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A private placement is a direct private offering of securities to a limited number of sophisticated investors. It is the opposite of a public offering. Investors in privately placed securities include insurance companies, pension funds, mezzanine funds, stock funds and trusts. Securities issued as private placements include debt, equity, and hybrid securities. In the United States, private placements are exempt from public registration under the Securities Act of 1933. The exemption from registration for a private offering is contained in Regulation D of the Securities Act of 1933. While the procedure for conducting a private placment pursuant to the exemption is less stringent than for that of a public offering, the process requires a careful compliance with the terms and restrictions of Regulation D.