Thanks to US regs, viz. Sarbanes-Oxley, more and more companies are going private in an effort to avoid the expenses, hassles and potential penalties of compliance (or lack thereof).

In typical fashion, when legislators (over-) react to an event that generates a massive public outcry (Enron, WorldCom, Adelphia, ...) they rush to enact ill-conceived Draconian laws that only force companies underground.

"So, you wanna punish us as being a publicly-traded company? Fine. We'll stop being a publicly-traded company!"

Doh!