The Auditor’s Role in Form 10-Q Reports

Once a private company completes its going public transaction using a Form S-1 registration statement, under most circumstances, it becomes subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) . Rules 13(a)-13 and 15(d)-13, require that SEC reporting issuers file a Form 10-Q for each of the first three quarters of each fiscal year.

Rules 8-03 and 10-01(d) of Regulation S-X require that a company‘s interim financial statements

contained within its Form 10-Q reports be reviewed by its independent auditors in accordance with the Statement on Auditing Standards (“SAS”) prior to the filing of its Form 10-Q with the SEC.

When a company completes its quarterly report on Form 10-Q but its auditor cannot or will not complete its review in a timely manner, the issuer is presented with a dilemma. Absent an auditor review, if it files its 10-Q with the SEC, the filing is considered incomplete and not timely filed. Even though a company is not obliged to state that the timely interim auditor review was completed, the filing of the report implies that the requirements of Form 10-Q have been met, including the review.

A company may decide to file its Form 10-Q by the original or extended filing date without its auditor’s review. In such circumstances, the company must explicitly disclose that the filing is incomplete because Form 10-Q’s required auditor SAS 100 review was not performed and/or completed. Additionally, the company should explain the reason the SAS 100 review was not performed and/or completed and offer an anticipated completion date.

Once the auditor’s SAS 100 review is ready, the company should file an amendment to its Form 10-Q, reflecting that fact. The issuer should include the report of the SAS 100 review in its amended 10-Q report.

For more information about Form 10-Q please see our blog post at:

http://www.gopublic101.com/form-10q/

For further information about this securities law blog post, please contact Brenda Hamilton, Securities Attorney at 101 Plaza Real S, Suite 202 N, Boca Raton Florida, (561) 416-8956, by email at info@securitieslawyer101.com or visit www.gopublic101.com.   This securities law blog post is provided as a general informational service to clients and friends of Hamilton & Associates Law Group and should not be construed as, and does not constitute, legal and compliance advice on any specific matter, nor does this message create an attorney-client relationship. For more information about going public and the rules and regulations affecting the use of Rule 144, Form 8K, crowdfunding, FINRA Rule 6490, Rule 506 private placement offerings and memorandums, Regulation A, Rule 504 offerings, SEC reporting requirements, SEC registration statements on Form S-1 , IPO’s, OTC Pink Sheet listings, Form 10 OTCBB and OTC Markets disclosure requirements, DTC Chills, Global Locks, reverse mergers, public shells, direct public offerings and direct public offerings please contact Hamilton and Associates at (561) 416-8956 or info@securitieslawyer101.com. Please note that the prior results discussed herein do not guarantee similar outcomes.

Hamilton & Associates | Securities Lawyers
Brenda Hamilton, Securities Attorney
101 Plaza Real South, Suite 202 North
Boca Raton, Florida 33432
Telephone: (561) 416-8956
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www.GoPublic101.com