What is a Restatement?

A restatement refers to the revision and re-release of prior financial statements. A restatement is required whenever it is found that prior financial statements contain one or more material misstatements. There are a number of reasons why misstatements occur. For example, there might have been an accounting error, or fraudulent financial reporting, or noncompliance with the applicable accounting framework.

When a publicly-held entity must restate its financial statements, it first files a Form 8-K to notify the investment community of the situation, and then issues replacement Forms 10-Q and 10-K, as applicable.

Impact of a Restatement

Businesses try to avoid restatements, since they are a public admission that an entity cannot create reliable financial statements. A common outcome of a restatement is a sudden decline in the stock price of an organization.