As June 30 rapidly approaches, public companies are busy with the quarter’s close and planning their Q2 earnings releases and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Even with the experience of the first quarter under their belts, management faces an ongoing challenge of determining to what extent historical results may — or may not — be predictive of future performance amidst the continuing uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic and related market volatility. In apparent recognition that their guidance for Q1 reporting required a bring-down for Q2, the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Corporation Finance and Chief Accountant each issued public statements on June 23 that largely reaffirmed but also augmented prior guidance provided in CF Topic No. 9 and statements by SEC Chair Jay Clayton and Division of Corporation Finance Director William Hinman on April 8 and by Chief Accountant Sagar Teotia on April 3.

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