Marketplace All-in-One Do we need quarterly earnings reports?
Mar 18, 2026
Kristen Schwab, Marketplace business reporter who explains financial and regulatory topics, discusses the SEC proposal to cut quarterly earnings to twice a year. Nancy Marshall-Genzer, Marketplace reporter covering sports and features, reports on the WNBA's preliminary collective bargaining deal. They focus on reporting frequency, transparency concerns, and the WNBA pay and housing agreement.
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WNBA Reaches Preliminary Collective Bargaining Deal
- The WNBA and its players announced a verbal agreement on a new collective bargaining deal after months of negotiations.
- Nancy Marshall-Genzer reports salaries will tie to league revenue and some players could earn a million dollars, pending ratification.
Debate Over Cutting Quarterly Earnings Reports
- The SEC is considering cutting mandatory earnings reports from four times a year to twice a year.
- Kristen Schwab notes companies see quarterly reports as costly and distracting, while Jessica Wachter warns quarterly filings force transparency that would be reduced.
Quarterly Cadence Encourages Short Termism
- Quarterly reporting can push firms toward short-term performance and noisy signals every three months.
- John Blank argues that the cadence creates churn and distracts finance teams from long-term strategy and meaningful work.