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Table of Contents UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington , D.C. 20549 FORM 10 - K ( Mark One ) ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 ( d ) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the fiscal year ended December 31 , 2020 TRANSITION REPORT PURSUAN TO SECTION 13 OR 15 ( d ) OF THE SECURITIES EX ANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from to Delaware ( State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization ) or ALLIANCE DATA SYSTEMS CORPORATION ( Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter ) Alliance Data . 3075 Loyalty Circle Columbus , Ohio ( Address of principal executive offices ) Commission file number 001-15749 ( 614 ) 729-4000 ( Registrant's telephone number , including area code ) Title of each class Common stock , par value $ 0.01 per share Securities registered pursuant to Section 12 ( b ) of the Act : Trading symbol ADS 31-1429215 ( I.R.S. Employer Identification No. ) Securities registered pursuant to Section 12 ( g ) of the Act : None ( Title of class ) 43219 ( Zip Code ) Name of each exchange on which registered New York Stock Exchange Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well - known seasoned issuer , as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act . Yes No Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15 ( d ) of the Act . Yes No Indicate by check mark whether the registrant ( 1 ) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15 ( d ) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months ( or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports ) , and ( 2 ) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days . Yes No Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S - T ( §232.405 of this chapter ) during the preceding 12 months ( or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files ) . Yes No Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer , an accelerated filer , a non - accelerated filer , a smaller reporting company , or an emerging growth company . See definitions of " large accelerated filer , " " accelerated filer , " " smaller reporting company , " and " emerging growth company " in Rule 12b - 2 of the Exchange Act . Large accelerated filer > Accelerated filer Non - accelerated filer □ Smaller reporting company □ Emerging growth company □ If an emerging growth company , indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13 ( a ) of the Exchange Act . Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management's assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404 ( b ) of the Sarbanes - Oxley Act ( 15 U.S.C. 7262 ( b ) ) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report . Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company ( as defined in Rule 12b - 2 of the Act ) . Yes No As of June 30 , 2020 , the aggregate market value of the common stock held by non - affiliates of the registrant was approximately $ 2.1 billion , based upon the closing price of $ 45.12 per share on the New York Stock Exchange on June 30 , 2020 , which was the last business day of the registrant's most recently completed second fiscal quarter . As of February 18 , 2021 , 49,695,051 shares of common stock were outstanding . Documents Incorporated By Reference Certain information called for by Part III is incorporated by reference to certain sections of the Proxy Statement for the 2021 Annual Meeting of our stockholders , which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission not later than 120 days after December 31 , 2020 .