Smaller public companies can now report less data to regulators

The US financial regulator is making it easier for many public companies to file their financial reports. It will expand the number of companies that can use simpler reporting rules and give the smallest ones more time to file.

The US financial regulator has spent years trying to reduce the burden on smaller public companies. This proposal expands those efforts. It means more companies will spend less money on compliance and legal fees. This could encourage more companies to go public or stay public longer. It also means investors will get less detailed information from a larger segment of the public market.