Toehold purchase

Toehold purchase

Often used in risk arbitrage. Accumulation by an acquirer of less than 5% of the shares of a target company. Once 5% is acquired, the acquirer must file with the SEC and other agencies to explain its intentions and notify the acquiree. See: Rule 13d.

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toehold purchase

The purchase of less than 5% of the outstanding common shares of a target company before establishing a much larger stake. A toehold purchase allows a party to buy stock in a company without filing a notice with the SEC and with the target company.

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Toehold purchase. A toehold purchase is one in which an individual investor or investment firm caps holdings in a potential target company at less than 5% of the company's outstanding stock.

Presumably that's because once an investor has acquired 5% or more of the stock, the investor must notify the company, the market where the company is listed, and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). That notification must explain the next steps the investor intends to take, such as a possible takeover bid.