CPA Exam Lab
Section 1: 30–40%1D

Public Company Reporting Topics

SEC reporting requirements and segment disclosures are high-frequency MCQ territory. The AICPA tests the 10% thresholds for segment identification cold — revenue, profit/loss, assets — and candidates mix up which denominator to use. Also know your SEC forms: 10-K (annual), 10-Q (quarterly), 8-K (material events). Mixing those up is an instant wrong answer.

What AICPA Wants You to Know

  • 1Apply the integral view of interim reporting and the annual effective tax rate method
  • 2Identify what must be disclosed in interim financial reports (ASC 270)
  • 3Apply the quantitative thresholds for segment reporting (ASC 280)
  • 4Describe SEC filing requirements: 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K and their key contents
  • 5Explain the management's discussion and analysis (MD&A) requirement