[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 12, Volume 3]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 12CFR221.121]

[Page 52]
 
                       TITLE 12--BANKS AND BANKING
 
                   CHAPTER II--FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
 
PART 221--CREDIT BY BANKS AND PERSONS OTHER THAN BROKERS OR DEALERS FOR THE PURPOSE OF PURCHASING OR CARRYING MARGIN STOCK (REGULATION U)--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 221.121  Extension of credit in certain stock option and stock purchase plans.

    Questions have been raised as to whether certain stock option and 
stock purchase plans involve extensions of credit subject to this part 
when the participant is free to cancel his participation at any time 
prior to full payment, but in the event of cancellation the participant 
remains liable for damages. It thus appears that the participant has the 
opportunity to gain and bears the risk of loss from the time the 
transaction is executed and payment is deferred. In some cases brought 
to the Board's attention damages are related to the market price of the 
stock, but in others, there may be no such relationship. In either of 
these circumstances, it is the Board's view that such plans involve 
extensions of credit. Accordingly, where the security being purchased is 
a margin security and the credit is secured, directly or indirectly, by 
any margin security, the creditor must register and the credit must 
conform with either the regular margin requirements of Sec. 221.3(a) or 
the special ``plan-lender'' provisions set forth in Sec. 221.4, 
whichever is applicable. This assumes, of course, that the amount of 
credit extended is such that the creditor is subject to the registration 
requirements of Sec. 221.3(b).