Final answer:
Earnings per share (EPS) information is a required financial metric for all public companies, as it shows a company's profitability. Public companies, including those analyzed by Standard & Poor's to represent the economy, must disclose their EPS.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is asking whether or not the information regarding earnings per share (EPS) is required to be reported by all companies. EPS is a widely watched financial metric, which divides a company’s profit by the number of common shares outstanding. It is indeed required to be reported by all public companies as it provides a direct insight into their profitability and financial health. These firms are usually scrutinized by various business magazines and financial analysts, such as those from Standard & Poor's, which select companies like the 500 large U.S. firms to represent the economy. These analyses often include revenue, stock price, and other financial data to rank and evaluate these firms.