Chairman Jay Clayton
May 20, 2019
Our capital markets benefit from a level of retail investor participation that is unparalleled among the world’s large industrialized countries. Our Main Street investors who, day in and day out, put their hard-earned money to work for the long term are the reason why we have the deepest, most dynamic and most liquid capital markets in the world.
Today’s Main Street investors have a substantial responsibility to fund their own retirement and other financial needs. As a result of increased life expectancy and a shift from defined benefit plans (e.g., pensions) to defined contribution plans (e.g., 401(k)s and IRAs), the investing interests and needs of our Main Street investors have changed. Put simply, our Main Street investors are more than ever focused on long-term results. We also must recognize that our Main Street investors who have entered retirement or have another expense, such as paying for tuition or an unforeseen event, need liquidity. In other words, at some point, long-term investors do become sellers.
The SEC’s disclosure rules should reflect and foster these needs—long-term perspective and liquidity when needed. Our public capital markets have a thirst for high-quality, timely and material information regarding company performance and corporate events. Our disclosure rules reflect that thirst for information and, in turn, the confidence of market participants in the quality and timeliness of public company disclosure fosters liquidity. But we should ask ourselves whether our disclosure framework and other regulations have encouraged a focus by companies—and not just securities traders—on the short-term over the long-term.
In December 2018, the Commission published a request for comment soliciting input on the nature, content, and timing of earnings releases and quarterly reports made by reporting companies.[1] The request for comment highlighted questions that have been raised regarding the adequacy and appropriateness of mandated quarterly reporting and the prevalence of optional quarterly guidance. The request also asked for comments on whether and how our reporting system may be causing companies to disproportionally focus their time and resources on short-term results. I have directed the SEC staff to host a roundtable this summer to hear from investors, issuers, and other market participants about the impact of short-termism on our capital markets and whether our reporting system, or other aspects of our regulations, should be modified to address these concerns.
An undue focus on short-term results among companies may lead to inefficient allocation of capital, reduce long-term returns for Main Street investors, and encumber economic growth. While the problems associated with short-termism have garnered increased attention, there is a need for further dialogue on the causes of and potential solutions to the issue. The SEC staff roundtable will seek to explore the causes of short-termism and to facilitate conversations on what market-based initiatives and regulatory changes could foster a longer-term performance perspective in American companies.
SEC staff will announce the roundtable agenda items shortly. As they develop that agenda, I have asked the staff to consider the topics outlined below.
The roundtable date, agenda items, panelists, moderators, and logistical information will be made public as they are finalized.
Members of the public who wish to participate in the event should contact SEC staff at roundtable@sec.gov. Members of the public who wish to provide views on the impacts of short-termism on our markets and whether our reporting system, or other aspects of our regulations, should be modified to address these concerns may submit comments electronically or on paper. Comments may be submitted either in advance of or after the roundtable. Please submit comments using only one method. Information that is submitted will become part of the public record and posted on the SEC’s website. All comments received will be posted without change. Persons submitting comments are cautioned that we do not redact or edit personal identifying information from comment submissions. You should submit only information that you wish to make publicly available.
Use the SEC’s Internet submission form or send an email to rule-comments@sec.gov.
Send paper comments to Vanessa A. Countryman, Acting Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20549-1090.
All submissions should refer to File Number S7-26-18, and the file number should be included on the subject line if email is used.
[1] Request for Comment on Earnings Releases and Quarterly Reports, Release No. 33-10588 (Dec. 18, 2018) [83 FR 65601 (December 21, 2018)]. The comment letters received in response to the request for comment are available at https://www.sec.gov/comments/s7-26-18/s72618.htm.