On September 19th, SEC Chair Paul Atkins shared with CNBC that the agency will propose a rule change that would end quarterly earnings reporting. This announcement follows President Trump’s call to switch quarterly earnings reports to a semiannual schedule. The SEC has determined that the proposed change to the current rules would be a beneficial action to take, and if the rule change is approved, companies would be able to decide whether to switch to semiannual or stay with the quarterly schedule.
Under the current rules, publicly traded companies are required to report earnings on a quarterly basis, though providing forecasts is voluntary. President Trump has supported switching to a semiannual schedule, because it would cut costs and allow managers to focus on properly running their companies.
Those opposed to less frequent reporting have expressed concern that the lack of transparency may harm investors, especially retail investors that do not have as many resources as Wall Street institutions. Supporters of the rule change favor the six-month reporting schedule, because it would allow companies to focus their businesses on a longer-term basis. Atkins noted that foreign private issuers already comply with semiannual reporting. Earlier in 2025, Norway’s sovereign wealth fund proposed transitioning to semiannual reporting, because lengthening the time frame would allow companies to focus on the longer term. The Long-Term Stock Exchange trading platform also has supported less frequent reporting.
Check back with our blog, as we will share updates regarding the switch to semiannual reporting schedule when the SEC formally proposes rulemaking.
Source:
SEC to Propose Rule Change on Trump’s Call to End Quarterly Earnings Reporting, Says Chair Atkins (cnbc.com)
