6. Conclusions
Reg G requires that companies reconcile non-GAAP earnings with the most comparable GAAP earnings number. The SEC
argues that such reconciliations should reduce the mispricing caused by pro forma earnings.
We provide three pieces of evidence that are consistent with the notion that reconciliations reduce mispricing
associated with pro forma earnings. First, using data prior to Reg G and controlling for a host of variables that affect firms’
reconciliation quality, we find that mispricing exists in firms with low reconciliation quality but not in firms with high
reconciliation quality. Second, we find no evidence that pro forma earnings are mispriced after Reg G. Third, we find that
there is reduction of mispricing for firms that improve reconciliation quality across Reg G, but there continues to be no
mispricing for firms that consistently have high reconciliation quality.
In sum, our results suggest that Reg G has been effective in curbing mispricing, and they support the SEC’s claim that
reconciliations result in more accurate pricing of securities. Our paper contributes to both the literature on pro forma
disclosures and the literature on the consequences of securities regulations.