SEC to revisit quarterly reporting: Pros, cons, and what’s ahead

Nov 4, 2025

In this enlightening conversation, Tom Barbieri, PwC's US Chief Accountant, and John Vanosdall, a partner in PwC's National Office, delve into the SEC's potential shift from quarterly to semiannual reporting. They discuss the political and regulatory drivers behind this reconsideration and its implications for transparency and investor confidence. The duo weighs the pros of reduced burden against concerns over timely information sharing. Additionally, they explore how global practices influence this debate and the potential operational impacts for companies.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Why The SEC Is Revisiting Quarterly Reporting

The SEC revisit is driven by a push to reduce compliance burden and let the market decide reporting frequency.
Chair Atkins and others favor optionality for semiannual reporting to promote disclosure effectiveness.

INSIGHT

Interim Reporting Grew Historically Into The Q

Interim reporting evolved from no requirement to semiannual and then to the 10-Q in 1970 with expanding form and content.
Over time FASB standards and tagging have layered new interim disclosure requirements onto quarterly filings.

INSIGHT

Investor Concerns On Less-Frequent Reporting

Opponents worry reduced frequency will harm transparency, timeliness, comparability, and increase cost of capital.
Investors fear less frequent reporting could reduce management accountability and discipline.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

A video of this podcast is available on YouTube, Spotify, or PwC’s website at viewpoint.pwc.com

The SEC is revisiting how often public companies report, weighing a shift from required quarterly Form 10‑Qs to a semiannual cadence. We explore what’s driving the debate and the implications for companies, investors, and markets.

In this episode, we discuss:

1:55 – Why the SEC is revisiting quarterly reporting now and how we got here
12:13 – Pros and cons of moving to semiannual reporting
19:32 – Global and industry-specific trends in interim reporting
22:44 – Practical and operational implications of shifting to semiannual reporting
29:10 – SEC rulemaking process and potential next steps
31:57 – FASB’s role in interim disclosure standard setting

For more on current interim reporting requirements, see chapter 29 of our Financial statement presentation guide. Be sure to follow this podcast on your favorite podcast app and subscribe to our weekly newsletter to stay in the loop.

About our guests

Tom Barbieri is PwC’s US Chief Accountant. He has over 30 years of experience advising large financial services and multinational corporations on complex accounting issues. Tom leads the Accounting & SEC Services Group within the National Office, which is focused on supporting our clients and engagement teams in navigating complex technical accounting and financial reporting matters. He is also a member of the Financial Accounting Standards Advisory Council.

John Vanosdall is a partner in PwC’s National Office focused on digital assets, revenue, and compensation arrangements. John previously served as both a Deputy Chief Accountant and Professional Accounting Fellow in the Office of the Chief Accountant at the SEC. Prior to re-joining the National Office, he served as the firm’s Accounting Advisory Leader. John has over 20 years of experience and has served some of the firm’s largest clients as a client service partner.

About our guest host

Kyle Moffatt is PwC’s Professional Practice leader, leading a team responsible for working with standard setters and regulators as well as delivering brand-defining thought leadership and educational materials. He also consults with engagement teams and audit clients on SEC reporting matters. Before PwC, Kyle spent almost 20 years with the SEC, most recently as Chief Accountant and Disclosure Program Director in the Division of Corporation Finance.

Transcripts available upon request for individuals who may need a disability-related accommodation. Please send requests to us_podcast@pwc.com

Did you enjoy this episode? Text us your thoughts and be sure to include the episode name.