SEC Comment Letter Process
As discussed in the first two Lawcasts in this series, The SEC Division of Corporation Finance, referred to as “CorpFin” reviews and comments upon filings made to the SEC for the purpose of improving and enhancing disclosure. Also as discussed the comment letter and responsive letter process continues until CorpFin has no further comments.
Although the basic process involves letters and responses, the CorpFin staff is available to discuss comments with a company and its legal, accounting and other advisors. The process can and often does involve such conversations. CorpFin will not give legal or accounting advice, but it will talk through comments and responses and discuss the analysis and adequacy related to disclosures. The initial comment letter received from CorpFin will have the reviewer’s direct contact information. The back-and-forth process does not require a formal protocol other than the required written response letter. A company or its advisors may engage in conversations regarding comments, or request the staff to reconsider certain comments prior to putting pen to paper.
CorpFin even encourages this type of conversation, especially where the company or its advisors do not understand a particular comment. The staff would rather discuss it than have the company guess and proceed in the wrong direction. As discussed in the last Lawcast in this series, where the staff suggests that a company should revise its disclosure or its financial statements, the company may, and should as appropriate, provide the staff with a written explanation of why it provided the disclosure it did.
A company may also “go up the ladder,” so to speak, in its discussion with the CorpFin review staff. For instance, if the company does not understand or agree with a comment, it may first talk to the reviewer. If that does not resolve the question, they may then ask to talk to the particular person who prepared the comment letter or directly with the legal branch chief or accounting branch chief identified in the letter. A company may even then proceed to speak directly with the assistant director, deputy director, and then even director.
Matters of legal disclosure or application of GAAP accounting principles are not an exact science, and discussions are encouraged such that the end result is an enhanced disclosure by the company and consistent disclosures across different companies. The SEC provides all of these individuals contact information on its website and will willingly engage in productive conversations with a company.
When responding to comment letters and communicating with SEC staff, it is important that a person who understands the process, such as SEC counsel, take the lead in communication. Responses should be consistent, both related to a particular comment letter and over time. A company that flip-flops on accounting treatment or disclosures will lose credibility with the SEC and invoke further review and comments.
