This guide discusses important themes and trends for the coming annual reporting season. It also includes a “housekeeping checklist” designed to assist you as you prepare your annual report.
ANNUAL CYBERSECURITY...more
12/24/2024
/ Annual Reports ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Corporate Governance ,
Cyber Incident Reporting ,
Cybersecurity ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
EU ,
Form 10-K ,
Form 20-F ,
MD&A Statements ,
Non-GAAP Financial Measures ,
Proxy Statements ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Regulation S-K ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Risk Management ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Sustainable Business Practices
This guide discusses important themes from the 2024 proxy season and developing trends we are monitoring for 2025. It also includes a “housekeeping checklist” designed to assist you as you prepare your proxy statement.
For...more
12/24/2024
/ Board of Directors ,
Clawbacks ,
Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Glass Lewis ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) ,
Non-GAAP Financial Measures ,
Proxy Season ,
Proxy Voting Guidelines ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Shareholder Proposals ,
Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)
The shocking murder of Brian Thompson, the Chief Executive Officer of UnitedHealthcare, while walking to an investor meeting in New York City on December 4, 2024, has caused many boards of directors and executive teams to...more
On October 10, 2023, the SEC adopted amendments to the rules governing the reporting of beneficial ownership of securities under Sections 13(d) and 13(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The amendments accelerate the...more
On September 27th, 2023, the SEC brought charges against six officers, directors and major shareholders of public companies for repeated failures to make timely filings pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Securities...more
On June 9, 2023, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved the New York Stock Exchange’s (NYSE) and Nasdaq Stock Market’s (Nasdaq) proposed clawback listing standards, including the amendments that delayed the...more
The SEC’s Division of Enforcement has increasingly put the spotlight on disclosure controls— the processes that public companies use to collect information for disclosures in their public filings. The agency recently charged...more
On December 14, 2022, the SEC adopted amendments that significantly change the requirements for Rule 10b5-1 plans, including by imposing a 90 to 120 day cooling-off period for plans adopted by directors and officers, and...more
Recent comments by former SEC Chair Clayton and current SEC Chair Gensler called renewed attention to Rule 10b5-1 plans, which had also received recent legislative interest in Congress, contributing to the current rule...more
It is well known that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on business operations has directly affected executive compensation decision-making and related disclosures. With this backdrop, the Securities and Exchange Commission...more
It has been three proxy seasons since the CEO pay ratio became the mandatory disclosure for most U.S. public companies. The CEO pay ratio rules allow a registrant to use the same median employee for comparison purposes for up...more
COVID-19: DISCLOSURE AND CAPITAL MARKETS CONSIDERATIONS FOR US LISTED PUBLIC COMPANIES -
The outbreak and continuing spread of the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) and the related disruption to the worldwide economy are...more
Although final rules were published in December of 2018, July 1st marked the date that issuers (other than smaller reporting companies and emerging growth companies) must begin complying with the Dodd-Frank Act’s hedging...more
On December 18, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved long-awaited final rules implementing Section 955 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Consistent with the proposed...more
12/28/2018
/ Clawbacks ,
Dodd-Frank ,
Hedging ,
Incentive Compensation ,
Pay-for-Performance ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Proxy Statements ,
Public Disclosure ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Regulation S-K ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
’Tis the season, and no, we do not mean the holiday season. Although it may seem like you just filed your 2018 proxy, the 2019 proxy season is upon us. This quick reference guide, which is intended to supplement Shearman &...more
12/21/2018
/ Board of Directors ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Cybersecurity ,
Diversity ,
Executive Compensation ,
Glass Lewis ,
Institutional Investors ,
Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) ,
Pay Ratio ,
Proxy Season ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Shareholder Proposals
Publishes Concept Release to Explore Rule 701 and Form S-8 Reform -
The Adopting Release -
On June 18, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued final rules to amend Securities Act Rule 701, which...more
On May 24, 2018, President Trump signed into law the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (Reform Act). Although largely focused on regulatory exemptions for smaller financial institutions, the...more
On November 1, 2017, the staff (the “Staff”) of the Division of Corporation Finance of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued Staff Legal Bulletin No. 14I (SLB 14I) on shareholder proposals, which sets out a...more
With the first required pay ratio disclosures only a few months away, the Commission, on September 21, 2017, issued an interpretative release intended to assist registrants in their compliance efforts. The guidance in the...more
On February 6, 2017, the SEC’s Acting Chairman, Michael S. Piwowar, issued a public statement requesting detailed comments on any “unexpected challenges” faced by issuers preparing to comply with the pay ratio disclosure rule...more
On October 26, 2016, the SEC proposed amendments to the proxy rules that would require the use of universal proxies in all non-exempt solicitations in contested elections of directors. The focus of the SEC proposal is to...more
On July 1, 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) approved a change to the Listing Rules of NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”). New Listing Rule 5250(b)(3) will require Nasdaq listed companies to publicly...more
On August 5, 2015, the Securities and Exchange Commission released final rules implementing the pay ratio disclosure requirements of Section 953(b) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. The final...more
On July 1, 2015, in a 3-2 vote of commissioners cast along party lines, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) proposed rules to implement Section 954 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection...more
On April 29, 2015, in a 3-2 vote of commissioners cast along party lines, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) proposed rules to implement Section 953(a) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer...more