The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has extended the deadline for filing annual financial statements (AFS) for the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 2025 to June 15, 2026, following the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) move to extend the annual income tax return (ITR) filing deadline to May 15.

The original AFS filing deadline was set on May 29, while the ITR filing deadline had traditionally been April 15.

In a news release Thursday, the SEC said the extension was in line with SEC Memorandum Circular (MC) 9, series of 2026, which outlines the updated rules for the filing of AFS and the general information sheet.

“Financial statements submitted to the commission must first be stamped ‘received’ or duly received by the BIR,” the SEC said.

The commission said the revised deadline covers all corporations, including branch offices, representative offices, regional headquarters, and regional operating headquarters of foreign corporations whose fiscal years ended on Dec. 31, as well as those under the jurisdiction of SEC extension offices.

However, the SEC noted that for brokers and dealers, the deadline for submitting SEC Form 52-AR, with AFS as an attachment, has been moved to May 15 from April 30.

Likewise, issuers with securities listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), issuers with unlisted securities, public companies, and firms covered under Section 17.2 of Republic Act 8799, or the Securities Regulation Code, are also given until May 15 to file their annual reports with AFS as attachments.

SEC Chairperson Francis Lim said the extension would give regulated entities more time to comply with reporting requirements.

“Beyond the alignment, we want to provide corporations ample time to finalize their reports and ensure the accuracy and completeness of information provided in their financial statements,” he said. (PNA)