In these cases, its stock might move to some other exchange, or it may trade under a new ticker symbol. During mergers, one company may trade its shares for shares in the company that acquired it.
What happens when a company is delisted?
When a company is delisted, it is often a bad sign of money or managerial trouble, and it often causes the stock price to fall.
What happens if a company fails to meet the standards?
If a company fails to meet one of these standards, the exchange could delist it. If that happens, the shares of that company would move to the OTC market. Delistings don't happen right away, and companies will often get a chance to correct their standing.
What are the rules for stock exchanges?
Stock exchanges impose rules on the firms that wish to have their shares traded there. 4 These rules are known as "listing standards." There are "initial listing standards" that apply to new stocks. Once the stocks are on the exchange, they must meet "continued listing standards."
What does it mean when a stock is removed from an exchange?
New stocks are added, and some old ones are removed. When a stock is removed from an exchange, it's known as "delisting. ".
Is it bad to buy a stock that was delisted?
If you bought a stock that was later delisted, it doesn't mean it's a bad thing. But in some cases, it is. It all depends on why the stock was taken off the exchange. Here are some reasons why a stock might get delisted, and what that means for you as an investor.
Can you trade a stock that is delisted?
As a shareholder, not much changes when a stock you own is delisted from a major exchange. But depending on your brokerage, you may not be able to easily trade share s in that company.
What Happens When My Stock Gets Delisted?
Each year, hundreds of companies are delisted from U.S. stock exchanges. With companies delisting at such a rate, it is likely that every investor will be impacted by a company delisting at least once in their career. Therefore, you should be prepared for the probability.
Trading After Delisting
After a stock is delisted, it can trade over-the-counter (“OTC”) on one of three different exchanges. There are some advantages to trading OTC, such as getting access to early stage companies not large enough to trade on the NYSE or Nasdaq (such as Walmart back in the day) or getting access to foreign companies that trade on non-U.S.
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. In some cases, stockholders can lose everything.
Managing Your Delisted Stock
When you find out that a company you are invested in is being delisted, you’ll have a lot of questions. Why? What happens now? Will I lose my investment?
What happens if a stock is delisted?
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.
Why do stocks drop off radar?
As a result, individual investors have less data on which to base their investment decisions, often causing such stocks to drop off their radar screens. Not surprisingly, a delisted company's liquidity and trading volume typically plummet as a result.
What are the requirements to sell stocks?
The mandates include share price minimums, certain shareholder thresholds, and fastidious documentation of a company's performance and operational data.
Why are companies delisted?
Companies can be (and frequently are) delisted for failing to maintain the. requirements set forth by their exchange . Some of these requirements are based on a company's ability to meet filing deadlines, while others relate to the company's performance in the stock market.
What is the factor that determines whether a company will remain on an exchange?
Stock performance is another factor in determining whether or not a company will retain the privilege of being listed on an exchange. Major stock exchanges want to exude a certain air of stability and establishment to the investors who use their services.
Is delisting a good idea?
Delisting is rarely a nice situation for most public companies, and it's especially unpleasant if you happen to be a shareholder. Be wary of companies that appear to be close to falling below the minimum continuing listing requirements of the exchange they trade on --
Do companies get delisted each year?
you're in a position to benefit from their collapse. Companies get delisted each year, but this occurrence is infrequent enough that there's a good chance you won't come across it in your own holdings. Jonas Elmerraji is the founder and publisher of Growfolio.com, an online business magazine for young investors.
Does ownership change when a company is delisted?
Ownership of stock in a company doesn't change just because the company has been delisted. You still own those shares (sorry, even if you don't want to) and have the same. equitable claims to a portion of the company's assets in the event that it were to dissolve.
Can delisting a company affect your portfolio?
Still, as a shareholder, having your company delisted can have severe effects on your. portfolio. Obviously, most companies that are delisted were in dire straits to begin with, but the act of delisting can actually force their stock prices to decrease further.
Why are stocks delisted?
There are many reasons why a stock may be delisted — but not all are necessarily bad. A company can opt for a voluntary delisting if it goes private or is bought out by another public company in a merger. An involuntary delisting isn’t so pretty….
What does delisted stock mean?
What Does ‘Delisted Stock’ Mean? Simply put, a delisted stock is a stock that’s been removed from a major stock exchange, like the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) or Nasdaq. It can be any stock, on any major stock exchange. To trade on the major exchanges, a company has to meet a set of requirements.
What happens if a company falls below the requirements to trade on the major exchanges?
To trade on the major exchanges, a company has to meet a set of requirements. Failure to do so will result in a warning. And if the company continues to fall below the requirements, it could be delisted. A company can also voluntarily delist its stock. More on that in a bit.
What happens when a stock is in violation of the exchange?
A big exchange has a reputation to maintain and doesn’t want to mess around with shady companies. So when a stock is in violation, the company is put on notice. If the company fails to meet the requirements within the required amount of time, it’s delisted from the exchange.
What happens if a stock trades below $1 a share?
In an involuntary scenario, the exchange removes the company for violating its guidelines. Major U.S. exchanges can boot a stock if it trades below $1 a share for a period of time or if it fails to meet requirements for market value, corporate practices, or listing fees.
