“Executives at many companies are telling analysts and investors to expect more detailed disclosures in their year-end filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission,” writes Riva Atlas in today’s New York Times.

“A host of companies from Krispy Kreme Doughnuts (news/quote) to General Electric to I.B.M. have indicated that they will be disclosing more about their finances. The moves are in response to investor uneasiness after the Enron collapse and to S.E.C. guidance last month about what it expects to be in the latest crop of annual reports, most of which will be filed in the next few weeks.”

“But finance companies, including commercial banks, will snare much of the spotlight because of the nature of their business, which involves trades, loans and other dealings on behalf of third parties.”

“Commercial banks are also trying to shore up sagging stock prices and to respond to recent Federal Reserve signals that it will be examining their special- purpose entities more closely, as it did recently with PNC Financial Services.”

“Most banks are not expected to take write-downs for off-balance-sheet financings, said H. Rodgin Cohen, a top banking lawyer who is chairman of Sullivan & Cromwell, but ‘you are going to see additional disclosure.’ “

“J. P. Morgan Chase, for example, has been under scrutiny because of its relationship to Enron and its stock has declined 19 percent this year. Now it plans to provide additional information, in annual reports and quarterly filings.”

” ‘Banks already have more detailed disclosure than other financial services companies,’ said Dina Dublon, chief financial officer of J. P. Morgan Chase. Still, ‘I feel we don’t have anything to hide.’ “

“All the special-purpose vehicles that the bank is involved with ‘are already reflected on our balance sheet in one way or another,’ she said. ‘What’s different is we plan to identify the specific amounts.’ “