Overview

• SEC Chair Paul Atkins said on CNBC the agency will propose a change that lets public companies choose semiannual reporting or retain quarterly filings.
• Atkins characterized the choice as market-driven, adding that foreign private issuers already report twice a year under U.S. rules.
• Any change must go through formal rulemaking with a proposal and comment period, and the SEC currently has a 3–1 Republican majority that could approve it by majority vote.
• Large investors such as BlackRock warn of reduced transparency and greater information gaps for retail investors, with analysts cautioning about bigger earnings-day swings and heavier reliance on alternative data.
• Backers highlight compliance cost savings and a focus on long-term strategy, noting European precedents, while quarterly reports have been a U.S. requirement since 1970 and a 2018 review did not advance.