Answer:
What is DRS?
DRS stands for Direct Registration System. Direct Registration is the ownership of stock registered in your own name on the books of the Company, without taking possession of a printed stock certificate. Instead, shareholder ownership is recorded and tracked as an accounting entry on the books of the Company. DRS is a system that electronically moves investors’ positions between brokers and transfer agents for issuers that offer direct registration.
What are some of the advantages of DRS?
DRS gives shareholders several advantages including:
- DRS eliminates the risk of loss or theft of stock certificates and the potential cost and inconvenience of having to obtain a surety bond to replace a lost security.
- DRS eliminates the need to store certificates and retrieve them should a transfer or sale be necessary.
How will I know how many shares I own?
R&T will periodically send statements showing how many shares are held in certificate and book-entry and how many shares are held in the Company’s Dividend Reinvestment Plan, if applicable.
What about certificates that I currently hold?
Certificates can be deposited into book-entry if you desire or can continue to be held. To deposit shares into DRS book-entry, the certificates should be mailed to the address below with a cover letter instructing R&T to deposit these shares into an account in book-entry. R&T will deposit the certificates and send a transaction confirmation. We recommend insuring the certificates for 2% of the current market value whenever certificates are mailed.
Registrar and Transfer Company
Attn.: Transfer Department
10 Commerce Drive
Cranford, NJ 07016
What happens if I hold a certificate and there is a stock distribution?
You will receive a DRS statement of ownership for the extra shares. An additional certificate will not be issued. You always have the right to later request and receive a certificate or to electronically move your securities to your brokerage account.
What happens if I lose a DRS account statement?
If you need a duplicate statement of ownership,
contact us and we will mail you a new one. There is no surety charge for additional account statements.
How can I transfer shares to my broker
To transfer your shares to your brokerage account, provide your broker with:
- The most recent copy of your R&T
account statement
- The Social Security Account
Number on your account
- Your R&T account number (which is
on the statement)
- R&T’s DTC number, 7820
- The number of whole shares held in
book-entry and/or DRP that you
wish to transfer to your brokerage
account.
Your broker will request that your shares be
delivered to your brokerage account through
the Depository Trust Company’s Profile
System.