What disclosures are required of registered companies under the 34 Act?

A reporting company must make routine disclosures to the public by filing reports with the SEC. The information required to be disclosed is substantially as follows:

Reporting Company Initial Statement - Similar to the registration statement required under the 33 Act, a company initially registering as a reporting company under the 34 Act must make an initial disclosure of information. This information primarily concerns the operations, equity structure, and securities issued by the company.

Annual Reporting - Reporting companies are required to make detailed annual reports to the SEC, which are also provided to security holders. The disclosure takes place on Form 10-K and it contains all relevant operational data, an explanation of company performance, audited financial statement, and detailed information about corporate officers and directors.

Quarterly Reports - The reporting company must file and disclose to shareholders a quarterly report on Form 10-Q. The quarterly report contains similar information to that contained in the annual report, but it only covers the most recent quarter of the fiscal year. Also, the financial statement included in the quarterly report is not audited.

Special Reports - The reporting company must disclose to the SEC and shareholders via Form 8-K any major operational, structural, financial, or ownership changes in the company within a reasonable time of the occurrence. Major occurrences include: new security issuances, changes in corporate control (officer and directors), mergers, acquisitions, changes in auditor, etc.

The information disclosed in each of the above reports must be certified as accurate by corporate executives (including the company's CEO and CFO). These individuals must also attest to the operable status of controls over internal affairs and finances. This includes attesting that the company has in place an audit committee to examine the efficiency of internal controls.

Next Article: Liability Under Section 10 and Rule 10(b)(5) Back to: SECURITIES LAW

Related Topics

• Securities Law (Intro)
• What are Securities Laws?
• What is a Security?
• What qualifies as an Investment contract?
• What are the primary federal securities laws?
• What are the regulatory goals of security laws?
• What is the Securities and Exchange Commission?
• What is an Initial Public Offering?
• What is a Direct Public Offering?
• What is Crowdfunding?
• Securities Act of 1933
• What is an Offer to Sell securities?
• Who are the parties regulated in an offer to sell securities?
• What are the primary disclosure documents required in an offer to sell securities?
• Forward Looking
• Red Herring Prospectus (Securities) Definition
• Registration of Securities
• What is an issuer allowed to do at each stage of the registration process?
• How are issuers classified for purposes of the registration and offering process?
• What is an issuer allowed to do during the Pre-filing Period?
• What are the limitations on the issuer during the Post-filing, Waiting Period?
• What is an issuer allowed to do during the Post-Effective Period?
• What is an Emerging-Growth Company?
• What type of information must an issuer disclose?
• What laws govern the mechanics of disclosure in a securities offering?
• Deficiency Letter (Securities Law)
• Registration Exemptions Securities Act of 1933
• What are Exempt Securities and Exempt Transactions?
• What are Restricted Securities?
• Section 3(a)?
• Section 3(b)?
• What is a Rule 147 Exemption?
• What is a Section 4(a) Exemption?
• Section 4(a)(5)?
• What is a Regulation A Exemption?
• What are Regulation D Exemptions?
• What is a Rule 504 Exemption?
• What is a Rule 505 Exemption?
• What is a Rule 506(b) Exemption?
• What is a Rule 506(c) Exemption?
• What is Rule 502(d) and the Rule 144 Safe Harbor?
• Rule 144a
• What are the disclosure requirements for companies employing an exemption?
• What is the requirement to file Form D?
• What is the effect of failing to register an offering under Section 5?
• Liability Under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1933
• What is civil liability under Section 11 of the 33 Act?
• What is civil liability under Section 12 of the 33 Act?
• What are defenses available to charges under Sections 11 and 12?
• What is civil liability under Section 17 of the 33 Act?
• What is potential criminal liability under the 33 Act?
• The Security Exchange Act of 1934
• When must an issuer register pursuant to the 34 Act?
• What disclosures are required of reporting companies under the 34 Act?
• What is liability under Section 10(b) and Rule 10(b)(5)?
• What is insider trading under Rule 10(b)(5)?
• What damages are available under Section 10 and Rule 10(b)(5)?
• What is insider trading under Section 14 of the 34 Act?
• What is liability under Section 16 of the 34 Act?
• What is liability under Section 18 of the 34 Act?
• What is criminal liability under the 34 Act?
• Liability under the Securities Enforcement Remedies Act?
• Blue Sky Laws State Securities Laws
• What are Blue Sky Laws?
• When is an issuer required to comply with state securities laws?
• What are the registration requirements under state law?
• What is Coordinated Registration under state law?