What happens when a company declares bankruptcy?
When a publicly traded company declares bankruptcy, it’s never a good sign. News of bankruptcy is likely to cause a stock plunge, and traders could sell in a panic. After a company files for bankruptcy, its stock will be delisted.
What is delisting in stock market?
Delisting refers to the process by which a listed security is removed from an exchange on which it is traded. Delisting could further be classified into voluntary delisting and involuntary delisting. Voluntary Vs. Involuntary Delisting.
Is the ownership right to a security worthless?
However, in reality, the ownership right to the security becomes worthless. The announcement, which is made prior to the delisting by companies themselves if it is a voluntary delisting, or by the exchange, if it is an involuntary delisting, sends the share spiraling down, rendering your investment worthless.
Political pressure on both sides
Amid rising tensions between the U.S. and China, former U.S. President Donald Trump took steps toward removing U.S. investment in Chinese companies, especially those deemed to have alleged ties to the Chinese military.
Delisting is not the end
Chinese stocks have been delisted from U.S. exchanges for reasons other than politics.
China wants Didi to delist over security concerns
China is concerned about the security of its citizens’ data. Not only is Didi listed in the U.S., but two of its biggest stockholders, Uber and SoftBank, are non-Chinese companies.
It's unclear what would happen to your Didi stock
Bloomberg first reported that China wants Didi to either list on Hong Kong, which is now fully part of China, or go private. If the company lists in Hong Kong, U.S. Didi investors would get its Hong Kong-listed shares. However, the Hong Kong listing may be at a lower price than its current U.S. price.
SoftBank could lose billions from the Didi fiasco
SoftBank, which is Didi's largest stockholder, would be the biggest loser in a delisting. So would Uber, which got a stake in Didi in exchange for selling its Chinese operations to the company. Uber has been facing tough competition outside the U.S. and has exited several other markets in Asia.
Other Chinese stocks might also fall
Chinese stocks tumbled amid the tech crackdown. Furthermore, just when fears of further Chinese crackdowns were abating, concerns of a slowdown in the world’s second-largest economy grew, exacerbated by Alibaba's tepid outlook during its Q2 2022 earnings release.
Xi Jinping might not care much
For Chinese president Xi Jinping, social stability and national security are a far bigger concern than Didi stockholders losing billions of dollars. The country has taken a hard turn toward the left, erasing the gains it has made over the last two decades. Didi’s delisting would also impact other Chinese companies seeking a U.S. listing.

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…
What Happens When My Stock Gets Delisted?
- Each year, hundreds of companies are delisted from U.S. stock exchanges. With companies delisting at such a rate, it is likely that every investor will be impacted by a company delisting at least once in their career. Therefore, you should be prepared for the probability. A company must comply with specific rules to list on a stock exchange. While you are likely familiar with the large…
Trading After Delisting
- After a stock is delisted, it can trade over-the-counter(“OTC”) on one of three different exchanges. There are some advantages to trading OTC, such as getting access to early stage companies not large enough to trade on the NYSE or Nasdaq (such as Walmart back in the day) or getting access to foreign companies that trade on non-U.S. exchanges (such as Nestle, which trades on the SI…
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. In some cases, stockholders can lose everything. Where a company continu...
Managing Your Delisted Stock
- When you find out that a company you are invested in is being delisted, you’ll have a lot of questions. Why? What happens now? Will I lose my investment? The exchange will notify the public of the delisting and the reasons why. Evaluate your position and determine if it makes sense for you to keep or sell your shares. What is the company’s plan? Is the company moving t…
What Are Some Listing Requirements?
How Delisting Works
- Companies may choose to delist their shares (if they're planning to list them in a different jurisdiction, for example). More commonly, delisting happens at the initiative of the exchange after a company fails to comply with continuing listing requirements. Each exchange has its own procedures for delisting a stock. The Nasdaq will begin the process once a stock trades below it…
What Happens to Delisted Stocks?
- A delisted stock may continue to trade over-the-counter. Because over-the-counter markets lack the liquidity offered by the major exchanges, traders are likely to face higher transaction costs and wider bid-ask spreads. Those negatives aside, the very fact of the delisting often serves to undermine investor confidence. If the company is not able to...
Selling Shares and Impact on Ownership
- For insolvent companies, a delisting may precede a bankruptcyfiling. But in other instances it may not signify a material change in the company's worth. Shareholders retain their legal rights and equity interest in a delisted stock even if they cannot sell their stake as readily as previously. In any event, a delisting is rarely a good sign.7Prudent shareholders will closely scrutinize its caus…
Real-World Example
- Shares of the J.C. Penney retail chain were delisted in May 2020 after 100 years on the NYSE, following a protracted decline in the company's fortunes. NYSE deemed the stock "no longer suitable" to trade on the exchange in May 2020, three days after the company filed for bankruptcy protection.8 J.C. Penney's common stock was cancelled on Jan. 30, 2021, when the company c…
The Bottom Line
- A delisting does not directly affect shareholders' rights or claims on the delisted company. It will, however, often depress the share price and make holdings harder to sell, even as thousands of securities trade over-the-counter.