Are Risk Factors Required to be Disclosed in Registration Statements? – A risk factor disclosure involves a discussion of circumstances, trends, or issues that may affect a company’s business, prospects, operating results, or financial condition. Risk factors must be disclosed in registration statements under the Securities Act and registration statements and reports under the Exchange Act. In addition, risk factors must be included in private offering documents where the exemption relied upon requires the delivery of a disclosure document, and is highly recommended even when such disclosure is not statutorily required.
The Importance of Risk Factors
Risk factors are one of the most often commented on sections of a registration statement. The careful crafting of pertinent risk factors can provide leeway for more robust discussion on business plans and future operations, and can satisfy a wide arrange of SEC concerns regarding existing financial and non-financial matters (such as potential default provisions in debt, dilution matters, inadvertent rule violations, etc.).
Although smaller reporting companies are not required to include risk factors in their annual Form 10-K and quarterly Form 10-Q, they may do so voluntarily and we recommend that such risk factors be included in their annual Form 10-K. As a reminder, a “smaller reporting company” is an issuer that is not an investment company or asset-backed issuer or majority-owned subsidiary and that (i) had a public float of less than $75 million as of the last business day of its most recently completed second fiscal quarter; or (ii) in the case of an initial registration statement, had a public float of less than $75 million as of a date within days of the filing of the registration statement; or (iii) in the case of an issuer whose public float as calculated by (i) or (ii) is zero, had annual revenues of less than $75 million during the most recently completed fiscal year for which audited financial statements are available.
Risk factors, together with safe harbor language regarding forward-looking statements, can provide protection for forward-looking information contained in a document, such as plans and expectations, that do not pan out as expected or intended. Risk factors warn current and potential investors as to the risks of either purchasing or continuing to own the company’s stock. As the securities of smaller reporting companies are often high-risk penny stocks or thinly traded, and such companies tend to be in the business development and growth stage of their corporate life cycle, protections against failed or changed plans is fundamental.
Laura Anthony, Esq.
Founding Partner
Legal & Compliance LLC.
330 Clematis Street, Ste. 217
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Phone:
Toll Free: (800) 341-2684 FREE
Local: (561) 514-0936
Email:
LAnthony@LegalAndCompliance.com #LawCast