:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():saturation(0.2):brightness(10):contrast(5)/GettyImages-668930814-59e637a5d088c00011cf951f.jpg)
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 happens when a stock you own is delisted?
When a stock is delisted, it no longer trades on a major stock exchange. Nothing directly happens to a shareholder, who still owns the same shares. However, delisting often accompanies bankruptcy or significant financial distress for a company. This often triggers a decline in the value of a stock.
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 my shares when a company is delisted?
What Happens to a Shareholder When Delisting Occurs?
- No Effects on Ownership. When you buy a stock, you own it until you either sell it or, in some cases, the company redeems it from you.
- Decline in Value. Before a stock gets delisted, an announcement is made to the marketplace. ...
- Decline in Liquidity. ...
- Effects of Private Buyout. ...
What does it mean when a stock is delisted?
what does it mean when a stock is delisted? 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.
See more

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.
What happens to my stock if delisted?
When a stock is delisted as part of a merger or due to the company being taken private, you have limited time to sell your shares before they are converted into cash or exchanged for the acquiring company's stock at a predetermined conversion rate.
Is a delisted stock 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.
Can I sell a delisted stock?
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 are the benefits of delisting?
* Delisting of shares may lead to increase in value of other securities listed ( like ADRs, GDRs etc.) ✓ Share Price movement of past 3 years (as evidenced below) specifies that most of the FIIs & DIIs could have bought shares at a price higher than current market price.
What delisting means for investors?
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. The consequences of delisting are significant and some companies strenuously avoid being delisted.
What happens if no one sells a stock?
When there are no buyers, you can't sell your shares—you'll be stuck with them until there is some buying interest from other investors. A buyer could pop in a few seconds, or it could take minutes, days, or even weeks in the case of very thinly traded stocks.
Can a delisted company relist?
Relisting is the process through which a delisted company lists its shares again on the stock exchange for trading. A company that's delisted its shares voluntarily can make a request for relisting only after the expiry of 5 years from the date of delisting.
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 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.
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 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 does it mean when a stock is delisted?
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 is delisting a stock?
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.
What happens if a company does not meet listing requirements?
When a company does not meet listing requirements, the listing exchange issues a warning of noncompliance. If noncompliance continues, the exchange delists the company's stock. To avoid being delisted, some companies will undergo a reverse split of their stock shares.
Why do companies delist?
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.
Why do companies choose to become privately traded?
Some companies choose to become privately traded when they identify, through a cost-benefit analysis, that the costs of being publicly listed exceed the benefits. Requests to delist often occur when companies are purchased by private equity firms and will be reorganized by new shareholders.
Why are stocks delisted?
A company's stock may be delisted as the result of failing to meet the exchange's laundry list of requirements. The listing criteria include maintaining trading price thresholds for certain time frames, minimum revenue standards, market capitalization thresholds, and shareholder percentage requirements. Companies in breach of an exchange's listing ...
What is delisting a stock?
Delisting is a financial term describing a phenomenon where a listed security is actively removed from the exchange on which it trades. While there are many reasons behind such action, it most frequently occurs when the company for which the stock is issued fails to comply with a given exchange's listing requirements.
What does BC mean on a stock ticker?
If a ticker has the initials "BC" attached to the end of it, the stock is designated as non-compliant. But such companies may continue trading normally on the exchange as they cycle through their probationary periods.
Can you trade stock on a delisted company?
A delisted company may still trade its stock over two different platforms: the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board (OTCBB) or the pink sheets system, although both are significantly less regulated than the major exchanges, causing many investors to shy away from investing in such equities.

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…