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Filings & disclosure

Form 10-K (Annual Report) 10-K

A 10-K is the comprehensive annual report a US public company files with the SEC, covering its full-year financials, business, and risks.

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What it is

Form 10-K is the detailed annual report that companies listed in the US must file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). It includes audited financial statements, a description of the business, management's discussion of results (MD&A), risk factors, legal proceedings, and executive details. It is far more thorough than the glossy 'annual report to shareholders' a company mails out.

Why it matters

The 10-K is the single most authoritative source on a US company's financial condition and risks, and its audited statements carry legal weight. Investors use it to verify numbers seen elsewhere and to read the often-overlooked risk-factor and footnote sections, where problems first surface. A common pitfall is reading only the summary metrics and skipping the footnotes, where accounting choices and contingencies are disclosed.

How it's calculated

Not a calculated metric; it is a regulatory filing. The deadline depends on filer status: large accelerated filers (public float of $700M or more) must file within 60 days of fiscal year-end, accelerated filers within 75 days, and all other (non-accelerated) filers within 90 days.

How Quintarthai uses it

Quintarthai surfaces 10-K data on each company's deep-analysis page, including the Financials (10-yr income/balance/cash-flow) and Ratios tabs, and Quinn can compare year-over-year changes from the annual filing. Open a company page to view the underlying figures.

Cross-border note. The 10-K is a US (SEC EDGAR) filing; Canadian issuers file an equivalent Annual Information Form (AIF) plus annual financials on SEDAR+, and foreign companies trading in the US may instead file a Form 20-F or 40-F.

FAQ

How is a 10-K different from the annual report shareholders receive?
The shareholder annual report is a marketing-oriented summary, while the 10-K is the detailed, legally required SEC filing with audited statements and full risk disclosure. Many companies wrap the 10-K inside the mailed annual report.
How often is a 10-K filed?
Once per fiscal year. Quarterly updates come in the 10-Q, and material events between filings are reported on Form 8-K.
Related terms
See Form 10-K (Annual Report) on a real company
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