SEC Proposes Amendments to Rules on Financial Disclosures for Acquisitions and Dispositions

On Friday, the SEC proposed extensive amendments to the rules governing financial disclosures by registrants about businesses they buy or sell.

The proposed amendments primarily relate to disclosures required by Rule 3-05 and Article 11 of Regulation S-X in registration statements and 1934 Act reports, and, for the most part, they would reduce the burden of preparing historical financial statements and pro forma financial information. The proposal follows a broader 2015 concept release on financial disclosures about entities other than the registrant, and it represents another step by the SEC to reduce the burdens on registrants in a careful way that does not take away information that is material to investors.