Reg FD Already Having Impact on REIT Reporting

BOSTON-It’s called Reg FD and its intent is to level the playing field for investors. Early in the game, it’s hard to say if that in reality will happen, but at least one local analyst tells GlobeSt.com that private investors may find themselves overwhelmed.

Reg FD, which stands for Fair Disclosure, is basically a dictate from the Securities & Exchange Commission that tells public firms to announce pertinent investment data broadly as opposed to doling out bits of information to analysts on a selective basis. It has come under fire as increasing the margin of error in earnings models, but early in the game is being praised for its inclusiveness. “It’s hard to poke holes in the argument,” says Frederick Carr, a principal with the locally based Penobscot Group. It certainly has caused “some reluctance to talk one on one, and this has got to be good.”

In terms of how the ruling will impact the way investors place their bets, Carr is still unsure. “I’m not sure what affect it would have on how investors invest,” he tells GlobeSt.com. “But this turns on the issue of whether or not private investors have the time to dedicate to their investments that professional investors do. We might very well be providing private investors with more information than they have the time to digest.”