Form 10-K and Form 10-Q
When you decide to invest in a particular company you should make a careful research of the target company. However, most investors find it difficult to extract the needed details.
One of the basic sources of information about a company is the Form 10-K. It presents the most thorough view of the company you target.
Companies are required by law to submit within 90 days Form 10-K until the fiscal year ends. The Form 10-K is handed to the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission). You can find the following information in the Form 10-K:
- Company's history
- Comprehensive company's information
- Company's risks
- Financial history encompassing the past three years
Another form closely related to the previous one is the Form 10-Q. It includes almost the same information, but should be filed after the end of each quarter. Since the 10-K has to be filed at the end of the fiscal year, companies don't have to file 10-Q at the end of the forth quarter.
Where you can get the 10-Q and 10-K?
- Directly from the company
- From your broker
- Online sources (e.g. EDGAR database)
10-Q and 10-K are free of charge.
10-K vs. Annual Report
The annual report is full of information that you don't need for your investment decisions, such as positive opinions of employees, letter from the chairman, which generally presents the company in a positive light. The 10-K is deprived of such useless information.
Since 10-K is highly regulated by the Sec, you can refer to it as a reliable source of information.
Finally, when you decide on the investment in a particular company, study its 10-K and 10-Q. They will provide you with objective information on the current state of the target company.
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