Overview

• President Donald Trump urged moving from quarterly to six-month earnings reports, arguing the shift would cut costs and reduce short‑term pressure on executives.
• An SEC spokesperson said the agency, led by Chair Paul Atkins, is prioritizing the proposal at the president’s request, which would reverse a requirement in place since 1970.
• Any change would proceed through formal SEC rulemaking without needing Congress, with estimates of six to twelve months to a final vote and potential Administrative Procedure Act challenges.
• Reactions split: Nasdaq’s Adena Friedman backed giving companies the option to report less frequently, while investor advocates and Lawrence H. Summers warned of weaker transparency and riskier markets.
• The Long‑Term Stock Exchange plans to petition the SEC to drop mandatory quarterly reports, as supporters note the U.K. and parts of the EU require semiannual filings, though China mandates quarterly reporting and Hong Kong uses a six‑month system.