HKEX timing relief for 2021 preliminary financial results

On 21 February 2022, The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the HKEx) published an updated FAQ (the Updated FAQ) on the joint statement issued by the SFC and the HKEx on 4 February 2020 on financial results announcements in the light of travel restrictions related to the severe respiratory disease associated with a novel infectious agent, which gave timing relief to issuers with a financial year ended 31 December 2019 for the publication of preliminary financial results. For further details of the February 2020 HKEX and SFC Joint Statement, please see Charltons’ February 2020 newsletter.

In the Updated FAQ, the HKEx confirmed that the approach adopted in the February 2020 SFC and HKEX Joint Statement worked well to accommodate pandemic-induced difficulties faced by HKEX-listed issuers and a similar approach will continue to be adopted for issuers whose financial year ends fall beyond 31 December 2019 on a case by case basis, taking into account the prevailing circumstances. The HKEx invites all issuers whose audits are affected by the recently announced 2022 pandemic-related measures to discuss their situation with the HKEx at the earliest instance.