SEC Chairman Atkins Eyes More Limited Corporate Risk Reporting

SEC Chairman Paul Atkins on Thursday said the agency is looking to curtail how much companies disclose about risks to their businesses.

Companies sometimes spend several pages discussing risk factors in their annual 10-K reports to meet Securities and Exchange Commission requirements, confusing investors about what’s important, Atkins told reporters at a Georgetown University conference. Firms have risk-averse lawyers who “dump the kitchen sink in,” the Republican said.

“It’s become a repository for too much,” Atkins said. “It’s not serving investors well.”

• The SEC during the first Trump administration required companies to have a risk factor summary of no more ...