Higher public float requirement mulled

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will study this year whether or not the stock market could accommodate a higher percentage of companies’ equity for public float, and may set the minimum at between 15 and 20 percent.

The SEC has been mulling over the plan to start requiring companies to have at least 15 percent or even up to 20 percent of their shares held by the public, up from the previous 10 percent public float requirement.