Quarterly reporting cadence can push CFOs to ‘suboptimal’ decisions

Core Argument - The discussion around the potential shift to six-month reporting periods is seen as unfounded by industry leaders, who argue that it would not significantly hinder investor access to information [1][5]. Group 1: Reporting Periods - President Trump has revived the proposal to change from quarterly to six-month reporting periods, which have been mandated since 1970 [2]. - The argument for semi-annual reporting is that it could reduce costs and allow companies to focus more on business management [3]. - Experts highlight that quarterly reports serve as a crucial "pressure point," providing early visibility into business trends for both management and investors [3]. Group 2: Investor Communication - Companies maintain regular communication with shareholders beyond quarterly earnings calls, which may mitigate concerns about information access [4]. - There are numerous opportunities for companies to engage with investors, suggesting that the concern over lack of information is overstated [5]. Group 3: Financial Leadership Perspective - The CFO of Zuora emphasizes the significant overhead, time, and costs associated with quarterly earnings reporting [7]. - McElhatton's experience spans both public and private companies, providing him with insights into the operational burdens of frequent reporting [6].