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April 21, 2022

Form10-Q: Reminders for the First Quarter of 2022

This Goodwin blog reminds 12/31 year-end filers that although they had to comply with the SEC’s 2020 MD&A amendments in their Form 10-K, this quarter’s 10-Q will be the first quarterly filing in which compliance with those rule changes will be required. This excerpt highlights some of the more important aspects of the new rules that companies will need to keep in mind:

Two of the newly required MD&A amendments are of particular significance: (1) the alternative interim period comparison and related disclosure requirements and (2) the new critical accounting estimates disclosure requirements. Very briefly, the critical points include the following.

– Interim period comparisons may be presented for sequential preceding periods rather than prior year periods, which was the only option prior to the 2020 financial disclosure amendments. If the company chooses to present a comparison of sequentially preceding periods, the amendments require additional disclosure, as set forth in Item 303(c) of Regulation S-K.

– Critical accounting estimates are now formally required by Item 303(b)(3) of Regulation S-K. An instruction explicitly states that this disclosure should not merely duplicate the accounting policies presented in the financial statement notes, which has been the practice of many companies under the guidance that applied prior to adoption of the amendments.

The blog also reminds filers to keep in mind the rising inflation and interest rate environment as they prepare the MD&A discussion for their first quarter 10-Qs.  Goodwin has also put together this handy Form 10-Q Form Check Table that reflects the newly applicable line-item requirements as well as other topical matters that companies should consider addressing in their upcoming filings.

John Jenkins