SEC Proposes Amendments to More Appropriately Tailor the Accelerated and Large Accelerated Filer Definitions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2019-68

Washington D.C., May 9, 2019 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today voted to propose amendments to the accelerated filer and large accelerated filer definitions.  The proposed amendments would reduce costs for certain lower-revenue companies by more appropriately tailoring the types of companies that are categorized as accelerated and large accelerated filers while maintaining effective investor protections. 

As a result of the proposed amendments, smaller reporting companies with less than $100 million in revenues would not be required to obtain an attestation of their internal control over financial reporting (ICFR) from an independent outside auditor.  The proposed amendments would not change key protections from the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, such as independent audit committee requirements, CEO and CFO certifications of financial reports, or the requirement that companies continue to establish, maintain, and assess the effectiveness of their ICFR.

"The proposed rules build on the JOBS Act of 2012 and are aimed at a subset of smaller companies where the additional requirement of an ICFR auditor attestation may not be an efficient way of benefiting and protecting investors," said SEC Chairman Jay Clayton.  "Investors in these lower-revenue companies will benefit from more tailored control requirements. Many of these smaller companies – including biotech and health care companies – will be able to redirect the savings into growing their companies by investing in research and human capital."

The public comment period will remain open for 60 days following publication of the proposing release in the Federal Register.

*  *  *

FACT SHEET



Amendments to the Accelerated and Large Accelerated Filer Definitions



SEC Open Meeting

May 9, 2019

The Securities and Exchange Commission proposed amendments to Exchange Act Rule 12b-2 that would revise the "accelerated filer" and "large accelerated filer" definitions.

Background

On June 28, 2018, the Commission adopted amendments to the smaller reporting company (SRC) definition to expand the number of companies that benefit from scaled disclosure requirements.[1]  Prior to these amendments, the reporting regimes for SRCs and non-accelerated filers were aligned.  As a result of the amendments, however, some issuers are now categorized as both SRCs and accelerated or large accelerated filers. These SRCs, among other things, are required to comply with the requirement that an outside independent auditor attest to the effectiveness of their internal control over financial reporting.

When the Commission revised the SRC definition, the Chairman directed the staff to formulate recommendations to the Commission for possible rule amendments that, if adopted, would appropriately redefine the issuers that are designated as accelerated filers and thereby promote capital formation.  As part of the staff’s consideration, the Chairman directed the staff to consider, among other things, the historical and current relationship between the SRC and accelerated filer definitions as well as how the rule change could reduce compliance costs for certain registrants, while maintaining appropriate investor protections.

Proposed Amendments

The proposed amendments would:

• Exclude from the accelerated and large accelerated filer definitions an issuer that is eligible to be an SRC and had no revenues or annual revenues of less than $100 million in the most recent fiscal year for which audited financial statements are available
• Increase the transition thresholds for accelerated and large accelerated filers becoming a non-accelerated filer from $50 million to $60 million and for exiting large accelerated filer status from $500 million to $560 million
• Add a revenue test to the transition thresholds for exiting both accelerated and large accelerated filer status

What’s Next?

The proposal will be subject to a 60-day public comment period.